Controller Support

[hadrain1234]

Is it possible to set up a controller to play. The key binding that is pre-built in is bad.

[Joker]

Yeah steam has really good software for setting up a config
I don't reccommend using a pre made one
Try and set one up yourself to your own preferences

[hadrain1234]

thank you

[hadrain1234]

is it possible to link camera controls to the camera?

[Joker]

Originally posted by hadrain1234:

is it possible to link camera controls to the camera?

The game has action cam
It will make the camera control like an action game
You have to go into keybindings and bind a key for it, then you can enable it
But yes I highly reccommend enabling it for controller

[DESTARD]

I don't mind using a controller but the Camera Pan with the Right Analog stick was my only problem I wasn't sure how to work around it because it requires the Right Analog stick to be pressed to pan the area.

[Viper]

You can play with a controller by using Steam. There are some videos explaining how.

[Tyrian Mollusk]

It's important to be aware that the controller support you get without doing anything has absolutely nothing to do with GW2 and is just Steam substituting its default non-controller-game template, which is basically a band-aid layout made for typical FPS games. I really wish Steam would stop substituting that, because it's terrible for almost anything and it often leads people to think a game has controller support but just plays horribly.

Yes, you can play on controller, if you use a better Steam Input config that's actually designed for GW2. My partner and I always play on controller (and have for five years) and we enjoy the game far more this way. And you can build your own, as Joker suggested, but I'd highly recommend trying a few first because building one is really tedious work, especially with Steam's far, far worse new configuration tool, which is clearly not made by anyone who ever actually uses Steam Input... And that's not even getting into Steam Input's frustrating array of bugs and quirks that one has to learn and work around.

If you find a config that suits you, it hardly makes sense to start from scratch when those hours could be spent enjoying actually playing. Also, I've seen several different styles for managing the necessary buttons, and you might enjoy or be inspired by one that wouldn't come to mind if you were just trying to put something together yourself. Good interface design is not a trivial task when you are squeezing a keyboard game with a base twenty actions into a controller.

Here's the setup/guide for my config. If you're new to the game, this may also help figure out what other configs are doing that they don't really explain (eg, the special action on 'N', which one probably won't even know is important for a long time).
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2853314602

[Joker]

Originally posted by Tyrian Mollusk:

It's important to be aware that the controller support you get without doing anything has absolutely nothing to do with GW2 and is just Steam substituting its default non-controller-game template, which is basically a band-aid layout made for typical FPS games. I really wish Steam would stop substituting that, because it's terrible for almost anything and it often leads people to think a game has controller support but just plays horribly.

Yes, you can play on controller, if you use a better Steam Input config that's actually designed for GW2. My partner and I always play on controller (and have for five years) and we enjoy the game far more this way. And you can build your own, as Joker suggested, but I'd highly recommend trying a few first because building one is really tedious work, especially with Steam's far, far worse new configuration tool, which is clearly not made by anyone who ever actually uses Steam Input. And that's not even getting into Steam Input's frustrating array of bugs and quirks that one has to learn and work around. If you find a config that suits you, it hardly makes sense to start from scratch when those hours could be spent enjoying actually playing. Also, I've seen several different styles for managing the necessary buttons, and you might enjoy or be inspired by one that wouldn't come to mind if you were just trying to put something together yourself. Good interface design is not a trivial task when you are squeezing a keyboard game with a base twenty actions into a controller.

Here's the setup/guide for my config. If you're new to the game, this may also help figure out what other configs are doing that they don't really explain (eg, the special action on 'N', which one probably won't even know is important for a long time).
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2853314602

THANK YOU
I'm not alone then
The new controller mapping UI is much worse :(

[hadrain1234]

I will look at the templates then decide. Thank you

[Q]

i have like 4 xbox 360 wireless controllers, two of them totally new no use whatsoever but i don't have the wireless receiver for pc, i'll get a cheap knock-off from amazon and cross fingers cuz im really curious to know how ppl can play with a controller i mean how do you use the f1 to f5 skills then from 1 to 9 and other combinations in this game?

[Joker]

Originally posted by Smol Hobbit:

i have like 4 xbox 360 wireless controllers, two of them totally new no use whatsoever but i don't have the wireless receiver for pc, i'll get a cheap knock-off from amazon and cross fingers cuz im really curious to know how ppl can play with a controller i mean how do you use the f1 to f5 skills then from 1 to 9 and other combinations in this game?

The steam controller mapping software is really powerful.
There's many ways to get more keys mapped.

You can set a key to be an "activator" key. So while you hold in that key you can set the entire controller to a new mapping scheme.
Edit: To give an example. Imagine Final Fantasy XIV's controller system. You can basically program that yourself. Allthough it won't have the UI to go with it ofc, so will have to remember what does what.

To give another example. When I hold in the start button and pulls the left joystick in directions, it activates different mounts.
Imagine the mount radial, just much faster.

You can have unique commands when you double press a key and when you hold in a key too etc.

There's many options.
The biggest challenge is to find a system that works for you.
It takes time to make a good controller config
There's a lot of trial and error.

But I still reccommend one does so
A premade config will not work exactly how you want it too
Also remember that you will have to use default keys or the exact key binding that the user who made the controller config uses.
Some keys are not even mapped by default in Guild Wars 2
So will have to map them to what the user has set it too (if he's even given a description of that)

[Tyrian Mollusk]

Originally posted by Smol Hobbit:

cuz im really curious to know how ppl can play with a controller i mean how do you use the f1 to f5 skills then from 1 to 9 and other combinations in this game?

Your keyboard has a shift key right? And control? And Alt? When someone types a capital letter, do you wonder how they can have so many buttons? I know that's a snarky response, but it's weird how keyboard people act like we're doing black magic using shift keys and holds and whatnot. Controllers have been using buttons for multiple things in games for decades, and keyboard is no stranger to key combinations. Nothing new here.

And there are lots of ways to do GW2. A key element for my config is grouping buttons so ABXY+Start and DPAD+Back each make a cluster of five buttons. This helps a lot with making sense of GW2s mapping needs. Since you don't have on-screen prompts to remind you, making sense helps a lot with acclimating.

And if you think about it, someone new to GW2 on keyboard is already in a weird place, with the WASD cluster, ten number keys going way outside that space, and F1-F5 up on the other side of that, and space and V. It's a pretty crazy mess, and there are lots of ways people move keys around trying to make it feel better. At least with a controller, your fingers are right on everything and someone already thought about what made sense to need to push.

[Tyrian Mollusk]

Originally posted by Joker:

A premade config will not work exactly how you want it too

Eh, if that's genuinely important to someone, a premade config is still valuable for helping clarify what they feel they want and giving a base to work from. Someone new to the game can enjoy playing quite a while before being settled in enough to start getting those feelings for how you want something to work, and had they tried to build a config while new to the game, they'd probably find themselves in the same position.

Besides all that, config building is kind of painful, especially now, and there's a bit of art to it with an input heavy game. While I'm not trying to keep anyone from engaging with it, we should not push people into it unless it's their kind of activity. A lot of people just want something that works so they can play, and telling them they need to figure out Steam Input is slamming a gate in their face. Much better to offer some good starting points (Steam's config search is basically worthless and misleading for a bunch of reasons) and remind them they can get into the control details if they so want.

Also remember that you will have to use default keys or the exact key binding that the user who made the controller config uses.

Remember you can save your keybindings in GW2's options panel, so you can easily swap the whole thing. Makes trying a config much less of a hassle, especially if it sticks close to the default mapping, as a reasonable config should if it wants people to try it out.

Some keys are not even mapped by default in Guild Wars 2
So will have to map them to what the user has set it too (if he's even given a description of that)

Yeah, this is why I have a guide for my config, and I know a few others have youtube videos for theirs (though I personally loathe videos as a way for transferring such information). There's way too much information to put in Steam's useless description box, so I just put a link to my guide there. Steam should have connected guides, Steam Input configs, and versioning years ago, but for all the obvious dreams of whoever initially created Steam Input, Valve seems against actually using it to do anything beyond simple button remapping. Was really hoping the Steam Deck would mean Steam Input finally got some much-need polish and fixes, but instead they made it worse and continue burying their head in the sand about critical things :(

[Joker]

I can only speak for myself, but trying to figure out a pre made config is work in itself, that could be used to learn how the software operates in the first place.
That will serve a peson much better in the long run.
For simple platformers or whatever?
A config is very useful
But for a complex config like an MMO, yes my recommendation would absolutely be to spent some time to figure out how the software operates.
Sometimes taking the easy route is not the best route
It will pay off

You config might be very well explained and easy to adapt too.
I haven't checked it out as I do my own, cool if so
But that's rare.
My recommendation stands
No one have to agree with me and can do what seems right for them :)

[Q]

omg so much to read but i appreciate the info. now makes more sense i mean ppl using controllers in gw2 and some other games like this.