I dont understand how playing with a controller is better?

Just installed dark souls 2 today and playing for a few mins it both kbm and controller and couldnt understand how to paly with controller, its been the same with other 3rd eprson gmaes where ppl say contrller is superior.

I see ppl constnatly carping on about it but i dont understand where the appeal is?

I am asking because im wondering if im missing something. Ive played for so many years kbm style i dont see how controller is better.

I have a good controller too with dual analogs.

For me when i try and move around you never have the freedom that you do with mouselook even with the analog. Cos you cant look around and turn/strafe simultaneously can you. So im always jsut feeling really cramped. Ill be trying to turn around and the camera will only be moving in a tiny arc whereas with a mouse you could spin around in a couple of mms movement.

So what am i missing i dont get how games are even playable like that? The only way i found it to be acceptable with a controller was when i did some extensive mapping in skyrim with a xbox emulator. i mapped the two analog sticks so right one did strafe left and right and look up and the left forward and back. hmm i cant remembr exactly but you should get the idea. Point is i have to use both analog stick to get proper field of view and movement and it did work quite well but sitll ended up using kbm cos the controller jsut felt more sluggish overall.

So im interested to hear how you actually move around in DS" say or oterh gmaes with a contrller but DS2 especially cos i see that you cant even look around with the otehr analog stick is doesnt do anything, maybe it does on xbox? but mine isnt a xbox controller so i wouldnt know.

People don't generally like controllers better because they are quicker or more precise, but because you can use them anywhere. You could be rolling around on the floor and play with a controller, not so with a M&K.

I only like using a controller if the game was designed around it, like the Batman Arkham games.

@randojarfat:

Play a fighter or arcade/sim racer with a KB/M vs even the worst controller, your toast.

It's the core movement that makes controllers feel more fluid and precise, particularly in 3rd person and certain 2D action/platformers.

Controllers are -generally- just better in games where movement is more important than aiming.

@randojarfat: Its obviously personal preference but IMO a controller is much better for any game that doesn't require precise aiming. I've been a PC gamer for 20+ years and still think this. For example a keyboard can't compare to a controller in racing games. The keyboard has no pressure sensitive buttons or 8+ directional analog controls.

3rd person controller, FPS KB/M, simulators Flight stick including space sims and flight sims.

Totally depends on the game for me.

Some games are perfect for KB/MS, others work better for Controller.... so I choose on a game by game basis.

Im also asking how do you actually move around with a controller i mean I find myself just being 'stuck' and just feling cramped with 3rd person games where they are supposed to be the best according to others.

ie what are the ideal control mappings for a 3rd person game? I dont even know because most games i play are mapped to an xbox but since my pad is not a xbox controller the buttons are always off somehow due to different setup.

What is the general setup? If i cant both strafe and do wasd simultaneously then its really slowing me down imo and i havent figured how to do that with controller.

i use gamepad a lot because KB/M tires my hand, i had few edemes because of KB/M, but if was going to use a single controller for everygame i would choose KB/M, cant aim with gamepad

@humanistpotato:

Thought that said you had a few enemas.

I game in my livingroom, I like to kick back and relax when gaming and for that a gamepad is superior imo. However in competitive multiplayer, strategy etc. K/M is essential. I understand people that aren't used to gamepads think the K/M is vastly superior, but for people with a history gaming on consoles, it's quite preferable for many of us in a gaming situation where relaxation is more desirable than reaction/precision.

Analogue sticks are look/move&run

Trigger is shoot, whats so hard?

Racing games for exmaple are way better on controllers and also multiplatforms 3rd person.

The left stick is the strafe/move stick. You can still strafe and move forward by pressing up+left on the left stick. You can do that while turning your view/camera around with the right stick. It can move in all the same ways as a mouse and keyboard, just maybe not as fast. If your gamepad can't do that, you should probably buy a better one if you actually want to play with one.

I'm the same way as most of these folks (not to come across as a politician!) I kb/m games that were made for it (any shooter, strategy, etc) and controller it up on games meant for it (Dark Souls, movement is key to being a great fighter, Batman, etc). I'll even use a controller on fps if I'm going through a campaign or something.

KB/M is vastly superior in competitive matches, but there's no real argument for kb/m being more comfy to play with than a controller. I used to have my pc connected to a monitor on a desk, and also attached via hdmi to the TV. That's why pc is bomb...you get the best of both worlds with better graphics!

well i was jsut playing dark souls 2 and realised i had to map the right analog stick for look but even when i did, it was alot better granted but still not as accurate imo as the mouse so i dont see why everyone says gamepad is more accurate on this game.

even when mapped correctly i sitll just felt like id have more accuracy with kbm. like i fell off ledges several times and died when just trying to run form a to b :P. ofc Im not used to using it so gonna be bad at it but still the kbm gave me the pinpoint accuracy i desire, i dont see how it is possible to get the same precision from those analogs. I do admit it is more comfortable if you just wanna kick back but that is the only advante i see, and one that comes at a cost

racer, i can agree with, but aren't fighters better with a keyboard? i mean, if you look at an arcade stick, you have an "analog stick" which is analog in name only because in fighters you can only move in one of 8 directions and at only one speed so it's exactly how WASD works, and the punch/kick buttons are laid out to be used by your fingers, not your thumb, which is the opposite of a controller (where your punch/kick is used by your thumb).

i've been playing mortal kombat and injustice: gods among us on pc with both controller and keyboard and i find keyboard easier. when i play 2 player mode on the same machine, both of us want the keyboard for this reason.

I use a controller with DS mainly because I'm used to it. I tend to use a controller for most 3rd person action and platforming games. Anything first person I will use K/M.

In DS, the look-sensitivity (though I do crank it way up) is not nearly as important as the synergy of the controller. Lets just say I wouldn't want to be in a panic moment in DS with a K/M.

I agree though that K/M is a superior control scheme that allows for much more precise input. It also allows for more complicated UI which just can't be managed with a gamepad.

Like many have said it depends on the type of game. FPS or really any type of shooter you should always use KB/M or you will get wrecked. There is no comparison, KB/M in the hands of an average gamer will beat a top tier controller user in any shooter. Controller works much better in games where movement is a huge deal. Try playing Bastion, SMB, or assassin's Creed games with KB/M and you will get really frustrated. Which is why my buddy won't play AC multiplayer with me because he refuses to buy a wired controller for his PC. Wired 360 controller is the way to go for a PC game pad. Works great and it only cost like $25 on sale. Plus if you have an XBox it saves you money on batteries, I rarely use my wireless controller unless I have people over playing split screen.

Dark souls 2 is fine on mouse and keyboard. It's simply better, especially for throwing javelins and such and pretty much everything.

Controllers aren't that bad. They're comfortable to use, let you kick back, and it's easy to switch off between players (or play local multiplayer). In CS:S I can easily pub using a controller with a 1.0 k/d which isn't bad enough to discourage me from doing using one when the mood strikes me. I'd much rather use a DS4 to play Dark Souls 2, Batman Arkham games, or any racing or fighting game. Precise mouse movement isn't particularly helpful or necessary in these games, I much prefer the luxurious lifestyle of being kicked back when possible rather than hunched over like a hermit all the time.

I'm looking forward to the Steambox controller. If it's an improvement over analog for FPS games, I'll highly consider it. I just really love the feel of a proper gamepad. A lot of games are simply more enjoyable for me to play with them (even if they're slightly less accurate than a mouse in certain situations).

Analog movement is very important in some games, like want to steer a fraction of a degree left or right in a racing game. With the keyboard each key tap moves your character a set amount in a certain direction which in some games can be a problem.

I can see Dark Souls working with a keyboard and mouse but to me it feels better with a controller

I would think flight simmers would use any combination of joystick/pedals/keyboard while racers would use a driving wheel with pedals. Both keyboard/mouse only and controller would be unsatisfactory. I know they would be to me.

I haven't played the new MK, but Super Street Fighter 4 (I think) wouldn't let me use any combo's at all, it just wouldn't register. I switched to a controller and it registers everything.

I use to play most games with mouse and keyboard, but now I mainly use a controller. Most games these days are focused more on movement instead of precise reflex.

PC gaming is great in that you can use whatever controller you want. Joystick with an RTS? Have at it. Wheel with an FPS? Circle strafing ftw.

Games with a broad control options are doing it right. So when I see people say that x control is better, it's their opinion. Much like this thread. Do what works for you and try to ignore people that say you are doing it wrong by using a control setup they think is silly.

It's mainly just preference, though I have noticed that the majority of people seem to enjoy playing Dark Souls with a gamepad. Me personally, I enjoy playing most games on a mouse and keyboard because of more binds and faster, twitchier movement with the mouse.

why do my replies disappear sometimes on this forum? perhaps i pressed delete instead of edit.

anyhow i was saying im enjoying using the controller now with ds2. feels good and was a nice break after id been scripting all day with ym keyboard and mouse for my work.

I generally prefer to play with a controller as I can kick back and relax a bit more. Obviously this isn't possible with RTS games though and I still stick with K/M for FPS games as it feels more natural to me.

man dark souls is tought huh. Im all for a challenge but having to retrace the same steps 100+ times due to respawns and dying so fast is pretty tedious. I am only able to play it for 20-30 minutes before I lose my patience, Im trying to keep my cool and shutting off before it goes into ragequit territory but i can see that being a serious danger if i get more invested in the game.

I know that most games hold your hand too much these days and i dont like that eitehr but this seems to be the other extreme of the spectrum.

@randojarfat: DS for me feels better with a controller...there are some games like this. Third person action/fighting games like DS I think are ideal for controllers.

Dark Souls isn't a very difficult game unless you're doing something very wrong. I can only think of a handful of situations in the game that might warrant some patience, but other than that the game is actually a complete breeze if you take the time to understand the game's mechanics. I'd read and study the manual, maybe read up a wiki on weapon stat scaling, but avoid any other guides or walkthroughs if you want the satisfaction of beating the game without cheap help.

I realised that i screwed up my character thats why it was so hard. I had died so many times early on i was trapped at 1/2 life and no more effigies. Id also killed all the lower monsters so they wouldt respawn so there was only the harder ones where id die quickly. I also hadnt figured out how to level up so all those ones i killed had been wasted.

I made a new char earlier and was doing alot better until i broke all my weapons :/. I had to do a quick search online to find out about that morning star in the begginning place. I almost had to begin again :P, Hopefully i wont have any more disasters now. I would rpefer not to have to search online because its better not to in generla but also cos ppl seem to not be able to hlep dropping spoilers in the mix.

Have a PC that sits in the loungeroom hooked up to big screen and home theatre HDMI, with Big Picture Mode and controller I am having a blast.
I wanted a console experience but with actual power and room for mods.

The people who tell you gaming on a controller are idiots and you should stop talking to/being friends with them. There are only a very few genres in which a controller works better than the most based kbm combo.

Me too . I always use keyboard Mouse and I had no problems doing so . Playing with controller for me is such a pain in the as* . I have been playing even FIGHTING GAMES on keyboard , since Tekken 3 (PS emulator) era . But I do understand that lot of people can't do so , since it requires patience and practice .

@Cloud_imperium:

Play a racer with a KB/M against a controller, see how you compare.