Microsoft, Windows Vista, and the Xbox 360 Gamepad

[Dante Rising]

Does anyone know if Microsoft is going to push the Xbox 360 controller as a standard for Windows Vista? One of the biggest complaints I hear from my friends is that they don't buy games for the PC because they hate using the keyboard, and most PC gamepads lack quality or functionality.

I believe MS could really help invigorate PC gaming if they could convince a wide spectrum of developers to use the 360 controller as the definitive solution for those people who prefer using gamepads. It might also persude more developers to consider making new games for the PC platform, or at least port existing games from the Xbox360 to the PC.

I've never tried using the Xbox 360 controller In Windows XP, but I've purchased numerous other variations from Logitech, Microsoft and Thrustmaster. None were truly satisfactory offerings. Game support was haphazard or nonexistant, setting up the analog sticks was often problematic, and response times were often sluggish. If MS would put its full support behind some type of gamepad standard, I think it would go a long way to alleviating these issues.

In the meantime I'll be sticking with my sweet, sweet Nostomo Speedpad. <hugs Speedpad>

[Fugitive]

In the meantime I'll be sticking with my sweet, sweet Nostomo Speedpad. <hugs Speedpad>

And that's why it's difficult to push a standard onto PC gamepads...

Without being forced into agreeing to Microsoft's standards, companies will deviate from any proposed standard just to differentiate themselves. But I also wouldn't want to see Microsoft having the authority to force that same kind of lockout hardware onto PCs, or games starting to work only with Microsoft(TM)-Appoved gamepads.

I even have a wired 360 controller for my PC, but I use the XBCD drivers for the better remapping options.

[JoshV]

In this case standards will be fine, There still seems to be a decent amount of 3rd party controllers in the console market, though they are all a bit more derivative.

[Coca Cola Zero]

Microsoft's plan is to standardize PC gamepads to the 360 gamepad's capabilities but allow other vendors to make compatible pads, just like on the 360 itself, where you have various 3rd party options that may or may not be ergonomically different, but all have standardized ABYX buttons, etc.

I'm not sure if this will work, but based on announcements and releases related to XInput, XNA, Windows Live, etc, this seems to be their gameplan.

[Dante Rising]

Now if they would just stand behind their words and educate the general public on an ongoing basis...

[spiffy]

Awww. I've tried pretty much every console pad, and I still haven't found one that beats my Thrustmaster Firestorm Dual Power 3. It's got the most buttons, great response and sensitivity, smart layout, excellent force feedback and is covered in that comfy felt-like grip rubber. I've tried the 360 controller and it is definately close, but still, not as great.

And games that dont support gamepads are easily fixed with the JoyToKey utility. I remember San Andreas giving me control problems (for the driving , camera control) so I just mapped keyboard keys to the pad through this program running in the background.

[bago]

They're releasing a wireless dongle to use 360 controllers on the PC.

[Dante Rising]

I've tried pretty much every console pad, and I still haven't found one that beats my Thrustmaster Firestorm Dual Power 3.

Hmmm... I've got the Thrustmaster Firestorm Dual Power Gamepad and it sucks ass. I love the design and feel of the controller but in games it is horrific. You can actually get the left analog stick to act like WASD keys, and use the right analog stick as a mouse emulator? (to view environments)

Not sure if that "3" is an update. My box simply says Thrustmaster Firestorm Dual Power Gamepad.

[spiffy]

Hmmm... I've got the Thrustmaster Firestorm Dual Power Gamepad and it sucks ass. I love the design and feel of the controller but in games it is horrific. You can actually get the left analog stick to act like WASD keys, and use the right analog stick as a mouse emulator? (to view environments)

Not sure if that "3" is an update. My box simply says Thrustmaster Firestorm Dual Power Gamepad.

Every console port simply behaves like it should, really, left stick moves the character and the right the camera. Psychonauts, Prince of Persia, etc. Only San Andreas had issues with the car and camera view(it wouldn't stick to the rear of the car)

Or do you mean to play FPS's with? Could you simulate WASD and mouse look through JoyToKey? Yes, you can, but I guess I wouldn't, that'd be lousy.

I don't know why yours acts like poo, I had the version 2 before I broke the d-pad. Didn't really see or feel a difference at all, 'xcept it wasn't USB.

[Jason Cross]

Here's the deal with this - maybe Wolf can correct if I'm mistaken.

In order to get the "Games for Windows" logo thing, your game has to do the following (among other things):

- If you're supporting gamepad control, you gotta use the right directX API (basically Xinput) so it works with the OS's control mappings and not hard code stuff

- Your game's gamepad support has to be designed around the 360's controller layout standard. That is: two analog triggers, two shoulder buttons, four face buttons, start and back, two analog sticks, one D-pad, rumble (though you don't NEED to have rumble effects), etc.

Microsoft can't force anyone to do anything on Windows, but you gotta adhere to those standards if you want the logo. Hardware manufacturers are free to make any gamepad for windows in any configuration they want, without royalty. I don't know if there's a Vista logoing program for accessories, but if so, I imagine you have to conform to the layout to get it. It can have different colors or shapes, but you gotta have the same buttons and sticks in the same general places.

Quite a few publishers, like EA, are firmly behind this standardization. They're tired of some PC gamepads having two rows of three buttons, and some having buttons 1 and 2 on above buttons 3 and 4 while others are the exact opposite. And remapping controls is a pain. Plus, they get to use the exact controller polling API calls they're familiar with on the console.

So expect a lot of games - at least the big-name ones - to adhere to the 360 controller layout standard on Vista.

[Draikin]

they should start by releasing good drivers for the X360 pad.