[Background]
I’m a new dad so playing on controller would be quite handy.
I have dabbled with controller in past on steam deck using steam input and console port addon. so I’m not starting from zero in terms of playing that way.
My environment: Windows 11PC
Using Switch 2 Joy-cons wirelessly
Forever Beta experience at the time of posting (10/12):
Blehlf Druid - Level 7 [deleted]
Undead Paladin - Level 14
Undead Mage - Level 18
Tauren Hunter - Level 13
In terms of input and latency the game works flawlessly.
What I want after nearly a month of testing
- Blizzard UI form factor (without the worthless permanent buttons they chose)
- Gamepad enemy/friendly targeting solution
- Points 1 and 2 should be available regardless of gamepad UI toggle
- Simultaneous Mouse input (Using Left stick to move while also using a mouse input to aim) This is doable if gamepad UI is disabled!
If I had the above then I could simply cook up the rest of my controller solution myself. Right now the only real thing stopping me from doing default UI is the gamepad targeting solution is great.
To be clear I think that the UI management for bags, gear, quests, etc… just isn’t for me. I pretty much want the default UI with a couple of conveniences and thats it.
[Additional Feedback (10/12)]
- ugly map reticle is gone! but at the cost of a user experience that make sense lol
- I have been using gyro as mouse so I can just mouse over things which is fine but I wouldn’t think majority of player base would think to do that as it would require software level changes outside of wow (ex: steam input)
- Mouse context delay swap is fixed, seems to switch almost instantly!
- This has lead me to understand that the real fix is allowing mouse input simultaneously.
- Ground effect reticle is worthless!
- It only casts at target and there is no way to lead enemies!
- If you don’t have a target the reticle stays a fixed radius away from your character
- Does not accept mouse input to aim better.
[Additional Feedback (10/4)]
- Toggle tooltips is not quickly apparent. These should be on by default and not toggled on an off by the controller but in a system option.
- I don’t understand who would turn these off on purpose playing a controller
- when off the following wont show:
- Flight path location name / cost
- cost of things you are selling / buying or the names of them
- Talent tooltips while you are selecting them
- quest rewards while selecting them
- gear you are wearing on your character wont show anything either
- I’m not sure how I turned my tooltips off but it sucked when I did it on accident!
- I wish that my controller buttons didn’t over write interact button prompts
- ex: mail icon above mail box turning into an ‘x’
- ex2: chat bubble turning into an ‘x’
- ex3: loot icon turning into an ‘x’
- There should be an option to choose button style (PS, Xbox, Switch)
- additionally there should be an option that just shows the button orientation so like show that I should press the left button (or x on the xbox controller) without it being called x
- I found the sit button
- Pause (radial menu stuff) and press down on the dpad. Not sure why bags have a spot in r1+L1 but to sit I have to go into menu options…
[Additional Feedback 9/30]
TL:DR → Mouse input should be available and seamless even in gamepad mode. Controller selecting menus in UI (map / bags) should be togglable, and these custom macros should be findable in the spell book and be able to be moved or dropped from action bars!
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Mouse input should be seamlessly usable even in gamepad mode!!!
Current behavior is that i have to move a mouse for 2 seconds (or more) to get the mouse to appear on screen.
Problem: Ground placement spells / abilities cannot be placed accurately - or at all really
This really is ridiculous. Most controllers have gyro support, or IR Sensor, or even a track pad built in now. With current implementation people are unable to do simple tasks like inventory management with a mouse when they want and then they can’t use their controller’s regular features to solve for simple placement of AoE spells.
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Allow users to toggle controller menu options. (this is hard to describe shortly)
Example: I open the map with my home button which I mapped to ‘m’ but now when I want to continue running with the joy stick I have UI elements moving in the map! I don’t want that at all. Maybe someone else does but let me choose if I want my controls to be taken over by a random UI while running somewhere!
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Bag UI → See above
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I appreciate some of the newer radial menus for things like pets and stances!
‘blank’ radial menus should be optionally added like action bars for players to be able to customize with things like consumables!!!
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I think that in the spell book there should be a ‘controller’ section that can be toggled.
Then let users move the abilities where they see fit on their bars. To ‘fool proof’ it just make a gamepad default template in the edit mode that can be used as a rescue option.
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Out of all the annoyingly in the way buttons, for how important the /sit button is with the camping feature I cannot believe that is one of the one’s missing. I mean we can make the macro ourselves but for a new player that wants to main controller I don’t think that should be their first stumbling block with the native controller
[Feedback]
Firstly there are a few incredible things that I’m glad to see.
- Party frame cycling is amazing
- Radial menu for system
Then there are some pretty mind boggling choices…
- a, x, y, b (no modifier) being locked to fairly useless keys aside from the interact button
- This means that the only non modifier buttons I can use while trying to move are on the d-pad which directly conflicts with actually moving my character with the joystick
- Start is only for the system menu, it is not used as ‘escape’.
- Wastes an extra button by functionally putting escape on ‘b’ instead of allowing start to be escape and system menu
- [R1 targeting complaint resolved either by fine tuning or me getting good]
- select is being used for focus target.
- maybe someone else has an idea why this is smart but to me its ridiculous
- ‘Y’ being taken up by what amounts to a target right click is insane.
- If I miss the modifier, say R2+Y not only did I fail to cast but I’m nested in another menu mid combat!!!
- The menu closes when I hit b but because of where plates are it isn’t always readily apparent that I have made the mistake
- [Camera reset resolve by me getting used to it]
Choices that are ‘ok’ but would simply be fixed by the freedom to rebind buttons.
- Jump button being ‘a’
- understandable but an absolute waste of important keybind for an ability
- I use a paddle button for jump on steam deck or r-stick press on controllers without a paddle
- ‘Home button’ is seemingly unused, not sure why it or select are not used for the map
- If I go into keybinds in options without gamepad enabled I can choose for example ‘map’ and assign it by pressing the button on the controller. This however does not impact the gamepad bindings. This experience MUST be unified by launch.
[Tips]
This section is quick tips for players trying out WoW with controller for the first time
- If you launch WoW through steam you can enable steam input with your controller
- so you can modify button inputs to keyboard buttons (ex. I made home = m for map)
- you can also assign buttons that Blizzard did not account for like paddles or the rail buttons of joy cons
14 Likes
I’m glad to see more topics from folks giving feedback on controller support. It’s definitely well thought-out, but has plenty of room for improvements. I would love to see a Toggle option for modifiers so you don’t have to hold RT/LT all day. Re-binding all keys and being able to edit the UI are definitely up there as well.
9 Likes
Choosing which buttons act as modifiers would be pretty great. I hadn’t thought about that one.
Another thing I hadn’t mentioned because its less to do with how the controller functions is UI text.
currently none of the settings take into account how the majority of controller users will be a few feet from the screen making quest text difficult to read.
3 Likes
I am not part of Blizzard, but this is WOW. Its 20 years old. How many other 20 year old games are able to use controllers. Activision was a controller game. They bought Blizzard a few years back. Why was it not done then. Sony Copyright maybe?? Oh, now Microsoft could use their XBox information and do the deed as we all are one happy family now!! Make it so, ENGAGE Number 1!!
The weird thing is that Consoleport does all of this.
It’s the same issue with the built in cooldown manager, Blizzard always hard codes everything. As a programmer, the first thing you learn is how to use abstractions to build customizable software, and it feels like the whole Blizzard UX team never got the memo.
What’s even crazier is the game HAS gamepad support and without controller mode turned on, it’s possible to bind any controller button or button chord to any action bar slot. It’s such a crazy, unnecessary regression when all that is needed is a UI similar to the consoleport action bar map where you add in inspect, right click etc. as abilities you can map.
1 Like
To be fair, I have found console port to not be the easiest to wrap my head around.
What I would want out of the ‘stock’ system is closer to ‘just works’ where as, imo, console port asks you to learn first and play second.
That said what is built in now for WoW Forever Beta is definitely a case of cooking and serving without tasting but as an alpha is not surprising that we would be early testers for this and its actually welcome that we get a chance to provide feed back this “early” in the cycle.
That said, with all the resources around them it can be concerning that they haven’t done some more common sense items and we’re now forced to hope they listen to us here lol
2 Likes
a, x, y, b non re-bindable are not the only issue I have in that regards. It is similar for hunt and warlock, the whole LT+RT layout is locked to pet actions. You can’t put anything else on those buttons for these 2 classes. Other class can bind anything to LT+RT.
These kind of restriction should be removed. Obviously the first thing to do here is to unlock LT+RT for all classes.
Second in regards to face buttons, what they need to do, is adding in the general tab of the spell book those 4 actions (attack - which is also not applicable for casters/hunt as it is melee attack, inspect, cancel and jump). This would then allow to rebind them anywhere.
3 Likes
I’m all for accessibility and making the game appeal to a wider audience (I’m disabled myself and play in my living room on a recliner with a lappad for my mouse and keyboard).
But can any of you address how you plan to socialize/interact with others in this game if youre only using a controller? In a dungeon, or end game raid, or even a BG where the team with the most communication has always had a clear advantage. Just some examples.
@Feudartifice
oooooh I hadn’t tried a pet class yet. That’s terrible!!!
Also @Softcookie regarding communication while playing with controller:
I have a Bluetooth Keyboard for random encounters that I’ll keep handy just in case but with friends just use headset.
I use a separate software layer for controller button handling so on my switch 2 joy con I mapped the chat button to my push to talk.
I should think time where I must type in high end content would be pretty rare given how prevalent voice is these days
That’s just people trying to gatekeep. Years ago they were saying the same thing if you were not on voice chat “how are you suppose to perform while typing ?”. Well now we don’t need to type, so they need another way to argue.
They could add some kind of Quick Chat menu similar to FFXIV. Doesn’t have to be complicated, just stuff like “Hello”, “Thanks”, “Group up?”, “CC this monster” and the like. It also doubled as an auto-translate feature so people playing the game in other languages could see these Quick Chats in their native tongue.
If not, then keeping a keyboard nearby would be handy. If this ever made it to console, there’s an Xbox app for phones that allows you to type messages on your phone and have them appear in game. I used to do this when I played Black Desert Online without a keyboard nearby.
1 Like
The controller support is so amazing for a first iteration. I really want this in Retail. this has actually got me playing and spending money on WOW again. The ability to play from the recliner on 85" micro LED pretty much has me addicted to couch play only these days. I got too bad a back and too many grandkids running around to flop down at a desk these days.
Jumping in to add my vote: The functionality is pretty good, but strongly support being able to use controller buttons as modifiers.. would be amazing. Also, some controllers have additional buttons (mine has bumpers under the grip and additional buttons by the triggers) and it would be nice to be able to map those buttons as well. (ideally, i would be able to use these extra buttons as modifiers (self cast) and things like toggle auto run. left joystick press can be a bit difficult sometimes without wiggling the joystick and automatically canceling autorun)
Maybe a small “Keybind” section for keybinding additional buttons only activated with controller support on.
Also, maybe keeping interface and other options locked to when gamepad mode is on. Some interface options would be ideal to have on when using a controller, but not necessarily when playing with keyboard (ie auto self cast when using controller but key press self cast when not). Manually changing each time is tedious.
LT+RT got updated for pet classes thank you Blizzard.
A, B, X, Y are still not bindable though. I could understand keeping A and B locked to accept (+jump) and cancel, but please move that secondary action bound on Y to somewhere on the DPad.
Also allow X to be changed. It is OK to get it set to melee attack by default, but let the user decide to bind something else to it, for example wand attack, shooting or even one “basic” spell (fire ball, wrath, lightning, shadow bolt, any of the filer spell you learn <lv4). It can still remain and change as interact when close something.
Also reconsider the aura/stance bar default bind. LT+LB is not comfortable, LT+RB would fit better.
1 Like
I like to be a bumper jumper even in wow. Consoleport works basically perfectly. It isn’t as easy to explore the UI absolutely but, in gameplay, it’s a treat.
So far, and I know it’d be tedious… but I’d like an itemized list of functions I could keybind, if possible?
Oh alao, a QOL from XIV is when you pull both triggers, it gives you a different page depending on what one is pulled first. This greatly reduces the need for page flipping!
Update 9/30
TL:DR → Mouse input should be available and seamless even in gamepad mode. Controller selecting menus in UI (map / bags) should be togglable, and these custom macros should be findable in the spell book and be able to be moved or dropped from action bars!
-
Mouse input should be seamlessly usable even in gamepad mode!!!
Current behavior is that i have to move a mouse for 2 seconds (or more) to get the mouse to appear on screen.
Problem: Ground placement spells / abilities cannot be placed accurately - or at all really
This really is ridiculous. Most controllers have gyro support, or IR Sensor, or even a track pad built in now. With current implementation people are unable to do simple tasks like inventory management with a mouse when they want and then they can’t use their controller’s regular features to solve for simple placement of AoE spells.
-
Allow users to toggle controller menu options. (this is hard to describe shortly)
Example: I open the map with my home button which I mapped to ‘m’ but now when I want to continue running with the joy stick I have UI elements moving in the map! I don’t want that at all. Maybe someone else does but let me choose if I want my controls to be taken over by a random UI while running somewhere!
-
Bag UI → See above
-
I appreciate some of the newer radial menus for things like pets and stances!
‘blank’ radial menus should be optionally added like action bars for players to be able to customize with things like consumables!!!
-
I think that in the spell book there should be a ‘controller’ section that can be toggled.
Then let users move the abilities where they see fit on their bars. To ‘fool proof’ it just make a gamepad default template in the edit mode that can be used as a rescue option.
-
Out of all the annoyingly in the way buttons, for how important the /sit button is with the camping feature I cannot believe that is one of the one’s missing. I mean we can make the macro ourselves but for a new player that wants to main controller I don’t think that should be their first stumbling block with the native controller
[Original post updates]
r1 quick toggling seems fine now, either I just got good or something got improved… could be both.
I haven’t had as many issues with Camera reset. I believe this is just me getting used to it though rather than anything actually changing.
I think it makes no sense that you cannot remap the base standard buttons. I agree with others just add those basic functions as spells in the general area so we can assign them to different key binds or buttons. Imagine having a new player come in and play in game pad mode and telling them that you have to pretty much hold a modifier for the entirety of the play session.
Well I do still use the keyboard expressly for chatting; controller for just about all else. I play lying down with a TV monitor so it isn’t super awkward to set the controller to one side and go to the keyboard.
2 Likes
Bump to this thread. I wasn’t seeing much in controller support in the known issues… for example, we can’t place campfires with the controller at the moment.
1 Like
If you hit LeftBumper+RightBumper you can open additional button layouts by hitting left or right, so you can move to additional pages of buttons, there is a quick bag open option i like lb+rb+b opens bags, lb+rb+up opens questlog.