360 Controller Dilemma - Not Enough Buttons

[ScruffyBubbles]

I've recently begun playing Skyrim again on my PC, thanks mainly to the fact that I've been doing so with a 360 Controller (actually a PS3 controller and an emulator), which has made the controls feel a lot smoother and simpler.

 

I've run into one problem while modding, however - I need an extra button. I installed the Dual Wield Parrying mod (http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/9247/?) and am extremely eager to use its new block button while dual-wielding. The only problem is that I have no more buttons that I can map it to without sacrificing another control, and I really cannot afford to do so. I'd like to map block to either the Shout button (which is currently mapped to my right trigger), and then map Shout to B (Circle), or perhaps vice versa. Unfortunately, though, this means that I'll have to sacrifice my Character Menu Button [or, the Sheath/Ready button if I use X (Square)].

 

I've thought of several ways that I would LIKE to solve this problem, but I don't know exactly how to accomplish them due to certain roadblocks:

 

1. D-Pad I didn't even know until recently that the Left and Right keys were used as shortcuts, so I don't use them. Rather than train myself to use them, I figured I would just use one of them (or perhaps the Up or Down buttons, since I only need one to access my favorites) as my character menu button. No such luck, however, as the normal controls menu does not allow me to map anything to those buttons, as they're "reserved".

 

2. Map the Character Menu button to the Xbox Button (PS Button). Not as effortless as bumping circle, but it would still work pretty efficiently for my control scheme, and I'd be free to use a shoulder/trigger button for block and place shout on either X or B (Square or Circle). Only one problem - the game, for reasons that don't make any sense to me, reserves that button for absolutely nothing, it seems, as if pressing it is magically going to bring up the Xbox'x Menu on my PC.

 

3. Using one of the many mods that remap most of the 360 controller buttons to be more hotkey-friendly. While this MAY work, I'm weary that doing so would just frustrate me more. Most of the ones I've seen seem to eliminate the Character Menu button in favor of using one of the shoulders/triggers as a "shift" key, but I would assume that most mods would "reserve" these buttons all the same, and I still wouldn't be able to map the "shift" button as both my hotkey shift and my block button, although if I get desperate enough I may experiment to see if any of said mods will work.

 

4. Trick my PC into thinking that the PS3 button is something else by not mapping it to the Xbox button, but to something else in the emulator itself (MotioninJoy). Unfortunately, the only remaining option that ISN'T in use is macro...and, well that's a bit beyond my understanding (it seems that I can create sequences of buttons to be placed under one button but, again, that doesn't help me much)

 

Does anyone happen to know any mods or tweaks that could help with these issues, either by making the Xbox/PS button able to be mapped to something, or by using mods that add shift buttons? I don't really have need for a bunch of complicated hotkeys, but it may be worth it to try them if it'll mean I can make the Dual Wield Parrying mod, or ANY mod that adds an extra button, work with my controller.

 

Any ideas or thoughts would be greatly appreciated! If I have to, I'll just uninstall the Parry mod and see if I don't get destroyed while Dual Wielding (I'm using a Combat Realism mod which ups damage by all weapons, but also makes blocking more effective. I'd probably opt to drop difficulty before I would uninstall that mod, which balances bows and daggers to make them more useful for non-stealth combat)

 

EDIT: It seems the Xbox button IS being used - by Steam, obnoxiously enough. Is there a way I could make that NOT bring up the Steam interface? (I'm not sure how I did it, but after repeatedly pressing, tapping, and holding the button in various ways, it decided to minimize my game and show me Steam)

 

UPDATE: I seem to have found a partial workaround that mostly works. In the mod configure menu, I mapped the block button to that of my spring button. I'm unable to spring when my weapons are out, but I can use the block, and vice versa, when my weapons are sheathed I can sprint again. Not the ideal setting, but it works more or less. I'm still curious about using my PS button or un-reserving the D-Pad

Edited June 17, 2013 by ScruffyBubbles

[LargeStyle]

You could disable Steam overlay for the game - at least that way it won't pop up when the "middle" button is pressed. It's also used to call up GFWL when running a relative game, so it's not unused on pc.

 

I don't use the weapon mod that you're referring to, but sounds to me like the mod itself may be at fault. Why does it not use the existing block button? I can only assume you need more than one block button?

 

Otherwise, all I can think of is to not use Xbox 360 controller Emulator in MotioninJoy and make a custom configuration where you emulate the 360 controls yourself except map the keyboard prompt for the weapon mod to the d-pad down button (only really "spare" button).

[hypno88]

You can still use the keyboard while playing with a controller. Just map all your "less used" hotkeys to it

 

- Hypno

[LargeStyle]

@ hypno - actually I believe once the game has recognised and started to use the controller it completely overrides keyboard commands and the mouse and keyboard only become active as soon as the controller is disabled :down:

[vestan]

I just mapped it to X (A) button as this is only used to open dialogue (which you won't be doing while in combat) or to open things (which you be doing while in combat).

[ScruffyBubbles]

As LargeStyle said, once a Controller has been acknowledged, the keyboard can only be used for console commands, quicksaving/quickloading, screenshots, and non-game functions (brightness, volume, etc.), or else that actually would be a good idea to just throw the wait button on the keyboard.

 

Also, my apologies for not clarifying, the mod specifically made blocking possible for dual-wielding weapons (since normally, when dual-wielding, the 'block' button attacks with the left hand). I ended up uninstalling the mod for the time being, since I was getting destroyed in combat realism and blocking wasn't really helping me one way or another. I like vestan's advice, however; I had given up when I got too frustrated wanting to sprint during combat and I kept blocking instead, but mapping it to A may help since I won't be talking/using during combat (granted blocking with daggers hasn't seemed to do much anyway). Thanks!

[Drax8]

Hmmm, interesting, I use a Logitech F310 controller for playing Skyrim, and am able to use the keyboard for such mods as Dual Wield Parrying (V key), iHUD (X key), Predator Vision/Realistic Needs (N key) etc.

 

Don't know if it is because you are using the PS3 remote with an emulator, but I have no issues with it.

 

Also, if you haven't tried it, the mod "360 Hotkey Enabler" - http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/310/? will let you use the 1-8 keys as hotkeys, invaluable to a controller user, and obviously doesn't only work with a 360 remote since the mod works perfectly for me.

[DeisArkhel]

I'm not sure if you have solved this issue yet, but the Razer Sabertooth has 6 extra programmable buttons. I'm not sure if you can assign them to mod keys though SkyUI or the regular interface though. Barring that, you could always use Xpadder to assign keyboard keys to the extra buttons.

[papamac67]

Have you looked at "more hotkeys please" mod on nexus?. I use it on my keyboard and it is awesome. I know that it also supports the 360 controller to.

[vestan]

As LargeStyle said, once a Controller has been acknowledged, the keyboard can only be used for console commands, quicksaving/quickloading, screenshots, and non-game functions (brightness, volume, etc.), or else that actually would be a good idea to just throw the wait button on the keyboard.

 

Also, my apologies for not clarifying, the mod specifically made blocking possible for dual-wielding weapons (since normally, when dual-wielding, the 'block' button attacks with the left hand). I ended up uninstalling the mod for the time being, since I was getting destroyed in combat realism and blocking wasn't really helping me one way or another. I like vestan's advice, however; I had given up when I got too frustrated wanting to sprint during combat and I kept blocking instead, but mapping it to A may help since I won't be talking/using during combat (granted blocking with daggers hasn't seemed to do much anyway). Thanks!

The a (x) button is what I use. It works really well. I use it alongside SkyRe and it's satisfying blocking and staggering an enemy then letting rip with an ice bolt to the face while he's stumbling around. Sweet.

 

Only problem I've encountered is that sometimes whilst changing weapons in the middle of a fight the block sticks so you have to hit the a button to unblock, but it's a minor annoyance really, nothing more.