GW2 is the best MMO on the Market, imo. Here is the very simple reason I am not currently playing it.

[JayMadIV.8721]

Lack of *Native*, built-in Controller Support. That's it. 

It is the hill I have decided that I will die on. Controller is my preferred input and in my old (for gamers) age, I am at the point in my gaming life where arguing against it, trying to prove to me that it can't be done in MMORPGs, that it can't or doesn't work, that MMORPGs "have too many buttons" or trying to shame me for preferring Controllers does nothing to me. I've experienced good controller play for myself both on PC and on Console in multiple games, so I personally know better.

I don't know where to submit "official" feedback about it, so I'm posting here.

I am currently playing World of Warcraft, which DOES have *native*, Built-In Controller Support that works very well. In fact, learning that it does and being curious to try it out for myself is what convinced me to try WoW again in the first place after not playing in over a decade. I am also playing Diablo on both PC and Xbox and it too has built-in Controller support on PC.

As a general rule, I no longer play MMOs that don't.

The absolute second that Guild Wars 2 implements built-in Controller Support and I can play it with my Xbox Controller without having to use a workaround(like Steam) to do so, I would immediately quit whatever else I was playing and come back to GW2 as a full-time player.

Because GW2 is that good in literally every other aspect. In my opinion, anyway.

 

Edited July 18, 2023 by JayMadIV.8721

[Jin.8501]

Use Steam controller support

[Hotride.2187]

Sounds like a you thing and not a game thing.

[Zok.4956]

3 hours ago, JayMadIV.8721 said:

Lack of *Native*, built-in Controller Support. That's it.  (---) As a general rule, I no longer play MMOs that don't.

I respect that. Can I have your stuff?

[Vayne.8563]

Not having native controller support is not the same as not having the ability to use a controller. It's your loss. I'd rather light a single candle than curse the darkness.

[Danikat.8537]

I agree it would be useful for Anet to offer this, but I'm curious why you'll only consider native controller support if it's so important to you?

Many people do play GW2 with a controller, both through Steam (it also works on the Steam Deck) and the stand-alone version, it just needs additional software to set it up, but so does my mouse and keyboard. I often find I prefer 3rd party controller support for games that weren't designed for a controller (and occasionally even for ones that were) because it usually gives me more flexibility in how the controller is set up.

[Dante.1508]

I gave up on mmos years ago, so i haven't honestly even bothered with any new ones.. Guildwars 2 is the only one i still play and the last one honestly. I mostly only play this because i was heavily invested from the start. I have spent a lot of money on GW2 so i may as well get use of it.

As an old school PC player i find controllers to be uncoordinated and sacrilege to use.

Edited July 18, 2023 by Dante.1508

[Danikat.8537]

36 minutes ago, Dante.1508 said:

I gave up on mmos years ago, so i haven't honestly even bothered with any new ones.. Guildwars 2 is the only one i still play and the last one honestly. I mostly only play this because i was heavily invested from the start. I have spent a lot of money on GW2 so i may as well get use of it.

As an old school PC player i find controllers to be uncoordinated and sacrilege to use.

I think to some extent it just depends on what you're used to.

I started off playing games with a keyboard, then keyboard and mouse and only occasionally used a controller until we got an N64 in the late 90's, but I was young enough that I didn't really think about it, learning to use a controller was just part of learning to play Lylat Wars. It's only recently I've really put any thought into what controls I want for a game, mainly because there seem to be more multi-platform ones (or at least more I'm interested in) so I need to think about which version I want and the controls are one thing to consider.

[Noah Salazar.5430]

i like play my character using electronic keyboard, it took a bit of time for binding keys, but it's so worth as engineer/ele main

Edited July 22, 2023 by Noah Salazar.5430

[jokke.6239]

Learn to use steam's controller mapping software + enable action cam

I don't advise using a premade one.

I've been playing GW2 and LOTRO a long time with controller.

It's certainly possible. 

Guild Wars is really nice with action cam with controller.

It will automatically switch between action cam and mouse mouse when going to vendors and UI elements (like inventory etc)

Also for even better experience. See if you can get a steam controller some where (they are not sold officially anymore)

 

Edit: Also, forget about high lvl fractal/raids/pvp and so on (doable with steam controller probably). But I keep play casual when on controller. You are at big disadvantage.

Having enough buttons is not the issue. 

Steam's controller software makes this kind of easy, and GW2 don't have that many skills.
It's the right stick that's the problem. Mouse is so much better (to no ones surprise)

This is where steam controller comes in. Still no mouse, but best alternative.

Edited July 18, 2023 by jokke.6239

[Gravitron.7982]

What is this...uh .."controller" that you speak of? 

[jokke.6239]

21 minutes ago, Gravitron.7982 said:

What is this...uh .."controller" that you speak of? 

Controller nice for couch gaming on big tv, you should give it a try 😄

It's a very enjoyable experience for open world casual play.

[Gravitron.7982]

2 hours ago, jokke.6239 said:

Controller nice for couch gaming on big tv, you should give it a try 😄

It's a very enjoyable experience for open world casual play.

I have. Using a controller is just not for me. 

[jokke.6239]

4 minutes ago, Gravitron.7982 said:

I have. Using a controller is just not for me. 

That's cool

Controller might lose on every point for being good at the game

But it wins on comfort 🤣

[Gravitron.7982]

Just now, jokke.6239 said:

That's cool

Controller might lose on every point for being good at the game

But it wins on comfort 🤣

You should definitely do what you find more comfortable, nothing wrong with that at all. 

[Smoky.5348]

I'm sure it's the left stick that's holding back ANET from doing controller support. The game's inner workings would have to go from being eight‑directional to omni‑directional and allow full range of movement speed. If they can't do that, it'd be sorta pointless. But, it's understandable if they can't because it feels like each of the eight directions need their own animation defined (judging from how most transmogs look).

I really hope they do it, though. I want to move faster than walking, but slower than running! I want to jog!!! (No, really. l do!)

Edited July 18, 2023 by Smoky.5348

[Slartibartfast.5416]

I use one of the Azeron controllers.  Works great for me.  Awesome for MMOs that need a lot of buttons.  Or is it you just prefer controllers with fewer buttons?

https://www.azeron.eu

 

[Danikat.8537]

1 hour ago, Slartibartfast.5416 said:

I use one of the Azeron controllers.  Works great for me.  Awesome for MMOs that need a lot of buttons.  Or is it you just prefer controllers with fewer buttons?

https://www.azeron.eu

I keep looking at those. If I was sure I'd like it, or if I could afford to risk wasting the money, I'd get one because it looks good. I wish there was a way for me to try it out in real life.

[Kalocin.5982]

I have a disabled friend who would probably play this game but can't use mouse and keyboard but can work with a controller. It's a shame there's no controller support, especially if FFXIV can do it, this game is way more action focused so it would benefit from it..

Edited July 22, 2023 by Kalocin.5982

[Linken.6345]

1 hour ago, Kalocin.5982 said:

I have a disabled friend who would probably play this game but can't use mouse and keyboard but can work with a controller. It's a shame there's no controller support, especially if FFXIV can do it, this game is way more action focused so it would benefit from it.. From what I remember there was literally only one developer working on it but they had to stop because they weren't allowed to put "more resources" into it or something similar.

That was not why they stoped, they where let go and hoped someone would pick up the passion project because it was pretty far along.

That said it was alot of years ago so what almost worked then might not work at all anymore.

First is their old post about the controller support

Second is latest post about it

Jonanet•2 mo. ago

Another ANet dev would have to take over any of my old side projects now. But they're so old now, I'm not sure if they'll ever see the light of day. I wish them the best of luck though!

Great to hear from players who care about random stuff I worked on in my spare time!

Edited July 18, 2023 by Linken.6345

[Ivaldi.5076]

I use reWASD, action cam and a Xbox Elite 2 controller and I've been able to do all content in the game.  Navigating the menu's is annoying but doable as well, I admit it takes more time though.

[Kalocin.5982]

2 hours ago, Linken.6345 said:

That was not why they stoped, they where let go and hoped someone would pick up the passion project because it was pretty far along.

That said it was alot of years ago so what almost worked then might not work at all anymore.

First is their old post about the controller support

Second is latest post about it

Jonanet•2 mo. ago

Another ANet dev would have to take over any of my old side projects now. But they're so old now, I'm not sure if they'll ever see the light of day. I wish them the best of luck though!

Great to hear from players who care about random stuff I worked on in my spare time!

I only knew basically a gist of it from my friend, thank you finding that.

[HowlKamui.5120]

IMO, invest the hour or two you'd need to setup 3rd party controller software. It's kinda ridiculous that you highly regard gw2 as your "best mmo on the market" but then wont take the short amount of time to configure your preferred playstyle.

 

[JayMadIV.8721]

22 hours ago, HowlKamui.5120 said:

IMO, invest the hour or two you'd need to setup 3rd party controller software. It's kinda ridiculous that you highly regard gw2 as your "best mmo on the market" but then wont take the short amount of time to configure your preferred playstyle.

I did exactly as you said for a good while, used Steam to play with my controller. I am very familiar with all of the third-party workarounds.

I decided to stop doing that. Third Party workarounds shouldn't be necessary.

For me it's the principle, despite how much I like the game. And it's perfectly fine if you think it is "kinda ridiculous" and don't understand or whatever. 

I'm not terribly interested in arguing about it at this point either. I've said what I needed to say, it can stand as is.

I've got nothing else to say on the matter, really.

Edited July 19, 2023 by JayMadIV.8721

[Vayne.8563]

4 minutes ago, JayMadIV.8721 said:

I did exactly as you said for a good while, used Steam to play with my controller. I am very familiar with all of the third-party workarounds.

I decided to stop doing that. Third Party workarounds shouldn't be necessary.

For me it's the principle, despite how much I like the game. And it's perfectly fine if you think it is "kinda ridiculous" and don't understand or whatever. 

I'm not terribly interested in arguing about it at this point either. I've said what I needed to say, it can stand as is.

I've got nothing else to say on the matter, really.

That's not a principle. The game wasn't designed for something you want it to support natively. What's the principle here? It's never come out on console. This is the dictionary definiton of principle at least the closest to what you're saying.

4. a guiding sense of the requirements and obligations of right conduct: a person of principle.

You're saying it's definitely wrong for a game not to have a native controller built in. There's no right or wrong here. There's just your preference. I mean by all means if that's a game breaker for you, don't play. But it's neither a principle nor a reasonable reason not to play a game.

I won't play a team game without voice. Some people want voice built into this game. I use discord to play, because voice isn't built in. Problem solved. We had third party gear swapping before Anet put it in and they not only monetized it, but most people feel they put it in badly, compared to what we had available from the third party.  

Be careful what you wish for.