I just bought a PC gamepad to play Team Fortress 2.

[Lilani]

-snip-

It becomes second nature pretty quick. Maybe it was easier for me to make the transition from controller to keyboard because I do work in Photoshop and the like which requires one hand on the keyboard and one on the mouse at all times.

I think the main problem you're going to run into is TF2 is made to be played with the mouse and keyboard. There is no auto-target, auto-lock, or any sort of target-assist systems like what you find in console FPSs. The console FPSs do that because getting that sort of precision out of a controller is simply unfeasible. So they put in little assists and handicaps like that to bring the level of difficulty down from "damn impossible" to "pretty reasonable."

And now after playing TF2 with the mouse and keyboard, console FPSs don't impress me as much anymore. I feel less in control with a controller now, like there's a lot more distance between me and my character. But with the keyboard, I can get sucked into the game more quickly and the control I have over both my view and my aim is astounding.

Also, I think playing Spy would be impossible with a gamepad. The numbers 1-9 are a necessity to use the disguise kit.

 

[Evil Top Hat]

I felt the same. It all started with Oblivion, I had to get it on PC because I didn't have one of the current gen consoles, and I hated the controls, even considered buying it again for my 360 when I eventually got one.

After a while though, I realised how much more precise the controls were, and as I got used to them, I began to favour them over a gamepad. Now I can barely even play shooters with a game pad because it feels awkward and clunky.

You just have to get used to it, it kinda sucks in the beginning but when you get used to using PC controls I can promise you won't want to go back, and you will perform far better in online shooters too.

 

[Treblaine]

Cause I'm well aware I'm in the minority, but I know there has to be some people like me that look at the mouse and board and go "fuck no"

That's just prejudice.

Show someone who has not grown up playing console games (nor any video games) an Xbox 360 controller and tell them to play a game with it. You'll be lucky if they hold it the right way up, but most likely taking one look at the device that to them seems covered in buttons they'll say "fuck no" or equivalent.

In fact, going to a "tabula-rasa" of someone with no gaming experience they do prefer keyboard and mouse. Especially the mouse. My middle aged dad literally cannot do anything with a gamepad, he'll just spin around in circles or end up jammed against a wall.

It's like watching a chimp trying to drive a dodgem car.

But with a mouse and keyboard, he took to it much better. The Mouse aim he seemed to understand instantly and playing Portal he was looking around and shooting portals everywhere. Though god damn it melted his mind trying to "think with portals" it took long enough for him to figure out he was actually re-entering the same room and not - as it appeared - jumping into an adjacent room.

Only slight problem with WASD controls but not as bad as thumb-stick movement that he'd keep getting mixed up with look thumbstick.

 

[VladG]

Good stuff. Now that you have the gamepad you can play the game at it's full potential. All you have to do is throw away the controller and pick up the mouse and keyboard.

 

[Treblaine]

Cause I'm well aware I'm in the minority, but I know there has to be some people like me that look at the mouse and board and go "fuck no"

That's just prejudice.

Show someone who has not grown up playing console games (nor any video games) an Xbox 360 controller and tell them to play a game with it. You'll be lucky if they hold it the right way up, but most likely taking one look at the device that to them seems covered in buttons they'll say "fuck no" or equivalent.

In fact, going to a "tabula-rasta" of someone with no gaming experience they do prefer keyboard and mouse. Especially the mouse. My middle aged dad literally cannot do anything with a gamepad, he'll just spin around in circles or end up jammed against a wall.

It's like watching a chimp trying to drive a dodgem car.

But with a mouse and keyboard, he took to it much better. The Mouse aim he seemed to understand instantly and playing Portal he was looking around and shooting portals everywhere. Though god damn it melted his mind trying to "think with portals" it took long enough for him to figure out he was actually re-entering the same room and not - as it appeared - jumping into an adjacent room.

Only slight problem with WASD controls but not as bad as thumb-stick movement that he'd keep getting mixed up with look thumbstick.

It's tabula rasa, not rasta. Other than that, you couldn't be more right.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabula_rasa

 

[ruben6f]

I am skilled with both keyboard+mouse and controller (but that doesn't matter when you play at 10 FPS in TF2) I like to play with the controller when I just want to sit down and play more csual style and I like the mouse when I want to use my try hard pants.