dirt3

[Rambusted]

Just got this off steam for free with the purchase of a gpu. I benchmarked it and ya know it looks pretty damn good. Unfortunately I am a kbm guy and do not own a gamepad, is it worth it to buy one for this game, if so whats a good brand?

 

[Dankk]

If you have any interest at all in racing games, then yes, it's worth it to get a gamepad.

90% of the people on these forums will most likely recommend an Xbox 360 controller. It works right out of the box, drivers are installed automatically (being that it's a Microsoft device), and almost all PC games with gamepad support are specifically tooled to use it... including in-game multicolored button icons and all.

You can buy a wired 360 pad for $30. Best solution there is, IMO.

 

[Rambusted]

Thats awesome I didn't know you could do that. Not a big console fan.

 

[Stringjam]

I totally dig Dirt3, but I HATE how it's integrated with Games for Windows LIVE.

It won't save progress unless you log in, and now I've lost 76 races worth of progress because GFWL won't load my profile.

Leave it to developers to complicate the hell out of something so simple as saving progress. Codemasters my ass.

Other than that, I really like the game.

 

[jacktesterson]

I am not going to lie.

I prefer to game using a Xbox controller, and pretty much every game Natively supports them these days. I don't think there is any better solution, since the majority of games were also designed to play with the 360 controller.

I prefer to game on PC for the visual effects.

I even game at MW3 and BF3 online using a 360 controller ON PC. I am usually hovering around dead even (Even kill-die ratio). People say I would do much better on KB/Mouse, I disagree, because I hate the feeling of it and am worse with it.

 

[homercles337]

Just got this off steam for free with the purchase of a gpu. I benchmarked it and ya know it looks pretty damn good. Unfortunately I am a kbm guy and do not own a gamepad, is it worth it to buy one for this game, if so whats a good brand?

I have Dirt3 and bought an xbox360 controller to play it because of those rubbish gymkhana runs. I have been playing racing games for years with keyboard/mouse (this one requires keyboard only) and the controller was worse than just keyboard. Something to keep in mind. That controller has been sitting on my desk after a total of about 15 minutes of use.

 

[sandorski]

I don't have Dirt 3 yet, but a Wheel is the preferred device for Racing games.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

I even game at MW3 and BF3 online using a 360 controller ON PC. I am usually hovering around dead even (Even kill-die ratio). People say I would do much better on KB/Mouse, I disagree, because I hate the feeling of it and am worse with it.

You would do better with a keyboard and mouse. All things being equal, a mouse is going to be able to move the crosshair to a specific pixel faster than an analog stick. The difference may be tiny, but it is measurable. I'm not suggesting that you should ditch the system you like; obviously, enjoyment is the most important thing in gaming, so if you like playing with a controller, do it. But there is a specific and accurate logic in the support of keyboard/mice combination over a controller (especially for first person shooters).

I hated playing with the mouse when I first started PC gaming cause I grew up a console gamer; who needs a mouse? It took me a long time to start using the mouse for gaming, but I eventually got pretty good with it. Now, I pretty much can't play a first person shooter on consoles; it's too slow waiting for the crosshair to move, regardless of the sensitivity of the analog stick. It's just no match for the precision and responsiveness of a mouse.

 

[Jabberrwocky]

My wife bought Burnout Paradise and the wired Xbox 360 controllers for my son and I. We love them over mouse and keyboard.

If you don't own Burnout Paradise, you may want to check that out too. Pretty game and a blast to play. You can play the demo to try before you buy.

 

[Rambusted]

it's too slow waiting for the crosshair to move, regardless of the sensitivity of the analog stick. It's just no match for the precision and responsiveness of a mouse.

Not only is it slow, the analog stick is constantly trying to revert to center. When I take my hand off my mouse it doesn't drift back to the center of my mousepad.

 

[AnMig]

Recieved my free dirt 3 game with my 7970 video card last week and have not been able to play this game due to steam "unable to connect to key server" issue.
Apparently someone maybe amd inadvertently leaked milions of key for this game and they still have not sorted it out.

Sucks for those people who just got the game.

 

[Rambusted]

Mine came with an xfx 6870 card just last week and the key worked on the first try.

 

[OCNewbie]

People say I would do much better on KB/Mouse, I disagree, because I hate the feeling of it and am worse with it.

You would be better, but there is an adjustment period. At first, you would suck, and it would be frustrating, but you would adapt, and in the end you would be a better player, especially in regards to aim, as you would be using a superior input method compared to what you're used to.

It just depends on how much you care. If you care enough, you'll go through the initial frustration of being worse than you are now, not being comfortable with KB/M.

I'm very accustomed to using KB/M for FPS game. I try playing CoD on my friends 360 with his gamepad, and I just feel so gimp with it, so it's not fun. I'm sure with some time I could adjust, but have no desire to play CoD on a 360, so there's no point. I will also add that I got into Batman Arkham Asylum (on PC), and got a 360 controller based on popular opinion that it was the way to go. At first, it felt really awkward, but gradually that feeling went away, and it became quite comfortable. Some games play better with a controller, others (like FPS's) play better with KB/M.

 

[Stuka87]

I play Dirt3 with an extremely old USB gamepad that I bought about 10 years ago to play emulation stuff (SNES, etc). Still works for this game and is WAY better than using the keyboard.

 

[Stuka87]

Not only is it slow, the analog stick is constantly trying to revert to center. When I take my hand off my mouse it doesn't drift back to the center of my mousepad.

You know in real cars the steering wheel always return back to center right? Road going cars are a bit lazy typically, but cars setup for racing literally snap back.

I actually use the d-pad and not the analog stick. Just wish my gamepad worked like a PS2 controller where the buttons were analog, and pressing lighter or firmer changed their input. In GT4 and such this meant controlling throttle and brake with the buttons.

 

[OCNewbie]

Just wish my gamepad worked like a PS2 controller where the buttons were analog, and pressing lighter or firmer changed their input. In GT4 and such this meant controlling throttle and brake with the buttons.

I had forgotten about that feature! That WAS quite handy.

 

[Rambusted]

You know in real cars the steering wheel always return back to center right? Road going cars are a bit lazy typically, but cars setup for racing literally snap back.

I actually use the d-pad and not the analog stick. Just wish my gamepad worked like a PS2 controller where the buttons were analog, and pressing lighter or firmer changed their input. In GT4 and such this meant controlling throttle and brake with the buttons.

I agree that a gamepad is better for driving games(and sports) thats why i was asking about brands and such. In that quote above I was referring to pc games in general, fps mmorpgs, rts, etc, I would never buy a racing game on pc I just received dirt free with a gpu.

 

[Stringjam]

I would never buy a racing game on pc I just received dirt free with a gpu.

Why not? I love racing games......Shift2 and Dirt3 on PC are both great. You can also mod the games (Shift2 really benefits a ton from the mini-mod).

 

[Barfo]

You know in real cars the steering wheel always return back to center right? Road going cars are a bit lazy typically, but cars setup for racing literally snap back.

I actually use the d-pad and not the analog stick. Just wish my gamepad worked like a PS2 controller where the buttons were analog, and pressing lighter or firmer changed their input. In GT4 and such this meant controlling throttle and brake with the buttons.

Dirt 2 works like that with a xbox pad.

 

[Rambusted]

Why not? I love racing games......Shift2 and Dirt3 on PC are both great. You can also mod the games (Shift2 really benefits a ton from the mini-mod).

I just cant see playing them with a kb and i never felt the need to buy a gamepad for the pc. The games i like a pad for arent really on pc anymore, fighting, sports, platformers are all console games for the most part, the only genre left on pc built for a pad is racing. I'd rather buy games like that for my ps3 since im sure as hell not going to play an any other types of games on there. Matter of fact my ps3 has become a glorified netflix box as of late.