Project Zomboid Gamepad Basics: control scheme and quick start guide

Gamepad Control Scheme and how to get Project Zomboid to recognize the controllers as of build 30.15, pre 3d animations

Control Scheme and Getting the Gamepad to Function

EDIT: this control guide is from before the 3d animation update. I suspect they have made lots of changes to gamepad controls with the new system and this guide is not currently up to date.

This is only based off my own observations, however I believe it's fairly accurate (edit: to build 30.15) and will be helpful to people.

Having played with the controller a fair bit I'd have to say the controls are very good and add a lot of fun by enabling split screen co-op or just playing comfortably from a couch. It's actually becoming my preferred mode of playing.

To use a gamepad make sure your controller is plugged in and ready to go before you boot up PZ. Otherwise it won't work. When you get into the main menu, open the options and scroll down to see if it registers your controller and check the box.
(Note: at the moment the mapping only seems to work correctly with Xbox 360 controllers or controllers your computer thinks are Xbox 360 controllers. I don't know about Xbox One.)



You should now be able to press 'A' and be able to navigate the menu with the controller



Or you can just enter or make a game as normal and press 'A' once it's loaded to make this menu appear:



Select "Take over Player 1" to start using the gamepad. As you can see this is also where you can split the screen and add another player (up to 4). That will open up the character creation screen for player 2. Wonky stuff happens if two or more people try to jump in at the same moment so be careful. When you quit the additional players will be saved and you use that menu to add them back in. ("Add Sarah Zombiebait" or whatever their name is)

Issues

My main issues with the control scheme and things to be aware of (as it is now) are:

• No quick way to auto equip/switch between melee and ranged weapons like pressing 1 and 2 keys on the keyboard (seems like the control pad or LB or LT could be used for this as they do nothing when the inventory menu is closed)
  
• No equivalent to ESC key to access options or exit
  
• No 'shout' button
  
• Occasional trouble getting the character to open windows. Not a control scheme issue and will likely be fixed in the future but pretty annoying when you're trying to keep from getting lunched.

Again, if any of this is incorrect let me know.

[frisch]

Is there an updated version to this? Because R-Stick nowadays puts you into aim-mode, if you want to look around you need to hold RB and then use R-Stick, not L-Stick. And when viewing your health status A will open the treatment menu, not X. not sure what else is different now.

[RoIIin]

How do you change mag types ?

[scaliss04martix]

How to drive the car with my controller? Idk the inputs.

[GR4V3 MIST4K3]

The fatal flaw: no easy way to control zoom other than opening a radial menu, which does not pause the game automatically at this time. You'll need that 100% view for precision in melee combat and 200%+ view for sight range while sneaking (going over 200% causes severe performance drops compared to 200% for me).

[loganjamesalex]

@cypress.amaru to sneak/crouch click the left thumbstick

[﷽TenStars]

It doesn't let me select a player

[Zarik_Dire_Wolf]

LT is used to do a secondary attack, for melee weapons it pushes the zombs. not sure for ranged as I dont have any ranged weapons yet. Clicking the left stick does not activate sneak, it does nothing

[cypress.amaru]

hey Aolde.. thanks for reply... i try everything and nothing on gamepad activate crouch or stealth mode :(

[Aoide]

hey cypress.amaru, I'm not sure if you're playing on the new animation build or not, but unfortunately I made this a few years back and before they added the new animations so I'm not sure if it's accurate anymore (and I mostly play mouse + keyboard nowadays). I think previously clicking left joystick would toggle between sprint and stealth? I hope this helps and if not sorry it's been a while since I've looked at this or played this game with a controller and the devs may have changed things since. Hope this helps.

[cypress.amaru]

How to crouch and sneak on pad? Help!