Tell me about PC gaming controllers

So I've got a pretty high-powered gaming laptop with HDMI output that actually looks good on my TV. I've got a hankering for some FPS and adventure game type stuff, but I'm not buying a new console yet.

I'm thinking about getting a wireless gaming controller for my laptop so I can treat it like a console. I have no experience with any PC gaming peripherals other than old flight simulator joysticks.

Am I better off getting a wireless controller Xbox/PS4 style or just getting a wireless keyboard to go with my wireless mouse. I've got a Logitech trackball so I can already use that from the couch, but I'm less convinced that a keyboard on my knee will be fun to use.

Side topic: are there any good PC games that shine with a gaming controller I should be taking a good look at?

I'd go for both.

For FPSs, mouse/keyboard is the only way to go. You can play them with a controller, but if you have access to a mouse, why would you hamper yourself like that? And some stuff just needs keyboard/mouse, like FTL.

Other types of games just play better with a controller: platformers (Super Meat Boy, Fez, Mark of the Ninja), 3rd person adventure/hack-n-slash games where reticle aiming is not required (Darksiders), among others. For these I bought a knockoff wired Xbox 360 controller off of ebay for like $10.

If you want to go wireless, you need the 360 controller and a dongle to connect to your PC. I'm not sure PS3/4 controller work on PC; I've never tried.

wadenels wrote: Side topic: are there any good PC games that shine with a gaming controller I should be taking a good look at?

Do you mean PC only games? Because most games that came out on consoles that don't require aiming work fairly well.

Buying the wired xbox 360 controller for my PC was one of the biggest value for money things I've done for a long time. I've never had any problems using it for any modern game, and it works great with emulators. But most modern controllers should work easily with new games or emulators, so I'm guessing it's just personal preference in terms of which to choose.

I have a wired xbox controller because I didn't want any kind of delay when I'm playing.

This was one of the reasons I gave up with wireless keyboard and mouse BTW.

Needed for Dark Souls on PC for everything else keyboard and mouse are fine but it's nice to have the option.

Logitech F310

e; F710 is the wireless version, I have an F310 and it owns bones. Dark Souls is great with a controller, though I can't think of any PC exclusives that play better with a controller.

I've always gone wired for delay reasons.

On controllers the only advice i have is go for an Xbox style/compatable controller against a PS one. Some games (Supermeat boy for example) won't recognise PS controllers.

If you're looking to play FPS online use mouse and keyboard (unless you're very pro with a controller).

edit, contoller games; Super Meat Boy, VVVVVV, Cave Story, Hotline Miami, Space sims (X3, though this is good with keyboard as well), Capsized.

A wired XBOX controller is one of the best things I ever bought in terms of enjoyment for my PC. These days I actually prefer games with good controller support because I find it much more comfortable to sit back and play with than being hunched over a mouse and keyboard.

Yeah, I just played through Call of Juarez: Gunslinger with the controller and Dead Space, they were both hugely improved by using the controller.

Another vote for XBOX360 wired. There really is no substitute.

tscook wrote: Logitech F310

e; F710 is the wireless version, I have an F310 and it owns bones. Dark Souls is great with a controller, though I can't think of any PC exclusives that play better with a controller.

I was down with this until the Logitech software went completely apeshit and bluescreened me. One thing that annoys the hell out of me is that a goodly number of PC games (or ports) that have controller settings built in are basically hard-wired for the XBox controller. I had both a logitech and a Saitek [which was a great controller when games chose to work with it]. In both cases, I couldn't remap controller buttons in games that desperately needed it and the layout on the Saitek, in particular, was different enough that it made some things very hard to play. EA sports games were a particular problem until very recently; any sort of classic console port (e.g., Sonic the whatever games) is likely going to be a problem if you don't go with an Xbox or similar knockoff.

And, go wired. The lag is intolerable in any sort of fast-twitch game [including stuff like FX Pinball]...

Only thing that bothers me about the xbox controller is the bad dpad. But, with the new xbox one controller, Nintendo's patent over the really good dpad finally ended so the other companies could make a decent fucking dpad without paying Nintendo tons of blood money. I'm hopeful that will end this shitty dpad silliness, since the SNES basically had the perfect dpad but we haven't gotten a really good one on a non-nintendo console since.

Interesting about the D-pad, I didn't know that.

nfgworld.com/mb/thread/388-Nintendo-s-d-pad-patents

Lots of cool info about it here.

To be honest, I've always liked the d-pad on Xbox controllers. Never noticed anything wrong with mine, at least. They work. Press up, <object> goes up.

Hmmph.

If I need some button smashing without any analog inputs I simply use my fighting sticks. If I really need to use analog for some reason I use a PS2 controller plugged in through an adapter.