Larian Studios Forums Divinity - Original Sin Divinity - Original Sin - General Good isometric RPGs with controller support?

With Steam announcing their SteamBox, and other cloud-gaming platforms on the horizon, we were wondering if we should support controller input. Anyone have some good examples of top down RPGs with controller support?

Of course the challenge is to NOT change anything about gameplay and design, and interactivity, and to still cater for keyboard/mouse fans. We are well aware of that and do not want to make compromises.

Also, quoting Lar: "...if we put in controller support, there's no reason left why we shouldn't support the game on consoles. But, since putting in controller support is a lot of work, we're trying to figure out if there's a demand. And no, this is not an official announcement that the game will appear on consoles."

From my experience

X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse
Marvel Ultimate Alliance
Dungeon Siege III (good controls IMO but bad RPG)

But my examples are a bit moot since these are all action RPGs, not turn based (the question wasn't specific enough). The efficiency of the controls are tailored for real time combat. Someone in the previous threads mentioned XCom Enemy Unknown. I haven't played that but from what I've read, it is turn based (strategy though) and has controller support, it might be the perfect example. Again I never played that game so that is speculation on my part.

If available I'd probably use a controller some or all of the time, but lack of support wouldn't be a deal breaker for getting the game.

Hmm, because it's a Turn based combat rpg I don't have any need for using a controller on pc game !
So for me: no demand .
But even with a real time combat rpg like DD and BD I don't have the feeling I "need" a controller ...

For me:
all of D:OS is PC operating (with mouse and keyboard)
OR
BOTH : full pc game + full console game

And nothing in between !

But again: this kind of game is best played on a pc, especially with the "editor" in mind !

Xcom EU is great with controller. You can sit down and relax and enjoy the game and you don't have to be hunched over the PC to play it.

The Witcher 2 is also great with Xbox controller. Two World 2 as well.

I think you should include it, especially since the combat is TB and you don't need precision of mouse to frantically click around while your characters are engaged in Real-time combat ala Baldurs Gate, etc.

P.S. Why not develop it with Xbox controller in mind (like Witcher 2 was) and later you will have an option to release it on consoles.

JESUS CHRIST
Please, tell me who is the artist who draws these two? Does he has deviantart/CGHub account? I asked it via email but never hot a reply from you. Damn, I already love this couple thanks to this brilliant artwork.


I stay by my previous statement regarding all these questions directed to community; as long as changes do not affect original game concept/design much (ie unlike with TES5 case - game primarily developed for PC and there won't be any stupid changes due to console port/additions) - I'm fine with that, I don't mind.


There is a lot of turn-based/tactic games on consoles that works fine with gamepad. They are not sole card of PC platform. Just saying.

And what about the NON combat features like all the stuff that is not nailed to the ground you can move etc etc ... and what about managing the "Editor" with a controller ? I believe making all this possible with a controller is difficult to make it intuitive enough to have fun with it !

Okay, it is possible to play a TB combat on a console, I agree, but a RPG is more than combat alone .

I don't think the editor will ever work with a controller. You need to do some typing to get stuff working (dialogs, scripts, names, settings). It's an editor like a dev uses, so the modders have all the power, i.e. it's not an editor that a six-year-old can use. (It's not a "Shoot Em Up Construction Kit" type of application, it's a full blown RPG editor. Not a commercial "Make your own RPG for dummies" thing.)

Kein: I don't think he has one of those. I also don't remember if it was Koen who made this, or Thierry...

Not an RPG, but with controller support : Some of the Rayman games (I think it was Rayman 3).
And "Beyond Good & Evil" as well, if I remember correctly.

At the Watch several people pointed towards Sacred 2.

No offense to Joram...

but if ever Larian announces the editor to be fully functional with a gamepad (controller), I'm going to shoot out all the insults I can come up with at Larian until I get banned.

prejudice aside

Larian might want to look into Runic games' foray into the console with Torchlight 1 (2 different games released, one for console the other for PC) and why they totally abandoned the controller in Torchlight 2. Again, Torchlight is a real time game, not turn based but their reasons had something to do with resources and the effort required to do it.

IIRC Runic games is classified as an indie developer.

I liked the previous version of that image better, the one where the guy has the spiral necklace. Something about his face in this one doesn't look so good. But I like how the image speaks to me, though.

I don't care if the game supports controllers as long as the KB/M support is good. But I'm not terribly worried about that being a problem.

Orogion's DeviantArt Page

He is our lead animator but he also does a lot of concept art.

A good isometric RPG with controller support ? Maybe yes, but certainly NOT Divinity : Original Sin !!
That's now cristal clear to me !

And I'm wondering why the h**ll this question was coming up

There were requests for controller support in the PC version of Divinity 2. Of course there is much less need in a turn based isometric game, but having the option isn't a bad thing as long as resources are not taken away from other features and it doesn't restrict any design choices. World interaction and inventory management would be easier with a mouse, but can still be done with a controller.

I don't think an editor would be missed with a console version; the design / intent isn't really compatible. There are probably editors for racing games, etc, but anyone wanting to create anything with an RPG editor would want to do so on a PC.

ForkTong said in the original post the question was coming up due to Steam announcing SteamBox and upcoming cloud based gaming services (potential markets focused on living room gaming, where a controller is easier to use than a keyboard and mouse).

But I believe Lar is not a fan of making D:OS with controller support ...

And if a gamer is smart and creative he/she can find a way to play in his/her living room on a pc with mouse and keyboard ... especially with a laptop.
So I hope when D:OS is coming on the market I can find a really good laptop (just because I'm planning to buy a laptop anyway in 2013 or 2014) in a shop that can handle D:OS very smooth, even the Editor ! And then a whole new fantastic fantasy world is laying on my feed to step into and enjoy ... for yearrrrrsss !!

And besides I play on the xbox using my pc 19 inch flatscreen (that is not standing in the living room!), the same flatscreen I use for my pc. Why ? Because I like to make notes while playing and lying in the sofa with a controller looking at a tv screen is "not my style to play relaxed" trying to make notes that way .
But again, that's me.

Thank you.

Any other artists there?

I don't think it's possible to make a deep, isometric RPG for game pad use without redesigning a lot of core functionality. A great example is Skyrim. Great RPG and game in general, but the interface is absolutely terrible and the whole game feels "dumbed down." It's the same with Oblivion and Fallout 3. I'm pretty sure this is why Bethesda moved fallout away from an isometric game and made it a first person shooter. Action RPG's can get away with controller support because they have minimal environmental interaction.

Also, because the way consoles work is so pervasive, the elements used for a controller would ultimately spill over to the PC version. This is true of so many games (some are so bad, they force you to press specific keyboard buttons just to navigate the main menu, rendering the mouse useless).

Is it impossible? No. But I think the resources would be better spent making a fully polished PC game with additional content than a console port.

There is also the issue of co-op and the (possible) addition of full multiplayer support. You would either have to prevent cross-platform gaming, or shackle the PC version so the console players aren't always falling behind or (in the case of pvp) getting stomped.

I have been using SteamBox since it`s beta and love it. I can sit on my couch and load up multiple games in one session and never have to use my keyboard. I will get Original Sin no matter what but being able to play from my couch would be icing on the cake.

I also think the FULL CONTROLLER SUPPORT mark on Steam games has become a selling point for many shoppers. If you want to pull in more customers from the console crowd (which is what Steam is doing with SteamBox) you will need controller support.

A warning though as other have pointed out. Leaving your PC crowd behind is a mistake. Having two separate UIs would be a lot of work but I think it`s the only way with such a detailed game world. If you are going for controller support go 100%.

This would normally be a deal breaker for me, for example I didn't buy Divinity 2 for the PC until after I knew a third party enabled the game to be played on a gamepad. That said after falling in love with Divinity 2 and reading that if there will be a Divinity 3 it needs to be funded through sales of Dragon Commander and Original Sin I will buy both games at launch. I have no intention of playing either game until someone enables gamepad support but I have no problem gambling the price of two games if it means I might have the chance to purchase Divinity 3 at a later date.

That said, I think it would be smart to enable controler port as if you look pc games that have sold well they either support a gamepad or a third party has developed support in order to sell its software. I know it's a chicken and egg thing, but still I think the link is causational rather than correlational.

Torchlight supported the gamepad when Runic Games did the porting to x360...I think that would be nice to have a controller support!!! But to no compromise the GUI for mouse and keyboard... I think larian must create a new GUI specifically for the new imput...