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[Murphy]

For the first time in my life, I got my hands on a nice 8-button, dual-analog gamepad.
The first game that comes to my mind that I want to try it on? Dwarf Fortress!

Okay, I realize this is stupid and gamepads are not convenient for roguelike controls at all.
But I am still curious, what would be your keybindings to play DF with such a device, if you had to?
Assuming you can use Autohotkey or similar program to map the keys to it.

Edited to add: I of course mean Dwarf mode, or the task would be too simple to solve

[Phynhas]

And why not, really?  After all, they put guys on the moon with Ataris.   

[superstepa]

Okay, I realize this is stupid and gamepads are not convenient for roguelike controls at all.

Edited to add: I of course mean Dwarf mode, or the task would be too simple to solve

Urik Mcsuperstepa is stricken by melancholy

[Loud Whispers]

You're going to need more buttons :I

[TinyPirate]

I bet someone has made a tool that will take gamepad input and let you select letters with stick input, for example. Would be good for people with certain kinds of disabilities.

[Trif]

Well, you'll definitely need one analog stick for the 8 horizontal directions. The other one could be used for + , - (up and down) and < and > (left and right, maybe). I'm not sure how you'll use /,*, PgUp and PgDown, but maybe the diagonals on the second stick can be used for that. That leaves the 8 buttons. You'll need [ESC], and [Enter], you can pause by using the designation menu. Six keys left for the most important in-game features. You'll need (d)esignating and (i) for digging up/down stairs, (b)uilding and (q) and (a) for giving production orders. And (e) for embarking.

So yeah, you could make a fortress with a game pad. But you couldn't assign labors; check the thoughts of dwarfs; make any sort of zones, burrows or stockpiles; assign nobles; trade; embark on a flat map; check combat reports; give orders to build multiple floor tiles or walls at once; make a military; or build bridges or archery targets facing in a specific direction.

It makes for a nice challenge though.

[Xebeth]

I bet someone has made a tool that will take gamepad input and let you select letters with stick input, for example. Would be good for people with certain kinds of disabilities.

You win.

[Girlinhat]

You'll need something to parse the input into chords, more than likely.  Look into chorded keyboards, like the kind they use during court trials.  They basically have small computers of their own just to handle the keystrokes.

I'd guess, you wouldn't be able to press a button and trigger a menu.  Instead, you'd hold down a button and tilt the controller to open a menu.  For instance, A+Left might open the "k" menu, and A+Right might open the "v" menu.  There's simply too many characters to fit on a gamepad without a lot of chording.

[KodKod]

I could see something like a Nostromo Speedpad working out with dwarf fortress, what with its macro-programmable buttons and enough different modes of use to effectively give it 40+ different keys...

But a regular gamepad? That seems tricky. The most complicated thing I ever configured a Gamepad for was World of Warcraft, back when it actually had lots of different buttons to press, but that pales in comparison to the kind of extensive setup you'd need to do in order to get DF working; personally I wouldn't even consider it.

[Girlinhat]

Now I'm wondering what kind of software I'd need to use a PS3 controller...

[kaijyuu]

I could see it working with an overlaying interface; some 3rd party program that would let you choose the various menu options (construct building, military, etc) using a outside menu and the d-pad to select them. It'd be pretty damn tedious though; final fantasy's bad enough with its menus, and dwarf fortress has 15x as many.


As a side note, the d-pad and analog sticks would be vastly superior to the arrow keys for designations, though the mouse is still better than anything else.

[KodKod]

Now I'm wondering what kind of software I'd need to use a PS3 controller...

When I used a PS2 controller JoyToKey worked fine for all my needs.

[Xebeth]

Now I'm wondering what kind of software I'd need to use a PS3 controller...

There are a couple of drivers around for that. My girlfriend uses this (google translated). There is also a bluetooth version which I haven't tried. Or there is something called motionjoy but it was full of ads last time I used it.

[Murphy]

Well, you'll definitely need one analog stick for the 8 horizontal directions. The other one could be used for + , - (up and down) and < and > (left and right, maybe). I'm not sure how you'll use /,*, PgUp and PgDown, but maybe the diagonals on the second stick can be used for that. That leaves the 8 buttons. You'll need [ESC], and [Enter], you can pause by using the designation menu. Six keys left for the most important in-game features. You'll need (d)esignating and (i) for digging up/down stairs, (b)uilding and (q) and (a) for giving production orders. And (e) for embarking.

So yeah, you could make a fortress with a game pad. But you couldn't assign labors; check the thoughts of dwarfs; make any sort of zones, burrows or stockpiles; assign nobles; trade; embark on a flat map; check combat reports; give orders to build multiple floor tiles or walls at once; make a military; or build bridges or archery targets facing in a specific direction.

It makes for a nice challenge though.

Aha.
I can have start for enter and select for esc (make that space, I actually still have leavescreen mapped to space).
D-pad for /, *, PgUp and PgDown. Or actually, use it for 4 more useful keys. And 8 ordinary buttons left... yeah, still not enough.
Cool.

[Mrhappyface]

As long as I can look radical doing it, I'm down with it.

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