Controller + Mouse Setup?

[CaptJ]

What is this setup even called?

I heard some people using this setup for games like Overwatch. I never played Overwatch but I get the appeal of playing games this way. I wanted to use this setup for Hotline Miami but the game just assumes that I'm constantly switching between keyboard+mouse and controller. From what I heard, Overwatch also has the same problem. A lot of times, searching about this setup results in keyboard+mouse vs controller debates. Does any game officially support this kind of setup? This can't be that niche. I seen stores online and retail selling stuff like this.

 

[Hassknecht]

Many games support this stuff as long as you can properly rebind your keys, I guess. It's niche because I guess it's kinda weird to hold a normal controller in just one hand.
Reminds me a bit of the combination trackball+joystick, like this:

Apparently, this combination (especially with a good trackball, the Assassin 3D was especially made for that purpose, with the capability to connect a joystick directly) was pretty beasty in the hands of skilled FPS players, letting you do precise 180° turns quicker than any mouse.
Still thinking about getting a trackball, actually, just to try this. But a Kensington Expert Mouse is costs like 60€ around here...

 

[CaptJ]

Many games support this stuff as long as you can properly rebind your keys, I guess.

Key rebinding doesn't work in a lot of cases. You couldn't just use Joy2Key because the game already recognizes the controller. In those cases, it switches between keyboard+mouse to controller. One time, I wanted to play Grim Fandango with the controller (this was before the remaster was even announced) and it had problem. No, I wasn't using a mouse+controller but the game assumes that I was using a Microsoft SideWinder. I was able to bypass it by using MotionInJoy which let's me bind keyboard keys to controller buttons in a much lower level than Joy2Key. However, I'm not willing to install MotionInJoy which is basically malware.

It's niche because I guess it's kinda weird to hold a normal controller in just one hand.

This video shows someone using the PS Move Nav controller instead of a Xbox 360 controller.

 

[Hassknecht]

Never really tried it, tbh. I guess rebinding is more of an issue than I thought. Oh well.
It's a pretty cool idea, especially for games that actually allow for analog movement speed (like Splinter Cell, I think?) but you don't want to sacrifice mouse accuracy.
I liked this concept:
http://trackballer.com/2010/12/23/hands-on-review-the-trackball-controller-for-xbox-360/
Basically a controller with the left thumbstick exchanged for a trackball, allowing for almost mouse-like precision. Not too much a fan of thumb trackballs, but still way better than a thumbstick.

 

[CaptJ]

Basically a controller with the left thumbstick exchanged for a trackball

Don't you mean right thumbstick? I don't like the idea of using a trackball and I dislike the Xbox 360 controller's D-pad. I just find mouse aim to be the best.

Never really tried it, tbh. I guess rebinding is more of an issue than I thought.

Don't make assumptions like that. I got the Hori Pad FPS Plus; and despite it being compatible PS4 and PS3, it is treated as neither by the computer so software like DS4Windows doesn't work. Thankfully, TocaEdit Xbox 360 Controller Emulator works for this and some games natively support this but the setup is on a game by game basis. Spelunky works great on it. I also bought it to replace the controller for PS3 so I wasn't that bad with my money. However, the Xbox 360 controller is rather well supported so maybe third party controllers might not be such a problem but I haven't tried it.

Edit: I found a work around for those games that forces itself to gamepad mode every time you input from a controller. At least, a solution that works on Steam. While using the aforementioned the Hori Pad 4 FPS Plus, I turn on Big Picture mode on Steam. I go to the settings and configure the controller. Press the "guide" button (in this case the PS button) to "turn off" the controller in Big Picture mode (I think guide + Y). Now games running on Big Picture mode don't automatically detected the controller and Joy2Key can be used. This allows for more customization.

I imagine this would be useful to people with handicaps. If only I could find PS Move Nav controller. I'm playing Hotline Miami this way now. I'm really rusty.

BTW: Does anyone else like experimenting with this?
I didn't want to double post please reply.