Am I the only one annoyed by games requiring X360 gamepad?

Seems like more and more developers keep doing it with their games, as the time passes, and everyone seems to just suck it up. Am I the only one who's pissed off by it? Many PC games these days (mainly action, adventure and non-isometric RPGs) give you two options: either cope with an unbearably bad keyboard and mouse control scheme, or play it the way it's meant to be played - with a controller. The problem is, most of the developers give you no choice when it comes to that - you either buy an overpriced Microsoft one or go back to torturing yourself with keyboard and mouse settings. I can understand and accept that some games are played better with a controller because they were built this way, but why on earth aren't we allowed to use whatever controller we have instead of a "recommended control method" - an X360 gamepad? I can't understand why so many developers go with this retarded way of programming a control scheme in their games. So many games I have to skip just because they're absolutely terrible to play with a mouse and a keyboard, and I have a generic USB controller.

Simple, deadlines must be met and the allotted time to get a game done on multiple platforms, doesn't allow for in a lot of instances a good pc port. It's more a problem with large publishers, and inexperienced game developers then anything else.

yah surprisingly the x360 gamepad is the preferred controller...prolly because the Xinput API is being used since it's also used on the xbox.

havent played a single game yet that made me go and buy a controller

It doesn't really bother me.

I own one, so no. I play more games on a KB/M but some games just feel a lot better using a game pad.

I think you guys are missing the argument/discussion here. This isnt the silly KB/M vs Gamepad debate.

This is the growing trend of controller centric PC games/genres refusing to utilize/acknowledge other gamepads that arent the X360 pad. Just imagine if Windows all of a sudden stopped accepting Keyboards and mice that arent branded by Microsoft, that's the case we are dealing with here.

I pretty much I agree. The 360 pad has a monopoly. While I do have a 360 pad. I had a Logitech gamepad that I was more familiar with (due to the PS2-like layout). I can't use it anymore as it became too much of an inconvenience compared to the alternatives. It just became a headache to constantly configure it to every game I play where I would prefer a controller. On top of that, I pretty much had to use 3rd party software just for it to work.

Personally, I dont think developers are truly to blame. PC gamers have turned a blind eye on it - or just dont care - because majority of PC gamers prefer KB/M (as evident with the few posts in this thread). Logitech/competitors hasnt really done much to compete with how convenient the X360 pad really is or get in touch with developers and Im guessing there's a some patent in place of whatever the 360 pad uses to make its compatibility so fluid.

Although this isnt really all that helpful (and dont take this the wrong way). I'd say just suck it up and buy one. It's literally plug and play, sometimes even press and play as there are games where I can literally switch from KB/M after a shooting segment, jump in a car in-game, pick up the 360 pad and it'll work - That adaptability just puts the implementation of controllers ahead of even the consoles. Although it's more pricey than controllers in the past, I think the convenience is worth it and for me, at least. The price of the wired one was easy to swallow since I like to spend quite abit on perhiperals, with my mouse costing twice as much as the wired X360 pad alone, alongside my rig that I spent ~$900 on.

No, some games are just better on the gamepad.. I don't get the rationale some pc gamers have that they will always use mouse and keyboard and nothing else.. When there are some games out there in which a alternative is far better be it a gamepad, joystick, or steering wheel..

I am annoyed at the amount of games that require a controller to be played properly period. This is a direct result of all the shit console porting that has become the norm in pc gaming in recent years.

And to the last post I don't give a shit if this is the discussion or not, it is my comment on it.

not following the logic here...suck it up and buy one? If I wanted one I'd buy it, but I don't, I cant stand the lack of precision

I've completely rewritten the first post, as its former was rage-induced, and imho wasn't comprehensible enough. Should be fine now.

Many of you people seem to miss the point of the topic. It's not about superiority of keyboards over controllers and vice versa. It's about a trend in gaming industry making the X360 controller the only viable controller option in PC games, which is silly, to put it gently.

Well, to be honest, over here those controllers are a teeny tiny bit too pricey for everybody to afford and so.... ahh, who am I kidding? They're expensive as **** in here and only a small percentage of gamers actually has one (at least half of them being the owners of an actual X360).

is there anything stopping other manufacturers from using the 360 driver in windows? the ideal solution would be for any pad to be recognised as an X360 controller it seems. it wouldnt affect the controller itself...manufacturers could still make it look like whatever they wanted. just the game would see it as an X360 controller.

if MS have locked that down though then its a non runner.

it is a pain but if developers need to do extra work to get more controllers working then its going to be hit and miss. perhaps other hardware manufactuers could come together and agree on an open controller standard which would make life easier for developers and still improve controller support.

I own a 360 pad and I think it is very annoying. Developers are treating Mouse and Keyboard people as second class citizens. Dark Souls 2 is the most recent example. They can't even be bothered to change the button prompts to help mouse and keyboard users. I know Steam is more of a distribution platform, but I really wish they would have some quality control when it comes to this kind of crap. It's simply pure laziness on the developers part.

what games are being released now that require a 360 controller? these days i see people complain that there aren't ENOUGH games that use a controller.

Maybe not "right now", but over the years there've been some that did. Devil May Cry 4, Cursed Crusade, Mars: War Logs, and Dark Souls being some examples off the top of my head.

You're missing the point of the thread. He's talking about the Xbox 360 controller having a monopoly when it comes to GAMEPADS on PC. He's not talking about keyboard+mouse at all. He's saying that if you want to use a controller, you pretty much have to use the 360 one because every other controller is a hassle to get working. This has nothing to do with keyboard+mouse vs controller. It's controller vs controller.

Can't you get drivers that will emulate the 360 controller?

AFAIK, there's only an emulator (x360ce), but it's really troublesome to use. It'll most likely either not work at all (as in it won't recognize your gamepad) or mix up the control scheme for the game altogether and won't let you change it. Oh the horror of playing Dark Souls with functional buttons changed clockwise and having lock-on on start button (this actually happened to me and had to cope with it).

It's not so much the 360 pad itself, but the X-input API that has the monopoly on games lately. Luckily other controllers are able to take advantage of it, (the Logitech F310 and wireless adapter for the Wii U Pro controller come to mind).

Someone also asked about an X-Input emulator, if I remember correctly Xpadder is a program that achieves this.

developers are just lazy to support other controllers and M$ is prolly trying to steer people to use the xbox controller instead

I use my PS3 controllers flawlessly with all games that support xbox controllers, I don't see the problem. I even have them working wirelessly over bluetooth.

I am not annoyed by games that require a controller ... I am annoyed by the developers being so lazy and not finishing the work they started and rush out a product that lacks in the "polishing" section of game development. In my case this usually refers to Ubisoft, EA's dogs, FromSoft entered my list recently as well and so forth. The overall fault for the half-assed quality is usually on both developer and publisher's side.

Yes its a shame. For me there are certain types of games that I cannot enjoy with a controller so if I cant use mouse and keyboard I usually dont buy those games. For the games I do play with a controller like racing games and 2d games I use Xpadder and my Logitech Dual Action game controller that I bought about 7 years ago for £2.50.

I use a wireless 360 controller on PC and it's perfect. Witcher 2 was NEVER meant to be played with mouse and keyboard even though it was PC exclusive. Far Cry 3 is the same.

Any gamepad that's recognised by your PC will work with games that have gamepad support I don't see the problem here. Even if the game is asking for a 360 controller it will work with any gamepad Windows recognises.

Of course it will work. It won't work properly, though. Some gamepads have drivers that make them recognized as an X360 gamepad, most don't. The issues of that vary.

@xxninja666xx: I don't know what your facepalm is about Witcher 2 and FC3 are both much better with a gamepad. Most games aren't specially FPS but those two definitely are.

I first noticed this happening with GTA IV. I had to go out and buy a Xbox 360 gamepad because I couldn't deal with the helicopter controls on the keyboard. My older gamepad wouldn't work with GTA IV. It's sad to see this is still going on.

Just buy X360 controller, it's pretty cheap and it's worth it.

I bought one today for a friends' birthday.

No, it's not. It's really expensive around here. And no, I'm not from the States.

I'm not understanding. I thought any x-input capable controller would work as a 360 controller. I have the f310 out of dozens of controller capable titles it is recognized as a 360 controller in all of them, at least in x-input mode.

I'm not either and it cost me 60$

No because I wish more games supports the controller when I don't want to to use the keyboard. Like the mass effect series. Not rts games though.

It doesn't bother me. Got mine for £22, not exactly breaking the bank.

1. Just stop whining and buy an xbox 360 controller. It's a high-quality controller that lasts for years and is well worth the cost for any pc gamer. If you can't afford one then save up (seriously, what is it 200 dollars over there). Having 1 industry standard for all games is a good thing, not a bad thing.

2. Witcher 2 is definitely meant to be played with kb/m. Not saying you can't play with a controller - but the controls are far more responsive with kb/m.

3. Far Cry 3 is definitely a game that benifits from having an xbox controller.

Honestly, I wouldn't whine at all, but looking where this thread went with the discussion, it's the only thing I can do now, as most of you completely missed the point. The thread was about me being concerned, why so many games require specifically the X360 controller while there are many generic ones that could be used on the spot if the game just had a configuration utility for USB devices. What people responded with was a petty argument over superiority of k+m over any controller and telling me to buy a controller and stfu. I already have one, but it's not usable in almost any games nowadays, as it's not recognized properly just because it isn't a White Gamepad With Mixed Up Thumbstick Positions And Colourful Buttons(TM). I, as a player who can't afford and/or simply doesn't feel the need to buy this specific controller, feel hurt by the developers, as they clearly force me to get one to be able to play their games the way they are intended to be played.

I don't mind X360 controller. Mouse & Keyboard is better overall but games like, DMC are much better with a controller. To me X360 controller is comfy so I don't have an issue, got a wireless one for $30 a while back.

Because the Xbox360 controller is the most common controller of the bunch? why not use it?

Why do we have to put up with crap generic controllers?

Choices? yea I guess... but console ports... need a controller that maps the same as the console game.. so either PS or Xbox controllers.... why would they use some crappy logitech one thats missing buttons, or different? when its much safer to go with standards.

you people are talking about an age where it was hard work... this makes it simple.

How is an xbox controller expensive? seriously!?

Ignorance is bliss. Not every country has the same prices as US or UK.

And there is not a single method around standard prices available to you? I call shenanigans. where do you live?

I don't know about you but I like using my Gamestop 360 controller for certain games. Batman Arkam Asylum or Trials Evolution etc etc

Poland. Of course there's an option - I can buy a used one. Although, the used ones are still about 1/3 more expensive than a decent quality new USB controller, so it's not really profitable to me.

The Controller is fantastic.... Why wouldn't you want to use it ?

@darktruth007: I'm playing Witcher 2 with my system unit connected to a 42 inch TV using a wireless 360 controller and it's just fine. It's just as responsive as playing with keyboard and mouse (that's how I played it first).

The big difference is I can sit back and relax with the controller and play comfortably and everything is just a touch away. I don't have easy access to every option in the game but that's a fair trade off to me.

Keyboard and mouse combo was ridiculously cumbersom with this game I can't ever imagine playing it without a controller now.

To the OP sorry I missed your point a bit in my post above I get that you don't want to be forced to use a 360 controller but even a used one at 1/3 extra of the price of a generic one is a good deal IMO you should just bite the bullet and get one.

Once you get past your wounded pride you'll be super happy you have a brilliant controller that works with every game.

Wat? I'm using a cheap logitech controller and it has worked for all my controller required games. No game I've played restricts u to only the official xbox controller.

Developers just have no respect for the platform and their gamers.

Give me the model. I'll see if it's THAT fantastic and maybe consider buying it if it's not too expensive.

Logitech F310. About $45 singapore dollars (sgd). Has xbox 360 buttons and can switch between xinput or direct input.

I played the entirety of Batman AC on the XB controller.

As long as the controller has enough buttons and it works well I don't really mind it.

The only exceptions being FPS games, maybe. where KB/M might be a bit better.