Why do PC Gamers Oppose Using a Controller?

[SilkySkyKitten]

Because some are too engraved in their "PC Master Race, Mouse & Keyboard are superior to everything!" mindset to realize that controllers are not only better for certain games, they have been a part of PC/Computer gaming since the very beginning. In fact, back in the 80's keyboard controls were considered inferior to a proper joystick controller. Granted, part of that is due to the fact that back then most games were arcade conversions and having a joystick made it feel more like being in the arcade, but still. Having a joystick was considered essential in that era. And then there were certain games, believe it or not, like X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter (which was in the late 90's, but it still serves to back up my point) which wouldn't install if they didn't detect a flightstick plugged into your computer...

Controllers for PC/Computer games have been around since the dawn of PC/Computer gaming. Acting like you shouldn't use them on a PC just shows not only a massive amount of idiocy, it also shows a complete lack of knowledge of the history of the very platform you like to game on.

 

[Robert Patrician]

I think it's more about the frustration of bad console ports. For example: Star wars, Force Unleashed. When they 'ported' it to the PC, they just bound the left analog stick to WASD, and the right analog stick to the mouse. However, the game requires you to do things like "Keep moving the right analog stick to the right for several seconds." You can't DO that on a mouse unless you have a huge desk and a cordless mouse. That's why some games "Need a controller to play properly" because the developers never bothered to integrate the mouse into the controls.

 

[Agayek]

I use a controller quite a bit, but not for every game. Shooters, strategy games, etc are all better served with a mouse and keyboard setup, as that gives you much better precision in significantly less time.

Platformers, fighting games, driving games, etc are all better with controllers though. Controllers offer much finer movement and scaling ability than K&M, which is forced to use the digital all-or-nothing button press.

 

[ScorpSt]

I don't think there's anything wrong with PC games supporting a controller. My problem comes when it seems like a game needs a controller in order to be played. A game that releases on PC should be fully playable with a Keyboard + Mouse setup. Especially if you've spent all that money on a gaming keyboard and high-performance gaming mouse, why should I need to go out and spend even more money on a controller?

For me personally, I like both control schemes. Sometimes, I like to switch on the fly while playing. For example, when I'm playing Saints Row the Third, I like doing the driving sections with my controller, but I prefer to shoot people with my mouse.

 

[octafish]

Not sure really, now they are just awful for FPS games and if you are playing multi-player FPSs such as Battlefield with one you should prepare yourself for a bad time. I myself hate them for all but fighting games, I have a Phillips PS3 knockoff I use for Mortal Kombat 9 Ultimate Edition and it works great, I like developers that drop this because it's a PC they must love XBox controllers attitude, cause I for one hate game pads, but XBox gamepads are the worst thing ever.

Funny you should mention BF, because that game is best played with both. M/K for ground based, and controller for flight. Anoyingly a controller is better for flight than my quite nice flight stick.

 

[RJ Dalton]

I'm not opposed to controllers, but my approach is "The right tool for the right job." The mouse and keyboard setup is best for first-person shooters and games where you need really precise aiming. And real-time strategy or games like DotA and LoL work best with the mouse and keyboard. But most other games that I've played work better with the controler setup.
Like I said, the right tool for the right job.

 

[RandV80]

OH NOES! WHY DO CONSOLE GAMERS OPPOSE$ USING M+KB?

Pretty much... I'd turn this question around and ask why are console gamers (many of which are now migrating to PC) so insistent on pushing console controllers into PC gaming? Like if you post a comment for Dark Souls about how to best get a keyboard and mouse working for the PC port, a bunch of people will jump on you and say "just get with the times already and use a controller!" I've stumbled across this while looking for how to best setup the various mods you need to play that game properly on PC. I think there's also a prominent indy game... Super Meat Boy maybe? That basically throws in a jab at you in the control scheme's if you don't want to use a controller.

Really it just comes down to a matter of preference on how you like to play the game. The benefit of the PC should be it's openness in allowing multiple forms, and this 'argument' seems to come as much from recent console migrates as it does the Glorious PC Master Race. I think a legit argument for discussion is whether developers should be criticized if they bring a game to PC with shitty support for the long standing default mouse & keyboard controls. I mean you can look back at older PC games in the driving or flight sim genre that were better with a wheel/joystick, but they still defaulted to a keyboard/mouse setup. And after all while WASD doesn't give the same precision as the left analogue stick it can still get the job done, the mouse is perfectly suitable to replace the right analogue, and from there you've got plenty of buttons to match the rest, so there's no real excuse to say "this games console controls can't be matched by k&m."

As far as my own personal preferences go I actually did by a controller just the other week. Was at an Asian night market and one of the stalls had a cheap PS2/3 usb knock off for $10, so I figured why not. Hooked it up to try with Y's Origin... and quickly shelved it again. Now this particular game is actually only omni directional, so while it's nice there's no advantage to an analogue stick. For the right side of the controller however... ****ING THUMBS!

Unlike the keyboard & mouse thing this is one thing I do get strongly behind. In my family back in the late 80's/90's me and my brothers determined that it was much more efficient to play Mario or whatever with your fingers on the controller buttons than your thumb. And we proved this to be superior anytime you played one of those track and field games where some events all you do is push the button as fast as you can, and any kid trying to play it with his thumb would get smoked. Simply put, for fast paced games I hate using my thumb on the classic Snes Diamond shape button layout. It just feels slow and clunky, especially if you have to use more than 2 of the face buttons. Typically back in the day if we were playing a game like Street Fighter 2 we'd maybe the most useless button (weak punch) to the R button and let our fingers go at it on the A/B/X/Y buttons. The Playstation controller is horrible for this however so for Y's I'm sticking with 3 fingers on z/x/c for attack/jump/special, the game is hard enough with trying to simultaneously maneuver my thumb over the triangle/circle/square buttons. Same thing with Dust: An Elysain Tail which I just started playing, not even going to bother trying it with the controller. It started with keyboard and mouse but I've since switched it to just keyboard, need a few more buttons than Y's so I have the controls on WASD with QE as evades and the other buttons all on the numpad.

 

[kingthrall]

1: Oh, those elitist PC players don't like controllers.
2:Yeah. Dumb elitist.
1: More games should use controllers only. Take them out of their comfort zone.
2: Yeah, so they realize controllers is the superior alternative.
1: Stupid elitists.

Just use what you prefer, and what is available. Like most of the thread has already suggested.

proof that console gamers are just as dimwitted blind and arrogant as pc gamers are.

 

[Atmos Duality]

I'm not opposed to gamepad controllers; but I don't like half-assed user interfaces for PC ports that result from the game being made for a gamepad. (hello, Oblivion and Skyrim)

 

[4RT1LL3RY]

I'm a PC gamer but I don't hate on controllers. They are better for certain games and I use it for them. Racing games, platformers, third person rpg's. I do prefer mouse and keyboard for anything first person though. Elder Scrolls and FPS is general.

Poorly done Keyboard and mouse controls in PC ports do bug me though. I wish mouse sensitivity in Dark Souls didn't suck so I could better aim for my bow only build. Bad mouse acceleration in PC ports is so common it hurts.

 

[Daveman]

I don't think we are. I think we're opposed to HAVING to use a controller. We're pro-choice typically. Hell, my friend would switch between keyboard and controller mid-game when playing Just Cause 2.

 

[Mausthemighty]

Because some are too engraved in their "PC Master Race, Mouse & Keyboard are superior to everything!" mindset to realize that controllers are not only better for certain games, they have been a part of PC/Computer gaming since the very beginning. In fact, back in the 80's keyboard controls were considered inferior to a proper joystick controller. Granted, part of that is due to the fact that back then most games were arcade conversions and having a joystick made it feel more like being in the arcade, but still. Having a joystick was considered essential in that era. And then there were certain games, believe it or not, like X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter (which was in the late 90's, but it still serves to back up my point) which wouldn't install if they didn't detect a flightstick plugged into your computer...

Controllers for PC/Computer games have been around since the dawn of PC/Computer gaming. Acting like you shouldn't use them on a PC just shows not only a massive amount of idiocy, it also shows a complete lack of knowledge of the history of the very platform you like to game on.

Yeah, some. Like a very small minority.
Most of the pc-gamers are not elitist pc gaming master race people who look down on the unwashed masses. Like most of the posts here it isn't about our imagined "superiority" but about practicality and personal preference. Some games just don't work with keyboard and mouse and some games are perfect for them. And it's the same with gamepads. That really doesn't mean people like me look down upon people who play consoles. I find it really awesome that people can play with that much buttons on a gamepad and those analog sticks, because I can't for the life of me figure out how they work.

 

[Evonisia]

I wasn't aware that PC Gamers were opposed to using controllers, of course I don't know any statistics. Using both is easy for me, although I'm not the best keybinder in the world nor do I use mouses designed to have extra buttons for gaming purposes.

 

[frizzlebyte]

I don't oppose using a controller, but my problem with it personally is that, if I already have a great controller in the m/k setup, why not make the PC version of a game usable with that setup, a la the first three Splinter Cells? Games like Assassin's Creed are ass to play with m/k, and there is no real reason for that other than having zero optimization for them.

EDIT: And I have no trouble using a controller, actually. I just don't see the point in needing one for PC.

 

[Drops a Sweet Katana]

It depends on individual games and genres. For FPS's and RTS's, I prefer mouse and keyboard. For anything that has the camera separated from movement, like Assassin's Creed and Rockstar games, or games focused on vehicles controllers are the only way to go for me. Each have their advantages and disadvantages.

 

[Sofus]

Why do PC Gamers Oppose Using a Controller?

We don't oppose the option to use a controller, we oppose the idea that a game on the pc shouldn't be perfectly optimised for kb+m.

I personally can't properly hit anything while I play with a controller. To me, the tumbsticks are unintiative and unprecice when compared to a kb+m.

A controller is awesome when all you have to do is lock on to a target or something like that, but in games such as Mass Effect, Mafia 2 or Dead Space 3 I end up wasting so much ammunition and failing to kill enemies as fast as I can while I use a mouse.

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

Keyboard has around 50+ buttons, a controller has around 15. And a lot of PC gamers play games that make use of every button, like RTSs or more in depth FPSs. And the precision of the mouse, when you grow used to it.

It's also what you were raised on instead of actual usability.

 

[irok]

I'm in the I own a controller and I use it for pc games basket, when dark souls came out on pc and people were all like this is a horrible port the controls suck ass having a Xbox controller meant that I didn't have to deal with random spinning and jerky mouse controlled camera movements and Ive used it for a few other games but there are a lot of things for which is not appropriate, shooters ~ no , rts ~ no, any mmo/rpg that has a control scheme that clashes horribly ~ no, but things such as plat forming or 2 games/fighters overwhelmingly yes my friends who are into fighting games would say things about Z-movements and stuff like that but it boils down to certain games being harder to play on the KB/M then on a keyboard, that and personal preference.

Not everything can be used with controllers and I think the default reaction to controllers is I don't want to buy this thing ill only use for a couple of games to slightly improve my "gaming experience" I shouldn't have to as games should be able to be played perfectly fine with a keyboard, which is fair enough.

 

[mrgerry123]

My method is simple. First person games and strategy games played with keyboard and mouse.
3rd person= controller
2d platformer= whatever I feel like

I used to use just keyboard and mouse but now I appreciate being able to slouch on my bed playing games

 

[Doom-Slayer]

I have heard many current PC gamers describe needing a controller for a PC game as "heresy," and a lot of the replies to this threat seem to support that. My question is, if needing a joystick to play PC games was acceptable back in the 90s, why is the same not true of controllers?

Joysticks and things similar are used because they enhance the experience of gaming by adding something the keyboard/mouse combination cant. Joysticks are easier to use for flying games than trying to use a mouse/keyboard, pedal/steering wheels are better for racing games.

A controller doesnt do that. They offer less precision than aiming with a mouse so they arent adding anything for fps games, they dont have enough buttons for more complex games.

Controllers are designed to be held with two hands, because you play on consoles on your TV sitting on your couch. YOu sit playing computer games usually at a desk, so having a controller in two hands has no benefit either.

Its not that we are opposed to them, its just that they arent designed for it, and dont offer anything we want.