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[justiceiro]

If I wanted the limitations of game controllers, I would get a console.

Which I did, and use the Xbox controller on PC for some games. But being honest, it's usually a hassle. Not all games support the plug and play of controllers, I had to restart my PC several times while playing dark souls remastered because sometimes the game simply "forgot" that my controller is connected.

 

[RoboFu]

If I wanted the limitations of game controllers, I would get a console.

Which I did, and use the Xbox controller on PC for some games. But being honest, it's usually a hassle. Not all games support the plug and play of controllers, I had to restart my PC several times while playing dark souls remastered because sometimes the game simply "forgot" that my controller is connected.

All games in the past 15 years support xBox controllers and support them well. You fucked up some where.

 

[Holammer]

Right tool for the right job, I'm playing Helldivers with a Dualsense because it's relaxing and I enjoy the haptics.
In games like Enter the Gungeon I play better with a m+kb.

 

[TGO]

Have you ever seen anyone lifting and placing the mouse back down to get it back into place because it's not reacting as expected.
That's me

 

[Kaleinc]

As stupid as suggesting console players to get a mouse and kb.

 

[Thaedolus]

it’s very genre dependent for me but anything that requires aiming? Or frequent menu navigation? Why would I use something that clearly is worse off for those particular tasks?

 

[Dacvak]

I just don’t enjoy gaming unless I’m on my couch, so I’ve been a controller guy for years. When I’m playing multiplayer PC games, it… can be rough.

 

[Jigsaah]

anything with shooting - KBM (COD, APEX, etc)
anything with fighting - Controller (Tekken, Guilty Gear, Souls or Soulslike games)
any RTS - KBM (Civ, Stellaris, etc.)
ARPGs - Controller (Diablo, Path of Exile, etc.)
MMOs - KBM (FFXIV, WOW, Guild Wars)

I'm simply more agile moving around on a controller in most games that don't require a ton of shooting, but for those that require more precise shooting and quick movement of the camera...KBM all the way)

 

[Shubh_C63]

I may have to rant about this but WHY connecting DS4 with Windows is such a pain.

No seriously, Steam makes it like it is going to be child's play and yet I have no recollection of it ever working without tinkering for 30 mins. PS button prompt missing, DS4Windows etc all that shit.

 

[Kataploom]

If I wanted the limitations of game controllers, I would get a console.

Which I did, and use the Xbox controller on PC for some games. But being honest, it's usually a hassle. Not all games support the plug and play of controllers, I had to restart my PC several times while playing dark souls remastered because sometimes the game simply "forgot" that my controller is connected.

Which games you play that doesn't accept controller natively on PC? Apart from some PC exclusives like League of Legends or World of Warcraft, basically everything else since 7th gen onwards have native controller support. Which is shit for consoles because they should also have M&K support there since they all share same multiplatform dev environment.

 

[Topher]

depends the game, sometimes controller sometimes m&kb

Exactly. I've been playing Helldivers 2 with kb&m and Dragon's Dogma 2 with controller

 

[Agent_4Seven]

BossLackey I'm with ya, bro. There's so many people out there who're refusing to play games with a controller, always angry af cuz mice and KB works badly and giving games negative reviews on Steam.
I mean, I get it, PC needs good mice and KB support, but for fuck's sake, vast majority of games are way better when playing with a controller's analog movement. I hardly ever use my mice and KB to play games anymore, unless it's FPS where you absolutely need the mice and KB.

Just yesterday bought an 8bitdo Ultimate BT controller with Hall Effect sticks and loving it so far, hopefully those button icons won't get destroyed in a few months - I really wish they'd done what PS or MS did with their face buttons - transparent buttons and icons within a button, not outside of it.

 

[existensmaximum]

Yeah playing with mouse and keyboard in third player-perspective is absolutely gross. I hardly knew it was a thing until a few years ago.

I blows my mind why anyone would want to do that. And for 2D platformers!

 

[Fredrik]

I know people who can’t physically control games with analog sticks. Definitely can’t aim but even walking without always slamming the stick to the edges can’t be done.

I know those who can’t do twin stick controls either where pushing the stick to the edge is all you do.

And back in the days I personally used to have serious problems using a D-pad. I played with joysticks for 10 years before that, and used the right hand for movement. Going from that to do movement with the left thumb was like trying to pick my nose with heels.

People are simply used to different things, that’s where the noise comes from.

 

[Hydroxy]

Yeah i play most games on controller and only first person games with k/m.

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

I do ONLY controllers like this.....

What do I get?

 

[Pegasus Actual]

Modern console controllers are poo for most things but ya know, sometimes it's just easier. If you're playing a 'console game' on PC you should at least have a controller in your back pocket.

 

[FunkMiller]

I used a controller for Baldur’s Gate 3 on PC. Much better than fiddling about with a fucking keyboard, like I’m some desk monkey at a badly paid job.

 

[evanft]

I've seen people use M/KB in racing games. Absolute psychopaths.

 

[ClaptoVaughn]

I switch between mouse/kb and the Elite Pro 2 depending on the game.

I use controller for games that are almost pure melee (and the ranged attacks are lock-on anyways) like Lies of P, Sekiro, or any side scroller like Blasphemous 2.

Then I use mouse for any shooting games like fps or third person like Remnant 2, Warframe, etc.

I also use mouse and kb for games like Baldurs Gate, for games that are point and click or very UI intensive.

 

[Lucifers Beard]

I'll use keyboard and mouse for most games but games like Dragons Dogma 2, controller all the way.

 

[Randall365]

Fps with kbm is nonsense these days. We have actually designed controllers that have triggers that feel incredibly realistic, with rumble to replicate recoil to some extent. Nope - I want to left click a mouse to fire a rifle!

 

[Kiya's Guard]

Ever since we got xinput, using controller on pc is simple as hell, but I guess some people just rejects it. But being able to play console games emulated, better than the original platform and with the legit controller is a wonder

 

[Portugeezer]

You haven't lived until you've played a platform game with WASD and left mouse click to jump.

 

[Diddy X]

I could never get good enough with kb/m, I gotta keep practising maybe?

 

[The Infectious Paradox]

On this note, I'm about to get my first pc. Already gonna use my series X controller, but are there other good 3rd party controllers?

 

[Guilty_AI]

I've seen people use M/KB in racing games. Absolute psychopaths.

You can only call yourself a man if you played a sim using mouse pedals and steering.

 

[MarkyG]

I play driving games and some third person shooters with my DualShock or Xbox controller and the rest is with kb/mouse. It's nice to have a choice.

 

[Soodanim]

On this note, I'm about to get my first pc. Already gonna use my series X controller, but are there other good 3rd party controllers?

Depends how you want to go about things. For the most part unless you want something with more inputs you're better off sticking with what you have. Modern controller support for the most part just means XInput, and the farther you get away from that the less user friendly things get.

DInput still exists, but its support is varied these days AFAIK. DInput is the older style of controller input. It supported more than Xinput does, but that comes with being less standardised. That means every button has a number rather than its actual label, so when you're setting everything up its a bit messier.

There is software that can customise controller layouts, including Steam itself as well as various third party ones. They can let you get lots more out of your controller by having things like combinations and what are known as Layers, which is where an input activates a different set of input commands.

To give an example for it all, my favourite PC controller is the DS4. It's a native DInput controller, but there is software that can make it be seen as XInput for compatibility. I like DS4Windows because it's better for compatibility, but it isn't as good as SteamInput for customising inputs (making good use of the touchpad). Steam is great and recently put more focus on Sony controller compatibility, but it doesn't always work perfectly with games. Also, because it isn't a native XInput controller, compatibility with Windows is spotty and getting it to work over Bluetooth means relying on the extra software that comes with DS4Windows. The problem is that an update broke wireless function for me, and I haven't been able to get it working again since so it's wired or nothing.

An Xbox controller is going to be as plug and play as you can possibly hope for, you just might have troubles with games that pre-date Xinput.

Edit: seeing as I didn't necessarily answer your question, if a third party controller supports Xinput it's going to be fine but the more obscure it is the less compatibility any additional stuff (like back buttons) is going to have.

 

[GymWolf]

 

[StereoVsn]

Mouse fucks up my rsi so I only use controller. In games where you have a tendency to mash it rapidly tap, I use a fight stick to baby that is sure. I map shoulder button dash moves onto the face buttons. There's ways around it on controller but not really on mouse.

You can get an MMO mouse with like 20+ buttons and should be able to map some buttons to turbo effect if needed.

Edit: Oh and for the controller: FPS, Strategy, Simulator (well, depends on the one in question), some ARPGs (Diablo, etc) are definitely KBM.

A lot of other games are controller. TPS shooters it really depends.

 

[brock sexy lesnar]

God of War, TLOU, Horizon games are better with Mouse/Keyboard than controller. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 

[Danknugz]

traditionally FPS were always better with a mouse,but what happened is that developers literally made newer FPS games slower and tweaked the actual game play and mechanics all around console players who use controllers, cause that's where the is.

hats why we have so many boring, slow, uninspired FPS these days. you could think of it as inbred game development in a sense.

 

[The Infectious Paradox]

Depends how you want to go about things. For the most part unless you want something with more inputs you're better off sticking with what you have. Modern controller support for the most part just means XInput, and the farther you get away from that the less user friendly things get.

DInput still exists, but its support is varied these days AFAIK. DInput is the older style of controller input. It supported more than Xinput does, but that comes with being less standardised. That means every button has a number rather than its actual label, so when you're setting everything up its a bit messier.

There is software that can customise controller layouts, including Steam itself as well as various third party ones. They can let you get lots more out of your controller by having things like combinations and what are known as Layers, which is where an input activates a different set of input commands.

To give an example for it all, my favourite PC controller is the DS4. It's a native DInput controller, but there is software that can make it be seen as XInput for compatibility. I like DS4Windows because it's better for compatibility, but it isn't as good as SteamInput for customising inputs (making good use of the touchpad). Steam is great and recently put more focus on Sony controller compatibility, but it doesn't always work perfectly with games. Also, because it isn't a native XInput controller, compatibility with Windows is spotty and getting it to work over Bluetooth means relying on the extra software that comes with DS4Windows. The problem is that an update broke wireless function for me, and I haven't been able to get it working again since so it's wired or nothing.

An Xbox controller is going to be as plug and play as you can possibly hope for, you just might have troubles with games that pre-date Xinput.

Edit: seeing as I didn't necessarily answer your question, if a third party controller supports Xinput it's going to be fine but the more obscure it is the less compatibility any additional stuff (like back buttons) is going to have.

The good thing is I love the series X controller so I think I'll be happy. But I'm glad I asked. This info is great.

 

[BlackTron]

Every time this debate comes back it generates so many disbelief-stretching takes.

It's preference of course, but it's also game and genre-dependent. At some point it crosses over from preference to bias. I thought the real debate was between kb/m and controller with aim assist for FPS games. But no, the debate is even further that that; their worth as an input devices for ALL games, to the extent there are people playing racers with a keyboard! This blows my mind personally.

 

[Wildebeest]

How do you know when someone wubs their controller and uses it for everything, and is shocked that anyone uses anything else? Don't worry, they will tell you.

 

[Larxia]

Really depends on the game. The obvious reply is that anything with shooting is better with a mouse, but actually more accurate than this is that I think anything with a lot of camera control is better with a mouse.

Sunset Overdrive for example, while it might look like something that plays better on a controller, is way more fun with mouse and keyboard, because it unlocks another layer of gameplay, you can quickly turn around and pull off moves that you just can't do with a controller unless you put the sensitivity to the max and then it's unplayable.

In a lot of games I find keyboard and mouse more "comfortable" because with a controller I feel chained, restrained, while with a mouse it's like unlocking the real, unchained gameplay, with full freedom of movements.

There are games that I play with a controller too though, like Tony Hawk, SSX, Kingdom Hearts, Bayonetta, things like that, because they don't require much camera control and therefore there's no downside playing them with a controller.
I could also say the opposite, for example I find it a mystery why people would play Baldur's Gate 3 on a controller when they are on pc and can pick keyboard and mouse, so...

 

[Hudo]

I prefer to play Elden Ring with KBM. Get fucked.

 

[DanEON]

I abandoned KBM and now I play everything on PC with a controller. So I can play relaxed on the couch. Games that requires aiming I use gyro.

 

[poodaddy]

I prefer controller, but I have a friend who has always strictly played PC and he can't really enjoy controllers, they're just not his thing, so why would I want him to use something to play a game, to have fun, when he doesn't enjoy using it?

Fuck that. All PC ports should have proper mouse support, no excuses and no exceptions. It's not for me, it's for those who just can't get into controller gaming, and that's totally fine.

 

[rodrigolfp]

Lol. Claw grip and aim assist lover detected. xD

Almost every game "designed for controllers" still have more limitations on controller vs kb+m. The exceptions are some racing sims, but those are better with wheels anyway.

 

[Barneyco]

I noticed Dragons Dogma 2 only has partial support for dualsense on steam. Has anyone tried it wireless and how did it work for you?

 

[Bojji]

I have always used controllers on pc, i don't like m&k combo at all.

Wired 360 controller -> Xbox one controller with WA -> Xbox series s controller with WA.

Occasionally DS4 and Dual Sense but Xbox pads works on everything without additional software.

 

[Guilty_AI]

I prefer to play Elden Ring with KBM. Get fucked.

Weak, i beat Sekiro with KBM.

 

[darrylgorn]

Yeah. Baldur's Gate 3 is definitley a KABAM game.

 

[hemo memo]

i do i use the dualsense.

I use an Xbox controller for native support.

 

[justiceiro]

All games in the past 15 support xBox controllers and support them well. You fucked up some where.

Which games you play that doesn't accept controller natively on PC? Apart from some PC exclusives like League of Legends or World of Warcraft, basically everything else since 7th gen onwards have native controller support. Which is shit for consoles because they should also have M&K support there since they all share same multiplatform dev environment.

Can you guys read?

I never said games don't support controllers, I said that sometimes they stop recognizing the controller. Like dark souls remastered, that was released 7 years ago.

And is a game problem, because I can still access the Xbox game bar, but game stop recognizing it and go back to accepting only mk controls. I recall having some trouble with moonlighter as well, if I didn't started the game after already connecting the controller.

 

[Crayon]

You can get an MMO mouse with like 20+ buttons and should be able to map some buttons to turbo effect if needed.

Edit: Oh and for the controller: FPS, Strategy, Simulator (well, depends on the one in question), some ARPGs (Diablo, etc) are definitely KBM.

A lot of other games are controller. TPS shooters it really depends.

For games that really need a mouse I either use controller gyro, a steam controller, or a mouse-wand in one hand and whatever has enough buttons/keys in the other. I guess those count as mouse input workarounds just that none involve a proper mouse.

Even for work, I should probably be mousing left handed. I've done it before.

Hmm I'm going to check into an MMO mouse though because a big part of this issue is the index finger in particular.

 

[64bitmodels]

I blows my mind why anyone would want to do that. And for 2D platformers!

Keyboard works fine for 2d platformers.

 

[Mortisfacio]

anything with shooting - KBM (COD, APEX, etc)
anything with fighting - Controller (Tekken, Guilty Gear, Souls or Soulslike games)
any RTS - KBM (Civ, Stellaris, etc.)
ARPGs - Controller (Diablo, Path of Exile, etc.)
MMOs - KBM (FFXIV, WOW, Guild Wars)

I'm simply more agile moving around on a controller in most games that don't require a ton of shooting, but for those that require more precise shooting and quick movement of the camera...KBM all the way)

This is pretty much what I do, besides ARPGs. I prefer KBM, but sometimes I kick my display to the TV and just grab a controller so I can lay down.