Advice for a controller player? (Besides "use keyboard & mouse")

[Vern]

I've been playing this game for a couple weeks and I really like it. Gotten pretty good at it too. But call-ins are my downfall. The X360 D-pad is killing me. I see keyboard players get call-ins instantly, especially the all-important respawn, because they just have to type it into the arrow keys. Meanwhile, I have to carefully press each input in the sequence to avoid accidentally hitting the UP and LEFT inputs at the same time, for example.

In other words, keyboard users get 3 fingers, I get one thumb. They have separate buttons, I have a "pad." I fight hard to get call-ins, and I've made some pretty clutch last-second saves, but I really wish I didn't have to worry about it so much. Has anyone else had this problem and overcome it? At this point I almost wish I could use the arrow keys in conjunction with my controller.

Other frustrating controller quirks:

Switching weapons takes forever. It will cycle back and forth between my EAT and my pistol over and over again before finally deciding to give me my primary just in time to get mauled by a mob of bugs. Seriously, switching usually goes: EAT -> Pistol -> EAT -> Pistol -> EAT -> Primary. It's just absurd. I also still can't figure out if I'm supposed to tap the Y button or press and hold for a second, as neither method seems to work every time.

Aiming with the right stick is fun and all, but I sure wish the game would let me run once I let go of the right stick. I often get stuck in "aiming mode" and have to jerk the right stick a couple times in order to free myself. As you can imagine, in the wrong situation this can lead to death.

Typing a message to teammates while on the ship[/b] often causes a clone or "Player 2" to appear. This can be quite awkward as the only way I've found to get rid of the clone is to exit to main menu and re-join.

Any advice on potential solutions to these problems would be much appreciated. Before anyone asks, I cannot play this game with keyboard and mouse. I am running Helldivers on a gaming laptop and my right-click is broken. I don't own an external mouse and don't want to buy one at the moment. Also, feel free to laugh at me, but I prefer playing games with a controller when possible. I was a console kid, what can I say? I know you can aim better than me with your mouse, and I don't care. I like the challenge of aiming with control sticks, I just wish the controls didn't malfunction on me so often. Also there is nothing mechanically wrong with my controller to my knowledge, it works just fine in every other game I've played. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[Grailer]

I found call ins really hard but the more I play the faster Im getting , its just a learning thing I guess .

Just put in time into game and you should improve .

[Crisscross]

The weapon switching works like this: Pressing the button switches between your primary weapon and your "support" weapon. Your support weapon is your rocket/heavy MG/repair gun/whatever, basically whatever gun you carry on your back. HOLDING DOWN the button switches to your pistol. So, if you wanna switch to your pistol, hold down the button until you see the icon itself change - don't try and time it, just hold it down until you see the change take place. Then you simply press the button to go back to your two "main" weapons.

The right stick trapping you in aiming mode sounds like a problem with your controller, unfortunately. I have never experienced this problem.

To get rid of the "clone" player, press escape on the keyboard then choose "player drop out". This works for any device that drops a "clone" into the game, simply enter the menu ON THAT CONTROLLER and choose player drop out.

As for calling in... I think everyone with an xbox controller is just gonna have to deal, unfortunately =/ It still drives me nuts to this day. I have found that ensuring to press the very edge of the disc, where you can very clearly feel the "bumps" of the arrow on your thumb lessens the chance of an input error. Besides that, it's just practice and luck.

[Tiramisu]

I used a 360 for everything that had controller support and was my preference (so not RTS's for eg)

But, I think I lasted 10 mins in this game with a 360, between the right stick sticky aim issue (tried 4 controllers, same with all) and absolutely what you have just described with the strats, I just said nope!

Stuck in a PS4 controller and not looked back. Mobs don't walk up to u while ur downed and say, oh I see ur wrestling with a circular Dpad ^^ Ill just give u a few more secs to try that call-in again before I crush you with my shield.

The weapon changing you get used to, that is the one thing I felt was SO much nicer on M+KB, just hitting 1-2-3 for your stuff was obviously perfect. On 360, it's hold Y for small arm, otherwise tapping will toggle between primary and secondary. It's annoying going from small arm to secondary tho.

[Thirsty]

theres a reason why console gamers aren't paired up with pc gamers yet :)

[DarkExcalibur42]

Originally posted by caughtnow:

But, I think I lasted 10 mins in this game with a 360, between the right stick sticky aim issue (tried 4 controllers, same with all) and absolutely what you have just described with the strats, I just said nope!

I've had the "sticky aim" issue. What it appears to be is the game just stops listening to the controller and freezes on whatever the last input was. It'll cause me to run in a direction continuously even if i'm not using any controls, keep firing even if i'm not pulling the trigger, etc.

[Vern]

Thanks for the comments. Very helpful to know about the weapon switching, as I did not realize that press/hold functionality was programmed in. I just knew I wanted to change weapons fast and I could never seem to get the right one out.

As for sticky aim, I've seen other people with the same issue. I've gotten used to it now, having to jerk the control stick to move, so I guess I'll live with it.

May have found the biggest source of my call-in frustrations. It would seem that my LEFT input on the D-pad of my controller is rather stubborn, and does not work unless it is pressed with determination. That would explain why I've had so many failed Reinforce calls.

As for console gamers not being up to snuff, I don't want to start a debate. I can solo helldives, though, if that proves anything. I would not enjoy clicking a mouse to fire my gun. Sorry, but I'm sticking with controller triggers.

Thanks again, good luck out there all of you.

[Village Idiot]

Use a PS4 controller and download DS4Windows.

The 360/XB1 controller's dpads are pieces of trash. The PS4's dpad is one of the best around.