PC gaming with a gamepad (an xbox 360 controller, for example)

[helium_biscuit]

Hi all!

 

I'm looking for anyone who has experience with using xbox360-style gamepads with PC's. What genres is a gaming pad good for? What genres is it bad for?

 

Also, say I was to play Halo and put my laptop on an over-bed table (so that the laptop is right infront of me and hiked up on a stand so the monitor is pointed directly at my face) and gamed laying on my back with the gamepad, my hand's under the over-bed table--- would this be comfortable or would it be uncomfortable, and would I end up performing worse as opposed to sitting upright at a desk?

 

Thanks in advance!!

 

Oh by the way, I play Civilization 5 this way already, except WITH A MOUSE NOT A GAMEPAD. (I put the mouse on my bed or stomach). However Civilization is one of the only games that can be played entirely with a mouse alone. It's also a game that can be played completely at your own pace.

 

Also, here's the kind of table I'm taling about: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_7?url=search-alias%3Dhpc&field-keywords=bedside%20table&sprefix=bedside%2Caps%2C383

 

(I apologize if posting links is not allowed, however I couldn't find any information about it on the forums either way.)

 

Thanks  again!!

Edited July 3, 2014 by helium_biscuit

[Gremlin]

Well I use the XBOX 360 for PC an use it to play Assassin Creed. Batman Arkham games. Tomb raider. Its much easier for those kind of games.

[ClayMeow]

I reviewed the Razer Sabertooth on PC: http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/razer_sabertooth/

 

You can skip to the Testing pages to see my take on what a gamepad is ideal for.

 

 

I am a PC gamer first and foremost. That means I love me some keyboard-and-mouse (KBM). Nothing beats KBM in shooters, real-time strategy games, and MMOs, but there are plenty of genres that play best with a controller. While every genre can be played with KBM, assuming a game supports it, I feel platformers, fighting games, and racing games play best with a controller, and so those are the genres my testing will be focused on. While the underbelly triggers would in all likelihood provide an advantage in shooters compared to a standard controller (allowing your thumb to never leave the right analog stick), it wouldn't be fair for me to play a shooter with the Sabertooth since I Ioathe using dual-analog sticks compared to my trusty KBM.

 

[Stonerboy779]

I use it all the time for adventure games, hack and slash type games. Fps I still prefer mouse and Kb and same with strategy games like civilisation

[IVIYTH0S]

I like it for any games with driving, flying, or exploring (in 3rd person) games. But even in games like Sleeping Dogs I'd hop back onto my mouse and keyboard for the ultimate edge in shooting precision.

 

That being said, Microsoft and developers are a-holes for I had issues with certain buttons not working on my controller causing cars (in Sleeping Dogs and LA Noire) to have their accelerators held down JUST because my controller is not a 360 controller...and I'm not sure if I'll ever get a 360 controller since it's disgusting that one can not have the freedom to play games with whatever controller they want to and I don't want to support the proprietary garbage. (I heard of people with PS3 controllers having the same issue and my controllers buttons function normally in the windows test program so I know it's just a software enabled favoritism thing)

Edited July 4, 2014 by IVIYTH0S

[DanTheGamer11]

I like it for any games with driving, flying, or exploring (in 3rd person) games. But even in games like Sleeping Dogs I'd hop back onto my mouse and keyboard for the ultimate edge in shooting precision.

 

That being said, Microsoft and developers are a-holes for I had issues with certain buttons not working on my controller causing cars (in Sleeping Dogs and LA Noire) to have their accelerators held down JUST because my controller is not a 360 controller...and I'm not sure if I'll ever get a 360 controller since it's disgusting that one can not have the freedom to play games with whatever controller they want to and I don't want to support the proprietary garbage. (I heard of people with PS3 controllers having the same issue and my controllers buttons function normally in the windows test program so I know it's just a software enabled favoritism thing)

 

Xbox controller emulator? I use the controller in most games apart from FPS games, played on Xbox 360 before getting a decent controller so probably am just more used to it, feels more comfortable too.

Edited July 4, 2014 by DanTheGamer11

[WhenKittensATK]

I use an official wireless Xbox 360 controller with a third party wireless adapter. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005F1ZUU4

 

I use it for arcade platformers and third person games like Dark Souls 2 / Watch Dogs.

Edited July 4, 2014 by AZNguyen

[IVIYTH0S]

 

 

I like it for any games with driving, flying, or exploring (in 3rd person) games. But even in games like Sleeping Dogs I'd hop back onto my mouse and keyboard for the ultimate edge in shooting precision.

 

That being said, Microsoft and developers are a-holes for I had issues with certain buttons not working on my controller causing cars (in Sleeping Dogs and LA Noire) to have their accelerators held down JUST because my controller is not a 360 controller...and I'm not sure if I'll ever get a 360 controller since it's disgusting that one can not have the freedom to play games with whatever controller they want to and I don't want to support the proprietary garbage. (I heard of people with PS3 controllers having the same issue and my controllers buttons function normally in the windows test program so I know it's just a software enabled favoritism thing)

Xbox controller emulator? I use the controller in most games apart from FPS games, played on Xbox 360 before getting a decent controller so probably am just more used to it, feels more comfortable too.

I've used that, same result

[helium_biscuit]

Thanks for your replies all.    So only one person here uses it for FPS?

[IVIYTH0S]

Thanks for your replies all.    So only one person here uses it for FPS?

Probably more than that but they're the minority. FPS is always better with a mouse and keyboard (why do you think auto-aim was often added to many shooters for consoles?)

[l1il]

I went thru Portal, and playing Portal 2 with a controller. It really adds to the challenge, but I saw that it is doable. I also play Skyrim with a joystick and it goes well (where Oblivion never really supported controllers on PC), Grand Theft Auto (looking forward for the fifth to get on PC). Sometimes I just want to lay back and hold a controller, instead of sitting straight and having my arms on a desk.

[slick2500]

Do you have a PS3? I just use my PS3 controller with a Bluetooth adapter, you can also plug it into the pc and not use the Bluetooth. Then set it up to emulate the Xbox 360 controller.  

Edited July 10, 2014 by slick2500