Xbox 360 Controller

[Unbreakkable]

Hi. I just purchased a Xbox 360 wired controller. I want to know how to go about enabling it to play Steam games. Also would I need to enable big picture mode when playing using the controller or can I play it as I normally do with a keyboard and mouse.

The games I want to use it for are Dead Space 1, Dead Space 2, Prince of Persia, Assassin's Creed 1/2/Brotherhood/Revelations and The Witcher 2. Would I be required to change the settings and controller layout for every game?? Or would it happen automatically.

Thanks.

[PowerHaus930]

Since the Xbox 360 is a microsoft product I think you can just plug it into your PC and it should download the drivers for you. After that you can just load up your game and go to the controller settings and change things around the way you want. Most games have a default button layout for the Xbox 360 controller as well so you shouldn't have to program the whole controller but older games like DS1 might not have that. Regardless it's easy to set up. You can switch between your controller and your keyboard/mouse while playing in most games.

[Maverick]

yep what powerhaus930 said, I have the 360 controller and if the game supports it then it works and you can change the buttons to the way you like. if a game does not show it in it's option menu some games you can still set it up to work on them it just takes a little time.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Just because a game may not say anything about controller support, does not mean it won't support a controller of some sort. And for the best overall compatabily of a controller in Windows, a 360 kind are the best choice for those who don't know very much about various controllers to begin with. Overall they are the least trouble-some.

If you have Vista OS or later, all you should have to do is plug in the controller and let it install. Once this is finished, open Windows Updates and check for updates to see if it has an update for the controller, which it most likely will if it's your first time installing one. After this you shouldn't have to do anything special. And no you don't NEED to use Big Picture mode; that is always optional. The point of Big Picture is it's easier to read and has a much more controller-friendly UI for those that wish to use Steam in a Living Room type of setup, where the KB and Mouse are most likely tucked away and you're mostly using a game controller.

But again that is a Steam feature. Nothing to do with various PC games in general. If you have wired controller, just ensure it's plugged in before launching a game. If it's wireless, make sure it's turned on and has a solid light before launching a game. In some games, the controller might not have default controllability until u change to the controller in the options menu. Making your controller active should still allow use of keyboard and mouse, so be aware of those still being active.

In most games you usually don't have the option to re-bind the controller keys. Rather it will usually provide you with a few layout options to choose from and you simply select the best one that suits your style. All depends on the game though.

[Unbreakkable]

Hey thanks for all the help. Updating the controller now. Just wondering how would I go about playing a PC game on my living room TV?? Did steam make a new wireless way to play games on the living room from pc??

[_I_]

most ported games will have 360 controller support

if your controller is wireless, youll need a reciever (even if your using a play&charege kit)
if its wired, just plug it in, you can use abuot 10ft of extensions if needed, but its cord should be over 6ft long

dead space 1/2 will use a 360 controller
same with pop and ac series
witcher2 should also

make sure the controller shows up in windows game controller control panel
start -> run/search joy.cpl

[mike_hanna211]

I just got to this discussion since I was trying to enable a 360 controller for my PC.

It must be noted that, only a WIRED XBOX 360 controller will work by just plugging it into a USB2.0 port. If you are using a WIRELESS XBOX 360 controller, with the Play and Charge pack, it WILL NOT work, even with Microsoft's software. You need a wireless USB receiver. I find this funny as, plugging directly in, Windows 7 detected and installed the driver, but going to "joy.cpl" to open the Game Controllers Control Panel, it was not listed. It even shows the controller in my Devices and Printers screen. Pressing the center button though just turns on my XBOX in my living room... :(

Since I no longer have the original WIRED XBOX 360 controller, I guess I will stick to keyboard and mouse. I have no use for a wireless USB receiver.

Additional info, the above I described regarding the wireless XBOX 360 controllers needing a wireless USB receiver.

Even though a wireless controller has a cable, it's simply for charging it via USB2.0; no actual data is sent through the cable (except to identify the device). Hence why Steam Big Picture and Game Controllers Control Panel failed to detect it.

So, I hope someone finds this info helpful.

[KKiONI]

Opprinnelig skrevet av mike_hanna211:

If you are using a WIRELESS XBOX 360 controller, with the Play and Charge pack, it WILL NOT work, even with Microsoft's software. You need a wireless USB receiver.

This is definitely worth emphasizing. It's such a shame too as it could have been an excellent alternate feature. I am sure they did that to cut costs and push people into getting the more expensive wireless adapter. It's actually pretty fragile as I had mine break from normal use. Very typical of them.

Anyhow, the regular wired controller works just by plugging it in. As a few have mentioned, some games have hidden support for Xbox 360 controllers. On top of the ones already mentioned, Mirror's Edge has 100% controller support including controller specific icons and menus.

[_I_]

newegg has the 360 wireless controller for windows on sale for $40 shipped
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823109243&
includes the reciever

[senseidongen]

Bear in mind that 360 controller support is NOT included in Assassin's Creed 1 and 2 (brotherhood and onwards, it is) so you'll need to map the controls yourself, bearing in mind that the game tries to recognise the triggers as another axis so you can't use them as they are on the 360 version of the game :(

[Free Sample]

it depends on what games. some games let you enable a controler in the options botton.