Microsoft to unveil "Universal" controler at E3

[KamaItachi]

Well, we've been hearing about this for a while but now it seems Microsoft is going to officially unveil their universal controller for PCs and Xbox at E3. Team Xbox (http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/8225/Microsoft-to-Unveil-Universal-Gaming-Controller-at-E3/) has more news here.

The universal gaming controller will provide a Windows controller standard that helps game developers bring different genres -- such as racing, sports and action/adventure -- to the Windows platform more easily," said Chris Donahue, group manager of Windows Graphics and Gaming Technologies at Microsoft. "Gamers will have more playing options with a familiar, versatile and well-designed gamepad-style controller."

I'm not a big PC gaming fan myself, although I like the idea of being able to use a new Xbox360 controller for my my PC too. What's the PC snob's opinion of a standardized controller?

[Klade]

I'm probably a pretty good example of a PC snob. So I'll say that if the controller is good quality and they make games I want to use it with (which at some point during the next gen cycle I'm sure they will) then I'll use it. Some games (platformers mostly) just work better with a controller but I've been putting off getting one for a while now. But the idea of a universal (especially wireless) controller appeals greatly to me.

I just hope they don't get all silly on us and make PC games that require it. That would be both stupid and annoying which sounds like something that might be cooked up in a MS lab somewhere.

[Mr_Snuffle]

seeing as the controlers I use on my PC are console controllers with USB converters, then this sounds good to me

[Tricky Thumb]

The only games this will benefit are ports, though it may cause some people to develop Platformers, RPGs and whatnot for the PC with this Uni-controller in mind.

[Beelzebud]

Well this PC Snob has already spliced a USB connector into an Xbox extension cord to use on his PC. :)

I welcome the idea. It seems like no 3rd party company can make a controller worth a damn for PC.

[Kelegacy]

When in the world did being a PC gamer make you a "snob"? i really hate that term, along with elitist. It's moronic.

[Derwin]

Logitech already makes some good stuff, their new PC controllers look just like the wireless ones they make for PS2 and XBox.

[KarmaGhost]

I'm not a big PC gaming fan myself, although I like the idea of being able to use a new Xbox360 controller for my my PC toowhat's the PC snob's opinion of a standardized controller?"The sentence you have entered is invalid. Please check the syntax/sentence structure and try again. This is a recording."

[SnappyCrunch]

I enjoy my Saitek gamepad very much for emulation. USB converters already exist for every type of console controller. PC games aren't currently sold with gamepads in mind, so how is this going to change anything?

[IndependentGMR]

I have a usb adapter that hooks my ps2 controller to my pc. I bought it at Radioshack for $10, and it works great.

[KamaItachi]

Oh come on, Kelegacy, tongue was very firmly placed in cheek there.

[Rirath]

Maybe, but it didn't come off like that at all...
I'm fine with my PS/PS2 -> PC converter and my Xbox -> PC converter myself.

[Talanvor]

Actually I was thinking it would be the console kiddies that would whine the most about this. Oh noes! They'll stop making games for the X-Box and PS2 and just the PC. WTF?!?!?!</sarcasm>

Anyway, if the controller is of good quality I'd use it if the game works better with a pad than a mouse/keyboard. MAME immediately comes to mind. I did have a PC pad with my old rig, but it was bulky and awkward. At least Darkstalkers was actually playable though.

[Citizen Philip]

Mouse + keyboard = Perfect for isometric 3/4, FPS and most strategy titles.
Joystick = Perfect for flight sims.
Wheel = Perfect for driving.
Typical Console Controller = Perfect for side-scrollers and Fighting Games (Sports?).
Universal Controller = Microsfot Pipedream. Yeah. We all have universal remotes, right?

My opinion. Others?

[Citizen Philip]

I'm not a big PC gaming fan myself, although I like the idea of being able to use a new Xbox360 controller for my my PC too. What's the PC snob's opinion of a standardized controller?

Oh come on, Kelegacy, tongue was very firmly placed in cheek there.


Maybe you forgot the /sarcasm tag and instead used the /troll tag instead.

[hund_]

Mouse + keyboard = Perfect for isometric 3/4, FPS and most strategy titles.
Joystick = Perfect for flight sims.
Wheel = Perfect for driving.
Typical Console Controller = Perfect for side-scrollers and Fighting Games (Sports?).
Universal Controller = Microsfot Pipedream. Yeah. We all have universal remotes, right?

My opinion. Others?

actually you missed
Joystick+Mouse=what i use for shooters and everything else

[Draft]

actually you missed
Joystick+Mouse=what i use for shooters and everything elseThen you are weird. :P

[Adam Blue]

I too use my XBox controller on my PC. 2 months ago I hooked my PC up to my HDTV, and I'll never go back. I'll run games like Doom 3 and Half LIfe 2, and they look fantastic, but also play great with the XBox controller. Although there are a few games that I'd prefer the mouse/keyboard with. Racing games are the best w/ the XBox controller. Track Mania 2 is fun as hell. But it seems in recent years joystick and/or gamepad options have been limited in PC games, but this might help bring it all back.

But for RTS's, of course, I will never use a gamepad.

[Deadend]

Sounds like this relates to XNA in a way, as nothing says easy ports like having the same controller and XNA on both Xbox and PC. MS reallly wants to make it easy for games to be on both windows and xbox at the same time.

[KamaItachi]

Maybe, but it didn't come off like that at all...

If people want to get themselves worked up over inocuous, throwaway jokes, there's not much I can do about it. I've always thought of any arguement over which system/game/control system is better to be incredibly stupid. The idea that people will pay money for their product and then go on the internet to argue why their choice is better than anyone elses is just moronic.

I guess it I didn't think that just because I know I wouldn't do it, others wouldn't think I would.

yeah, I know, I know Daily gaming News... With attitude

[ldi222]

A standardized controller for PC has been a long time in coming. Now developers have a standard control set to program for and using a gamepad on a PC won’t be a profile chore. Oh, and more PC games will support a controller now as well. It will be interesting to see how these gamepad gamers compete vs. pc elitists in FPS on their own turf. UT 2007 with built in gamepad support?

[dr_qwandry]

Does this mean that the next XBOX will be using the standard USB connection on PC's? Or does the controller come with the attachement? Because I won't pay extra for a converter.

[TrackZero]

Currently my PC controller is just an Xbox S type with an adaptor on it, which I only really use for MAME. Everything else is mouse/keyboard which usually suits me fine. But if the game controls better with a gamepad (i.e. platformers) then I'm cool with that.

[ldi222]

I suspect the wireless connectivity is how it will be compatible with the PC.

[Skookum]

Keyboard and mouse are so much better for almost everything. I used a gamepad for Mafia, cuz it didn't need a super sensitive controller for the cars, and for the GTA games (digital acceleration and brakes, either on or off, lame as hell). I switched to K&M as soon as I got out of the car. I'm more excited by the USB ports on the Xbox 360. Maybe now I can use my keyboard and mouse for the FPS games coming on it, or even use my Logitech Momo on the new racing games (doubt it). I'm sure they'll make proprietary hardware for the Xbox though, why make it easy when you can gouge the consumer?

[Fonz]

Us PC SNOBS think the controller is a unferior tool, like the abacus it has outlived its use. Joysticks or keyboard and mouse 4 life! :-p

[MosBen]

I just read the phrase to mean what it said, which was soliciting opinions from PC snobs, of which some people that play PC games are. I didn't think it implied that all PC gamers are snobs. Let's break out the Ven diagrams...

[RandomViolence]

To counter the "keyboard/mouse is the only controller for FPSs" crowd:

I actually very much enjoy Halo, for instance, with the Xbox controller. I think it suits the play style very well. I like the fact that people don't turn around instantly and that I can catch people or be caught off guard. Frankly, while UT2004 is awesome, sometimes I just want a different kind of shooter and Halo definitely requires forethought and tactics in online matches. Part of that is due to the realistic limitations on reflexes that an analog joystick imposes. Even Master Chief has to obey the laws of physics. I think it's a refreshing change from the insta-gib style of play. I think others have been espousing sentiments of 'let the controller suit the game' and I agree. I don't think Halo 2 should ever be played with a keyboard and mouse.

[sTubbs]

To counter the "keyboard/mouse is the only controller for FPSs" crowd:

I actually very much enjoy Halo, for instance, with the Xbox controller. I think it suits the play style very well. I like the fact that people don't turn around instantly and that I can catch people or be caught off guard. Frankly, while UT2004 is awesome, sometimes I just want a different kind of shooter and Halo definitely requires forethought and tactics in online matches. Part of that is due to the realistic limitations on reflexes that an analog joystick imposes. Even Master Chief has to obey the laws of physics. I think it's a refreshing change from the insta-gib style of play. I think others have been espousing sentiments of 'let the controller suit the game' and I agree. I don't think Halo 2 should ever be played with a keyboard and mouse.

Well said. I tire of people using the 'mouse is more accurate and therefore better' argument to dismiss controllers. There are plenty of FPS games on the consoles that play just as well as anything on the PC - they just feel different. Besides, anyone who has actually fired a gun will probably agree with me that the mouse is actually less realistic than a console controller. Aiming is downright hard, and the fact that a mouse makes it possible line up a head shot within half a second really makes the gaming experience less fun in my opinion. I enjoy the slightly more challenging, yet ultimately more entertaining and rewarding, feel of playing with a controller. In fact, the only genre I consistently prefer a mouse for is RTS.

So, I am all for this controller idea. Most, if not all, PC gamepads are junk compared to the what the consoles offer. Furthermore, the different configurations and so on can lead to incompatability problems. Having a single controller with a large user base will probably encourage developers to increase game pad support, and will also eliminate the problems that are currently limiting said support. I just have to wonder how many PC gamers are actually in the market for such a device.

[Hieremias]

PC snob here, I have a cheap Gravis gamepad that has served me well for racing and space sim games. I would not be opposed to MS releasing a standardized controller, noting of course that I would use it only for those genres.

Playing any first-person game with a controller is a crime against nature.

[bapenguin]

To counter the "keyboard/mouse is the only controller for FPSs" crowd:

I actually very much enjoy Halo, for instance, with the Xbox controller. I think it suits the play style very well. I like the fact that people don't turn around instantly and that I can catch people or be caught off guard. Frankly, while UT2004 is awesome, sometimes I just want a different kind of shooter and Halo definitely requires forethought and tactics in online matches. Part of that is due to the realistic limitations on reflexes that an analog joystick imposes. Even Master Chief has to obey the laws of physics. I think it's a refreshing change from the insta-gib style of play. I think others have been espousing sentiments of 'let the controller suit the game' and I agree. I don't think Halo 2 should ever be played with a keyboard and mouse.

Ya know, it's funny. When I picked up Halo for the PC I couldn't for the life of me play it with the mouse/keyboard. I'm a long time PC gamer too, m/k is all I use for FPS on the PC, but Halo caught me off guard. I hoooked up my xbox controller and played it that way. The game just "felt" better.

Standard controller is a good idea. I wonder if Microsoft consorted with other manufacturers though to get the buttons solidified. That way Logitech,Madcatz, Saitek, whoever can make the same controller for the PC as well.

[Wadmaasi]

People with Xbox > USB controller convertors: Is there a trick (or particular driver) to making that work right? I literally just got one in the mail yesterday, and spent about 20 minutes with it in the original BloodRayne for PC. (Should I admit I'm playing that game?) It didn't work well at all: movement was erratic, it didn't recognize the triggers (may be the game's fault, since they function in the Game Controllers control panel applet), and looking with the right-thumb analog stick was a chore.

[KeeBaud]

If Microsoft are going to do this then I hope they do it 'correctly'. If they make universal controllers then I want FULL compatability! Half assed drivers with limited functionality really tick me off. I want the same gameplaying experience on the PC that I get from a console.

Another idea that has been rattling around in my head has been that game developers should create a standard plug-n-play style controller system into their titles. Set up defaults for different games in a master proggy (one setup for driving, one for FPS, etc) so that when you jump into a new game you don't have to spend 30 minutes reconfiguring your controllers to get them to work the way you want. Even the basics (y-axis orientation, WSAD or cursor keys, etc.) would be nice.

[Chagrinful]

Lets hope this doesn't gimp more FPS games like it did halo!

[KNOTE]

I could see this working really well for controlling vehicles in battlefield 2. Especially the helecopters.

[TrackZero]

People with Xbox > USB controller convertors: Is there a trick (or particular driver) to making that work right? I literally just got one in the mail yesterday, and spent about 20 minutes with it in the original BloodRayne for PC. (Should I admit I'm playing that game?) It didn't work well at all: movement was erratic, it didn't recognize the triggers (may be the game's fault, since they function in the Game Controllers control panel applet), and looking with the right-thumb analog stick was a chore.

May just be Bloodrayne, I have "Super Joy Box 11" and zero issues with it.

[TrackZero]

Ya know, it's funny. When I picked up Halo for the PC I couldn't for the life of me play it with the mouse/keyboard. I'm a long time PC gamer too, m/k is all I use for FPS on the PC, but Halo caught me off guard. I hoooked up my xbox controller and played it that way. The game just "felt" better.

I had the exact same experience. Prehaps it was that I had played soooo much Halo on the Xbox before I ever tried the PC port, or maybe the games design just leads better to a gamepad. I'm all for any type of control for any system, so long as it works well with the game at hand.

[Kelegacy]

Oh come on, Kelegacy, tongue was very firmly placed in cheek there.

Okay i forgive you. I'm not uptight usually (in fact i'm accused of being too free spirited and carefree) but some people on here have made real attacks on PC gamers. That's why i said that the term "snob" was wrong. More inclined technically may be a better term. To me PC gaming is easy...but some foo's like the ease of just popping a cd into their Xbox and endure the excrutiating load times of Jade Empire. Ay Chiwowa that game hurt!

Playing any first-person game with a controller is a crime against nature.

That is the God's Honest Truth! It's also a crime against CONTROL, IMMERSION and ENJOYMENT.

[MosBen]

I don't know Kelegacy, I think there are definitely some PC enthusiasts out there, but there are some snobs too. It's one thing to simply like playing games on your PC better, which is fine, but there are some people out there that just love to post on forums about how superior they, as PC Gamers, are and how all console gamers are stupid and ruined gaming. Definitely not all PC gamers are like that, but they're out there.

[RandomViolence]

That is the God's Honest Truth! It's also a crime against CONTROL, IMMERSION and ENJOYMENT.

Heh, sorry, but no, no, and no. Instant responsiveness does not automatically equal good control. Immersion i find is less a factor of the control method (provided it works, that is) than the sound, graphics, and ambiance of the game. Enjoyment, well, that's somewhat subjective, but still very much dependent on the game. Halo with mouselook would be teh suck. How the hell are you supposed to get assassinations, then? :D