Suggestions for new controller
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A few years ago, I wanted to set up a cheap little PC to use for old schoolish gaming. Games from 2000 to 2010, more or less. Civ, Rollercoaster Tycoon, Rayman. Maybe some indie games.
I read some reviews and ended up picking up a pair of Steel Series Stratus XL bluetooth controllers for my little rig, and a sweet German keyboard with built in trackpad, etc.
My rig never actually worked right. I would get these "phantom inputs", mostly going "up", which made it impossible to control any application with a scrollbar (or most games). I did some light troubleshooting and thought it was the keyboard (since, "obviously", it couldn't be BOTH controllers)
I tried using my much newer laptop for some light gaming the other day, and I connected the Steel Series controller and mother fucker it did it again. So clearly the problem is the controllers. That pair of controllers was a birthday present from my wife like four years ago, which I used barely for 4 furiously frustrating hours. $60 each. I did some light reading about the symptom and there is no conclusion except that Steel Series sucks and I should never buy that shit again.
OK, so fuck that.
What should I buy today to replace those pieces of shit. Help me figure out what to buy.
So far, I am looking at official Xbox controllers; the Amazon Luna controller; and maybe like a Logitech thing. Kind of interested in 8bitdo brand. Are there any good generic controllers? What are pros/cons of these choices? Talk to me about controllers today.
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From personal experience, official XBone controllers work great wired, without any additional hassle* or drivers, and 8bitdo ones work well enough using Bluetooth.
* Just don't try to update firmware on the XBone controller. I don't know why you would, or why I tried it a few years ago, but if the process happens to randomly fail, it'll soft brick it and it's a pain in the ass to restore it (unless you have an XBone, then it may be as easy as plugging it into that)
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I used my wired Xbox 360 controller regularly for about 11 years before it died. I think it was because the USB cable frayed too much near where it connected to the actual controller. I don't think you can go wrong with one of those, though I can't speak to the quality of more recent versions of the wired controller.
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If I needed a new controller today I'd likely go get an official XBox Series-era controller. (Microsoft just calls them Xbox Wireless Controller, apparently.) Can work wired, Bluetooth, or with their custom adapter.
I've been using a wired XBox 360 controller as my main game controller. Works great, will probably use until it breaks. I added covers to the thumbsticks after they were worn down and less "grippy". Might be worth it if you can find a cheap used one that isn't broken in some way.
For a while I used a "Chrome edition" XBox 360 wireless controller with a cheap knockoff receiver. It worked flawlessly until the rechargeable battery pack I bought for it stopped working and I got too lazy to buy AAs or a new pack. The D-pad on those is a bit better than the one on the wired/not-"special" ones. Not worth it at this point vs. a current model.
I've heard good things about the 8bitdo controllers. I have a tiny pink wireless one I bought for my nieces to use to play old arcade and console games and it works fine for that purpose. Haven't tried a full-size one. (I have a 6-button Genesis controller and a Playstation arcade stick with adapters that I use if I want that old-school feel.)
Sadly, I no longer have a working flight sim stick. ďť
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@Parody said in Suggestions for new controller:
I've been using a wired XBox 360 controller as my main game controller. Works great, will probably use until it breaks.
Same here. I'd also go with whatever the current genuine Xbox controller is if/when I have to replace it.
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I'm using an Xbox Core controller, and an Xbox Elite 2 controller. I had to throw out an Xbox Not Core controller recently when one of the joysticks intermittently pointed up. I'm using the Elite wired, because I can and I don't entirely trust wireless, and I'm using the Core wireless because otherwise I can't sit at the couch.
All that to say: go ahead and buy IBM, they're usually pretty good and you won't get fired if they aren't.
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Seems like the consensus is to go with Microsoft. Makes sense, I put one in my cart.
Out of curiosity, what is the experience like with a name brand PS4 or PS5 controller, or Nintendo a controller?
One of the things I really liked about the Steelseries POS is the layout, which had PS style control sticks and XBox style buttons. "Theoretically" it would have been great for, for example, Katamari, which I bought recently.
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@Captain I have friends who use Playstation controllers and they like them, but you do need to watch out for the wrong button prompts. I'm long out of practice with the layout; my last Sony console was a PS2.
No idea on the Switch.
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@Captain said in Suggestions for new controller:
One of the things I really liked about the Steelseries POS is the layout, which had PS style control sticks and XBox style buttons.
Then I think you might like the 8Bitdo Pro+ or Pro 2 Bluetooth controllers, though the buttons are labelled for Nintendo consoles and not XBox (though if you put it in XInput mode, I believe the button layout matches an XBox controller, i.e. the button labelled B is actually A and vice versa).
Or, if you are fine with wired, they do apparently also have a Pro 2 wired controller that is XBox and Windows specific, and has the XBox button layout.
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XBox Wireless Controller arrived today. I got the "Core" model, I think, in Carbon black. Build quality is nice enough -- there's probably better out there but this is pretty premium feeling. Turned it on and it wanted to sync to my laptop. Everything just worked right.
I guess I'm a little surprised it came with two double AA batteries. I thought it was a rechargeable thing, since I see charging stations for sale. But I guess they all come with their own battery packs and battery covers. Hm, okay then.
So far so good, happy I got it.
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Based on this thread I got a wireless XBox controller for myself as well.
Experience so far has been:a) left joystick and d-pad switched around from PS and every gamepad I've owned so far? This might take some getting used to (it took little time, but it still feels a bit weird. It's only been two days anyway);
b) AAAAH! Bright white LED! Don't these people ever play games in the dark?
c) how the heck do I turn this thing off?Expanding on the last point: I instinctively went and held the logo button as that's how every other wireless controller I've had works, plus it's how I turned it on initially. But since that didn't seem to work, I tried pressing or holding the button on the dongle, then the button on the controller I had used to pair with the dongle, then the mystery button in the middle of the controller (the internet tells me if for switching profiles, whatever that is)... eventually I just gave up and pulled out the batteries.
The way to turn off the controller, as you may know, is holding down the logo button. Except there's no feedback (every other controller I had made the button blink as I held it) and the time it takes for it to recognize the gesture is relatively speaking quite long, at nearly six seconds which is double the usual.
If I have to look up instructions online for your product that means you've failed both as a device designer and as an instruction booklet writer/designer. Seriously.
Other than that, I am happy with it thus far.
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@Zecc said in Suggestions for new controller:
I just gave up and pulled out the batteries.
That's what I do. It does also turn itself off after a few minutes of inactivity.
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