I’ve been looking for the perfect gamepad ever since I had a PC, which was way before the original Doom debuted. Back then, the Super Nintendo presented its revolutionary controller, and many companies like
Gravis tried to create knock-off solutions for the PC gamer. They were quite innovative at the time and had several improvements over Nintendo’s controller: supported left or right-handed orientation, 4 colorful buttons, and a mountable joystick for the D-pad, all with the ugly 15-pin PC gameport connector.
Somehow these products never reached the same acceptance as console controllers, whose innovation and simplicity fueled the booming gaming industry.
Manufacturers such as Gravis and Logitech have been trying to generate the same ubiquity for PC gamers. PC gamepad manufacturers have taken a nod from popular console controllers, but it always feels like something is missing.
I have frequently been disappointed with PC gamepads, no matter how innovative they claim to be, or what new feature they’ve added. They never have the same feel as a good console controller, and usually have some compatibility flaw.
Microsoft has solved all the problems by introducing a gamepad that works on both its popular Xbox 360 system and PCs. Microsoft adorned the Xbox 360 with standard USB ports for cross-platform compatibility with nearly any device, and the Xbox 360 controller for Windows is the fruit of this forethought.
Most PC games are played with the keyboard and mouse, even though many PC games are ported to their console bretheren. Popular games like Need for Speed: Most Wanted are multi-platform and appear on nearly every gaming system. The keyboard and mouse are familiar favorites for PC gamers because the controls can be easily customized and offer a multitude of functions. However, variable analog precision is traded for this high customization. Pressing a key on the keyboard usually controls a character’s direction – and is either full on or full off. There is no variable speed control.
Take the Splinter Cell franchise for an example. On the PC, movement is controlled with the keyboard, wheras look is controlled with the mouse. Sam can move in any direction, but in only one speed. Sure, speed can be toggled by using the mouse-wheel, but going from a slow sneak to an all-out run is not instantaneous. Sam has more flexibility once a gamer masters a console’s two analog sticks.
Gamepads are shaped in a way to offer tactile physical memory (you can “feel” where the buttons are, and are all in easy reach), where it is easy to press the wrong key on a keyboard, or accidentally press two keys at the same time. Keyboard’s keys are too close together, and are all the same color. From a usability point of view is horrible, despite all the functionality it offers.
Yes, PC and console gamers have very different preferences, and the two shall never meet eye to eye: just as mouse and trackball users may never understand each other. A keyboard and mouse combination is the ultimate weapon in first-person shooters, but even PC gamers reach for a gamepad when it’s time to fly a Tie-Fighter.
Microsoft is filling the gap between PC and console gamers, and the Xbox 360 controller for Windows fills it like Oprah fills a bikini.
Xbox 360 Controller for Windows Features
System Requirements
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A lot of thought has been put into this controller, and has the best usability of any console or PC controller yet. The ABXY buttons are brightly colored and spaced just enough apart to be pressed with a thumb without accidentally pressing others.
The back/select buttons have been moved to the center on either side of the Xbox Live button to avoid accidental depressions. The left and right “bumper” buttons are placed on the top of the controller, and meant to be used with the index fingers. They have a satisfying click to them, much like a mouse button.
Below the bumper buttons are the left and right triggers, which are spring-loaded and offer variable sensitivity (referred to as the Z-axis), so they can be used as throttle or as a digital trigger. The controller is easily gripped with the palms, even when all fingers are on the trigger and bumper buttons
Both analog sticks are grey and (although made of plastic) have a slightly rubbery texture to prevent accidental slippage from underneath one’s thumb. The analog sticks also double as two more buttons by pressing straight down on the analog stick. The analog sticks have a full circular range of motion (I have seen some analog sticks surrounded by a square opening, which are easy to get stuck into.
The original Xbox expansion port has been removed for this next generation controller, which is a huge usability improvement. These ports were placed on the top of the original xbox controller, and many players plugged their Xbox Live headsets into these. The problem with this implementation is that the wires would drape over the player’s hands, or otherwise get in the way.
With the Xbox 360 controller, the headset port is placed on the bottom of the controller, underneath the player’s hands and therefore not in the way. On the Xbox 360, the Xbox Live button glows when active, and the “ring of light” surrounding the button indicates the player number.
This functionality is lost on the PC, although rumor has it that Microsoft may be implementing these features soon. The controller is well built and sturdy. All in all, 13 different functions can be triggered by the buttons alone. Many games implement use of the D-pad independently of the analog sticks, which can add other in-game functions.
The drivers for the Xbox 360 controller are available on Microsoft’s website, which allow use of any wired Xbox 360 controller on your PC. The software included on the retail CD is only 45MB and offers no frills beyond the basic drivers. Once installed, the controller can be tested and configured in Window’s standard “game controller” applet in Control Panel.
The cord is rather long at 8 feet, and the USB plug is extra long and very grippable. This extra length is needed because the Xbox 360 hides its recessed USB ports behind a swinging door. The only thing that could make this controller better is if it were wireless, which is the killer feature of the Xbox 360. Unfortunately, the wireless controllers are not supported with the PC drivers, even with the optional link cable attached. There is a rumor that Microsoft may support wireless controllers in the future, along with the Xbox Live buttons.
The headset jack will accept any 2.5mm headset jack (popular on many wireless phones). Windows will immediately recognize this device as a headset and supports chat in any application (like MSN messenger).
The Xbox 360 controller for Windows is the exact same hardware as a wired Xbox 360 controller. The controller comes packaged with a CD-ROM that installs drivers for Windows XP. Microsoft recommends that you install the software before connecting the controller to the PC. There are only four steps to install the driver, and after installation the controller can be plugged into any free USB port. Windows XP will immediately recognize the device as the Xbox 360 controller for Windows and is ready to rock. Installation to playing a game took less than two minutes.
Testing & Compatibility
The controller’s installation can be tested in Windows XP’s Control Panel under the “Game Controller” applet. If installed properly, then the controller should be listed as “XBOX 360 for Windows (Controller)” with an OK status, along with any other controllers that are installed. With the Xbox controller selected, we clicked the Properties button to display the configuration options.
There are two tabs within the Properties window: Settings and Test. The only thing you can do under Settings is to calibrate your joysticks, which should never need calibaration as it is completely digital. This isn’t the droid you’re looking for…. move along…
The Test tab is what we really want to see. All buttons and axis are shown here. You can test the buttons and sticks, and this window will update to show what the controller is registering. Make sure that the joystick reaches the edges of the “X Axis / Y Axis” box, and that all the other sticks and triggers have full range of motion and return to center. Button numbers will light up according to what is selected. This is a good place to note what buttons numbers correspond to which physical buttons on the controller, as many PC games require manual setup.
I plugged in a standard Motorolla headset (used with my wireless phones) into the 2.5mm headset jack, and instantly heard Window’s “connect chime”. I went into MSN and clicked on “Voice Chat”. The wizard presented me with a dropdown of the device I wanted to use, and “XBOX 360 For Windows (Headset)” was one of the options. All sound and microphone tests went through without any problems and I was chatting in less than a minute.
Windows XP to Xbox 360 mapping
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Many PC gamers have wished for a quality gamepad but have been met with products that either don’t deliver or are too complicated. Even if you don’t own a new Xbox 360, this controller is the best gamepad for the PC. There are a few features that are yet unexplored on the PC, but Microsoft is working on their implementation, so this controller promises additional functionality.
PC Games must be manually configured to get your control schema just right, but that is the industry’s fault, not Microsoft. Every console (the Xbox 360 included) is a closed system, so developers know the controller’s layout and can provide default settings. PC games can be controlled using just about anything under the sun, so it’s nearly impossibly to know that “button 1” will be the same on every third-party controller out there. Any PC gaming peripheral is going to require frustrating trial-and-error to set up properly.
The Xbox 360 controller makes voice chat as easy as plug and play. If I wanted to voice chat before I had to plug up my PC headset, try to determine which of my sound card jacks was actually the microphone, open the Mixer, select Mic as the source, set the level, then go into the chat application and make sure it was monitoring the right mixer channel… Rinse and repeat. Now all my chatting is done through the Xbox 360 controller.
Even though the controller doesn’t use every feature as when used on an Xbox 360, the controller offers value beyond just a good gamepad. The Xbox 360 Controller (for Windows) is a high-quality, well-built gamepad with steller ergonomics, and plug-and-play ease. PC gamers have searched a long time for the perfect PC gamepad, and it took a console to bring it to us.
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