Gamepad: Necessary for General Gaming?

For general gaming, including FPS's, racers, flight simulators and sports, is a gamepad necessary to have a more enjoyable and easier gaming experience as opposed to just using default keyboard and mouse controls? If so, are there any recommended gamepads for under $40? Also, are there any other accesories I should have like a joystick? I should probably be asking this in the accesories forum, but since this forum revolves more around gaming, I posted here.

Thanks!

 

FPS aren't great with game pads, stick to a keyboard and mouse for that.

However, playing a racing games with a game pad is great. I have the wireless xBox 360 controller for windows and it is awesome for racing games. I believe you can get the wired one for $40. Well worth it IMO. Very comfortable controller. Not too mention that any game with the "Games for Windows" logo will be automatically compatible with it. For example, Bioshock maps keys just like it would be for the 360, and supports rumble as well.

Anyway, just my two cents...

 

If you are talking about a gamepad for your non-mouse hand, like the nostromo speedpad, Those are indeed useful, especially if you have to compensate for a crappy or not well placed keyboard. The speedpad looks like it wouldn't work for a lot of people, by the way- I need to have perfect fingers for it.

Of course, things like these will take some time getting used to, and although there are enough buttons to bind every weapon, etc. its easy to forget.

Joysticks aren't necessary unless you are playing a game that has that functionality. Flightsims and Mech sims need it, but not otherwise. I don't think racers even need a mouse, but they may try to get you to buy a steering wheel. What a waste of money.

What games will you be playing?

 

Actually some FPS like Bioshock work even better with a game pad than with mouse and keyboard. Such games feel more immersive with a game pad since you ge force feedback. The 360 game pad is the best IMO.

 

And it works with your xbox 360!

 

I'll be playing games like NFS Carbon, Doom 3, Madden NFL 08, NHL 08, Far Cry and maybe Microsoft FSX.

 

I don't think I could even imagine playing an NFL game without a gamepad. It just doesn't seem right.

That said, I don't like sports games anyways.

 

Thanks. Also, does a wired XBOX 360 controller have USB connectivity?

 

NHL without gamepad!?!?!? u out of ur mind????LOL jokes

I have a logitech rumblepad II myself and it works very well!

 

A standard wired xbox 360 controller (not the overpriced "for windows" one) can plug easily into your computers USB port, and windows should auto-detect the drivers for it.

And for games that don't support game pads, you can use the free xpadder software.

 

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pr...ab=&PCName=&nAllReviews=true&logon=&langid=EN


This one decent?

 

I have been looking for a gamepad and this seems to have a lot of problems after a week of use. Goggle it and you will see.

 

I personally bought a couple of Game Elements Recoil pads from Wal-Mart. They were 15 dollars a piece, but they look and feel very much like a Playstation controller, with two analog sticks, plenty of buttons, the option to use the joystick pad as a mouse, force feedback, etc. Not bad for a low budget buy. I'm pretty sure the company has gone out of business, so it's a good idea to back up and/or never lose your drivers CD. It's a corded USB pad, but the cord is long and has a nifty recoil feature so you pull it out to the length you need and when you're done you flip a button and it sucks the cord back in. It's not state of the art, but I like it.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5750882

 

I've used the Xbox 360 wired controller for windows, and that works very nice for games that are best on a controller.

Don't play a PC first person shooter or real time stragegy on a gamepad. Those two fall firmly into the, "USE A MOUSE, SILLY!" category.

Racing games and adventure games generally work well with a controller.

I don't know how to classify BioShock, but after playing it both on PC and Xbox 360 (demo versions) I found the Xbox 360 version had a MUCH better control feel. That game works splendidly with a gamepad compared to a mouse and keyboard, which is not the norm. And the rumble is really fun too.

A really powerful PC can still make Bioshock *look* better than on Xbox 360, but I ended up getting the Xbox 360 version because I like how the controls feel! Also, while it wasn't QUITE as pretty as it was on my MacBook Pro, it played more smoothly (not FPS wise, but reaction time wise).

I also use the WolfKing Warrior for my computer. It's a keyboard game pad that is especially nice if you don't like punishing your wasd keys on your standard keyboard and after awhile really feels great.