Possible stupid question; can I use a game controller with DS?

I was wondering if one can use a game controller with DS?  They are so much cheaper than a real 3D mouse.

Comments

  • ChoholeChohole Posts: 33,604

    Why?   a mouse is much more accurate. even for games.

     

  • Sort of. Daz studio doesn't directly support a controller. You'll need one that has mouse/keyboard emulation. You can use the built in keyboard control ,wasd style, for camera controls. You'll need to adjust the typematic rate, repeat delay and repeat rate, under control panel> keyboard in windows to get the smoothest response. A trackball, connexion space mouse, drawing tablet, or some specialized controllers specifically for this purpose will give you smoother and better results. Or you can always enter the values manually in the movement dials.
    Chohole said:

    Why?   a mouse is much more accurate. even for games.

     

    Not really. This a common misconception many people have. In my experience its born from a lack of familiarity with the various input devices. The main problem with mice and track pads is that they require you to constantly pick up and "reset" the mouse/finger depending on how far you need to move the cursor. Screen size, sensor resolution, screen resolution, desk size, number of screens, amount of crap on ones desk, and you may need to pickup and reset the mouse several times to move the cursor across the screen. Trackballs, drawing tablets, joysticks, touchscreens and specialty controllers don't require this. With touch screens and drawing tablets where ever you put your finger/pen is where the mouse goes. With trackballs you just have to move your thumb or finger as opposed to, depending on your particular setup, everything up to your shoulder, with a mouse. Joysticks, whether full flight style or PS/Xbox style, and specialty controllers, can produce more fluid movements as well as allowing switches to movements more rapidly, depending on configuration, than a mouse and keyboard. Personally I use all of them depending on what I'm doing. It's really fun to play RTS/tbs with a drawing tablet, and I don't get the wrist fatigue I used to get with just a mouse. Trackballs are just fun. If you get bored you can just spin the ball like a fidget spinner. The index ones are best for this. I recommend disconnecting it first. Or not. watching the cursor fly across three monitors is kinda fun. (Yeah I'm a cat with a lazer pointer) The small finger trackballs can be extremely handy. Especially if using 10key.be ready to break out the dremel to make it a bit more comfortable. Remember these are just tools. Find what works for you and roll with it. Don't assume that my way, your way, or somebody else's way is the best way or the only way. Give em a try and see if they work for you or not. Just remember that it takes time to master a new tool. So don't just give up after a short time. It took me several days to get used to, and figure out the best purpose for, every input device I have. Peace all
  • Sfariah DSfariah D Posts: 25,702

    I finally got the game controller.  I cannot use it with DS but I can with games I think, but not Sims 4 I think.  Now to find games that I can use it with.  Wait how much was that controller.  Wonder if it can be returned if box is already opened? And is there a restocking fee or something hindering that?  Either that or find some cool games to play other than Munch Time?

  • Might want to check if there are specific drivers for that controller from the manufacturer.
    The windows drivers rarely allow customization.
    I currently have a Logitech 3d extreme pro attached.
    It's circa 2009.

    With the profiler software it emulates keyboard presses. Have to program them manually though and a bit of tweaking.

    But it works really well for camera work.

    And if I want to use the mouse I just click a button to turn on "Mouse keys", it's an Ease of Access option that turns the num pad into a mouse controller.

    Hat switch is mapped to those buttons.

     

     

  • ParadigmParadigm Posts: 421
    edited March 2019
    Sort of. Daz studio doesn't directly support a controller. You'll need one that has mouse/keyboard emulation. You can use the built in keyboard control ,wasd style, for camera controls. You'll need to adjust the typematic rate, repeat delay and repeat rate, under control panel> keyboard in windows to get the smoothest response. A trackball, connexion space mouse, drawing tablet, or some specialized controllers specifically for this purpose will give you smoother and better results. Or you can always enter the values manually in the movement dials.
    Chohole said:

    Why?   a mouse is much more accurate. even for games.

     

     

    Not really. This a common misconception many people have. In my experience its born from a lack of familiarity with the various input devices. The main problem with mice and track pads is that they require you to constantly pick up and "reset" the mouse/finger depending on how far you need to move the cursor. Screen size, sensor resolution, screen resolution, desk size, number of screens, amount of crap on ones desk, and you may need to pickup and reset the mouse several times to move the cursor across the screen. Trackballs, drawing tablets, joysticks, touchscreens and specialty controllers don't require this. With touch screens and drawing tablets where ever you put your finger/pen is where the mouse goes. With trackballs you just have to move your thumb or finger as opposed to, depending on your particular setup, everything up to your shoulder, with a mouse. Joysticks, whether full flight style or PS/Xbox style, and specialty controllers, can produce more fluid movements as well as allowing switches to movements more rapidly, depending on configuration, than a mouse and keyboard. Personally I use all of them depending on what I'm doing. It's really fun to play RTS/tbs with a drawing tablet, and I don't get the wrist fatigue I used to get with just a mouse. Trackballs are just fun. If you get bored you can just spin the ball like a fidget spinner. The index ones are best for this. I recommend disconnecting it first. Or not. watching the cursor fly across three monitors is kinda fun. (Yeah I'm a cat with a lazer pointer) The small finger trackballs can be extremely handy. Especially if using 10key.be ready to break out the dremel to make it a bit more comfortable. Remember these are just tools. Find what works for you and roll with it. Don't assume that my way, your way, or somebody else's way is the best way or the only way. Give em a try and see if they work for you or not. Just remember that it takes time to master a new tool. So don't just give up after a short time. It took me several days to get used to, and figure out the best purpose for, every input device I have. Peace all

    I'm glad you enjoy using alternate input devices, but saying they're comparable to the ease and accuracy of a mouse is spreading misinformation. There' a guy who played Darksouls on a guitar hero controller. Just because you can practice enough to do it, or even do it well, does not change it being sub-optimal.

    Post edited by Paradigm on
  • ElgyfuElgyfu Posts: 279
    edited March 2019

    I have a 3d Connexion Space Navigator somewhere.

    It is like a short, fat joystick, designed for use with 3d software.  I used to use it in Second Life as well as Poser and Daz Studio.

    It took quite a while to get used to as it was really sensitive but eventually is quite nice to use.

    I just looked and you can still get them. It is called "3Dconnexion 3DX 700059 Space Mouse for Advanced 3D Navigation Black" on Amazon.

    I haven't used mine in many years, I don't know why I stopped using it.

     

    Post edited by Elgyfu on
  • Paradigm said:

    I'm glad you enjoy using alternate input devices, but saying they're comparable to the ease and accuracy of a mouse is spreading misinformation. There' a guy who played Darksouls on a guitar hero controller. Just because you can practice enough to do it, or even do it well, does not change it being sub-optimal.

    Sorry mate, no misinformation on my part, just personal experience and objective analysis.

    Depending on use case a mouse is a horrible tool by comparison to other input devices.

    If you'd like to get into specifics i'd be happy to entertain them.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Sfariah DSfariah D Posts: 25,702

    I forgot to take the game controller to FedEx return in a timely fashion.  I wonder if I am stuck with it or if it is not too late to try again to return it?  If it is too late, what can I do with an XBox controller?  I have a fire smart tv and a windows computer.

  • BradCarstenBradCarsten Posts: 856

    I forgot to take the game controller to FedEx return in a timely fashion.  I wonder if I am stuck with it or if it is not too late to try again to return it?  If it is too late, what can I do with an XBox controller?  I have a fire smart tv and a windows computer.

    you could try using a program like Pinnacle game profiler (I see they're having a 65% off sale at the moment making it $6.99,) What it does is assign keys, mouse actions, clicks etc to your controller. so you can assign the left mouse click to button x, and the 'E' on the keyboard to button y. As far as I know, you can even assign a series of key clicks, like Shift+A,B,B,X. This allows you to use the controller in games that do not support it, and windows just thinks you're using a keyboard and mouse. Once you've come up with the perfect profile for a game, you can then upload it to their site and share it with others. I see they have a sims 2 and a sims 3 profile, but I don't see one for sims 4. 

    The other option, of course, is to sell it on ebay. If it's new, you can probably get a fair price for it. 

  • Sfariah DSfariah D Posts: 25,702

    I forgot to take the game controller to FedEx return in a timely fashion.  I wonder if I am stuck with it or if it is not too late to try again to return it?  If it is too late, what can I do with an XBox controller?  I have a fire smart tv and a windows computer.

    you could try using a program like Pinnacle game profiler (I see they're having a 65% off sale at the moment making it $6.99,) What it does is assign keys, mouse actions, clicks etc to your controller. so you can assign the left mouse click to button x, and the 'E' on the keyboard to button y. As far as I know, you can even assign a series of key clicks, like Shift+A,B,B,X. This allows you to use the controller in games that do not support it, and windows just thinks you're using a keyboard and mouse. Once you've come up with the perfect profile for a game, you can then upload it to their site and share it with others. I see they have a sims 2 and a sims 3 profile, but I don't see one for sims 4. 

    The other option, of course, is to sell it on ebay. If it's new, you can probably get a fair price for it. 

    I no longer play sims 3, but I recently got Sims 4.  Last time I played my character would start doing sit ups if I do not Tell him anything to do.

  • KitsumoKitsumo Posts: 1,210

    If you Google "map joystick to keyboard keys", it brings up a bunch of utilities, many of them are free. I don't know which ones are any good, I have used a joystick as a mouse/pointer, but it was nearly 2 decades ago.

  • Sfariah DSfariah D Posts: 25,702
    Kitsumo said:

    If you Google "map joystick to keyboard keys", it brings up a bunch of utilities, many of them are free. I don't know which ones are any good, I have used a joystick as a mouse/pointer, but it was nearly 2 decades ago.

    Okay.  What are the keys to move the camera?  So I can map the controller to those keys?

  • Keyboard navigation is activated with Shift+K. Then have a look into the Window>Workspace>Customize dialog. The keys for keyboard navigation are found under View Control the letters in use are QWEASDUIOJKL.

    How to Customize Daz Studio - to speed up Workflow!? [WIP]

    Here I have a screenshot it is about how to change the mouse button modifier keys:

  • Paradigm said:

    I'm glad you enjoy using alternate input devices, but saying they're comparable to the ease and accuracy of a mouse is spreading misinformation. There' a guy who played Darksouls on a guitar hero controller. Just because you can practice enough to do it, or even do it well, does not change it being sub-optimal.

     

    Mouse is precise, yes. Now show me how can I set up a mouse so I can select an object with just one click in the scene and then pan it in four directions like I could with a gaming controller (e.g. panning horizontally with the joystick and vertically with the arrows) and at the SAME time rotating the object in four directions (e.g. x and y rotation with bumpers and z with triggers). Additionally, I could also set my controller in a way that if I would press and hold a specific button (for example the B button) it could completely change the behaviour of all the controls I mentioned earlier to for example control a camera instead of the object in the scene.

    Controller is not as precise as a mouse but it can give you much more control in some situations. You just need to be creative.

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