XBOX360 Controller support?

[Rooflesstoofless]

An old coworker of mine is picking up the game (new blood to an MMO horay!) and when I spoke to him he said that he plans to play with a xbox controller. Is there a way to do this? I googled it but all the official forum links provided were down due to traffic.

UPDATE:
Does anyone have a video I can send him on the typical WASD setup for MMOs? Youtube search just got me spammed with videos of every F2P coming out. I sent a long email to him detailing how it worked but it is hard because 'A' and 'D' do different things depending on if you are moving or not...'W' can be accomplished more than one way...etc.

[lookatmypet]

Its been done in WoW before with a program called Xpadder, it will work. I dont know how reliable it would be to acually use an xbox remote with a mmo.

[Arieth]

Teach him how to play with Mouse and Keyboard?

Even if he does manage to get it to work, he will be the worst player on the server. I can't see anyone playing an MMO with a controller being any good with how many abilities classes have.

I don't even think it's possible to fully incorporate a controller to work for any MMO.

[Cruor]

Teach him how to play with Mouse and Keyboard?

Even if he does manage to get it to work, he will be the worst player on the server. I can't see anyone playing an MMO with a controller being any good with how many abilities classes have.

I don't even think it's possible to fully incorporate a controller to work for any MMO.

What this guy said. Im sure you could force it to work, and he could reach 50, but he would be the worst player on the server. He knows nothing about mmos if he thinks he can play with a controller. Just thinking quickly, I have to use about... 25ish, maybe more buttons to pvp in WoW. Thats impossible to do on a controller. even if it was 1/2 as many you still couldn't do it. Explain to him that he has been playing games the wrong way and real gamers play with a mouse and key board... not because a preference, but because one is hands down superior.

[Jamber]

Teach him how to play with Mouse and Keyboard?

Even if he does manage to get it to work, he will be the worst player on the server. I can't see anyone playing an MMO with a controller being any good with how many abilities classes have.

I don't even think it's possible to fully incorporate a controller to work for any MMO.

While that is an issue, I think the worse issue is how to interact with things in the world and target other things particularly.

[Arieth]

While that is an issue, I think the worse issue is how to interact with things in the world and target other things particularly.

Well I figured that would work with his right analog or something, it would move his mouse and his screen? I don't know lol, and he could press A to interact, I really don't know, there are just so many factors that It wouldn't even be worth anyones time to even try it out

[Herecius]

Teach him how to play with Mouse and Keyboard?

Even if he does manage to get it to work, he will be the worst player on the server. I can't see anyone playing an MMO with a controller being any good with how many abilities classes have.

I don't even think it's possible to fully incorporate a controller to work for any MMO.

It actually works incredibly well in DC:Universe. Rare exception to the rule, mostly because the combat is more based on two or three types of attacks being chained together into combos and special attacks, much like a fighting game.

[Yuni]

There's programs online that can do it (can't think of them off the top of my head), but like others have said, it'll just be difficult and frustrating more than fun. There's just not enough buttons on a controller to effectively play an mmo.

[Rooflesstoofless]

Teach him how to play with Mouse and Keyboard?

Even if he does manage to get it to work, he will be the worst player on the server. I can't see anyone playing an MMO with a controller being any good with how many abilities classes have.

I don't even think it's possible to fully incorporate a controller to work for any MMO.

That is probably what will end up having to happen. I tried to tell him that you don't get all your abilities at the same time so it isn't as intimidating as he thinks and it just takes time to get used to, but he seems to think it is an either/or situation.

[Deleted]

I actually think you could get this to work, if you used the four buttons as ability buttons, and maybe RB or LB as shift modifier you have a good few choices - could use the right trigger for Tab targeting to skip through closest enemies - i think it could work

[Rooflesstoofless]

I actually think you could get this to work, if you used the four buttons as ability buttons, and maybe RB or LB as shift modifier you have a good few choices - could use the right trigger for Tab targeting to skip through closest enemies - i think it could work

I use controllers for consoles and not on PC games so I think I might get lost on trying to help him out and just make it worse.

Does anyone have a video I can send him on the typical WASD setup for MMOs? I sent a long email to him detailing how it worked but it is hard because 'A' and 'D' do different things depending on if you are moving or not...'W' can be accomplished more than one way...etc.

[Deleted]

OP keep us updated how you get on! Would love to know if it works out

[gualdhar]

I used a controller most of the time when I played FFXI. Its great if you want to do basic things - run around, craft, check the auction house, what have you - but if he gets in a group he's going to have issues. It helps if the game has an easy controller setup like FFXI did too. But you'll still be able to run around, interact with people, etc. And, if you're using drivers that support multi-button mapping (like shift+# on a keyboard, some controllers support things like back button + shoulders/thumb buttons) you'll be able to use a fair amount of macros too. I'm not sure if the UI supports navigating menus without a mouse though.

In all likelihood he'll want to transition to keyboard/mouse for important stuff, like running FPs/Ops/etc. Maybe when the TOR API gets released someone can make a system that works well with a gamepad.

[Shiggs]

I actually created an account to reply to this, lurked forever.

I currently use an Xbox Controller to play WoW. I am not terrible, like many said someone would be who uses a controller. I am a GM of a raiding guild that currently has Heroic Morchok down, not world first, but not bad tbh. I do use Xpadder, which someone up above mentioned. Basically you can custom keybind anything to any button with this program. It used to be free, and you can still download free versions if you are on an older version of Windows, but with Windows 7 you have to purchase it for $9.99.

The way I have mine setup is that the 4 face buttons,(AXBY) are default to 1-4. When I hold down my Left trigger it is a modifier so these same buttons (AXBY) become 5-8, same situation for right trigger, a different modifier for 9-=. "But most people use more than 12 buttons", yes they do, and so do I. When I hit up or down on my D-pad it shifts between action bars. So basically it is unlimited to whatever you need to do. I personally have been raiding this way for 4 years, so its all muscle memory now.

As far as the rest of the important stuff, I have my left thumbstick setup to QWES for strafe left-right as well as forward and backwards. My right thumbstick is my mouse, I have the sensitivity pretty high, so after a bit of practice clicking is pretty easy for targeting. My left bumper is Left click, right bumper is right click. I had my left thumbstick click (like push-in thing) set to tab targeting, but once I got good at click targeting I just bound it to jump. Right thumbstick click is Vent Push to talk.

For the record, I play a hunter currently. I have raided as a warrior tank, rogue, and mage. The only thing that I have not done in this configuration is healing, honesty because I do not enjoy heals. I know this isn't exactly SWTOR experience, but I assume a similar setup can be made. I love my setup and I did use it when I was in the SWTOR weekend beta, but I only got to play for a few hours.

To summarize: It is possible to use a Xbox360 controller and not be a bad player.

[Cruor]

I actually created an account to reply to this, lurked forever.
To summarize: It is possible to use a Xbox360 controller and not be a bad player.

Its all in perspective. Can you play and not be bad? I suppose. Are you doing top dps for a hunter in your level of gear? Can you get 2200+ in 3v3 arena with all 3 people using Xbox 360 controllers? I'd honestly be amazed to see this, and I honestly doubt it could be done without exploiting some lame class setup or gimmick. Bottom line is, sitting far back on a couch is nice, but keyboard/mouse is better control.

I actually really fear that soon big mmos may be set up to run on controllers or be pc/xbox ps3. Its just going to simplify games so much, as most people will not be willing to learn to do the controller setup he mentions above.

[Kabria]

It actually works incredibly well in DC:Universe. Rare exception to the rule, mostly because the combat is more based on two or three types of attacks being chained together into combos and special attacks, much like a fighting game.

This is because DCUO is a pc and console release built with a controller in mind.

I also can't see being able to play effectively with a controller in a game like wow or swtor with so many skills. I did raid with a healer back in the BC days that managed to do well with a controller, so maybe with a bit of work/skill it can be done.

[alikyu]

The difference between DC Universe Online, FFXI, and SWTOR is that DC Universe and FFXI were designed to be played with controllers. DC Universe Online was released on the PS3, and many Japanese players played FFXI on the PS2.

It's funny, because Western players of FFXI had the opposite problem of your coworker. They wanted more keyboard and mouse support, so they didn't feel at a disadvantage, or at least burdened, for not playing with a controller.

My experience with translating MMOs to controller is that if you have to use a lot of accurate mouse clicks for targeting or working the UI, you won't have a very enjoyable time trying to do all of that with the right analog stick.

You could do it, but it wouldn't be very intuitive.