GTA:SA + pc + 360 = broken?

[Rob_Merritt]

With the GTA 4 trailer coming out at the end of the month, I figure now would be a good time to try and finish GTA: San Andreas.

I installed it on my current computer and have been trying to start but I'm not having any luck. My 360 controller doesn't seem to work with it. The d pad, the right analog stick, and the triggers are completely unreconized by San Andreas. I tried to use the San Andreas Advance Control utility and all it did was crash San Andreas upon loading the game.

Anyone with a similar config have similar issues? Is there a good pc gamepad that does work with GTA SA?

[Papageno]

I have a Belkin n45, and no matter what I did I could never get the right thumbstick on it to act like it does on the PS2, i.e., let you push it up (or down if you're bizarre) to look up and vice-versa. So I always used the keyboard and mouse when on foot and only used the gamepad to drive.

[jeffd]

Really the only part of SA you'll miss the gamepad for is when you're learning to fly. And honestly once you learn (and you will hate learning) it's not bad at all.

[EvilIdler]

Similar problems with every single 3D GTA game on PC here. My controller
was a Saitek P880, which pretty much every Windows game handles wrong.
The right stick is always rotated 90 degrees(!) in functionality, making it pretty
useless for more than arcade games. Linux handles it fine.

I'd say the team that ports the GTA games to PC don't have a fucking clue how to handle controls :(

[Shmtur]

I wanted to play it on the PC as well, but I unfortunately had an issue with broken sound on top of things - it would randomly cut out, leaving only the radio playing. The patch supposedly fixes this, but in practice I noticed no difference. Too bad.

[roguefrog]

I use the Keyboard+mouse for everything but flying. Switch to my gamepad for flying. Not all the keys are mapped to the pad(like landing gear and turn left/right on the ground) but it works good once I'm airborne.

[sluggo]

I used keyboard + mouse for everything in all three games, had no issues, and felt it was superior to a gamepad.

[jfletch]

I'd say the team that ports the GTA games to PC don't have a fucking clue how to handle controls :(

I'd say that about the team that made the PS2 games too.

[SolomonGrundy]

I only use my gamepad for flying and riding motorcycles. everything else is mouse/keys.

[flyingelvis]

I used keyboard + mouse for everything in all three games, had no issues, and felt it was superior to a gamepad.
+1

You just needed to find the sweet spot using the cursor keys.

[Rob_Merritt]

The problem I have is in GTA, the mouse just stop being reconzied sometimes when I exit a vehicle. I have to go back into the options, changes from "mouse+keys" to joystick and back again and then it worked. Thats why I was trying to use the gamepad in the first place.

[Rob_Merritt]

A couple of weeks ago I replaced my wireless keyboard with a Saitek Eclipse and my wireless Logitech MX 1000 laser with a Razer Diamonback. What a difference! The control is so much improved in GTA SA. I didn't realize how terrible wireless mouse and keyboards were for gaming. Never figured out a solution for the 360 controller.

[spiffy]

I agree, the second analog stick just wouldn't do what I wanted. I used the JoyToKey utility (google it) to map everything properly to my gamepad.

[Enduro_Man]

Really the only part of SA you'll miss the gamepad for is when you're learning to fly. And honestly once you learn (and you will hate learning) it's not bad at all.

If you're a 100-per-center like me, you absolutely need to use the gamepad in several tasks. Without analog control, there's no way to get golds in all the driving tests (specifically, one that involves spinning a car longitudinally). Also, I can think of at least one unique jump that needs top speed on a motorcycle, which, in turn, needs CJ to get into a tuck position on the bike.

But if you're not a completist, mouse'n'keyboard away.