good post

PC life has always been fixing tweaking gimpy tech to work with your current system. Each system isn't identical and may require some customization. That's what it is to own a PC. I've been doing this for 35 years. Since back in the dos days to today nothing will change much and it will continue for the next 35 years. If a person doesn't like this tinkering they should stick to consoles. They shouldn't mess with PC unless its already setup for them.

It is not a "normal PC gamepad". This is about getting older, unsupported, DirectInput gamepads, to work with newer PC games which support only newer XInput gamepads (aka "XBox360 gamepad"). XInput gamepads work fine with such games.

So in essence this is like trying to get your original black XBox gamepad (you know, from the PS2 era) to work on XBox One. Can you do it? Should you do it?

I never understand this PC Master Race things. PCs, Consoles, and other gaming platform have their own pros and cons. But one thing that is good about PCs is the freedom. Don't like Windows ? You can install Linux as your OS. Do you prefer Gamepad over KB +M ? Have it your way. Don't like game with DRM ? Go here. There no such freedom in other gaming platform (at least not yet AFAIK). Such freedom are not without its price, you can say that PC is less user friendly than other gaming platform.


timppu make a good example here. tough in this case I think the scenario can be more extreme. For example, can I use my PlayStation 3 Controller on my XBox One ? In this case, you are in trouble. But on PC, program such as x360ce, motionjoy, or Xpadder can help you do it.

Than again, why don't these people just buy the "normal PC gamepad" ? Well, for some it's to expensive, for other they just don't like the design. With some program, you can make the game do what you want, As I said, it's about freedom.

I find it odd though that apparently many (cheapo) manufacturers are still making and selling those older DirectInput gamepads, even though it has been the case for several years already that new PC games, even indies, are supporting primarily or only the new XInput gamepads. Are there any other non-MS XInput gamepads that try to be compatible with the XBox360 gamepad, besides the Logitech F310/510/710 series?

Is there some license the gamepad vendors need to buy from Microsoft before they can make XInput gamepads, or what is the problem? They just haven't realized yet that their gamepads are not supported anymore by newer PC games? Why has only Logitech woken up (or then I am just unaware of other options)?

Black horse in the race: the Steam controller? Just thinking what will be the next PC gamepad de facto standard...

It looks interesting but I suspect EA and Ubisoft will ignore it if it requires Steam to be installed for full functionality. A controller that only works with some AAA games is probably doomed to niche status, unfortunately.

I'd hope all its features could be used outside of Steam too, but if it really favors Valve's own service, then maybe i don't even wish it to succeed.

Anyway, it is becoming kinda irritating if the de facto standard controller which new PC games will support, changes for no good reason (other than that there is yet another console generation which has changed their controllers for reasons unknown).

In a way it is beneficial if the PC controller is somehow 1:1 compatible with some console standard (Sony or MS?) as it makes it easier to make cross-platform games, but... I don't know. Pros and cons to everything.

I expect that Steam will be offering some convenience value like ready-made control configurations for older games not designed for it or any controller at all, but would be rather surprised and disappointed to learn the controller was tied to Steam any more than that.

It's also weird, so would really want to try it out for a while before deciding to get one.

I use this program. It's very good and works with most games. I hope the PC goes back to use generic pads-drivers. I hate when some games only work with Xbox controllers. Good thing that now more games are supporting generic pads.

Well the only reason anyone has to do this is because lots of developers have stopped supporting DirectInput and only support Xinput... which is the 360 controller standard. In other worse, this farting around is required because of consolification. DirectInput supported a broad range of controllers with minimal messing around.

This is great!

It's nice to have something out there that weakens their monopoly on the mandatory controller market.