Posted 08 October 2017 - 02:04 AM
The lot of you saying joypads can't give you the precision needed to play MWO clearly don't play console games. Just look at the tons of videos out there of players doing incredible moves and aimshots on console FPS games, and come back here and tell me you can do those things. Yes there are vids out there for PC FPS, but there's an equal number for consoles.
I have been playing consoles for over 25 years and PC 30, and I can tell you the joypad can be as precise as you make it to be. If you're good enough, over time you can get good with the joypad.
Also the claim that the hand is more precise than the thumb, you're overlooking one thing: when the hand requires precise movement of the mouse, it's your thumb and fingers that's doing it, not your palm, and your thumb is the lead. Try playing MWO without the thumb, elevate it off the mouse, and tell me your gameplay is precise.
MWO can easily be played on a joypad. It has more than enough buttons to cover all the commands you need. It also can do toggles, eg holding a trigger like holding shift etc, to add more buttons if needed. World of Tanks and War Thunder are both on PS4 and they have PC equivalents, and not only that they are cross-platform. You can even textchat if you want since the PS4 supports BT keyboards.
Can a console MWO player best a PC player? At the top tier most likely not, but that's alot to do with player experience. MWO is less a game about precision and raw aimbot skills, and more about knowing the weapons, mechs, map mastery and how players think. These things transcend control methods. Also, it may surprise you, but a joypad's use of dual analogs makes mech piloting more intuitive than the keyboard. the WASD does not translate well to where the mech is heading, so you have to mentally map pressing W or D into the game's space by using other cues like the minimap and the arrow. The analog stick is more intuitive in giving you an idea of direction. Also the joypad will give you more precise speed control either with the analog stick or the trigger buttons as trigger buttons are (now) pressure-sensitive.
Diablo was a long-time PC stalwart until they ported D3 to the PS4, and it worked fine. So did MMOs with games like DC Universe and Destiny. The biggest problems for PGI will be the UX redesign to cater to the joypad, eg the Mechlab, it can't be drag and drop, more likely a drop-down box of some kind as you move around the mech's locations.
The idea that the console experience, be it controller or game, is a dumbed down one, is a myth perpetuated by the ignorant and bigoted PC crowd who insist they are the master race and can't see past their kbm.