BioWare explains why PC Mass Effect 3 doesn't support gamepads

By Robert Purchese Published 16 February, 2012

"Definitely not we don't give a damn."

There's no BioWare masterplan behind Mass Effect 3 not supporting gamepads on PC - the team was overstretched and couldn't spare the time and effort required.

gijoe

Oh GUI, not GI Joe. Or, err, The Village People.

"There is a development cost in terms of time/effort to get all the graphical user interfaces so 360 buttons show up on PC," senior designer Manveer Heir explained to Eurogamer reader j0hn385 on Twitter.

"It may seem minor, but our GUI team was already stretched thin, and things were coming in at the last minute, so we couldn't add more work."

j0hn385 responded that BioWare's workforce and budget is large enough to cope. Other games routinely support the Xbox 360 gamepad, j0hn385 pointed out, so this smacked of a "we don't give a damn" attitude by BioWare.

"Definitely not 'we don't give a damn'," Manveer Heir riposted. "It's unfortunate and I understand why people are upset, but there are dev realities, sadly."

The Mass Effect 3 demo is out now for all three formats, PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.

The Mass Effect 3 demo.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (132) Latest comment 3 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • J0rdan_KZ #1 3 months ago

    But then why encrypt certain files so that the game can't be fan modded to support controllers? :-/
    Edited by J0rdan_KZ at 16/02/12 @ 09:40

  • benjstevo #2 3 months ago

    It's a BioWare game...to be expected!

    Good job my previous ME1 and ME2 Shep's are on 360.
    Edited by benjstevo at 16/02/12 @ 09:41

  • Yuroko #3 3 months ago

    Day 1 DLC?

  • Rogueywon #4 3 months ago

    If this means that we're not going to see "Press A to continue" on the splash screen when the game loads up, then I'm all for it. :)

    More seriously, there are some games that are just nicer on PC with a console controller. Despite normally being a fairly hardcore keyboard+mouser, I found both Dungeon Siege 3 and Kingdoms of Amalur almost unplayable until I switched to my 360-controller-for-windows. Fortunately, both of the earlier Mass Effect games felt perfectly nice via mouse and keyboard.

  • supermaniacs #5 3 months ago

    For the type of game it is, i was actually looking forward to gamepad support, as precision is not as important than say BF3. Consoles it is then!!

  • galerian86 #6 3 months ago

    "There is a development cost in terms of time/effort to get all the graphical user interfaces so 360 buttons show up on PC"

    What, the copy paste machine is not working?

  • Dubya #7 3 months ago

    There we go again - Bioware making excuses due to lack of time and resources.
    Who the hell is in charge there?
    Haven't they learnt from DA2?
    Seems to me more and more that Bioware simply can't keep up with the demands of modern games...

  • Darren #8 3 months ago

    Funny how other smaller developers who release a game across the same three formats can still manage to support two control schemes, e.g. the ones who made Kingdoms of Amalur. That game is about as barebones as PC multiformat games get in terms of extras, suggesting that they too had no time to enhance the game for the superior format, but yet it still manages to intergrate a control scheme that seamlessly switches the HUD and icons depending on whether you're using a controller or mouse/keyboard. That is also an EA published game too.

    Even Bethesda managed it for Skyrim as well despite the earlier Oblivion not supporting the controller properly. At least they adapted to the demands of 21st century PC gamers.

    I call bullshit on this one.

    I think BioWare don't want to support it. They could have added it to Mass Effect 2 post-launch via a patch but didn't. They could do that for Mass Effect 3 if they wanted. It's one format and a couple of people's time at a guess (maybe a programmer could clarify how long it takes to add Xbox 360 controller support to a typical PC game?). I suspect the truth is that they're probably happier knowing that pro-controller gamers will buy one of the more expensive console versions while at the same time it reduces the risk of PC gamers screaming "Console port!" if they so much see any mention of "Press START" on the title screen.

    There really is no excuse not to support controller and mouse/keyboard in a PC game here in 2012 except for exclusive strategy and MMORPGs. Just about everyone else manages it... except BioWare. Mass Effect is a third-person shooter first and RPG second so is ideally suited to the controller anyway; the original game was made with that control scheme in mind.

    Give people MORE choice, not just the one, even if it means you have to delay the game a few weeks.
    Edited by Darren at 16/02/12 @ 09:59

  • bad09 #9 3 months ago

    "the team was overstretched and couldn't spare the time and effort required."

    HahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHaha!!!!!

    So just unlock the files so a community member will do your job for free in an hour then you lazy bastards.

    Time and effort required...


    HahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHahaHa!!!

  • CheesecakeBobby #10 3 months ago

    Funyy, most full-price PC games I buy manage to include this feature. Guess I will just wait until the game is on sale, to reflect how less the game is worth to me without this feature, Bioware.

  • sashimig #11 3 months ago

    Controler on pc are pointless unless the game comes from a console version. I hope bioware was serious enough to build a viable.game on pc (mouse+keyboard) the ones who want controler on pc cent an xbox they can go shopping. Please developpers don't destroy the pc pleasure with all the crappy pads...

  • Daeltaja #12 3 months ago

    Ohh how the mighty have fallen.

  • deez #13 3 months ago

    That's ok, I just won't buy your game then.

  • Der_tolle_Emil #14 3 months ago

    The weird thing is that the GUI is imho the easiest part. All you have to do is replace the keyboard button images with controller button images. Not even the gui behavior has to change (at least not a lot from what I can guess). It's a weird decision if you ask me.

  • trebellk #15 3 months ago

    whaaaat?

    plop. probably going to stick to 360 then. I was thinking of doing so for the continuation of my save but then i fancied PC level graphics.

    Without the pad this one won't be the same though so 360 it is.

  • Boki #16 3 months ago

    Back when ME2 came out they said it was because the GUI wasn't made with a gamepad in mind as the console has a radial wheel and the pc doesn't. Seeing as that didn't have pad support I don't get why this is suddenly such a big deal.
    If it works better with a pad it's " damn dev hating on pcs" if it's made for m/k it's "stupid devs don't know their audience"

  • The-Jack-Burton #17 3 months ago

    This is a bullshit answer.

    I have limited dexterity of my left hand, and while I can use a controller pretty good, it is painful for me to try and play a game with mouse and keyboard. This forces me to by the games for my console even though I would strongly prefer to purchase it for PC.

    Bioware is one of the few companys that doesn't even allow people to make a decent mod for controller integration.

  • mikew1985 #18 3 months ago

    @Boki

    While the slightly altered GUI for m+kb may be there and is a good option to have for PC m+kb purists, there is an increasing crowd of people who prefer to game on PC with a gamepad, myself included, m+kb just doesn't really suit me as much these days. It's really not much work to have both options, especially given they have already created a gamepad GUI for the console versions. It really does smack of not being bothered to include it.

    I'm getting it on 360 anyway as thats where my character lives for ME but I can understand the frustration, in fact I own ME2 on PC (got it free with DA2) and have not played it due to the lack of pad support.

    It's a poor show by Bioware really and is nothing to do with maintaining "purity" of the PC version as some have hinted at above. It's maintaining a port with as little effort as possible.

  • Tyronne #19 3 months ago

    Now, if a company the size of Bioware cannot spare the time to add support for controllers to the pc version then how the hell do Indies manage?
    Surely it would not take that much additional time to use assets from the 360 version to enable 360 controller support on the pc version?

    Utter pish.

  • bad09 #20 3 months ago

    @Boki

    It's always been a big deal for some, people have been asking for it and relying on community members and make do 3rd party mappers for it since ME1. Kinda why this is excuse is an absolute smoke screen for the real reason (whatever that is) something is behind this determination over 3 games not to give players this very very simple thing and actually lock them out of INI files to stop them putting it in themselves like they did on ME2.

  • johnson81 #21 3 months ago

    I'm not fussed about showing the Xbox' buttons, just allow us to use the f**king game pad. I played Battlefield 3 single player with the 360 pad and that didn't show the 360 buttons.

  • Rogueywon #22 3 months ago

    For those surprised at Bioware pleading "lack of resources" - don't be. They've just launched an MMO. Every time a company with no background in that genre moves into it, they seem to under-estimate the long-term resources it will require, both to get it out the door in the first place and to support it when it goes live.

    When Square-Enix launched Final Fantasy XI, their schedule for main-series Final Fantasy games, which up to that point had been pretty much like clockwork, ground to a near-halt. When Blizzard put out World of Warcraft, it would be many years until their next game (Starcraft II).

    Both of those were at least independent companies, capable of adjusting their release schedules in accordance with their available resources. Bioware, as part of the EA empire, has less flexibility. If it's tied into a firm release schedule, it will inevitably impact how much resource goes into each project.

  • DrStrangelove #23 3 months ago

    Truth be told, I'd rather have it this way than a shoddy PC port with controls that aren't adapted to mouse input, like Dead Space or From Dust.

  • ZizouFC #24 3 months ago

    Shame. They are on a shoestring budget after all.

    You think printing out all those DLC coupons is cheap?!

  • memeroot #25 3 months ago

    so long and mouse and keyboard are done right then fine :-)

    sorry for those with limited left hand functionality - perhaps you could map the keys to macro functions on a mouse?

  • mikew1985 #26 3 months ago

    @Rogueywon

    Sorry but the Bioware studio responsible for SWTOR is entirely separate from this one, totally differnet part of the country not to mention all the help and support stuff is up and running about a year and half in Galway so that is absolutely not the reason.

  • lolercopter #27 3 months ago

    Just patch pad support in after the game is out. I'm not an advocate of patches but it's better than nothing. The code is there for the 360 version, it's not like you need to pay royalties to release a patch on PC.

  • Darren #28 3 months ago

    Heck, if money/resources right are so tight at BioWare that you can't implement something that is already there from another version that uses the same engine then release it as an optional DLC patch at a small premium for those that want it. As long as it is reasonably priced then I'd buy it as, I'm sure, would many others. BioWare would then see how many PC gamers actually want controller support.

    OK, so we shouldn't have to pay for something that, IMO, should already be included in the game but if that's the only way to convince BioWare that is worthwhile then I'd pay for it.

  • Bitkari #29 3 months ago

    I think everyone appreciates the realities of game development, with budget limitations, and time constraints.

    However, with a title like this, especially one which is trying to push EA's PC distribution platform, you'd really think that more resource would have been allocated to getting such a core feature into the PC version.

  • Tiger_Walts #30 3 months ago

    Controller support isn't something you should be leaving to the last minute. It should be developed alongside the m+kb controls and GUI. This isn't a resources issue, it's a management issue. The hardest bit is the actual GUI design and the bulk of the work done to accomplish that on the Xbox 360 and PS3 can be transferred over to the PC build.

  • Seoh #31 3 months ago

    I don't really get this rational but some devs have a thing against controller support like the PC version of Bioshock 2.

    However after playing the PC version i'm more than happy with the controls and UI layout (once i swap space and shift's actions, press spacebar to run, really?).

    What is more annoying are games like syrim where the controls and UI don't make sense unless you use a gamepad.

  • apoc_reg #32 3 months ago

    Post deleted at 10:42:05 16-02-2012

  • apoc_reg #33 3 months ago

    Games with a 10th of the budget and that don’t already have the assets in another SKU manage to support multiple control schemes on PC, he seriously expects us to believe its Dev realities.... its laziness and a lack of care for their audience.
    Edited by apoc_reg at 16/02/12 @ 12:53

  • CamberGreber #34 3 months ago

    EXCUSES

    Patch it in Bioware

    Patch it in.
    Edited by CamberGreber at 16/02/12 @ 10:38

  • BigJonno #35 3 months ago

    @The-Jack-Burton This right here. It's irritating that I can't play it with a controller if I want to, but not really a big deal. Excluding a surprisingly large number of people who have genuine issues with a keyboard and mouse is, however, a very big deal indeed. It's pretty appalling that a game this big from the likes of Bioware and EA is so exclusionary.

  • zuul #36 3 months ago

    What a piece of bollocks. Releasing an AAA product in 2012 without proper gamepad support is even more /facepalm when it's multiplatform, so you already have all the GUI and code elements in your PS3/XBox code branches.

  • bad09 #37 3 months ago

    @Darren

    Maybe we should get a kickstarter program up for poor overstretched Bioware :)

  • FanBoysSuck #38 3 months ago

    Utter, utter bullshit. The GUI for consoles is already made, it just needs some code in the PC version to say "use this when played with a pad", like pretty much ever other game does.

    Going on how well it works with everything else (press button on pad, xbox controls display, move mouse, keyboard controls display) I wouldn't be surprised if there was something to do this in the directX API.

  • jetsetwillie #39 3 months ago

    haha another thread full of comments from fuckwits how have no fucking idea what there talking about.

  • Mr.Gordons #40 3 months ago

    this is a shame, I play most of my pc games with a 360 controller (skyrim is much more playable with it) I'm going to have to get it on 360 anyway to import my save. it is just a third of the price on pc and looks and plays better. surely they could have just used the already designed 360 files for the pc interface ? an hours work for a skilled team.

  • anomagnus #41 3 months ago

    @apoc_reg

    Games with one tenth the budget aren't investing heavily in VO work, multi national releases, or a system that is designed to handle a multitude of possible scenarios, all wrapped in up in an Unreal engine for 3 different platforms.

    No ME game has had joypad support, why start now?

  • Lawrens #42 3 months ago

    That could be said for everything "We rather spend our time and money on something else because your problem isn't as important to us. I know you've been asking since Mass effect 1 but yeah, we were on a tight schedule since 2008"

  • Lukree #43 3 months ago

    Bullshit, I say. The game should have been designed multiple control schemes in mind from the start.

  • bad09 #44 3 months ago

    @jetsetwillie

    I think it might be you who doesn't know what you are talking about ;)

    It's an unreal engine game on 3 platforms 2 of which WILL use a pad. The first ME1 had a community mod complete with button icons and the only reason 2 didn't was because Bioware locked people out on purpose for some reason.

  • wayneashleysimons #45 3 months ago

    Kingdoms of Amalur it is then.

  • Skyclad #46 3 months ago

    Personally, I couldn't care less since I don't play games on PC.

    But Bioware just keeps doing stupid mistakes ...
    Look how Skyrim sold on the PC. Now they tell people you cannot implement a simple feature which some PC gamers might prefer.
    Usually it goes like this: Less choice, less sales.

    Hopefully, ME3 will be bug free - considering this news, the company does not seem to have any knowledge of the concept "patch".
    Maybe some good will come of this ...

  • ISmoke #47 3 months ago

    Would've played with M/KB anyway so no biggie. Sucks for the users that like to use pads though, i guess.

  • FanBoysSuck #48 3 months ago

    @jetsetwillie

    You mean like you?

    :p

  • cianchristopher #49 3 months ago

    Seriously? It's, like, 2 minutes of work.

  • WAusJackBauer #50 3 months ago

    Are they serious? It would take hours at the most to implement gamepad support...

  • Lemming81 #51 3 months ago

    You buy it on PC, play with a keyboard and mouse LIKE A MAN! :champ:

  • Machetazo #52 3 months ago

    When you fail to consider things and leave them for an afterthought, these are the times whereafter you'll get to plead "budgetary limitations". Amalur got it done, but Bioware had it's head somewhere else.
    Edited by Machetazo at 16/02/12 @ 13:32

  • hiddenranbir #53 3 months ago

    @Rogueywon

    Thing is, on ME2...it behaved as if you WERE using a controller. All the pop up tips were FIXED to the default controls - just as if you were on a console.

    So even if you changed your bindings, the game would still assume default controls. Just like a console.



    The GUI is atrocious whatever platform. Bioware's reality is, they're suck. Their PC version s were in no-way better designed to be on PC. Try the mining thing, it screamed analog controller to move the reticule about. It was not as efficient with the mouse.
    Edited by hiddenranbir at 16/02/12 @ 12:27

  • FortysixterUK #54 3 months ago

    The PC is now relegated to the third class format?
    ???
    Who am I kidding ?, it's been going that way for years.

  • barnettbeans #55 3 months ago

    Utter #BS I won't be bothering with this then I wasn't too fussed anyway for it but this is bollocks.

  • Darren #56 3 months ago

    Aren't the Mass Effect games the only Unreal Engine 3 titles on the PC that do NOT have controller and keyboard/mouse controls? I have lots of UE3 games and even Unreal Tournament III, a core FPS, supports the Xbox 360 controller!!! BioWare are just being stubborn in refusing to support it IMO as the tools must already be there in UE3 to start with given how no-one else seems to have problems supporting it.

    The lack of resources/time is just an excuse as others have pointed out because they should have set out from the start to include both control schemes in the game. Since someone has already done most of the work already in the 360 version and both the PC and 360 share the same engine (I've even seen references to the 360 in UE3's INI/config files!) then I fail so see why it would be so hard to support both. Every other developer seems to manage it just fine in PC multiformat games.
    Edited by Darren at 16/02/12 @ 12:49

  • cianchristopher #57 3 months ago

    Wake up and smell the sausages, BioWare. We don't want your bacon anymore. Black pudding.

  • toy_brain #58 3 months ago

    Hold on, isnt ME3 built on UE3?
    I'm pretty sure that Unreal has, built into it, Xbox360-pad support.
    As in, it's there, done for you, pretty much for free.
    This is why every Indie PC game made using the UE3 engine has interchangeable KB+M and 360 pad support.

    Surely then, it would require more effort to NOT support the 360 pad?

    EDIT: Bah! Beaten by Darren!
    Edited by toy_brain at 16/02/12 @ 13:00

  • Hunam #59 3 months ago

    This is from the company that said "No, we wont fix the fact that Garrus' face on ME1 PC is set to very low all the time because that involves a 1gb patch for some reason"

  • sashimig #60 3 months ago

    Pc was never about pads they are for consoles. Bioware is right want a paf xbox ps3 no pads for pc.reasonnable. Serious gameplay requires mouse and keyboard no toy like a pad. Without.assistance aiming with a pad is a joke.I.m sure in multi PC player won't play with console nerds to avoid a massacre of pads

  • UncleLou #61 3 months ago

    Will we get the option to holster the weapon instead? My PC has enough memory I am sure.

  • bad09 #62 3 months ago

    @sashimig

    "Serious" gameplay? pads are "toys"?

    Christ almighty....

  • MrWonderstuff #63 3 months ago

    I was hoping controller support would be included so I could get the best from my PC and HDTV. Looks like I will have to plump for the 360 version.
    Edited by MrWonderstuff at 16/02/12 @ 13:19

  • Farzlepot #64 3 months ago

    When I was a PC gamer, the very notion of using a game pad would have caused an outcry. Wheel for racers, joystick for flight / space sims, and mouse and keyboard for everything else.

    So fierce was our hatred for game pads that I actually faced a learning curve when I jumped ship and bought an Xbox - I had no experience of controlling anything with analogue sticks at all.

    Now PC gamers are complaining at the lack of pad controls? What the heck changed while I've been away?!

  • tankboi #65 3 months ago

    Bioware? A company with over 800 staff and owned by EA and worth millions? They don't have the money or resources?

    Fuck off.

  • Ptarmigandalf #66 3 months ago

    @Rogueywon Skyrim being a prime example...

  • Badassbab #67 3 months ago

    X-padder here I come!

  • v.profane #68 3 months ago

    @Seoh To be fair, with an FPS game accommodating mouse and keyboard and gamepads could mean a tonne of work because of the balance issues. Of course, Mass Effect isn't an FPS.

  • TheJuriel #69 3 months ago

    What total bullshit crap this is.

    I'm getting it on 360, but I don't like seeing this lazy justifications for just not giving a damn about the percentage of people who would like to use a gamepad on PC.

  • Pwnsweet #70 3 months ago

    Bethesda and Bioware have always made shit games. Did anyone truly expect any different here?

  • PeteDeeUK #71 3 months ago

    How is it that other developers have gotten so good at making interfaces work between the PC and gamepad there is no reason why they can't get it right, look at Kingdoms of Amalur. Standard MMO style interface if you choose to use m+k, but just press a controller button and you seamlessly switch to the 360 interface, just move the mouse and you switch back. No mess, no fuss, no problem...

    Bioware has had 3 games to get this right, (5 if you count Dragon Age) other developers have done it, hell people have even written patches for ME1 and 2 to get the gamepad controls in there, the art assets are already done for the console versions of the interfaces, it really annoys me that they just won't implement it.

  • apoc_reg #72 3 months ago

    I just heard about the holster option being removed because of memory limits... these guys are useless. Learn to do your job properly Bioware!! You used to have pride in your work.

  • sashimig #73 3 months ago

    @Farzlepot you just summed up my point! Why people who can use pad on dedicated hardware want to play them elsewhere! And you get stoned when you say the common sense!

  • dagas #74 3 months ago

    Read: Most people worked on the 360 version. The PC team weren't given enough manpower to do more than the bare minimum. It's no surprise considering ME1 and 2 also didn't have gamepad support.

  • Rens11 #75 3 months ago

    They had time to waste implementing kinect im sure copying the xbox pad into the pc controls wouldnt have taken half as long

  • sashimig #76 3 months ago

    People can keep ranting that's their right but devs are in a business they do what they think is right/good for them. Not happy? Keep your money! I.m sure most of you will buy it pads or no pads anyway!

  • photoboy #77 3 months ago

    Bullshit. People have been asking for gamepad support since ME1, to continually ignore that is just deliberate incompetence and for them to dress it up as anything else is just insulting.

    Considering I'm also expected to infect my PC with Origin to play the PC version I might just stick with the 360 this time, I've got save games I can import on both platforms so I'm not locked in to any one format (I could even finish my PS3 playthrough and get ME3 for that)!

    (Before anyone suggests keyboard + mouse, I'm playing on my laptop and I much prefer using an Xbox 360 joypad in those situations)

  • Wot_the_Melon #78 3 months ago

    Well, to be fair, I'd say that they indeed should have other priorities. Such as some decent textures, a M/KB friendly UI and some ways for users to improve on these things if they're not prepared/don't have the budget (LOLs and thinks of the Witcher 2 - a game with probably around a tenth of BioWare's budget).

    Since they did little in those aspects, I am not surprised to see gamepad support lacking as well - though it should be easy enough to circumvent that using XPadder or similar freeware.

  • TheGuvernor #79 3 months ago

    TWATS

  • DonJunville #80 3 months ago

    Seems like they didn't have time to refine Sheps animations either. He minces around like Bernie from GTA4, going off of the demo.

  • StooMonster #81 3 months ago

    "It may seem minor, but our GUI team was already stretched thin, and things were coming in at the last minute, so we couldn't add more work."

    So they didn't plan for it from the beginning then.

    It was an afterthought they didn't have time for because other "things were coming in at the last minute" that were more important.

  • blarty #82 3 months ago

    Post deleted at 14:58:40 16-02-2012

  • blarty #83 3 months ago

    It amuses me that when it suits, games that play using only Keyboard and mouse are far superior to those controller things.... and yet here we are.... I'll be getting ME3 on PS3 and Xbox... .and PC in a few weeks probably.

  • koffin #84 3 months ago

    Don't urinate in my pockets and tell me it's raining.

  • Renato84 #85 3 months ago

    I used to be a formidable RPG developer like you, then I took an arrow in the knea...

  • cyber_nicco #86 3 months ago

    Weak

  • AnotherIdiot #87 3 months ago

    To be fair, you should be grateful to have any controls at all, remember they don't owe you anything.

  • osh #88 3 months ago

    Well of course, time and effort are better spent elsewhere, like day one DLC.

  • Collymilad #89 3 months ago

    Why is this a problem? Surely PC gamers will be happy to use their superior control method?

  • Spazdarn #90 3 months ago

    @Darren It must be a piracy driven decision. The game is pretty much perfect for the controller. It'll force people to buy it on console at premium price as opposed to the likes of people who just download the game for nothing and use the controller.

    You get the best of both worlds (in some cases)

    The ease of use with the controllers and the graphics and enhancements of the pc.

  • DiGiTALiZ3D #91 3 months ago

    @J0rdan_KZ

    To maintain "control" like always.. Which is just a dumb choice when there's loads of modders with sh*tloads of talent who do this for FREE and with impressive quality if they're given the proper tools. Just like you mentioned. But at the same time, I respect the hard work from the devs and understand that sometimes there will be deadlines to meet and tough choices to make. If gamepad is a dealbreaker then playing it on console will be another alternative (though savegames will obviously not carry over)

  • MrFuzzles #92 3 months ago

    I'm with everyone else. It's baffling why they specifically set out to remove gamepad support and make it (seemingly deliberately) hard for us to mod them back in, when it's something that gets brought up with every single release of Mass Effect.

    I like to sit back and kick my legs up whenever I can, and it's a little frustrating that such a small detail has me playing it at my desk rather than my lounge chair and tv. It's not tempting to buy an entire console just for a preferred control scheme, when other devs seem to support that control scheme for PC just fine.

    I'm still convinced there's an evil master plan behind it. I bet it involves kittens and science.

    Also, halla Daniel!
    Edited by MrFuzzles at 16/02/12 @ 16:51

  • Soviet666 #93 3 months ago

    I wonder what else they didn't had time to implement on PC :p.

  • Lamb #94 3 months ago

    I don't think there is any evil masterplan behind it as Microsoft is perfectly happy to sell a wireless controller kit for the PC. Seriously just use Xpadder and remap the buttons yourself.

  • jabberwoky #95 3 months ago

    Another example of companies losing touch with gamers. If they were in truly in touch they just would not have pulled this. And the excuse is just laughable.

  • emil.albaek #96 3 months ago

    Are there seriously PC gamers out there, who wants to play a game where precise aiming on individual body-parts can matter in combat, with a gamepad...? There is something you have grosely misunderstood here... What do you think your $100 gaming mice is for?

    And on another note, are there seriously people who care to make a huge fuss out of this? Really? When neither ME1 nor ME2 had controller support either? Are you guys serious? I mean, I can understand where The-Jack-Burton is coming from. But seriously, 99% of PC gamers loathe console controllers. For me, personally, I'd much much rather have a proper PC controller implementation without all the auto-aim bs from consoles, and a proper UI made for the PC, rather than getting a game which is obviously a console-port controller and UI-wise. Check out the Skyrim fanbase. See how much they're bitching at Bethesda for not including a proper PC UI for Skyrim made for mouse and keyboard, instead of the console-controller UI included. The UI mods are among the most highly endorsed on skyrimnexus for that exact reason: http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=3863

    So... I can't really agree with the rest of you that this is some kind of epic fail from BioWare's side. I mean, Jack-The-Burton, I completely understand your pov, but the rest of you? Seriously?

  • jimr9999us #97 3 months ago

    Bioware does a story driven ui.

  • bad09 #98 3 months ago

    "What do you think your $100 gaming mice is for?"

    Mugs?

  • GavinUK86 #99 3 months ago

    I don't understand people, Mass Effect 1 didn't support controllers... Mass Effect 2 didn't support controllers... why did you think Mass Effect 3 would? If you play them on PC you utilise the hotbar and key mapping. Why would you want to use a controller? I... I... I just don't get all the complaining. I swear, people aren't happy unless they have something to moan about.

  • JohnnyHD #100 3 months ago

    @GavinUK86 Believe it or not some people have their PCs hooked up to their television and surround sound and prefer better framerates and visuals.

  • johnick #101 3 months ago

    Total BS, ME 1 and 2 work almost perfectly with a 360 controller using only a modded COALESCED.INI file. ME2 even displays the all the 360 buttons instead of the PC keyboard controls,

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r33eNpa3bYE

    other then the 360 weapon/power wheel not displaying properly and still having to use the mouse on the galaxy map, both games work fine with the right mods and a 360 controller.

    I love Bioware, but that excuse is total BS, Ive beaten ME1 and ME 2 Twice! on PC using a 360 controller.

  • iamadamsullivan #102 3 months ago

    In my experience, changing a GUI from mouse driven to controller driven isn't as easy as one would expect- they are two completely different user paradigms. While the functionality will have already been implemented in the console version, supporting both would have meant considerable time on effort on both the engineering and art teams.

  • Street89 #103 3 months ago

    Well obveeusly ewe jus kneed 2 plug ure moniter in2 ure xbox n plae it tht wey ok

  • JayKwon #104 3 months ago

    Even a small indie game (pc only) as Dear Esther has controller support. Wth Bioware? This is just bullshit, don't lie, I hate lying people. And yes, I'm not going to buy the game without gamepad support.

  • bad09 #105 3 months ago

    @johnick

    Oh I didn't know they finally managed to do it on ME2 that's handy to know if I ever replay it, last I heard it was impossible due to the locked files (but then that was not that long ater launch). Good to hear someone did it in the end and DID IT FOR FREE FOR YOUR PAYING CUSTOMERS BIOWARE ;)
    Edited by bad09 at 16/02/12 @ 22:18

  • copyofcopy #106 3 months ago

    @Rogueywon hey dummy - "bioware" is actually multiple autonomous studios. the mass effect studio has nothing to do with the star wars mmo studio.

  • copyofcopy #107 3 months ago

    developers should realize that many gamers only need the thinnest reason to pirate rather than support a game. if they're not going to respect their customers, why should their customers respect them?

  • metatron197924 #108 3 months ago

    np guys there is a lot of torrent sites lately

  • DwarfyP #109 3 months ago

    Waah waah waah. If you want to play with a 360 controller then get a 360 and stop bitching.

  • suzakuseven #110 3 months ago

    I love how this is somehow an issue even though pretty much every single other Bioware PC game has not supported pads either.

    Seriously, if they did add pad support people would still be crying about this and how it was 'Bioware dumbing-down and console-ising' their game.

    So yeah, they can't win. Everyone will still cry and say they're just going to steal the game instead. Gamers can be an incredibly immature and detestable group of incomprehensible idiots at times...

    Oh for a community that was enthusiastic about their hobby, instead of forever lamenting it as though it is some sort of curse, rather than something they enjoy.

  • chrisola #111 3 months ago

    Waah waah waah. If you want to play with a 360 controller then get a 360 and stop bitching.
    I have a 360 (and a PS3). I also have a PC and would have liked to play this on my 50" TV with a decent frame rate and GFX instead of the oh so good 20fps the consoles are giving out (in the demo at least).

    The point is games like this are now designed FOR CONSOLES, then ported to the PC. So if you have a game designed for a certain control scheme, why can't the ported version use it aswell? It makes no sense. And then the developers spend time locking the ini files so the community can't add their own support.

    Skyrim works brilliantly with the 360 controller, but if i want to use the KB and mouse i can get a good mod for it - i have a choice.

    Sometimes it's nice to relax on the sofa and play games using the big screen - can't always be perched on an office chair and hunched over my PC desk.

  • spyro83 #112 3 months ago

    WTF? What is the problem of the guys at Bioware? Why there are lying to there customers? Quit the excuses and patch this stuff. I will not buy the game when I can't play them on my TV from the couch!

  • curtisisabell #113 3 months ago

    mass effect 3, the point and click adventure.

  • uninspiredcup #114 3 months ago

    It's an inferior control scheme anyway, designed for children.

  • danieltoy #115 3 months ago

    You have time to remove the feature during the port, but don't have time to keep it in? OK... :rolleyes: I don't really care. M/KB all the way for me. But why not let the modding community do it for you Bioware? News like this kind of makes me weary.

  • TrevHead #116 3 months ago

    EA really doesnt give a flying fuck about keeping PC customers happy do they.

  • prudislav #117 3 months ago

    So it wont even get patched or what?

  • bad09 #118 3 months ago

    @DwarfyP

    Why on earth should people buy a console for 1 out of touch dev?

  • bad09 #119 3 months ago

    @prudislav

    Judging by jonicks info even if they lock the files again someone will manage to put the UE3 native support back in at some point just not Bioware. Just buy it then, it'll probably be cheaper anyway.

  • Velios #120 3 months ago

    If things were stretched so thinly at bioware, it makes me question just how much they had to rush things in the game to get it out of the door on time...

  • rudedudejude #121 3 months ago

    Can kinda tell the gui team was stretched thin tbh from the demo...

    Maybe you should recruit a couple more peeps!

  • ilmaestro #122 3 months ago

    "It's not that we don't care, it's that we really care about making sure you can't use controllers on PC and will maybe buy the 360 version"

  • Headless_Monkey_Boy #123 3 months ago

    @The-Jack-Burton

    Not sure if this will help

    http://store.razerzone.com/store/razerusa/en_GB/pd/productID.221675100

    has a thumpad

  • Lamb #124 3 months ago

    Xpadder. Xpadder. Xpadder.

    Seriously if I was going to wait for everyone of these companies to give me what I want straight out of the box, I would be waiting a long time.

    There are also file libraries to use your PS3 controller if your are so inclined.

  • alexdelarosa #125 3 months ago

    There are 2 man teams making indie games that have controller support! This is such BS.

  • johnick #126 3 months ago

    Well well, a bit of hacking over on Biowares official PC ME3 forum revelas the following.

    MrAtomica wrote...

    Interestingly enough, there appears to be key bindings for a 360 controller in the BioGame file. These are listed directly under the keyboard map.

    "(Key="XboxTypeS_A", Name=176045)",
    "(Key="XboxTypeS_B", Name=176046)",
    "(Key="XboxTypeS_X", Name=176047)",
    "(Key="XboxTypeS_Y", Name=176048)",
    "(Key="XboxTypeS_LeftShoulder", Name=174718)",
    "(Key="XboxTypeS_RightShoulder", Name=174806)",
    "(Key="XboxTypeS_LeftTrigger", Name=174720)",
    "(Key="XboxTypeS_RightTrigger", Name=174802)",
    "(Key="XboxTypeS_Back", Name=174628)",
    "(Key="XboxTypeS_Start", Name=174829)",
    "(Key="XboxTypeS_LeftThumbstick", Name=174637)",
    "(Key="XboxTypeS_RightThumbstick", Name=174638)",
    "(Key="XboxTypeS_DPad_Up", Name=174656)",
    "(Key="XboxTypeS_DPad_Down", Name=174653)",
    "(Key="XboxTypeS_DPad_Right", Name=174655)",
    "(Key="XboxTypeS_DPad_Left", Name=174654)",
    "(Key="XboxTypeS_LeftX", Name=174719)",
    "(Key="XboxTypeS_LeftY", Name=174805)",
    "(Key="XboxTypeS_RightX", Name=174803)",
    "(Key="XboxTypeS_RightY", Name=174804)"

    I've seen many topics complaining about the lack of 360 controller support, but it would seem that this is not entirely true. The presence of these bindings likely means a 3rd party controller enabler is possible. Why the bindings are there without controller support is anyone's guess.

    If you wanted more proof that Bioware are full of shit, there ya go.

  • Chufty #127 3 months ago

    Ahh so much hate.

    The main reason I choose PC gaming over console gaming for 99% of my games is the humble mouse. I'm surprised so many PC gamers care about gamepad support?

  • Ultraman1966 #128 3 months ago

    @Chufty It's funny, for games like Resident Evil 5 or Lost Planet 2 I can switch from KB/M to gamepad on the fly and it would immediately change the on screen prompt... if they can do it then so can Bioware. I only game on PC but some games, especially those designed for consoles first (don't kid yourself, Mass Effect is one of them) are better experienced with a controller.

  • Trigg3rHippie #129 3 months ago

    It's bullshit Bioware and you know it. Anyway, this won't affect me, I played ME and ME2 on 360 so my only choice is the console.

  • crazy-ramo #130 3 months ago

    i was actually so mad at mass effect 3 not having GAMEPAD SUPPORT!! so i took 12 hours convincing 16 of my friends and family to return the game before opening it and convince them to find a cracked version of the game on the internet they said it wasn't so hard. PC an hour in of playing i gave up because using a laptops mouse pad to play sucks shit!.

    HEY BIOWARE IF YOUR READING THIS WHICH I HIGHLY DOUBT. IF YOU ARE NOT GONNA SUPPORT MY GAMING STYLE THEN I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT YOUR GAMES AND I'M PRETTY INFLUENTIAL WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING BACK AT MY ENEMIES AND THAT IS WHAT YOU JUST BECAME UNLESS OF COURSE YOU GUYS PULL EACH OTHERS DICKS OUT OF YOUR MOUTHS AND DO SOME GODDAMN THINKING!
    Edited by crazy-ramo at 06/03/12 @ 19:49

  • crazy-ramo #131 3 months ago

    i only care when companies make piece of shit games like ME3. with gamepad support i gurantee this game wouldnt have any trash talk if that were so.

  • destinatusrule #132 3 months ago

    Is this serious?
    "Waaah, I can't do my job because it's too hard!"

    Incompetence is never an excuse.

    I wish I could go to work and tell my boss; "I'm sorry, I couldn't do all my work because it was too hard, but I did most of it!