Gaming pad for PC

[bellow]

Just grabbed myself a pretty powerful pc, so I was hoping to play some of the games I've missed out on over the years (Stalker, Crysis, etc). But I'll be fooked if I can get use to this keyboard and mouse system. Is there loads of messing around to just get a gaming pad going on the PC, or is it a simple affair for a technophobe like meself? And whats the best one?

[celery7]

I use a wired 360 pad on my laptop, it was recoginsed straight off with no faffing. Most of the games I've bought have full support for the pad (mostly talking Games for Windows stuff - Gears of War, Tomb Raider, Fallout 3) and others have allowed me to configure for it, Crysis for example.

You can get a wireless version of the 360 pad for PC but it's stupidly expensive - around £50 Get a wired one for around £20 instead.

[mfnick]

Wired 360 pad here too. Its great. Although I do miss the weight from the wireless version. Small gripe though.

[bellow]

I'll give that a whirl. Thanks. I've never played a pc game before. So many people go on about the superiority of inputting with a mouse for FPSs, but it's not for me. The mouse bit is alright but the keyboard part is just so unnatural after years of console gaming. I don't even want to try to get used to it.

[Bilge Rat]

I also vote for the 360 pad. However, you will probably struggle in FPS games like Crysis since they were designed to be played with a mouse and it will be much harder to play them with a pad. Some older games probably won't allow you to play with a pad anyway. You really should get used to the mouse. Download a copy of Virtua Cop or something to practice.

[bellow]

For practice I actually grabbed a copy of Far cry for 2 quid out of Gamestation. After about half an hour I had pins and needles in my left hand and pains in my left shoulder. As I say, it's not really the mouse bit that's the problem. I'm hoping I can play Far cry when my controller arrives, actually. It looked pretty good for an older game, pin sharp on my nice new monitor.

[Sly Reflex]

I've been playing PC game recently and I suffer the same pains. I find that resting a cushion under my left arm helps wonders, as I an not suspending it in mid air for hours.

[Sherak]

just buy this and use your 360 Pad... http://www.play.com/Games/PC/4-/3299826 ... oduct.html

[bellow]

Got my controller. Works fine on demos from steam, like bioshock. But how would I configure it for an older game like Far Cry, which doesn't have an option for game contrllers in its menu?

[Tlix]

Hmm not sure why your getting the pains? I'm taking it you have a decent office chair with adjustable arm rests? If not get one and if you do then just get them to the right height (obviously) so that your arms are pretty much straight on the keyboard and mouse. That way it just feels like your resting other then the occasional clicking and typing going on down at the finger end

[Bilge Rat]

Got my controller. Works fine on demos from steam, like bioshock. But how would I configure it for an older game like Far Cry, which doesn't have an option for game contrllers in its menu?

This is why I said you need to learn the mouse. Older games were designed for mouse and keyboard control and it may just be impossible to get certain titles to work with a pad.

[Shaolin_monkey]

Bizarrely, bad Company 2 on PC has really poor support for controllers. I tried two, including a wired 360 one, and neither worked. Searching google for answers only brought up more people crying about the unfairness of it all, yet no solutions.

That's why my K/D and win/loss ratio on the PC version is absolutely pants - I am fucking useless at keyboard/mouse combos.

[Bilge Rat]

How do you play World of Warcraft then?