Play WoW with a PS3 controller

by Zach Yonzon Oct 21st 2008 at 3:30PM

We all know Blizzard hasn't exactly been a fan of consoles and that our favorite game isn't likely to arrive in console form anytime soon, but reader Spazzer showed us how he plays World of Warcraft with a PlayStation 3 controller. Spazzer attached his PS3 controller to his MacBook Pro and hooked up his laptop to the TV, which he says is "effectively the same as playing on a PS3." So it's not exactly playing on a PS3 but it also sorta kinda is.

Spazzer points Mac users in the direction of two freely downloadable programs to play WoW console-style -- an obscure driver for the PS3 controller and a game pad emulator to help with all the key bindings. When Blizzard game designer Jonathan LeCraft was interviewed last year, he stressed that "you really do need a keyboard to play WoW". It seems like someone seems to have already sidestepped that limitation using readily available tools, and Spazzer points out that resourceful Windows users will easily be able to replicate the same trick. Could this herald a new era for WoW or console gaming? Or, uh, just a bunch of free HKs?

Tags: console, console-gaming, consoles, MacBook-Pro, PS3, PS3-controller, wow-on-consoles

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Fan stuff

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

omni guy Oct 21st 2008 3:36PM

Controllermate + Xbox 360 controller = better solution.

Tony Oct 21st 2008 3:46PM

The 360 controller is awful.

ninjasuperspy Oct 21st 2008 4:15PM

It is a damn shame that there aren't windows drivers for the 360 messenger pad. I tell you, I played FFXI with a wireless ps2 controller and it was a seamless experience. Of course, FFXI's tiered menu system was designed with a console in mind. WoW not so much.

I'd imagine that you'd use one analogue stick for WASD, two triggers for strafe, then the d-pad/buttons + shoulders for hotkeys. This is still a problem for stuff you can't hotkey. Though if you made a bunch of macros for "Ding!" "Grats!" and "Attacking %T" standard communication stuff, you could probably replace a good portion of the keyboard functions.

Or possibly you could slave the second stick to mouse movement and use triggers or shoulder buttons for left and right click.

DPS would be all I'd try with it. Tab-targeting to heal isn't something I'd stake a raid on.

Tesak Dec 7th 2008 4:13AM

I own a Xbox 360 controller with the messenger kit, and i was shocked to find out that that messenger kit is incompatable with windows PC due to missing drivers that MS failed to turn out, and simply got distracted from finishing. The PS3 on the other hand, costs more yet it HAS a compatable Mini keyboard attachment, which means, i own a Xbox 360, but i'm about to buy a ps3 remote and chat kid, and whatever else i need so i can play WOW entirely wireless. A blue tooth headset would also be nice.

Zayd Oct 21st 2008 3:37PM

Ret pala anyone?

Rastakitty Oct 21st 2008 3:41PM

I could see this being applicable for people playing very, very casualy. A class that can spam 1 attack. but just the thought of this in a bg is fairly laughable

Metal Geario 360 Oct 22nd 2008 11:54AM

Basically, its a joke altogether if you ask me...

Innovative, but useless all at once.

Jenny Oct 21st 2008 3:48PM

One button for jumping, one for right clicking, one for pet attack, three for DOTs, one for wand attack, one for Fear: All a Warlock needs. :)

wyrd Oct 22nd 2008 10:09AM

You are insane if you think a warlock is clicking just those buttons.

Brian Oct 21st 2008 3:53PM

I prefer controlmk to remap the keys. being able to control the strafe and turning speed of your character is a big advantage, thou not one that mouse users will ever admit to (think about using a mouse running around someone, you will at one point have to pick up the mouse and move it over to get more desk space). With 8 usable face buttons and L2 and r2 as modifiers you have more then enough buttons.

CunningB Oct 21st 2008 4:07PM

That would all depend on how you use your mouse, most gamers dont physically move the mouse but have mroe of a pawing motion, espically with high def mice, i can move the pointer from one side of the screen to the other with little more than a flick of the wrist!

Added to this the one huge advantage a mouse has is precision, click targeting will always be more effective at range and close up you still have tab target, and added to this could you honestly imagine healing with a game pad! or tanking for that matter, no mouse over macros or anything.

So to sum-up yes you caould use a game pad, but you'd loose a hell fo alot unless all you play is single target dps...

Daku Oct 21st 2008 3:54PM

PC users can check out XPadder. Don't know about it using the next gen controllers, but you can use it to bind whatever key on your controller to whatever key on your keyboard.

Pretty handy if you're into that.

Jay Oct 21st 2008 4:05PM

I've fooled around with this myself, only with a Wiimote+nunchuck. With a lot of macros, it works alright until you have to type something, then you discover that the whole thing is more trouble than it's worth.

The real trick would be to get it to work with an xbox 360 controller + their chatpad keyboard that goes underneath.

deviationer Oct 21st 2008 4:06PM

no no and NO!

Kalerender Oct 21st 2008 4:19PM

Then you're a bad warlock.

From a PvP perspective I can think of 3 curses, 4 affliction spells, drains, mana return, healthstone, pet control. That's just for casual bg play.

Sure you can play WoW with consoler controllers, hell I saw a clip of someone who hooked up a Wii-mote to WoW to play with, but it'd be the same as stripping the seats from my car, putting a stick instead of a wheel, using a rope for a hand break, and using hand signals rather then an indicator.

But if people want to do it, sure, free HK's incoming.

Nimlier Oct 21st 2008 4:56PM

The thing people are missing is that you can switch the panels in your hotkey bar. There are what, four or five panels? You set two of the trigger buttons to rotate through them, and set O, X, [] and Triangle to 1-4 on the boxes, and you have access to 20 or so spells. That's more than I use regularly. You've got a stick for moving, a stick for mousing, you've still got all four d-pad directions, select, and start to use. Not to mention L3 and R3, if you push down on the sticks. There are actually as many buttons on a PS3 controller as I regularly use in WoW to control my character. The only difficult part would be the lack of a mouse, as it would be gimped with a stick, but it's still doable.

Lukeyo Oct 21st 2008 5:00PM

This is nothing new. People have been using gamepads to play keyboard and mouse style games for years. There are plenty of [console]-to-USB adapters around, and just as many programs to map them with.

The PS3 controller is essentially the PS2 control with tilt, and there have already been news stories covering the PS2 pad (essentially the best "all-around" gamepad out there), Wiimote via Bluetooth, and joysticks.

Personally I prefer JoyToKey.

frank Oct 21st 2008 5:41PM

I have been playing with a Saittek P990 Controller for 6+ months and I can tell yopu that it is definantly a viable option, especially for a caster. If you include the direcitons of the analogs, it has 20 buttons BEFORE you add in shifts. Meaning if I set 3 buttonsn on the controller to a shift key I know have 60 button combinaitons. And I promise its not any more difficult than the crazy key combos your already trying to hit on your keyboard.. The controller com4es with software that lets you set which button sends what key. No special software needed to use it with wow, when in wow you just go to the keybinds and hit eahc button for whatever action you want in binded to. I got #1 dps in Hyjal last night fopr ahead of eveyrone else. In WSG I bring all the flags home eveyrtime.(Im druid). In arena Ive gotten rating as high as 1750. Which I know isnt the greatest but I have been raiding for so long and only recently been interested in arena. That rating was me specced Moonkin. Just a little insight for people who think the idea of using a controller in Wow is absurd Im here to tell you its great and I love it. Instead of being hunched over a keyboard killing my back I sit a couple feet from my screen on my bed with my controller. I even found a way to run and move the camera effectivly using the analog but I dont do for me its not nessesary.

Andostre Oct 21st 2008 5:46PM

How do you chat with a console controller?

Hell, I could "play" WoW with just an old Atari 2600 joystick, but it wouldn't be to the extent that most people consider WoW to be playable. I would imagine that LeCraft and many others consider the chat window to be an essential part of playing WoW.

I suppose you could play with a console controller and either a supplemental keyboard, a keyboard program, or even voice recognition software, but then it's misleading to just say that you play WoW with a console controller.