GuildWars2 Xbox360 Config

[Tyrian Mollusk]

This post has instructions and necessary game settings for my Steam Input configuration to play Guild Wars 2 with an Xbox 360 controller. It's here because Steam Input stuff has no other home and you can't properly document a configuration. I'll edit and post here when I share new versions, so you can subscribe to the thread if you care.

To use, either add the normal GW2 client to your Steam library as a non-Steam game or install the game from Steam, load the configuration, make the necessary settings in the game ('Setup', below), and whenever you start it from Steam, you'll have controller play. I also use a mouse/trackball for inventory and menus, but the config does have its own mousing support.

Here is the configuration link (paste it into your browser and it will open in Steam):
steam://controllerconfig/1284210/3025702379 (Steam install)
steam://controllerconfig/2306085804/3025724094 (non-Steam install)
[v6 2023-08-25]

Master documentation now here:
steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2853314602

Setup

RECOMMENDED GENERAL OPTIONS

• AoE Loot on Interact: checked
  
• Use "Show Ally Names" Key Bind: checked
  
• Ground Targeting: Fast with Range Indicator
  
• Double-Tap to Evade: UNCHECKED (checked will kill you)
  
• Lock Ground Target at Maximum Skill Range: checked
  
• Move Inventory Compact Option: checked

REQUIRED CONTROL OPTIONS
Movement

• walk: shift-r
• swim down: c

Targeting

• previous enemy: ctrl-tab
• next ally: .
• lock autotarget: ctrl-shift-.

User Interface

• pvp panel: shift-p
• mail dialog: shift-o

Camera

• toggle action cam: ctrl-singlequote(')

Mounts (must unlock each to see the option)

• raptor: shift-x
• springer: ctrl-z
• skimmer: ctrl-x
• jackal: shift-z
• beetle: shift-ctrl-x
• griffon: shift-ctrl-z
• warclaw: shift-c
• skyscale: shift-ctrl-c
• siege turtle: ctrl-c

Mastery Skills

• Start Fishing: alt-NUMPAD_6
• Summon Skiff: alt-NUMPAD_7
• Set Jade Bot Waypoint: alt-NUMPAD_. (decimal)
• Scan for Rift: alt-NUMPAD_0

Miscellaneous

• show enemy names: singlequote(')
• show ally names: semicolon(;)
• stow/draw weapon: ctrl-backtick(`)
• Activate Chair: alt-NUMPAD_1
• Activate Musical Instrument: alt-NUMPAD_2
• Activate Held Item: alt-NUMPAD_3
• Activate Toy: alt-NUMPAD_4
• Activate Tonic: alt-NUMPAD_5

Templates

• Build Template 1: ctrl-NUMPAD_1
• Build Template 2: ctrl-NUMPAD_2
• Build Template 3: ctrl-NUMPAD_3
• Equipment Template 1: NUMPAD_/
• Equipment Template 2: NUMPAD_*

Play Summary

First off, some preparatory mental adjustments. You'll want to think of the four face buttons and Start as a group together (A, X, B, Y, Start), and do likewise for the four d-pad directions and Back/Select (Up, Left, Right, Down, Back). This will help things make sense. We use two main shift-key sets, one focused on more immediate combat keys (Right Trigger), the other on utility keys (Left Trigger), and you'll be using both of those and the unshifted layout simultaneously, so everything that helps the mental mapping take hold is important.

After you start the game, when you first get in character, you'll need to press BACK+LB to toggle the action camera on. You won't need to do this again within a session, because any time a dialog, panel, or menu comes up, the game automatically switches to mouse mode. Once you close whatever it is, it will be back in action camera for you.

Without any modifiers held

• Move with the left stick and aim/turn with the right stick (holding LT or RT won't change this, of course)
  
• Jump with A, Interact with X, Dodge with B
  
• Heal with LB
  
• Highlight enemies and interactables by holding RB (this works with LT or RT down as well) (game default changed to highlight everything all the time, so you can turn that off to reduce clutter and pop names when you want to see them)
  
• Tap Back for Escape, which closes open windows/dialogs or brings up the system menu if nothing is open
  
• Hold Dpad-Down to dismount or get off a chair

With RT held

• Face buttons and Start are your weapon skills (1-5)
  
• LB swaps between your two equipped weapon sets
  
• Dpad and Back are your profession skills (F1-F5, how many varies by class)

With LT held

• Face buttons and Start are your utility slots (7-9), special action (-), and elite skill (0)
  
• Dpad and Back are your mounts (these all need to be unlocked through play, and require expansions)

Remember the Special Action! It doesn't come up that often, but when it does you will need it. That's part of why I put it between 9 and Elite, to help keep the spot in mind when suddenly searching for it :)

With Back held

• mouse with RS
  
• mouse click with triggers and RB (Right trigger is primary, Left trigger is secondary, and RB is alt-primary, for setting map waypoints)
  
• LB toggles the action camera (note that any panel, dialog, or other such active UI element will switch the game to mouse cursor from action cam while it is open)

With Start held you can toggle various panels

• Map on Dpad Up
  
• Hero/Character panel on Left
  
• Inventory on Right
  
• Contacts/LFG on LB
  
• PvP on X (useful for trying out level 80 versions of a class without leveling!)

Hold Start and then also hold a trigger for various secondary and novelty commands. For example, tap X to /say "Thank you". Usually works, and is useful after a revive :)

[kijib]

pls add it officialy tanks

[Tyrian Mollusk]

New version uploaded: v5 [2022-08-23]
steam://controllerconfig/1284210/2853226897 (steam install)
steam://controllerconfig/guild%20wars%202/2853222685 (non-steam)

There are now two shared configurations: one shared on the Steam version of GW2 and the other shared on adding the normal client's Gw2-64.exe as a non-Steam game. Both are the same config. You can load the "wrong" one if you try, but it's easier if you get the one that matches how you start the game, so Steam automatically finds the config your trying to change.

IMPORTANT CHANGES
One of my guidelines is to keep key mappings as close to official defaults as possible. Well, Anet changed the defaults, so now existing players and new players have different expected bindings. I've changed the config to expect the new defaults. Since we're changing the bindings anyway, I made some other binding changes that seem better. Sorry if this annoys anyone.

Make SURE the following bindings match your in-game configuration:

• Strafe Left: A
• Strafe Right: D
• Special Action: N
  
• (NEW) Start Fishing: alt-NUMPAD_6
• (NEW) Summon Skiff: alt-NUMPAD_7
• (NEW) Set Jade Bot Waypoint: alt-NUMPAD_. (decimal)
• (NEW) Siege turtle: ctrl-c
  
• Activate Chair: alt-NUMPAD_1
• Activate Musical Instrument: alt-NUMPAD_2
• Activate Held Item: alt-NUMPAD_3
• Activate Toy: alt-NUMPAD_4
• Activate Tonic: alt-NUMPAD_5
  
• Equipment Template 1: NUMPAD_/
• Equipment Template 2: NUMPAD_*
  
• next ally: .
• lock autotarget: ctrl-shift-.

I have changed and added some controller mappings to fit End of Dragons and its new toys. Here's the new bits:

• X/Dismount: hold dpad-down (previously toggle chat)
  
• Turtle: LT+hold dpad-down
  
• Skiff: hold Start, then hold RT, then press LB
  
• Fishing: hold Start, then hold RT, then hold dpad-right
  
• Jade bot temporary waypoint: hold Start, then hold RT, then double-tap RB
  
• tonic hold Start, then hold RT, then dpad-up (changed)
  
• toy: hold Start, then hold RT, then dpad-left
  
• instrument: hold Start, then hold RT, then hold dpad-left
  
• held item: hold Start, then hold RT, then dpad-right
  
• chair: hold Start, then hold RT, then dpad-down (hold down here for X/Dismount)
  
• Race mode: hold Start, then hold RT, then double-tap LB

Also, note that if you prefer the skyscale over the griffon for flying, swap your in-game bindings. The LT+Start mount reacts faster than any of the other mount inputs, since you might be trying to hit it while falling :) Likewise, WvW players may want to swap their Warclaw and Jackal bindings, to skip the hold time.


Steam bugs and misdesigns still make layer sticking an issue to be aware of. If you get buttons not doing what they are supposed to do, try pressing and releasing the triggers. Steam Input is a real problem about complex configs like this, and Valve cares so little that they have even just added some bugs I reported to the documentation as "intended".

Race mode is working better. I suggest trying it out if you have a beetle. I may someday change the config behavior so that race mode is activated automatically when mounting the beetle.

[Tyrian Mollusk]

New version uploaded: [v5.1 2022-09-12]
steam://controllerconfig/1284210/2862365512 (steam install)
steam://controllerconfig/guild%20wars%202/2862363389 (non-steam)

There should be no obvious changes, but you can now hold Start and then also hold Back to reset the config when it gets in a confused state. I've finally isolated the Steam bug that makes layer sticking such a problem, and it really can't be worked around, so a reset mechanism is all we can really do about it unless Valve actually bothers to care about their product.

Since GW2 is on Steam now, I can finally document the config as a proper guide instead of a random forum thread. I'll keep this thread for posting updates, so anyone who actually cares can subscribe to it and get notified. If you share the config somewhere, please share the guide link rather than this thread or one of the config links:
steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2853314602

As and added bonus, the below configuration is identical except that race mode is automatically engaged when switching to beetle:
steam://controllerconfig/1284210/2862322787
Remember the controller doesn't know what's happening in-game. If you get dismounted, either mount back up quickly (dpad-right) or clear race mode (dpad-down, tap Back, etc).

[Makan]

Thank you for this config and detailed explanation.
I'm using xbox one s gamepad and I have a problem with camera.
I can't rotate it and my character just move forward.

I have no problem with my mouse, and easily can control the camera with holding right/left clicks.
I have no clue what should i do!!?
===========
Edit:
Nevermind , solved my problem.
I have to use select+L1 to switch between action cam and mouse.
Everything is fine😍😍

[Tyrian Mollusk]

Yeah, there's no game setting to just start in action camera mode, so you always have to switch when you start the game.

Glad to hear it does work with an xbox one controller. Probably more of those getting used than 360 controllers nowadays.

[Mroczak]

How you are able to properly chose location of target area skills? Let's assume that I am using Right Index finger to hold "RT button" to enter Attack layout and Right thumb for "B button" for skill 3 - than I need to change somehow position of AoE Target spell with RS - which I should use also with Right Thumb. How you deal with it?

[Tyrian Mollusk]

I generally just target first and then activate the ability, but for fine adjustment while targeting, I either walk to slip the target to the right place or briefly crossover and use my left thumb on the right stick. Mainly the former.

Another option is to switch to the two-press casting, where first press activates target and second press casts, but that feels slow and awkward to me, since it makes you double press for every AoE target skill.

[Mroczak]

OK I understand, for now I set Ground Targetting to Instant, Snap Ground Target To Current Target enabled and changed RS-click to Toggle Autotargetting - this helped me a bit :).

Please tell me one more thing: what is the idea behind RB highlight enemies toggle button - is it that important to carry it between all layouts ? It wouldn't be more convenient just to make it visible all the time ?

[Tyrian Mollusk]

Publicado originalmente por Mroczak:

Please tell me one more thing: what is the idea behind RB highlight enemies toggle button - is it that important to carry it between all layouts ? It wouldn't be more convenient just to make it visible all the time ?

Carrying it between the layouts just lets you cast something or mount while you are looking at names without any kind of weirdness--it mainly makes the button reliable regardless of what you are doing when you want to check names.

I personally like the lack of visual clutter from names and it seems to me how one would expect "normal" to act, with ready calling them up on demand, but during some collection my partner and I were doing, we got tired of checking names a lot and just turned on the setting that shows more names all the time to help finding the yellow interactables, and we've ended up just leaving that on so we don't need to call up names as often. So, I think both ways make sense.

I never know how many people use my config, so I don't know how disruptive it would be to make a big change that forces people to use specific settings they may not want, and haven't decided whether I should look for better ways to use that button or leave it as is.

I also have a xbox one style controller now with under-buttons to replace the stick-clicks (I generally hate stick buttons), so I have personally moved showing names to RS click and don't use that bumper at all. RS-click for names will probably end up how I upload the next config (I never liked RS-click for dodge and really just did that to have something there, but with easily bumped under-buttons, it's become a liability), but I don't know whether I have something else useful for RB to do now that it's free, or whether I want to force others to use stick clicking as the only way to show names just because I don't need to actually click sticks for it anymore...

I've made some beetle race mode changes I like, but don't feel finalized on it yet, and I have some other things I've been meaning to work on, but we mainly play GW2 with our GW2 time lately, so I've haven't moved much forward ;)

[Real-Time Sushi [d20]]

Dude, you are a BEAST! Thank you for sharing this extremely well-built and fully thought out controller map, and thank you for the insanely detailed write-up!

Honestly, I was planning on just reading what other people did and then basing my own layout off their tips and tricks, but I think I'm just gonna use yours, man. (I'll need to adjust a few things to work with my preferred keybind layout of ESDF as opposed to WASD, but that's no biggie.)

Thanks again for your hard work!

[Tyrian Mollusk]

Hey, thanks so much for saying so!

Fortunately, that should be an easy change, mostly all in the default layer on the default action set, since E wasn't used and F is also right there on X for switching to your interact mapping (of course, if there's a further collision with your interact, that could get messier).

Movement keys also show up in the layers "Run Mode Active" (W on left stick up), "Race-Int" (W on RT *and* LT), and "Racing" (W on RT, WASD on right analog), but you could easily not use all those--run mode is just so you can kinda controller-ify the autorun toggle, and race mode is just something I'm fooling around with to make beetle racing feel a little more natural (such as it can..).

If you want to use the racing mode stuff, you might rather start making your changes from the current version I'm testing, which has been feeling a little better and more capable: steam://controllerconfig/1284210/3005678781

Or, just don't activate race mode, and then it won't come up, since the main config doesn't auto-activate racing like the test config does.

[Tyrian Mollusk]

Ack, they added buttons and another panel with the new expansion. I'm going to have to make some changes to match that, especially with the vault panel being something you seem to need to keep opening. Too bad they couldn't just put it in the hero panel or somewhere else that makes sense.

[Tyrian Mollusk]

New version uploaded: [v6 2023-08-25]
steam://controllerconfig/1284210/3025702379 (steam install)
steam://controllerconfig/2306085804/3025724094 (non-steam)

Added keybinding requirement for Secrets of the Obscure: Alt-NUMPAD_0 for Scan for Rift.

Several things rearranged and a couple new things added:

• Mail button moved from MENU->A to MENU->hold LB (contacts button). MENU->A is now semi-unused (it centers the cursor, for lack of something better to do). Pet panel moved from MENU->hold LB to MENU->double tap LB (LB is for all your friends now).
  
• RS-click will now show names. RB mapping for this has been removed from ATTACK->RB and UTILITY->RB. Suggest getting used to RS-click or turning on the Show All Usable Object Names setting (or both), as the RB mapping is a good candidate for replacement if something good comes along.
  
• Mentor mode toggle now only available from SOCIAL->hold RB. Removed from UTILITY->hold LB and from CONTROL->hold RB.
  
• CONTROL->hold RB is now the new Scan for Rift.
  
• Skiff button moved to UTILITY->LB from CONTROL->LB. UTILITY->double tap LB starts fishing (in addition to CONTROL->hold dpad-right).
  
• Stow/Draw Weapons moved to UTILITY->RB from UTILITY->LB (so it's easier to do now if you use it while fighting).
  
• Trading Post moved to MENU->dpad-down from MENU->B. MENU->B now toggles chat panel (was on MENU->dpad-down). MENU->dpad-down for mousing mastery dialog removed (we have keybindings for all these now). MENU->hold dpad-down opens new Wizard's Vault panel.
  
• MENU->hold B opens F12 logout dialog, and cursors to character select button. Does not click button. (No more accidentally exiting the game from a hastily moused character swapping :)
  
• MENU->hold Y (Y is guild panel) opens Party dialog and moves mouse to Leave button. This dialog does NOT work with action cam like other dialogs, so it won't work unless the game has already switched to mouse mode. Also, the text entry captures keyboard commands so you can't use any while it's there, including the command to show it. Use Esc (tap Back) to close it. (Trying this out as I am tired of the awkward mousing needed to leave squads after events.)

Take special notice the trading post and mail panels are on new buttons now. On the up side, they are more convenient button combinations now, which was probably for the best.

Race mode had been rearranged for I think a little better feel, and where you can integrate RS more easily.

• LT drifts along with B. Endurance refresh is on both LB and Y and either can be held to heal.
• Dpad-down dismounts, with hold for wing dismount. Dpad-left for attack dismount.
• RS has full WASD.
• LS-Click toggles autorun.
• RB boosts (with V)

[Real-Time Sushi [d20]]

Let me recommend to anyone who has changed their keyboard layout drastically (or even marginally) from default to do a few things.

1) Export your keybinds before editing anything!
In GW2 Control/Keybind Options, in bottom right corner is an Import/Export button. Export your current controls... this will save them as a profile on your computer (probably stored within C:/Users/yourname/Documents/Guild Wars 2), and gives you an easy way to bounce back and forth between various sets of controls. I called mine "Sushi ESDF".
2) Reset to defaults, make the recommended changes in the first post, and then Export that as another setup, for example, "Tyrian X360 Layout".

This, at minimum, lets you flip back and forth between your preferred keyboard layout and the layout this template is looking for.

Finally, if you're like me and are considering adjusting the shared template to fit your custom keybind layout:

3) Go to https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Controls and copy the entire movement table into an Excel/Google Sheets spreadsheet. This is a 1:1 copy of the controls as presented in the Options screen (with exception of the ESC key was added to this list), along with the default keys, so you can quickly put all controls in a spreadsheet and see what's different between your scheme and the default. In another column, put in the recommended changes Tyrian states here, then you can see what needs to be adjusted.

(Regarding that last part... once I'm done building my copy, I'll provide a link to a shared version of the above to save you some time.)

[Baishun]

I can't get this to work at all. :( I tried copying your config link into my browser, but nothing happens when I hit enter. I then tried to go through and set up a controller config to match what you list for yours, but Steam won't let me edit controller configs at all. A window briefly appears when I hit the option to edit or create one, then immediately disappears. I've researched online what might be causing that but there is nothing helpful. I'm at a loss.

Sucks. My friends and I are about to try out GW2 again for the first time in like 9 years and I'd love to have the option to use a controller as I have a permanent wrist injury that makes playing action games with a keyboard really difficult. Yours sounded like the perfect solution, but for whatever reason, Steam won't let me load your config or create my own. And this is a brand new PC, so it's unlikely it's had time to trash anything in Steam to cause this.

Yay.