Tales of Monkey Island on PC with PS3 Controller

[monkey_05_06]

I was considering recently on the fact that some of the games I play on PC would be better suited to a game controller. I don't have one, but my roommates do have a PlayStation 3. I already know that the wireless Xbox 360 controllers only send data wirelessly, but what about the PS3 controller?

So I Googled.

And I came across this article which tells how to use a PS3 controller as a game controller for your PC. It worked great, but didn't work with certain games, namely, Tales.

So next I sought out a way to map the controller input to keyboard/mouse input. Googling once more led me here, where I was able to download a program called JoyToKey.

I've configured JoyToKey for my personal use, and it works great with Tales. I considered looking up the actual PS control schema, but decided not to. :P

The profile I designed is as follows:

Left Joystick Up: W
Left Joystick Left: A
Left Joystick Down: S
Left Joystick Right: D
Right Joystick/D-Pad: Move mouse cursor
Start: Escape
X / R3 (Right Joystick Click): Left mouse click
O / L3 (Left Joystick Click): Right mouse click

For those who want to do this themselves, you can download the files here:

SIXAXIS Drivers
JoyToKey
JoyToKey DualShock Profile for Tales (If you want to use my controller profile, extract to the same folder as the JoyToKey files)

The steps:

1. Extract the archives to somewhere easily accessible. I have them in my Games folder.
2. From the SIXAXIS drivers, you will need to run the file "libusb-win32-filter-bin-0.1.10.1.exe" once, to install the drivers necessary to use the PS3 controller.
3. Plug in the PS3 controller to your PC. If you're in the same room as the PS3 (or within Bluetooth range), I recommend switching the PS3 off.
4. Open up the Game Controller settings (for me in Windows 7 this is Control Panel > Devices and Printers > PLAYSTATION(R) 3 Controller (Right-Click) > Game controller settings) and open the Properties for the controller. This will allow you to make sure the computer is detecting the controller (it's probably not working yet).
5. Again from the SIXAXIS drivers, you will need to run the "ps3sixaxis_en.exe" file. You should only have to run this once right now, but you may have to run it later when you want to use the controller again.
6. Now, move the left analog and see if the cross-hairs in the controller's properties is moving. If not, try pressing the PS button once or twice, which should activate the controller.
7. Once you can see the cross-hairs moving (you should also see buttons lighting up with their respective IDs as you press them), you can continue. If it's not working up to this point, then JoyToKey isn't going to work anyway.
8. If you're going to use the profile I designed, make sure at this point that you extracted the CFG file from the profile archive to the same folder as the JoyToKey files.
9. Run JoyToKey.exe (in the JoyToKey folder of course). This program must be running to convert the controller input to keyboard/mouse input for Tales to interpret.
10. Enjoy!

Just thought I'd share this in case anybody else was interested.

[Varrok]

And I came across this article which tells how to use a PS3 controller as a game controller for your PC. It worked great, but didn't work with certain games, namely, Tales.

The main reason is fact that there's no (fully) implemented support for a gamepad in Tales

[monkey_05_06]

Obviously. Hence the reason you need JoyToKey (or similar) to use a controller with Tales. I preordered and can't see the point in buying Tales all over again just to be able to use the PS3 controller. I can play it in my living room on the big screen HDTV, using the PS3 controller, without buying it again. This, to me, is awesome. Hence me posting, to share with others.

[xbskid]

Originally Posted by Varrok

The main reason is fact that there's no (fully) implemented support for a gamepad in Tales

And there's no real, official driver set for SIXAXIS and DualShock 3 controllers, and unfortunately, I don't think there will be. And what sucks about that is that users with 64bit machines have to jump through flaming hoops and potentially endanger their systems just to use the damn things.

[monkey_05_06]

If you're all so worried about "official" support and "official" drivers and "official" control profiles, just download Tales from PSN. Geeze.

[Polychrome]

You could do it like me and use a wacom tablet.

No funny software necessary. (Unless you count the game itself.)

[xbskid]

Originally Posted by monkey_05_06

If you're all so worried about "official" support and "official" drivers and "official" control profiles, just download Tales from PSN. Geeze.

That's not going to help me play Darwinia or StepMania!

[StarEye]

Get a Playstation 2 -> USB converter, it works perfectly and I use it for Pro Evolution Soccer. Unless your desperate to get the trigger buttons on the PS3 controller, it's a better solution. A PS2 controller is also cheaper.

That, or get an X360 controller.

[xbskid]

Originally Posted by StarEye

Get a Playstation 2 -> USB converter, it works perfectly and I use it for Pro Evolution Soccer. Unless your desperate to get the trigger buttons on the PS3 controller, it's a better solution. A PS2 controller is also cheaper.

I have one. Unfortunately HKEMS has yet to release 64bit Vista/W7 drivers for it since it's an older model and they apparently have better devices to write drivers for.

Originally Posted by StarEye

That, or get an X360 controller.

No thanks. I find them terribly uncomfortable.

[StarEye]

Originally Posted by xbskid

I have one. Unfortunately HKEMS has yet to release 64bit Vista/W7 drivers for it since it's an older model and they apparently have better devices to write drivers for.

Better get this one instead then. I have one, and it works flawlessly (I run Vista 64).

http://www.speed-link.com/?p=2&cat=319&pid=20205&paus=1

[monkey_05_06]

I've always been told that barring very few exceptions 64-bit should be fully interoperable with 32-bit (including programs, drivers, etc.). Can't you simply use them as normal, or set some sort of compatibility settings?

[Friar]

Originally Posted by monkey_05_06

I've always been told that barring very few exceptions 64-bit should be fully interoperable with 32-bit (including programs, drivers, etc.). Can't you simply use them as normal, or set some sort of compatibility settings?

Whe i tried to do it, nothing would happen. I couldn't even get the wiimote to synch up properly, and thats just bluetooth, and glovepie. The remote would just flash constantly, not doing anything.

[xbskid]

Originally Posted by monkey_05_06

I've always been told that barring very few exceptions 64-bit should be fully interoperable with 32-bit (including programs, drivers, etc.). Can't you simply use them as normal, or set some sort of compatibility settings?

Programs, yes. Drivers, no. Especially drivers that interact with the kernel. The 64bit Windows kernels do not offer any sort of compatibility with 32bit drivers, therefore if you do not have 64bit drivers, you cannot use your device. This is why I was unable to get my EyeToy camera to work under a 64bit OS--because D-Link never released 64bit versions of the compatible drivers (And wanted me to buy a newer camera).