Titanfall 2's PC Multiplayer has controller aim assist

[DeliveryGodNoah_v1legacy]

Is this normal for PC shooters to have aim assist in online competitive matches?

I do remember the original Titanfall on PC had some aim assist, but it was very slight, and still didn't compare to a decent KB/M player.

Now, as a disclaimer, I know some people prefer playing with a controller. In fact, some people physically are limited to using controllers. That's absolutely fine with me.

But out of curiosity, I plugged in my PS4 controller to try a match while getting an idea of my system's performance in an online setting, and I dominated. Out of all four matches I tried, only in one of them did I not get top of the board, and I was still in a close second.

The aim assist seems to be much more aggressive this time. Like, Call of Duty console version levels of aim assist. I had almost no trouble keeping up with a player falling from the sky at full velocity and killing them way before they did me.

It's not the end of the world, I'm aware, but I was a little shocked. The last game I tried with a controller on PC was Battlefield 4, and I got destroyed.

Update: I made a video showing gameplay using both methods. The first match is Keyboard and mouse, while at about 4:53 is gameplay using a PS4 controller. What I noticed is that aim assist is much more aggressive on "Minions" and Titans, but still pretty gravitational on players. (I tried to narrow down the video time as much as possible while still leaving enough for demonstration. The "editing" is really shitty because Sony Vegas wasn't accepting the video file so I had to edit it with YouTube's provided editor. The ending cuts out oddly as the server I was playing on apparently timed out. Quality servers.)

Spoiler: Youtube Video

 

[JUMBO PALACE]

Sounds beat. Though I'm not totally surprised. The first game had that SmartPistol that had lock on targeting.

I was playing Gears 4 on my PC the other day and this guy was saying how he was playing on his Steam controller because it's so much better than a regular controller. I couldn't understand why you'd use any controller at all in a shooter. Sounds like Titanfall is so aggressive with the aim assist that a controller might give you an advantage. Pretty disgraceful for a PC version of the game.

Disclaimer: I liked Titanfall 1 and am intersted in the sequel. Not trying to be anti-console or anything.

 

[Saelune]

Sounds beat. Though I'm not totally surprised. The first game had that SmartPistol that had lock on targeting.

I was playing Gears 4 on my PC the other day and this guy was saying how he was playing on his Steam controller because it's so much better than a regular controller. I couldn't understand why you'd use any controller at all in a shooter. Sounds like Titanfall is so aggressive with the aim assist that a controller might give you an advantage. Pretty disgraceful for a PC version of the game.

Disclaimer: I liked Titanfall 1 and am intersted in the sequel. Not trying to be anti-console or anything.

Movement. I mean, I think alot of the stuff argued against controllers is subjective bullshit, but if Mouse has controllers beat on accuracy, then controllers got it beat on movement. I can move around easily and keep shooting with a controller (I aim fine too, but few detractors like to acknowledge the human element). I know playing Counter-Strike my biggest issue is feeling too stationary most of the time, and a sure way to kill me is to run around me, cause I cant turn for shit with a mouse, since ya know, I might as well be checking the price of a scratched bar code at a check out line.

Certainly a game like Titanfall, movement is very much a major part of it too. Not that Im getting it on PC, but I assure you, there is no way Id play that game with anything BUT a controller.

 

[DeliveryGodNoah_v1legacy]

Sounds beat. Though I'm not totally surprised. The first game had that SmartPistol that had lock on targeting.

I was playing Gears 4 on my PC the other day and this guy was saying how he was playing on his Steam controller because it's so much better than a regular controller. I couldn't understand why you'd use any controller at all in a shooter. Sounds like Titanfall is so aggressive with the aim assist that a controller might give you an advantage. Pretty disgraceful for a PC version of the game.

Disclaimer: I liked Titanfall 1 and am interested in the sequel. Not trying to be anti-console or anything.

I didn't entirely mind the smart pistol. It took quite a bit of time to lock on. If you could escape from the sights of a Titan, you could escape from the lock on of the smart pistol.

But this aim assist (in my opinion) is worse than the smart pistol. Like Call of Duty, if you're already looking ahead near your target, you can just aim down the sights and almost entirely snap onto them. Now, it doesn't seem to follow the target on it's own, but if you try to move to the camera along with them, it does make tracking on a controller very easy.

Not only that, but there's an absurd amount of controller specific options. Which is actually kind of great and I wish more games did it. However, combined with the aim assist I think it's feasible to say that you could tweak the gamepad so acutely that you could play online exclusively with a controller and do quite well, if not exceedingly well. Though I didn't play too much with the controller, so I could just be talking out of my ass and judging this too soon.

 

[DeliveryGodNoah_v1legacy]

Movement. I mean, I think alot of the stuff argued against controllers is subjective bullshit, but if Mouse has controllers beat on accuracy, then controllers got it beat on movement. I can move around easily and keep shooting with a controller (I aim fine too, but few detractors like to acknowledge the human element). I know playing Counter-Strike my biggest issue is feeling too stationary most of the time, and a sure way to kill me is to run around me, cause I cant turn for shit with a mouse, since ya know, I might as well be checking the price of a scratched bar code at a check out line.

Certainly a game like Titanfall, movement is very much a major part of it too. Not that Im getting it on PC, but I assure you, there is no way Id play that game with anything BUT a controller.

I agree in most cases. Movement is definitely smoother and more definite to control with a controller. Titanfall 2's control however seem so finely tuned that I've actually found movement to be just as smooth and tight. That could just be me though, playing games almost exclusively on PC for years.

 

[JUMBO PALACE]

Sounds beat. Though I'm not totally surprised. The first game had that SmartPistol that had lock on targeting.

I was playing Gears 4 on my PC the other day and this guy was saying how he was playing on his Steam controller because it's so much better than a regular controller. I couldn't understand why you'd use any controller at all in a shooter. Sounds like Titanfall is so aggressive with the aim assist that a controller might give you an advantage. Pretty disgraceful for a PC version of the game.

Disclaimer: I liked Titanfall 1 and am intersted in the sequel. Not trying to be anti-console or anything.

Movement. I mean, I think alot of the stuff argued against controllers is subjective bullshit, but if Mouse has controllers beat on accuracy, then controllers got it beat on movement. I can move around easily and keep shooting with a controller (I aim fine too, but few detractors like to acknowledge the human element). I know playing Counter-Strike my biggest issue is feeling too stationary most of the time, and a sure way to kill me is to run around me, cause I cant turn for shit with a mouse, since ya know, I might as well be checking the price of a scratched bar code at a check out line.

Certainly a game like Titanfall, movement is very much a major part of it too. Not that Im getting it on PC, but I assure you, there is no way Id play that game with anything BUT a controller.

That's fair. I myself prefer to play third person action games like Dark Souls, Assassin's Creed, or Batman with a controller just because I prefer moving that type of character with a control stick. However, I find that if I want to use mouse-aim for shooters like Gears I can get pretty much be just as mobile and precise with a keyboard as a controller. I was quite shocked at how well Gears controls with a keyboard. To me the minor increase in movement fidelity (if any) isn't worth the drastic decrease in aiming accuracy. But, to each his own and I can see the merits of both. At the end of the day enough practice with anything will make you better using that particular hunk of plastic.

 

[LetalisK]

Movement. I mean, I think alot of the stuff argued against controllers is subjective bullshit, but if Mouse has controllers beat on accuracy, then controllers got it beat on movement. I can move around easily and keep shooting with a controller (I aim fine too, but few detractors like to acknowledge the human element). I know playing Counter-Strike my biggest issue is feeling too stationary most of the time, and a sure way to kill me is to run around me, cause I cant turn for shit with a mouse, since ya know, I might as well be checking the price of a scratched bar code at a check out line.

Certainly a game like Titanfall, movement is very much a major part of it too. Not that Im getting it on PC, but I assure you, there is no way Id play that game with anything BUT a controller.

I think the moral of the story is the control scheme you've practiced with the most is the best one. Using your FPS example, I move like a drunk sailor with a controller. But since I've only used keyboard and mouse for shooters for literally decades, I've got very good at high sensitivity precision movement with a mouse. And personally I like this change to be adopted by PC games in general if it entices console players to instead get the game on PC and bolster the community. Now if only consoles would give me KB+M support.

 

[Saelune]

I agree in most cases. Movement is definitely smoother and more definite to control with a controller. Titanfall 2's control however seem so finely tuned that I've actually found movement to be just as smooth and tight. That could just be me though, playing games almost exclusively on PC for years.

That's fair. I myself prefer to play third person action games like Dark Souls, Assassin's Creed, or Batman with a controller just because I prefer moving that type of character with a control stick. However, I find that if I want to use mouse-aim for shooters like Gears I can get pretty much be just as mobile and precise with a keyboard as a controller. I was quite shocked at how well Gears controls with a keyboard. To me the minor increase in movement fidelity (if any) isn't worth the drastic decrease in aiming accuracy. But, to each his own and I can see the merits of both. At the end of the day enough practice with anything will make you better using that particular hunk of plastic.

I think the moral of the story is the control scheme you've practiced with the most is the best one. Using your FPS example, I move like a drunk sailor with a controller. But since I've only used keyboard and mouse for shooters for literally decades, I've got very good at high sensitivity precision movement with a mouse. And personally I like this change to be adopted by PC games in general if it entices console players to instead get the game on PC and bolster the community. Now if only consoles would give me KB+M support.

Thats part of my point. What is best for one person is not best for another. I personally favor accommodating everyone, but, usually PC elitists make this claim that it can never fairly happen, though Titanfall 2 seems to want to challenge that, and thats fine by me. Id rather have more fun doing badly with a controller I am comfortable with, than doing mediocre with a control method I hate. (Though I usually do better with a controller in PC FPS games)

At this point I am genuinely excited for Titanfall 2. (Though again, not getting it on PC anyways for a bunch of reasons, but oh well)

 

[JUMBO PALACE]

Thats part of my point. What is best for one person is not best for another. I personally favor accommodating everyone, but, usually PC elitists make this claim that it can never fairly happen, though Titanfall 2 seems to want to challenge that, and thats fine by me. Id rather have more fun doing badly with a controller I am comfortable with, than doing mediocre with a control method I hate. (Though I usually do better with a controller in PC FPS games)

Yeah I mean why get worked up over other people's controller of choice. Even if one was objectively better than the other it still wouldn't matter. It's right in the title- Video Games. People seem to forget that the main goal here is supposed to be fun rather than getting mad at one another. I like to poke fun at my buddy who leaves mouse acceleration on but of course I don't really mean it. It's his computer and his game and he can play it any way he wants (even if it's wrong /sarcasm)

Though Saelune I'm curious to ask how you would feel if people were allowed to use keyboard and mouse on console. Not you specifically, but just people who were very competent with them in shooters. Would you want the accuracy associated with mice downgraded somehow to be on par with control sticks to bring them to the same level of fidelity similar to how controllers are given strong auto aim in Titanfall?

I guess another way to say it is, would you ask for mouse users to be handicapped to level the playing field just like you are okay with controllers being "buffed" with auto aim? Because I assume the goal is some sort of parity between the two control methods.

 

[Vendor-Lazarus]

Now, you may call me PC-Elitist or a Casual-hater (especially seeing how this thread have gone) but I can't for the life of me understand how console controllers even got a foothold in the PC games market..
I blame the Steam DRM..

I would agree that 'to each their own..' if only the playing field was maintained instead of slanted in the favor of controllers wherever I look. This...this..Invasion, has left me completely unable to enjoy genres I used to play.
'ports abound and even PC-Exclusive titles gets to be to the detriment of KB/M users.

 

[JUMBO PALACE]

Sounds beat. Though I'm not totally surprised. The first game had that SmartPistol that had lock on targeting.

I was playing Gears 4 on my PC the other day and this guy was saying how he was playing on his Steam controller because it's so much better than a regular controller. I couldn't understand why you'd use any controller at all in a shooter. Sounds like Titanfall is so aggressive with the aim assist that a controller might give you an advantage. Pretty disgraceful for a PC version of the game.

Disclaimer: I liked Titanfall 1 and am interested in the sequel. Not trying to be anti-console or anything.

I didn't entirely mind the smart pistol. It took quite a bit of time to lock on. If you could escape from the sights of a Titan, you could escape from the lock on of the smart pistol.

But this aim assist (in my opinion) is worse than the smart pistol. Like Call of Duty, if you're already looking ahead near your target, you can just aim down the sights and almost entirely snap onto them. Now, it doesn't seem to follow the target on it's own, but if you try to move to the camera along with them, it does make tracking on a controller very easy.

Not only that, but there's an absurd amount of controller specific options. Which is actually kind of great and I wish more games did it. However, combined with the aim assist I think it's feasible to say that you could tweak the gamepad so acutely that you could play online exclusively with a controller and do quite well, if not exceedingly well. Though I didn't play too much with the controller, so I could just be talking out of my ass and judging this too soon.

Yeah I see all sides of the argument. but I do agree with you in that while I'm glad all control schemes are at least worth considering, I do think it's strange to give controllers drastic aids in order to make them what you're describing as at least on par or even superior to K&M. At a certain point it just seems like you've given over so much of your own input to the game's assist systems that at least I would feel like it's playing itself a little bit.

 

[JUMBO PALACE]

Now, you may call me PC-Elitist or a Casual-hater (especially seeing how this thread have gone) but I can't for the life of me understand how console controllers even got a foothold in the PC games market..
I blame the Steam DRM..

I would agree that 'to each their own..' if only the playing field was maintained instead of slanted in the favor of controllers wherever I look. This...this..Invasion, has left me completely unable to enjoy genres I used to play.
'ports abound and even PC-Exclusive titles gets to be to the detriment of KB/M users.

Hey man that's your prerogative. I exclusively play on PC but I guess I just have a different view of things. To me the attractiveness of PC is the flexibility. I was playing Mafia 2 last night and I love controlling the whole game with mouse and keyboard but being able to pick up my 360 controller for the driving portions without having to change a single setting or option.

Can you give some examples of entire genres you feel have suffered and are now unplayable because controllers are a thing? I can only think of two types of games that I think many would agree are superior on a controller- fighting and racing. Everything else is either better on a keyboard and mouse or comes down to preference (in my opinion).

And as I said to Delivery above, I do agree that upgrading controllers does become silly at a certain point. Eventually there's so much assist going on that I wouldn't be able to honestly consider myself as having gotten the kill or winning the game.

 

[G00N3R7883]

When I used to play Unreal Tournament with my clan, using aimbots, where the software aimed for you, was considered cheating, and would get you banned from leagues.

You can imagine how I feel about these shooters that have aim assist as actual option in the menu screen.

 

[Saelune]

Thats part of my point. What is best for one person is not best for another. I personally favor accommodating everyone, but, usually PC elitists make this claim that it can never fairly happen, though Titanfall 2 seems to want to challenge that, and thats fine by me. Id rather have more fun doing badly with a controller I am comfortable with, than doing mediocre with a control method I hate. (Though I usually do better with a controller in PC FPS games)

Yeah I mean why get worked up over other people's controller of choice. Even if one was objectively better than the other it still wouldn't matter. It's right in the title- Video Games. People seem to forget that the main goal here is supposed to be fun rather than getting mad at one another. I like to poke fun at my buddy who leaves mouse acceleration on but of course I don't really mean it. It's his computer and his game and he can play it any way he wants (even if it's wrong /sarcasm)

Though Saelune I'm curious to ask how you would feel if people were allowed to use keyboard and mouse on console. Not you specifically, but just people who were very competent with them in shooters. Would you want the accuracy associated with mice downgraded somehow to be on par with control sticks to bring them to the same level of fidelity similar to how controllers are given strong auto aim in Titanfall?

I guess another way to say it is, would you ask for mouse users to be handicapped to level the playing field just like you are okay with controllers being "buffed" with auto aim? Because I assume the goal is some sort of parity between the two control methods.

I dont care. If they want to add M&K support to consoles, go for it. I dont even care about "leveling the field". Just let me use controller. I will manage. Personally, I think its a myth anyways, and even if true, people are of all different skill anyways. Really, just have someone finally make a system that actually balances people based on skill.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

Even on console, I don't like the idea of aim assist. If anything, aim assist for controllers on PC makes more sense.

 

[Weaver]

Now to just wait until hackers find a way to enable it while using M+KB

 

[Poetic Nova]

Honestly, aim assist should never be implemented. Not on PC games, and not on console games either. Specially if it is a multiplayer game.

It's an annoying feature, basically a greenlit aimbot.

 

[DudeistBelieve]

Sounds beat. Though I'm not totally surprised. The first game had that SmartPistol that had lock on targeting.

I was playing Gears 4 on my PC the other day and this guy was saying how he was playing on his Steam controller because it's so much better than a regular controller. I couldn't understand why you'd use any controller at all in a shooter. Sounds like Titanfall is so aggressive with the aim assist that a controller might give you an advantage. Pretty disgraceful for a PC version of the game.

Disclaimer: I liked Titanfall 1 and am intersted in the sequel. Not trying to be anti-console or anything.

Movement. I mean, I think alot of the stuff argued against controllers is subjective bullshit, but if Mouse has controllers beat on accuracy, then controllers got it beat on movement. I can move around easily and keep shooting with a controller (I aim fine too, but few detractors like to acknowledge the human element). I know playing Counter-Strike my biggest issue is feeling too stationary most of the time, and a sure way to kill me is to run around me, cause I cant turn for shit with a mouse, since ya know, I might as well be checking the price of a scratched bar code at a check out line.

Certainly a game like Titanfall, movement is very much a major part of it too. Not that Im getting it on PC, but I assure you, there is no way Id play that game with anything BUT a controller.

This I agree with.

In fact this is how I play Overwatch. Controller in one hand, mouse in another. Analog movement so much better.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

In fact this is how I play Overwatch. Controller in one hand, mouse in another. Analog movement so much better.

Now that, I want to see.

 

[DudeistBelieve]

In fact this is how I play Overwatch. Controller in one hand, mouse in another. Analog movement so much better.

Now that, I want to see.

It's nothing special. I even have one of those Xbox One Elite controllers with the paddles? And my mouse is a gaming mouse. So I have two extra buttons on the mouse configured, the analog stick, the bumper, the triggers, two paddles underneath and the Dpad. Works perfectly fine... for 98% of the characters.

Granted I'm not using like half the controller, but it works for me.

Someone like Zenyatta I can't play because he's literally broken with that set up.