Opening this thread as a break out form the 'Who came here for the console port? one as I wanted to talk a little about controllers and their rise as the primary input device for games (oh, it looks like I meant ‘a lot’ ;)).
Please note; I am not console bashing, but these are my thoughts as to control methods:
For me the controller is a jack of all trades device that was made to work as best as possible for all types of games without the need for a desk. It was also originally designed for more arcade-style games which used to be the only type really available on consoles (2D platformers, third person action games with horrible cameras, arcade racing games, sports games and adventure/horror games, also with awful cameras), none of which I’ve ever been interested in playing.
Since then though things have come a long way in terms of the type of games made for the systems; just look at a list of top selling games for PS1 compared to 360 for e.g.; first person shooters, open world and open world RPGs are now in the top slots.
So, here goes - The controller is a device that needs to be able to be played from the sofa, handed from person to person and work for all types of game (no RTSs on console though, so they are excluded). I can totally understand someone thinking that a controller was made to play games, therefore it must be the best device. It looks like a gaming device after all. The mouse and keyboard on the other hand were made for the office and shouldn’t therefore be as good (maybe a compromise if you don’t have a ‘proper’ game controller). But they’re wrong - You simply cannot match the precision of a mouse with that of a thumb stick, and that IMO is a fact.
Here’s my personal opinion on the best controllers for game type:
**- FPS (and third person with FPS look and control system) - Mouse & Keyboard.
- Casual third person driving games - Controller.
- Serious first person driving games - Wheel + Pedals.
- Platform games - Controller.
- Flighting games (Street Fighter etc.) - Controller.
- Strategy and RTS - Mouse & Keyboard.
- Casual Flight Sim - Controller.
- Realistic Flight Sim - Joystick/Yoke, Pedals, TrackIR (+ Mouse & Keyboard for switches and UI).
- Sports games (FIFA etc.) - Controller (though I’ve never played one!).**
Of this list I have very little interest in the titles I’ve classified as ‘best with controller,’ though obviously many such genres are hugely popular (thus I use M&K for all my games + a HOTAS setup, pedals and TrackIR for flight sim).
When we take titles such as GTA or Mafia 2 where you have driving as well as ‘on foot’ sections I’d agree that the actual driving is better with a controller, if it wasn’t for the fact you have free look when driving, and that the cars are forgiving enough to handle on/off keyboard input. Whilst some PC players swap from M&K to controller for driving I’d stick with M&K all the way, due to the free-look (+ not having to swap physical controls).
So, back to first person games and the M&K vs. controller debate. If we take a ‘pure’ FPS, Quake 3/Live for e.g. I think that everyone can agree that M&K will produce the best results in a competitive environment. Some may argue that the analogue movement on the controller is more realistic, but in honesty a thumb-stick is too small to give great precision. You’re actually much more precise using the exacting on/off input of WASD and then guiding the view and thus direction precisely with the mouse. In terms of sneaking slowly forward, yes the keyboard isn’t an analogue device, but when you have ‘jog (default speed),’ ‘walk’ and ‘sprint,’ the first two of which are modulated with ‘crouch,’ you have enough flexibility already.
As to my list above; though I could scrape by playing a flight sim or realistic racing game with a controller, I wouldn’t hope to compete with someone using a joystick or wheel setup. What’s more, had I used either of those setups previously I’d be really frustrated trying to play with a controller. I wouldn’t even consider playing these types of game with K&M. But that’s kind of what I mean about the controller, it sits in the middle, allows you to play everything OK and chooses to master the ‘casual’ titles.
Retuning to my ‘controller designed for games’ comment: The controller reminds me in many ways of today’s tablets. Almost everyone has one and for many (casual) users they replace a PC. Doing the simplest of things, browsing the net for e.g., is far faster and less frustrating on PC with M&K. BUT the PC needs a desk, space, maintenance, time to turn on etc. and can’t be used from the sofa or on the move. Don’t get me wrong, tablets are great and serve a good role, but hear me out. Touch screen and voice controls are often seen as the future, and better/slicker than a clunky/nerdy M&K. But in terns of actual user experience/productivity they’re slower and more awkward. Where am I going with this? Well none of this would really bother me too much if it wasn’t for the fact as so-called ‘hardcore’ PC users we’re getting getting all this inferior stuff forced upon us. With the massive success of consoles AAA games are mostly designed with a controller in mind as the primary form of input and on the PC itself we have Windows 8 and so on. It begins to get you down after a while and aside from some idiots wanting to show off I think that this is where a lot of the ‘PC Master Race’ frustration comes from.
Being a passionate gamer, PC games are super important to me. Seeing a controller used when playing a PC FPS game as a preference is a scary sight as it makes me feel that my ‘gaming way of life’ is being eroded (rather large exaggeration, but hopefully you get the point). Now this bit might offend some people, but it’s really not meant to; watching someone playing a PC FPS game through choice with a controller is to me like watching someone navigating a desktop PC with a touch screen and voice control.Let’s expand those windows by hand and get dictating an email or fire up that virtual keyboard! What’s worse is whilst I’m busy face-palming they’re actually believing that what they’re doing is better/quicker/cooler/more productive than M&K. I can understand if that’s all you’ve known (only used tablets or always a console gamer who’s only just come over to PC), but otherwise I just don’t get it… OK, so playing with a controller maybe isn’t quite that bad, but still…
Sorry for the long post - Just had to get it out of my system! Hopefully one person might find the time to read it 
(they will probably just post - ‘You’re wrong’ - LOL, Oh well!)
Please let me know your thoughts!
