ESO GamePad Review (Re-Visited)

daroule1982

ESO GamePad Review (Edited for current status)

By: daroule1982

"Greetings ESO Community. I am daroule1982, and this is my first review in ESO. I hope it addresses some key issues with the Beta Game pad, as it is intended to help the development team see what they are up against. I would also like to thank the development team for bringing us the Game pad feature. I already feel like my game is more enjoyable. Never have I moved backwards in a MMO, and now the Game pad let's me do this with such ease. I like riding my mount more w/vibration mechanics involved. You can feel the landing when jumping off a high place. Using the weapons are more fun. I feel like I am interacting better with the triggers, than just simply pressing a key. Right now I rate this feature at about 3.5/5 stars PVE wise and around 3/5 PvP wise. I will continue to monitor the Gamepad and update this as I see fit.",

~Thanks for your patronage.

daroule1982 Specifications:
OS- Windows 10 64bit PC
Processor- AMD AthlonIIx's4 645 Processor 3.10 ghz
Installed RAM- 8 GB
Graphics Card- EVGA Nvidia 750ti FTW
Gamepad- Xbox One Controller
Playstyle- Bosmer, Battle-heal Templar
Faction- Aldmeri Dominion

****Review****

Flaws:

*Need more functionality implemented.
*UI needs more work.
*Cross-hair targeting does not highlight appropriately.


Goodness:
*Excellent maneuverability.
*Works with a nice array of controllers.
*Controller vibrates accurately.
*Keybindings are right on Q.


Suggestions:

* Would be nice to implement an option to hold down button (left trigger as example), to open up a secondary amount of game buttons via key binds . (Ui, buffs, etc). This should have a key bind as well. I have noticed character windows is a viable option, however, it is a lengthy process to get to what you are looking for even so.
*I suggest a simple tweak to make the cross-hairs glow more appropriately. Whether to simply have the glow effect brighten accurately, or increase the size of the cross-hair to run over the enemy more efficiently, use some imagination. This is something that needs a little work done.
* The ui could use some work on the Map scroll/zoom features. Takes forever to zoom out of Cyrodiil. I suggest a new layout to zoom directly to map levels, and then a ui button integrated into the page to zoom into the map and find what you are looking for. It would save so much time, and help us focus more on the game, instead of taking so much time holding down a button.

daroule1982

Please feel free to comment on this post. I would love it if we all got together here, and helped this to be some kind of a base of operations to help our development team, as this is still a Beta project.

Alether

My biggest beef with the new gamepad mode is the UI. Quite frankly, I think it's ugly, difficult to navigate, and totally unnecessary. All that was needed was for them to enable binding things to a gamepad in the controls, which they did... but only if you enable gamepad mode (which has the unfortunate side effect of also enabling the horrendous new UI). Why can we not use gamepad controls with the standard UI? Why do the gamepad controls simply cease to function if you disable the gamepad UI? Should be a simple thing to fix...

Please ZOS, enable the gamepad keybinds even when 'gamepad mode' is disabled.

Belidos

shredmeister1982 wrote: »

*Please fix the lag issue concerning the right throttle. (If this is not known to other players using the Xbox one controller, I do apologize.Let me know in the comments.)

*Right now the Sprint key stays active until clicked. It would be nice to have a new key bind to let us choose rather we would want auto sprint or regular sprint. This is disturbing to me, because, I like to move faster and slower in different aspects of my game play during certain fights.

So far I haven't had any lag issues with the right throttle, everything's moved quite smoothly on my xbox one controller.

On my controller you have to depress and hold the left stick to sprint, i'm having the opposite issue to you when i'm pushing forward on the stick it's awkward to keep the stick depressed so I keep randomly coming out of sprint.

Apart from those I agree with pretty much the rest of your assessment.

Ffastyl

Firstly, in response to @Alether , I prefer the controller UI for general gameplay to the original UI. The objects are more well defined while being less obtrusive. The large group nameplates/bars especially are a major improvement over the eyesore in the original UI. The inventory organization makes it easier to find and bind/equip items though I do prefer the original UI for selling junk to merchants and storing materials in the bank - add-on support for quick recognition of item traits and less subdivided inventory makes for faster management of many items at once.

@shredmeister1982 , the controller required a couple days of rebinding keys to where I found them comfortable for combat. The choice to not disable mouse&keyboard controls while in controller mode allows the unbinding of almost all menu shortcuts from the controller, freeing up slots for actions. The setup I have now is comfortable to work with and I use it for endgame PvE and PvP (both large scale battles and dueling). I am weapon swapping, animation canceling and dodging just as fast as I used to with keyboard & mouse.

This "right throttle lag" is an alien term to me and google is showing car engine types so /shrug.
If you are referring to the slow down as you pass your reticle over target, I have noticed this as well. Initially it was annoying, seemingly happening for no reason, but it has a purpose. Sensitivity (for me) is set very high so I can turn quickly, the game slows down the turn speed when you pass over a target so you are less likely to turn right past it - a kind of magnetic tracking. It should have a toggle in the options menu like other FPSs do but it does not. For those unused to magnetic tracking, it can really throw off your aim.

Fighting in PvP has never felt more natural, though it takes the same amount of adjustment as when completely rearranging your bars. Your muscles need to relearn where to press for the action you want, which makes the ability to rebind all buttons very useful.

Your suggestion on having a button to hold to trigger secondary binds (i.e. A, B and Y are abilities 1, 2 and 3 and LB + A/B/Y are abilities 4/5/Ultimate) would be much welcome. Dragon's Dogma used this solution for the limited buttons to map abilities to. Currently in ESO, 4 abilities are intuitive to execute while the 5th and Ultimate take a split second longer to execute. I am aware ESO currently supports overloading buttons so (for illustration) Hold R3 can have a different action than Press R3. The flaw with this, however, is a hold requires almost a full second to register - precious time in combat situations.

There is also an issue with overloading buttons: I noticed some functions that were initially bound to press/hold relationships were programmed with that in mind, but when you, say, bind Ability X (press) and Jump (Hold), you will jump when you hold the button and fire Ability X when you release said button. So be careful which actions you assign to press/hold relationships.


Overall the controller experience has been borderline sublime. Oh! How I missed 360 degree movement...!
btw I am using DS4Windows to use a Dualshock 4 with ESO. The controller layout is different from an Xbox One's, as are the button names, though I translated them above.

ItsGlaive

Was so looking forward to the gamepad, but it feels sluggish and the UI is not great. Wouldn't mind so much if Azura at least worked with it, but for now it's back to keyboard and mouse

nine9six

I *LOVE* using the controller. I've been sick the last few days and made use of my Wireless Xbox One Controller to play. With the exception that "Jump" and "Interact" are the same...I can deal with everything else. There's room for improvement, sure, but it's not "that bad".

From now on when I see someone trying to loot something but their jumping around all over the place, I won't think their full-blown ***. I know they're using a controller.

And of course...your sprinting on your mount towards an obstacle. You need to jump to clear it, and you time it perfectly, but you didn't notice the butterfly that was plotting your demise. As you go to jump the butterfly times his loop and BOOM....your dismounted and picking that butterflies wings apart.

Think of the butterflies.

ShiunTraze

1. When looting, I'd like to be able to see if i have the item in my inventory already. On default PC a small icon in the corner of the item would appear with a number to show how many of this you had on you already...the same goes for recipes as in, are they 'Known', or 'Unknown'.

2. I'd like to move items to my junk (i.e. weapons, armor etc.) . This helps a lot by saving time. When looting I can simply drop it in my junk and have all of my junk ready to sell when i go to a merchant which leads me on to my next suggestion...

3. When selling to a merchant I'd really like the option to 'Sell all Junk'. Saves looooads of time and could simply be done with the press of a button.

4. I don't mind not having add ons, especially interface ones, but it would be really helpful if I could have add-ons such as 'Destinations' seeing as I've already played through multiple characters. This doesn't bother me as much as the others but would be nice.

ShiunTraze

Overall, loving the controller, I'm not having difficulties with lag and don't mind the Jump/Interact button, it's better the same button than somewhere else. The gamepad makes ESO feel like a completely different game (after over a year of PC) which is very refreshing

nine9six

Oh, and I'd like to know when I've already "said" a dialogue line. With the Mouse + KB UI dialogue choices go grey when you've said it before. Why not with the controller?

Kalifas

Alether wrote:

My biggest beef with the new gamepad mode is the UI. Quite frankly, I think it's ugly, difficult to navigate, and totally unnecessary. All that was needed was for them to enable binding things to a gamepad in the controls, which they did... but only if you enable gamepad mode (which has the unfortunate side effect of also enabling the horrendous new UI). Why can we not use gamepad controls with the standard UI? Why do the gamepad controls simply cease to function if you disable the gamepad UI? Should be a simple thing to fix...

Please ZOS, enable the gamepad keybinds even when 'gamepad mode' is disabled.

I don't dig the Skyrim UI myself, too much scrolling, not enough quick tab and hot slots.
My Old Wish

Sting864

Alether wrote: »

My biggest beef with the new gamepad mode is the UI. Quite frankly, I think it's ugly, difficult to navigate, and totally unnecessary. All that was needed was for them to enable binding things to a gamepad in the controls, which they did... but only if you enable gamepad mode (which has the unfortunate side effect of also enabling the horrendous new UI). Why can we not use gamepad controls with the standard UI? Why do the gamepad controls simply cease to function if you disable the gamepad UI? Should be a simple thing to fix...

Please ZOS, enable the gamepad keybinds even when 'gamepad mode' is disabled.

I've been using a 3rd party interface with my XBox 360 wireless controller since PC beta (Over a year and a half...) This allows various keybindings specific to a player's playstyle.... It also allows a player to continue playing on the standard UI... Unfortunately, ZOS Technical Support really cannot help with any issues that may arise... Fortunately, I haven't had to use ANY support very much...

nine9six

Also lost a bit of mail yesterday when trying to "back out" of the mail screen. I (incorrectly) assumed that "B" would back out of the menu...like it does on every other screen. Some jack-ass at ZOS thought it'd be funny to make "B" the "Delete" button. Thanks!

Egonieser

I like the concept of a controller, and it feels nice to hold in my hand, but it severely limits my reaction, animation cancelling and attack weaving while at the same time moving around, swapping bars etc
Maybe it's just the case of getting used to it, but the way buttons on a controller are set out, i can't see me ever switching over to a controller indefinitely. For some casual PvE, perhaps. The fact i have to press multiple buttons for a single action is putting me off. And some of them are awkward to do without stopping your character as you run out of free fingers.
Might just be because I've been a PC gamer for over 2 decades, and even something as basic as changing a mouse or keyboard can throw me off, nevermind a new concept such as a controller. (New concept for me that is).

Ffastyl

Egonieser wrote: »

Maybe it's just the case of getting used to it, but the way buttons on a controller are set out, i can't see me ever switching over to a controller indefinitely. For some casual PvE, perhaps. The fact i have to press multiple buttons for a single action is putting me off. And some of them are awkward to do without stopping your character as you run out of free fingers.
Might just be because I've been a PC gamer for over 2 decades, and even something as basic as changing a mouse or keyboard can throw me off, nevermind a new concept such as a controller. (New concept for me that is).

As a console player for over a decade, switched to PC 2 years ago, I have learned many grips for the controller that solve the "out of free fingers" issue.

It is a matter of getting used to the controller. For the first couple of days all I could do was casual (solo) PvE as I created the muscle memory for ESO. I still tweak my button bindings slightly but I can adjust more easily now. I am bobbing, weaving, canceling and moving with the same efficiency as I had on keyboard and mouse. The only activity I am not trained enough to execute on controller is endgame tanking. I still spend less than half a second recalling the control scheme I use, which has to be 0 seconds for those all-or-nothing battles in the game's most difficult dungeons.

Fuzzybrick

I just hope when we can customize our controls on ps4 that I can use the swipe feature.

daroule1982

Ffastyl wrote: »

This "right throttle lag" is an alien term to me and google is showing car engine types so /shrug.
If you are referring to the slow down as you pass your reticle over target, I have noticed this as well. Initially it was annoying, seemingly happening for no reason, but it has a purpose. Sensitivity (for me) is set very high so I can turn quickly, the game slows down the turn speed when you pass over a target so you are less likely to turn right past it - a kind of magnetic tracking. It should have a toggle in the options menu like other FPSs do but it does not. For those unused to magnetic tracking, it can really throw off your aim.

Thanks for catching me on that. I will definitely make an adjustment to the literature. I did mean right thumb stick. And I was referring to the slow down. But, mine gets to the point of a.d.d. Haha.

wildbear247

I used the new gamepad support with my Xbox 360 controller without any issues, but I do have one major request: please give us players the option to keep the regular PC UI while still being able to use the controller. I'm not a big fan of the console UI, especially because it interferes with some of my favorite add-ons.

So I've reverted back to using Xpadder and controller for now until that option is implemented. Since I'm stuck using Xpadder because I like the PC UI and a controller for combat...I have a related request. It would be nice if ESO was updated to allow multi-key presses to be assigned to an action (e.g. X+Spacebar = Ultimate). Right now only left mouse button and right mouse button can be used in conjunction to perform an action (Interrupt).

Also for those interested there is a related thread under the PTS forums:
http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/222458/official-feedback-thread-for-controller-support/p1

UPDATE 23-Dec-15: After using the gamepad feature more I'm enjoying it a lot more now. Currently I use the gamepad feature (and by extension console UI) for combat, and switch back to PC UI (and keyboard & mouse) for everything else. The switch from gamepad mode to keyboard-&-mouse mode isn't as bad as I thought it would be and occurs instantly after selecting the option via settings. So I'll give the current gamepad support in ESO a rating of 4 outta 5 stars. I'll give it 5 stars if we can get option to use the gamepad with the PC UI.

daroule1982

Other Resources:
*I have researched this matter more, and found the exact same issue regarding the topic of the input lag. These are dated several months ago, and still no sign of performance fix:

http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/170170/weird-controls-lag

http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/198860/unusual-control-lag-latency-camera-fails-to-rotate-movement-sticks-etc-na-server

Please, Zenimax, fix this issue.