Probably Basic Controller/Gamepad Questions

1. Based on my experience with controllers all of them have default mappings. Their mappings are either based on PlayStation or Xbox controllers.

2. If the game has controller support you should check the controls first under options of the game. Mostly PC games are mapped and called on Xbox config.

3. As far as genre is concerned we all know that platformers, action-adventure, RPG's, and racing games are best played on controllers.

4. Depends on your preference. I have a buddy who prefers to play FPS games on controllers even on PC. I find it weird but to each his own I guess.

i use the f310 as well and i love it! a lot of games support xbox controllers and actually will call the buttons a/b/x/y/lt/lb/rt/rb. for examples, super meat boy, bit.trip runner, psychonauts, and assassin's creed. older games will sometimes just number the buttons, but it isn't usually a problem since in the settings it has you press the button you want to use so it doesn't matter if it calls rb button 10 or whatever.

i typically use my controller when mouse and keyboard doesn't feel right (probably because it was designed for consoles and controllers), or if it's a 2d platformer (because i find it more fun). i've found it pretty easy to use my logitech f310 in any game i've wanted to.

Thanks for the responses. So far, I haven't had to configure the controller, either in-game or using Logitech's software. The games just seem to recognize it and it works, which is definitely good. I'd prefer not to have to map everything out myself. But I do still have to figure out what the buttons do in each game. :) Maybe I should check the in-games settings though, because I might be able to look them up there, if the game doesn't walk players through the controls at the very start.

Knowing some genres where controllers tend to work well is helpful, too. I've tried a few different games and they seemed to work fine with the controller. I'm not sure it's better than keyboard/mouse, but I'm also not used to it yet. With some a bit of practice, it should get more comfortable to use the gamepad.

If others have information about PC gaming with a controller to pass along, please do. This is new to me, so I'm trying to learn the best way to do it. Thanks!

The F310 has a switch to change between xinput, Xbox 360 standard, and directinput, the old standard. If you use xinput, most newer games should recognize your controller as an Xbox 360 controller and map the controls appropriately. Directinput is more for older games and mapping the controls yourself.

Which games you use it in is preference. Platformers are generally better on controllers. Driving/racing games are better though ideally you'd have a wheel for those. Bad ports with mouse acceleration might be more tolerable too.

Thanks for the feedback. I know this thread is a little old, but it's mine and I have another gamepad-related question that's fairly basic in nature, so I'm going to go ahead and bump this.

How useful is the vibration/rumble feature of gamepads/controllers? Are there a lot of Steam games that support it? How much does having it enhance a game, generally speaking?

The F310 I bought doesn't have this feature, but the wireless F710 does and it's currently on sale at Amazon for $30 (it lists at $50). So I'm thinking about getting it, because I noticed that at least a few of my Steam games that say they support gamepad vibration. But I'm not sure how much it's really going to add to the experience, and I don't really need two controllers for local multi/co-op or anything. So I'm wondering, is it worth spending another $30 to get a controller with a vibration feature? Thanks!

I don't usually use a controller so I'm not sure if this would help, but the few games I've been playing with a controller did use the vibration feature. Personally, I could live without vibration. I have turned vibration off for a game or two since it got annoying, some I don't mind. I guess it's a preference thing, but it really shouldn't make a difference . I wouldn't get it if the f310 worked fine. Also, I'd probably get an xbox controller instead of the f710.