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OS X Mac games that support MFi controllers?
- Thread starter nagromme
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Honestly, I'd rather that future versions of Yosemite (or future OSX) would include built-in (full functionality) support for the latest XBOne and PS4 controllers (without requiring any other 3rd party software)….since PS4 and XBOne are ubiquitous. You might find one or two in every other household in the USA. That's not the case with MFi controllers.
MFI pads are not that popular and that is especially the case on OS X. The main reason Feral games don't support them is that they don't have enough buttons to support almost every single game we port. They work great for simple games with only a few inputs but the majority of the games we work on are based on AAA console titles and these use all the buttons on a console pad.
Apple's gamepad framework supports 2 fixed types of gamepad standard and extended. They both have an exact number of buttons and controls as defined by Apple.
The basic profile compared to console controllers is missing:
1. Analogue sticks,
2. Back button
3. Left and right triggers
4. Rumble Support (not essential)
The extended profile compared to console controllers is missing:
1. "click" on analogue sticks (triggered by pressing down on the analogue sticks)
2. Back button
3. Rumble Support (not essential)
Almost all modern AAA games we work on use these missing buttons as part of the control mechanism, meaning the framework cannot support most games with the same layout as it doesn't support have enough inputs.
If the MFI spec is updated to support the same inputs as the major consoles (both PS3/4 and XBOX 360/ONE have the same number of buttons) then I guess support would improve on both OS X and iOS as it would allow you to map the original game controls over to the OS X/iOS versions.
Edwin
Yeah, we did try but the limitations of the pad design meant it wasn't feasible.
Perhaps with MFI v2
Thanks for that detailed description ... I picked up a Steelseries Stratus for cheap on a meh.com sale just after Thanksgiving, and it is great for playing games like Bioshock and GTA:CW and KotOR on my iPad (though to be honest I am such an old fart kybd & mouse guy I suck at controllers
).But it did make me wonder about using it with my MacBook Air ... so thanks for the update. I have a X360 controller I use with my gaming PC on occasion ... never worried about one for Mac (but then I mostly play non-console style games such as currently Divinity Original Sin and Wasteland 2)
Thanks for that detailed description ... I picked up a Steelseries Stratus for cheap on a meh.com sale just after Thanksgiving, and it is great for playing games like Bioshock and GTA:CW and KotOR on my iPad (though to be honest I am such an old fart kybd & mouse guy I suck at controllers
But it did make me wonder about using it with my MacBook Air ... so thanks for the update. I have a X360 controller I use with my gaming PC on occasion ... never worried about one for Mac (but then I mostly play non-console style games such as currently Divinity Original Sin and Wasteland 2)
If it is USB pad with enough buttons we can usually get the pad working. Right now we support ~140 gamepads in Feral games including both this and the previous generation console pads from Microsoft and Sony. If you have a problem with a Feral game just email our support!
Edwin
It's disappointing to hear that the iOS controllers can't be used very easily on the Mac. As of now I use a wireless Logitech Rumblepad 2 and a PlayStation 3 controller for gaming (emulators and Steam games). I like the idea of a controller for iOS games, but the controllers are expensive compared to buying an Xbox 360 or PS3 controller, among others. If I could use that controller for iOS and OS X, it would be easier to justify the purchase. But I'm not going to buy a controller that only gets used occasionally, and I tend to do more gaming on the Mac than on iOS.
Thanks for the insight on AAA development! (Although I'd be happy for an alternative layout. I always customize my USB PlayStation controller layouts anyway, and add extra functions to long-presses.)
I don't expect much MFi support yet--too small a niche, too soon.
But AAA titles aren't the only games--most games don't need a Back button and stick-click. The same kinds of games that use MFi controllers on iOS, for instance.
(And don't worry about the "basic" layout--as far as I can tell, Apple doesn't even support that on Mac officially, and I doubt it will be as popular with iOS buyers either.)
So I'm thinking indie games will be the first to support it. But I don't know which ones (if any) do so now. Post if you hear of any! I will do the same.
Meanwhile, the developer of ControllerMate (universal Mac controller driver with insane amount of customization) posted recently that he'd like to add MFi support. If that happens, ALL games, even AAA, will work! Even games that don't know a controller from a hole in the ground: just assign keys or mouse axes.
That would also allow me to use my MFi controller as a remote to control DVDs and music on my Mac.
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True, sadly nothing we have released in years would line up correctly due to the limitations.
You could get some AAA to kind of work but you would have to have some of the controls on your keyboard which would negate the usefulness of the gamepad. I have thought long and hard on this one before we didn't add support to think of ways round the limitations and I could think of many possible solutions but all of them would negatively impact on user experience/control.
If you want to play with a pad on the Mac I'd get a dedicated pad. There are many threads discussing the best options.
Edwin
Since we are talking about Macs if I miss a key or two I can bind these to keyboard or using 2 buttons at same time. I think MFi controllers support should be a must, even if limited.
I was surprised when apple didn't include the stick click buttons or back button in it's mfi specs. Hopefully they will release a version 2, but that would invalidate all the version 1 controllers already made.
Not sure how apple can dig itself out of this hole.
Not sure how apple can dig itself out of this hole.
Both the PS3/4 & Xbox 360/One have great controllers. I wish they opened them up on both ios/macOS.
I believe that the latest xbox one controllers (revised edition uses Bluetooth) and the ps3/ps4 controllers work natively with Bluetooth on macOS High Sierra, with the exception of some missing features (force feedback for example.). Please correct me if I am wrong, I haven’t tried to actually use them on my mac in quite a while.
I don’t think they work via USB direct connection however, without some unofficial drivers.
I believe that the latest xbox one controllers (revised edition uses Bluetooth) and the ps3/ps4 controllers work natively with Bluetooth on macOS High Sierra, with the exception of some missing features (force feedback for example.). Please correct me if I am wrong, I haven’t tried to actually use them on my mac in quite a while.
I don’t think they work via USB direct connection however, without some unofficial drivers.