Tank Controls/D-pad/sensitivity

[Seneca]

I have a question for all the "Tomb Raider OGs" or anyone really who is experienced with the tank controls.

First of all, I played TR 1 on Saturn, TR 3 on PS1 and beat TR2 on PS1. Later I beat TR 1-5 on PC with a controller. So I can say I'm very experienced with the tank controls and I really like them.

However, in found the d-pad to be very sensitive. If I'm not 100% focused I sometimes end up e.g. jumping sideways instead of backwards. It's mainly problematic because I prefer saving only at the start of a level. It isn't extremely bad but I have to restart a level every now and then because of this.

I don't remember if it was always like this. Could it be this remaster or could it be on my end? (at the moment I'm using some old Logitech F310) controller.

Feel free to share your experience, make fun of my controller (if it's a bad one) and/or recommend another controller if there even is one worthy of telling Lara Croft what to do.

[ikkuzu]

whats up my sega saturn buddy :D

best controller i can recommend for pc gaming is the xbox one controller. those are quite expensive, though, but i never found anything better - and it works great for tomb raider.

another GRRREAT controller for pc is the nintendo switch pro controller. unfortunately that one has no analogue L2/R2, so no good for racing.

it's all about the d-pad. if it's made poorly, you will have lots of problems with single-direction inputs being "fatfingered" into bidirectional inputs, if you don't hit the button spot-on.

[ikkuzu]

one way you could help yourself, is opening up your controller and putting some tape right in the center of the d-pad-membrane, covering up the inner side of each contact, making them effectively smaller. this should reduce unintended bidirectional inputs.

[Seneca]

MayGyver style

Thanks for the replies, I'll check out those controllers

What about the game options?
Would dead zone do anything?
Or am I "on the wrong track".

[ikkuzu]

dead zone only affects analogue sticks. if you're using d-pad for movement, this option will have no effect on your playstyle. i left it unchanged.

[fender178]

Also if you want a cheaper Xbox Style controller with a great dpad then 8bitdo would be a great option.

[Gmoneymozart]

I honestly never remember having issues with the Dpad back in the day and don't remember when I made the switch to analog. It's been so long...

[ikkuzu]

8bitdo has been hit or fail for me so far. i've been using their "Ultimate Controller" for the past few months and see it as a good alternative to the xbox/switch controllers. until i tried it for tomb raider. the d-pad struggles hard to recognize [up+right] input, despite being hardly used. also i don't like the short-ranged L2/R2 triggers on that thing. and why does it need its very own usb-adapter? why does it not work with 8bitdo's universal usb-adapter (which is great, btw)?

i liked that thing, but after returning to xbox one controller i could clearly see my favorite.

[fender178]

Originalmente postado por ikkuzu:

8bitdo has been hit or fail for me so far. i've been using their "Ultimate Controller" for the past few months and see it as a good alternative to the xbox/switch controllers. until i tried it for tomb raider. the d-pad struggles hard to recognize [up+right] input, despite being hardly used. also i don't like the short-ranged L2/R2 triggers on that thing. and why does it need its very own usb-adapter? why does it not work with 8bitdo's universal usb-adapter (which is great, btw)?

i liked that thing, but after returning to xbox one controller i could clearly see my favorite.

Yeah I didn't like the PS4 style triggers on the Ultimate Wireless controller either. Which is the reason why I switched to Guilikit because their triggers are more like xbox one/Series triggers.

[ikkuzu]

never heard of gulikit until now. i might give them a try. thanks.

also i'm going to pre-order one of those new fancy CRKD NEO S controllers. they look quite nice.

[Pheex]

I'm just gonna sneak in and say that while the xbox controllers are the best supported gamepads on pc in terms of general game compatability (because microsoft), for Tomb Raider I use Playstation controllers because they have the best d-pad in the industry, far superior to the xbox d-pad in my opinion.

[EmzElf]

I've only played it on PC using arrow keys on the keyboard instead and i think it could be just a teeny tiny bit more sensitive like 0.3 - 0.5.

While the new modern controls using WASD for the direction keys it's even less sensitive, and she doesn't jump every time especially jumping to the right.

So it is a bit inconsistent especially between platforms so it would be good to make it the same sensitivity. I mean there is sensitivity settings in the modern controls but mainly for the camera but doesn't effect the movement keys.

I was playing around with that a bit yesterday and it would make my wrist hurt less if i could be lighter with my hand and finger movements, if that's possible, including the tank controls. Maybe then they can fix the d-pad on the controllers.

[ikkuzu]

speaking of playstation. if you got a ps classic "mini", you can plug one of the controllers into your pc and use a 3rd party software (like xpadder or JoyToKey) to bind the keyboard controls to your classic ps1 controller, making it the most retro experience possible :D

[Dude Guyman]

Originalmente postado por Seneca:

I don't remember if it was always like this. Could it be this remaster or could it be on my end? (at the moment I'm using some old Logitech F310) controller.

Edit: My Amazon review of the F310 with pics of all 3 of these:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/RB0FON4P34L06

It's the F310! I have one, it is trash. Here are my results with my 3 controllers in this game with Tank Controls. All 3 can do Xinput and Dinput and all 3 are ~$20 or less:

1. Logitech F310 = PSX layout. Logitech is trash riding out an old, no longer deserved reputation! Just running forward usually results in getting stuck in a "S" pattern of over-correcting. The D-Pad is so "floaty" and loose on it that I can press UP and DOWN at the same time and do a roll just by varying my angle of pressure on it. Happens constantly while trying to run forward and turn. F310 is TRASH.

2. ZD-V = PSX layout. Had it 10+ years (may be built better/worse now?). It has the best D-Pad I've ever seen outside of an actual Sony Playstation controller. The analog sticks on it are not the most precise but the D-Pad is good! It looks and feels a bit cheap (but comfortable in the hand) but is actually solid as a tank and has held up very well for a ~decade.

3. Easy SMX ESM-9100 = Xbox layout. Best overall. Has good D-Pad and analog. I prefer the PSX layout, but otherwise, this has been a great controller. Good build quality. This one is very nice for the money. For ~$20, this is great, and there is a $19, 9100 Pro version, with "Hall Effect" Triggers...my next one to try! Only had this one for a ~year? but so far so good. No stick drift, no large deadzones, or any of the usual signs of cheap gear.

[Elvick]

Originalmente postado por ikkuzu:

whats up my sega saturn buddy :D

best controller i can recommend for pc gaming is the xbox one controller. those are quite expensive, though, but i never found anything better - and it works great for tomb raider.

another GRRREAT controller for pc is the nintendo switch pro controller. unfortunately that one has no analogue L2/R2, so no good for racing.

it's all about the d-pad. if it's made poorly, you will have lots of problems with single-direction inputs being "fatfingered" into bidirectional inputs, if you don't hit the button spot-on.

I disagree, Xbox One has a terrible d-pad. DS4 is the best imo, the Dualsense is too mushy.

[pinecoffin]

I'm using a Play Station DS5 controller and I was having a lot of trouble with it over turning, or just being very fiddly in this game.
I changed the DPad Directional Pad Layout to Cross Gate and that has pretty much sorted it out.
Hopefully it can help you as well for your Logitech controller.
I've used the same setting on other controllers as well.

Go to the properties of the game (or while in game), then the controller page. Click the underlined Controller Configurator to open the controller settings page.

Then go to the DPad page and select the cog next to where it says Directional Pad Behavior. On this page change the drop down to Cross Gate and then back out of the page.

Hopefully this made sense and works for you.