what does "partial controller support" really mean?

[Dweller Beyond the Threshold]

Some games that are listed as such do still allow you to play the entire game with controller right? For example Far Cry, assassin's creed black flag etc.

So what's exactly the difference between this and full controller support?

[shanqs]

It usually means that in-game the controller will work, but for the menus you'll need a kb+m.

If you have SC, it's all moot as it can be programmed to emulate both simultaneously.

[Dweller Beyond the Threshold]

Originally posted by shanqs:

It usually means that in-game the controller will work, but for the menus you'll need a kb+m.

If you have SC, it's all moot as it can be programmed to emulate both simultaneously.

thanks. What's SC?

[DirtyFishy]

Originally posted by Simsimsim:

Originally posted by shanqs:

It usually means that in-game the controller will work, but for the menus you'll need a kb+m.

If you have SC, it's all moot as it can be programmed to emulate both simultaneously.

thanks. What's SC?

Steam Controller.

[MarioFanaticXV]

It can also mean that a game only supports X-Box controllers, though Steam doesn't seem to check for this.

[Cathulhu]

Partial only means that some parts of the game can not be used with a controller. Nothing more, nothing less.
Full Controller support means the whole game can be accessed with a controller, this includes all menus.

It says nothing about which controller is supported.

[ReBoot]

Originally posted by MarioFanaticXV:

It can also mean that a game only supports X-Box controllers, though Steam doesn't seem to check for this.

Nope.
If a game only supports XInput but in the full, then this will be displayed as "Fully supported". Besides, XInput is the current go-to gamepad standard. If you have a gamepad that doesn't support it, better buy a new one.

[Washell]

Originally posted by Cathulhu:

It says nothing about which controller is supported.

Developer/publishers set up the store page. Not all developers/publishers interpret it in the same way. It may very well be there are some games that lists partial controller support to indicate it only supports 360 controllers.

[Swede]

Originally posted by Washell:

Originally posted by Cathulhu:

It says nothing about which controller is supported.

Developer/publishers set up the store page. Not all developers/publishers interpret it in the same way. It may very well be there are some games that lists partial controller support to indicate it only supports 360 controllers.

I think you are missing his point there. "Partial Controller Support" doesn't mean anything more than some parts of the game is not really ideal to or just can't use a controller. There is no definition to it that speaks about what type of controller the game supports.

What developers choose to set on their store page and their interpretation is irrelevant to what it actually means.

And 99.9% of the time it means that there is at least 1 menu where you cannot use a controller in any way. For it to mean that only a specific controller is supported is almost non existent. And for those very few cases that this is what they mean, its a misinterpretation from the person who set up the store page of what "partial controller support" actually means.

Simply put: EXPECT that some things in the game won't work with a controller if it states "Partial Controller Support" and never expect that a certain controller isn't supported.

That's pretty much the gist of it.

[Cathulhu]

And to reiterate everything what was already said you're digging up a three year old thread? Why?

[Vali]

Rebbot, you dont understand this. Steam Controller doesnt use neither. It can't use Xinput and Dinput. It has its own unknown input. Because no known controller except SC has dual trackpads. Sooo... the magic is, Steam can make it whatever input you want digitally. Steam is the one, who communicates with the game. Not the controller itself.

[SNEAKYULSTER]

Hi I have bought a Lenovo Legion Go must of the games are partial controller support does this mean I can't play them without a xbox controller? And will there be future updates so I can play with full functionality on my hand held? I'm new to pc gaming and not to sure thanks

[ReBoot]

Originally posted by SNEAKYULSTER:

Hi I have bought a Lenovo Legion Go must of the games are partial controller support does this mean I can't play them without a xbox controller? And will there be future updates so I can play with full functionality on my hand held? I'm new to pc gaming and not to sure thanks

It means that most, yet not all, features of the game are available using gamepad controls. That means that you will have to use the mouse functionality of your device to, let's say, command the launcher. This is an example, it may be another feature. Either way, that means "not ALL of the game's functionality is accessible via gamepad". The Go got a touchpad so no, you don't have to wait for an update to play the game.

[Yujah]

As above but maybe to add explicitly: note that PC-standard would be keyboard+mouse. I.e., if a game specifies "partial controller support" it's not (so much...) saying that it's lacking something but conversely saying that it's supporting something, specifically, your built-in controller. The "partial" as was said above is just to say that you can't go entirely without your touchpad and/or (on-screen) keyboard.

[Katie]

This thread was quite old before the recent post, so we're locking it to prevent confusion.