Controller Logitech Gamepad F310 for PC Gaming

[Art Blade]

I still don't like consoles but for the first time in many years I decided to buy a game pad again, this time a modern one that can't be compared to what I last used which more likely resembled a dog's chewing toy the shape of a flat cartoon bone.

Of course when I saw this one from Logitech which I have trusted with every part of my gaming gear (mouses, keyboards, racing wheel.. you name it) I thought alright, that's the one, then.

http://gaming.logitech.com/en-us/product/f310-gamepad

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Reason? We PC gamers these days use PC hardware to play console software which means, actually most games are console games ported to PC and their input design just works better with a controller and those have analogue buttons and sticks -- you can use throttle and brake carefully instead of keyboard-style FULL throttle and FULL brakes only, or none at all.

Of course, mouse + keyboard is better for shooters but anything else.. the layout is just not as ergonomic on a keyboard, particularly when console game designers assign multiple actions to one key and DON'T change that when porting it to PC. Ridiculous.

Well, the pad is nice. There is a button "mode" that can toggle the left coolie hat and the left shift paddle (sorry if my tech vocab isn't matching console specs.. hehe) so it changes from PS style to XBOX style. Also, there is a compatibility mode switch on the bottom but "X" seems to be OK for "modern games" I hear.

Installing it was nothing more than plugging it in and watching W7 download the drivers, installation complete, ready to use.

I played some Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag as well as Sleeping Dogs with the controller and have to admit, it's better than with mouse and keyboard alone. Cool thing, AC immediately realises which type of controller you're using and seamlessly switches between game controller and mouse/keyboard, even the on-screen pop-ups change from controller buttons to your own keyboard layout and mouse buttons.

That's the best of two worlds. Just grab either one and continue gaming.. perfect. Now I can drive and fist-fight with controller (great because the controller button layout works like a charm) and then switch to mouse and keyboard for firearm quick aiming and shooting.

:) :-X

[mandru]

I too lean heavily in Logitech for my controller interfaces.

I'll be interested in seeing further updates on this thread.  :-X

[Art Blade]

here you go.  :-D

I just watched this and think it's very informative.

Plug N Play EP2 - Logitech F310 Gamepad Review

[mandru]

Yes, a plethora of information.

[Art Blade]

sounds as if you needed a gallon of coffee with a ton of happy pills dissolved in it.




<prepares to duck thrown objects and run away screaming> :-()

[Art Blade]

After AC4BF and SD, I now tried GTA IV and FC2 with it. Apparently games treat it as an XBOX controller by default and show you the image of an XBOX controller when checking the key mapping. All games allow you to switch between gamepad and mouse plus keyboard, at any time.

FC2 is a little different but still cool: the game immediately recognises it as a controller and does the mapping for you but you don't see a configuration for it. If you have your game configured for mouse and keyboard, the "controller" section will show you the keyboard and mouse configuration but no option to map your gamepad nor is there any information how they mapped the controller for you.

There is a driver option, if you switch from X to D (from XBOX to Direct Input) you can map the gamepad to your liking, in extreme cases make that profile "permanent" so games won't override it, and then you can use it in-game with your own mapping. you can revert that to whatever personal or default settings after playing.

When playing FC2, it is quite intuitive though but for instance, I haven't yet found out how to run. What is cool for me: When I get into a firefight I can just drop the gamepad and grab my mouse for aiming and shooting and at the time I start moving around using the keyboard. After that, I change back to my gamepad. Just like that.

Now driving in FC2 and other games is a new world for me  :-D Same with most game options: whipping out the map, changing weapons, all that stuff is so much easier with the gamepad. Just lean back in your chair and do your thing until you need to shoot -- that's when you revert to mouse and keyboard.

Excellent  :) :-X

[Art Blade]

FC3, however..  ???

You have to decide whether to use your gamepad OR mouse and keyboard. You can only change it in the menu. :D

WHAT THE..   >:((

[Art Blade]

Ahh.. L.A. Noire allows you to enable the controller in the menu and after that you may switch between gamepad and mouse/keyboard at any time. That's how it should be :) :-X

[mandru]

Is the controller USB3?

[Art Blade]

no, USB 2

[mandru]

It's just that I've got this USB 3 socket that's not doing anything and, well...  :-\\

[Art Blade]

USB3 is downward compatible so you may use a USB2 device with it :)

What your USB3 socket could be useful for you is when you get a USB3 memstick (aka USB stick, flash drive or whatnot, those small things that you can store data on and carry them around in your pocket). Up- and downloading from a USB3 stick is actually significantly faster than anything before but.. they're somewhat expensive.

[mandru]

Good idea but (without dragging this to far off topic) I've found a quite reasonably priced USB 3 Blu-Ray drive I may get to replace the DVD drive that's gone AWOL off my tower so I can load any new games that catch my interest.  :)

[Art Blade]

Excellent. That will w@&k, sorting out your broken DVD substituting a USB external BR drive for it :) :-X


Back on topic:

So far, what do you think about this or any other (modern console style) gamepad with regards to your PC gaming?

[mandru]

Some of the switching between XBox or Direct controls along with the need to download a manufacturer's App that balances the controller to presets for specific problematic games goes a bit deep in the weeds considering my limited tech skills.  But other than that I think it would be great to be able to have it available for games that are more console oriented.

I have to admit that there were only 1 or 2 titles out of that whole slew of games the video went through that I even recognized.  :-\\

[Art Blade]

agree on those games in that vid, same here -- I reckon you, like me, only recognised quake and batman :-D Yet I found it still interesting because it showed many aspects of what you could do with it if you were so inclined.

Don't worry about that switching from X to D, same about that "App" (which really only is an icon in your task bar that you may already know if you have a mouse or keyboard from Logitech, they made that type of program for controllers like a racing wheel and gamepads, too) because that is for players who want to force a game that doesn't "know" gamepads to recognise a gamepad anyway or to force the gamepad do things it wasn't supposed to do (emulate a mouse, emulate keys from the keyboard) as in creating a programmable input device so they don't have to lift their hands and move them over to the keyboard to press a few keys.. it can be an interesting alternative but you really don't have to change a gamepad's setup. Just use the keyboard or mouse instead. I only use the gamepad if it is supported by the game and I use the default setup provided by the game. If that doesn't suit me, I will use keyboard and mouse.

I consider it an addition, a tool, that may contribute to an easier game experience. So far, Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag is my favourite. No hectic fights that require fast reactions and eye-hand coordination and therefore mouse and keyboard. Basically the same with Sleeping Dogs, the martial arts fight parts are now really easy with the gamepad and most of the stuff can be done with gamepad but I still use the mouse and keyboard for massive shootouts. :)

Basically, like all the games that I mentioned above, "modern" games all recognise gamepads and I dare say that the same games are all ports from console to PC. So.. plug and play. No setup, no configuration, no tweaking around, no fiddling.. just plug and play. :)

Considering that it only costs $25, I thought I'd give it a try and so far, it's been fun to have that thing next to my keyboard and to be able to grab it in particular when it comes to those fights you may know from Assassin's Creed, the controller makes them appear to be piss easy, really, compared to mouse and keyboard; same regarding vehicles because the gamepad features analogue throttle and brakes and steering.. can't compare that to the on/off style of a keyboard.