Is playing this game with a Steam controller terrible or is it just me?

[Elazul]

Anyone have any luck using one? Just picked one up for $5 on the sale and having a lot of trouble. Mainly focused around the small cramped buttons and the lack of a second stick. Not sure if it's just me not being used to it or it's really just not suited to this game. Switched back to my XB1 controller because I kept wiping due to not being able to react or see to mechanics properly.

[Mandodo]

I'm not really sure if it helps but it does say it has instructions on how to use it with FF XIV and it is in depth too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8gAWjBVZQY

Hope this helps at least a little.

[Nogs]

I use steam controller as a game pad then have a lot of binds for different functions that aren't there for gamepad mode

[Rhomagus]

The Steam controller is amazing for this game. First and foremost, try your best to get used to the touchpads instead of the thumbstick. I have played all the way through Shadowbringers and done some Savage raiding with the Steam controller without ever using the thumbstick.

I suggest looking up some videos on YouTube by Existential Egg. There's a particular setup in the Steam controller community that refers to a certain type of control style that's very difficult to setup but once it's set it's wonderful. I've heard it referred to as an "umbrella" configuration.

What that basically entails is that when you touch the center of the touchpad, then the entire touchpad turns into a thumbstick. When you tap other regions of the touchpad, it acts as a button press. With this, you can effectively use the controller without ever having to make use of the built in thumbstick.

It takes some time to get used to this way of manipulating games via controller but you'll find with practice, it is far superior to using thumbsticks.

I almost think they put the thumbstick on the left hand side of the controller for a reason, as this will naturally nudge you in the direction of using the right touchpad as a camera control. You'll then notice that, at least in Final Fantasy XIV, that the right thumbstick (in this case touchpad) is used much more dynamically and requires far more dexterity than standard controls on the left thumstick. 90% of the time you're just holding the left thumbstick in the up direction anyways.

This is why people who first use the Steam controller lament the lack of a right thumbstick but you'll find that this will mess with your ingrained dual analog muscle memory

The problem with using the thumbstick as a means to move your character is that:
1.) You have to hold the controller in an asymmetrical format.
2.) Due to this, moving your thumb from the thumbstick when utilizing the left touchpad as a mere directional pad to tab target is uncomfortable because of the distance your thumb has to travel.

This alone causes a lot of folks to absolutely detest the Steam controller which explains why it had such bad reviews on launch. And they're not wrong per se. That is indeed uncomfortable. That's why I don't suggest ever using a default layout like that.

Once you notice this, you'll also notice that the face buttons (ABXY) on the Steam controller are ridiculously small, and you'll also notice that the same discomfort that you've experienced on your left hand, you're now experiencing on your right hand as well. Mostly for the same reason. The travel you thumb has to take on your right hand makes no sense when utilizing the Steam controller in this manner. In fact, the only controller I can think of that has that odd sort of face buttons on bottom and joystick on top on the right hand is a Swtich joycon. If you use the Steam controller in this manner, your seasoned controller muscle memory will be thrown out of whack.

This is why you want to create as symmetrical a configuration as possible, and the only way to do that is to completely forgo the thumbstick and face buttons and just use them as a radial menu (which is amazing) and rarely pressed hot keys respectively.

This will help solidify the rather bulky controller by centering it between your hands.

Once you realize this, and install a proper "umbrella configuration" you'll find that your thumb no longer has to move further than any other controller in order to switch between the face buttons/directional buttons and the "thumbstick". In fact, you move your thumbs EVEN LESS, than if you were using a traditional dual analog controller as your thumbs are ALREADY IN PLACE. By combining the functionality of the touchpad and centering your grip, you'll find that the Steam controller is not only the most powerful controller on the market (with all of the myriad configurations you can have) but also the most comfortable.

There isn't a lot of proselytizing of the Steam controller due to it's high initial learning curve but Existential Egg, the Steam Controller Discord, and Reddit are amazing resources. Once you start mastering the Steam controller in FFXIV you'll begin to find that it's the only controller that actually has more configurations than a keyboard and mouse layout as with the Steam controller you can use it as both a controller and keyboard + mouse simultaneously. This gives you a significant amount more of available hotkeys as now you have the Controller Hotbar as well as the standard hotbar at your fingertips. Typing on a keyboard is still recommended though.

Good on you for getting one of the last Steam Controllers. I know it'll seem difficult at first but if you stick with it and learn the ins and outs I think you'll find it far more appealing than any standard traditional controller, (including high end SCUF-like variants and the overpriced Xbox-Elite controller).

[Nogs]

Originally posted by Rhomagus:

The Steam controller is amazing for this game. First and foremost, try your best to get used to the touchpads instead of the thumbstick. I have played all the way through Shadowbringers and done some Savage raiding with the Steam controller without ever using the thumbstick.

I suggest looking up some videos on YouTube by Existential Egg. There's a particular setup in the Steam controller community that refers to a certain type of control style that's very difficult to setup but once it's set it's wonderful. I've heard it referred to as an "umbrella" configuration.

What that basically entails is that when you touch the center of the touchpad, then the entire touchpad turns into a thumbstick. When you tap other regions of the touchpad, it acts as a button press. With this, you can effectively use the controller without ever having to make use of the built in thumbstick.

It takes some time to get used to this way of manipulating games via controller but you'll find with practice, it is far superior to using thumbsticks.

I almost think they put the thumbstick on the left hand side of the controller for a reason, as this will naturally nudge you in the direction of using the right touchpad as a camera control. You'll then notice that, at least in Final Fantasy XIV, that the right thumbstick (in this case touchpad) is used much more dynamically and requires far more dexterity than standard controls on the left thumstick. 90% of the time you're just holding the left thumbstick in the up direction anyways.

This is why people who first use the Steam controller lament the lack of a right thumbstick but you'll find that this will mess with your ingrained dual analog muscle memory

The problem with using the thumbstick as a means to move your character is that:
1.) You have to hold the controller in an asymmetrical format.
2.) Due to this, moving your thumb from the thumbstick when utilizing the left touchpad as a mere directional pad to tab target is uncomfortable because of the distance your thumb has to travel.

This alone causes a lot of folks to absolutely detest the Steam controller which explains why it had such bad reviews on launch. And they're not wrong per se. That is indeed uncomfortable. That's why I don't suggest ever using a default layout like that.

Once you notice this, you'll also notice that the face buttons (ABXY) on the Steam controller are ridiculously small, and you'll also notice that the same discomfort that you've experienced on your left hand, you're now experiencing on your right hand as well. Mostly for the same reason. The travel you thumb has to take on your right hand makes no sense when utilizing the Steam controller in this manner. In fact, the only controller I can think of that has that odd sort of face buttons on bottom and joystick on top on the right hand is a Swtich joycon. If you use the Steam controller in this manner, your seasoned controller muscle memory will be thrown out of whack.

This is why you want to create as symmetrical a configuration as possible, and the only way to do that is to completely forgo the thumbstick and face buttons and just use them as a radial menu (which is amazing) and rarely pressed hot keys respectively.

This will help solidify the rather bulky controller by centering it between your hands.

Once you realize this, and install a proper "umbrella configuration" you'll find that your thumb no longer has to move further than any other controller in order to switch between the face buttons/directional buttons and the "thumbstick". In fact, you move your thumbs EVEN LESS, than if you were using a traditional dual analog controller as your thumbs are ALREADY IN PLACE. By combining the functionality of the touchpad and centering your grip, you'll find that the Steam controller is not only the most powerful controller on the market (with all of the myriad configurations you can have) but also the most comfortable.

There isn't a lot of proselytizing of the Steam controller due to it's high initial learning curve but Existential Egg, the Steam Controller Discord, and Reddit are amazing resources. Once you start mastering the Steam controller in FFXIV you'll begin to find that it's the only controller that actually has more configurations than a keyboard and mouse layout as with the Steam controller you can use it as both a controller and keyboard + mouse simultaneously. This gives you a significant amount more of available hotkeys as now you have the Controller Hotbar as well as the standard hotbar at your fingertips. Typing on a keyboard is still recommended though.

Good on you for getting one of the last Steam Controllers. I know it'll seem difficult at first but if you stick with it and learn the ins and outs I think you'll find it far more appealing than any standard traditional controller, (including high end SCUF-like variants and the overpriced Xbox-Elite controller).

Is this config shared? If so what is the name of it?