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Bulders Gate 3 | Controller vs Keyboard

Akuji

Member
Hey everyone. Gonna buy the game because i want to support games like it.

If i buy it, then iam gonna atleast play it for a couple of hours. It seems like a pretty big complex game. How does it transfer to a controller? I have a nice Sound System etc, if controller doesnt get in the way of the game, would rather rock it on PS5.

Be "harsh" i want the real answer. If Keyboard is just better iam gonna buy it on PC.

Thanks :)
 

TheSHEEEP

Gold Member
It's a game with a myriad of abilities, requiring very good camera control and overview over the battlefield to make the best decisions.
Lots of time is spent with inventory management, too.
The right-click menu on items can have 10+ entries depending on context...

Will it be playable with a controller? Yes.
Will it be enjoyable with a controller? Yes. Probably.
Will it be better with kb+m? Absolutely, yes. Unless you generally prefer the most ineffective solution to your problems and have unlimited amounts of time or are masochistic.
 

Filben

Member
I find myself switching back and forth (which works well on PC) . First of all, gamepad works damn well with a fully tailored UI that is completely different when playing with m/k. Text and UI elements are differently arranged and increased in size for readability.

They added features to increase precision so you won't accidentally interact with one object close to another you wanted to interact with instead.

Moving a character with an analogue stick is a bit more fun than doing it with a click. It feels close to a action RPG but requires a bit more from you on the controller.

However, it's indeed a bit more difficult gameplay wise: when using mouse controls your character's will move to the location you clicked in the fastest and safest way, avoiding fire, acid, toxic gas etc. If you move with the controller they won't and you have to be more perceptive of your environment and navigate around dangerous terrain by yourself.
 
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ThisIsMyDog

Member
is it playable on controller? Yes, they did decent job with that. Is is still far superior on K+M? Yes.

One of the biggest problems on the XS controller that I've discovered is, for example, the same button is for skipping dialogue as for selecting a dialogue option. So if you play in such a way that you read the subtitle and scroll on, you can sometimes accidentally select something you don't want.
 

Gaiff

SBI’s Resident Gaslighter
It works on a controller. If you've played Divinity Original Sin or II, it's pretty much the same.

Is it still far better on keyboard and mouse? Yep, but it plays fine on consoles too.
 

DavidGzz

Member
Someone on here advised that Larian allowed mouse and keyboard on console for their other games like Divinity, so it should be the case for BG3.
 

Chukhopops

Member
I finished DOS with KBM and DOS2 with an Xbox controller.

Controller gameplay works but some actions were kinda tedious to do (splitting the group, switching from one group to another, moving from the map screen, moving loot, etc).

KBM is simply superior for that kind of gameplay.
 

Power Pro

Member
People that say any game is definitively better with mouse/keyboard, I never believe. I don't enjoy a game with mouse and keyboard, regardless if it's designed for it or not, I never do, and never will. Playing a game with those in my hands does not feel like a game to me. It feels like work. I hate mouse and keyboard controls so much, that I'll gladly play an "inferior" way to control because it's what I'm comfortable with.
 

avin

Member
I think controller is actually serviceable, but it's still not my preferred way to play this sort of game.

avin
 
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Zug

Member
Moving around/exploring with your character(s) is more fun with gamepad, almost feels like Dragon Age Inquisition and games alike.
Everything else just works better with KM+B, since there is so many options. You have wheels with the gamepad, but like 5 of them and need to switch back and forth until you find what you need. With a mouse you just click on what you need.
I think I may end up playing with both : gamepad for non combat phases, and mouse for these. Keyboard on the side for some specific things like quicksaving.

Edit : this might be a game where the Steam controller proves usefull, where did I put that thing again...
 
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Akuji

Member
From what i got Controller is fine but K+M is the better solution. Will pick PC then.
If i want to play with K+M at my setup i can just plug in my PC / Laptop. But i dont enjoy playing with K+M at my home theatre. If i play a game in there its gotta be Controller based.

Thanks everyone for the Info and thoughts.
 

DelireMan7

Member
I am waiting for console version but this is more a K+M type of game for me.

I wish there was an option to play K+M on PS5. (Or is it possible already ?)
 

Ogbert

Member
Controller is fine for exploring the world. The third person camera is great.

But, as others have said, the intricacies of combat are so much better on mouse and keyboard. And I say that as someone who would rather be playing on controller.

Get it on PC.
 

Denton

Member
I have 30 hours on controller. It is fine, and for exploration definitely more immersive for me, but anything involving inventory feels more like work rather than fun. That annoys me somewhat. Plus lot of QoL features are missing, no ability to set camera sensitivity (and default is a bit low than I would like), no toggle to see interactables either. No remapping at all.
 

ToadMan

Member
I played the first 10 or so hours with m/k.

Today I’ve been trying out controller play on my TV. Used xbox and dual sense controllers so far.

It’s a surprisingly different experience using a controller. It is entirely more console-like. I feel “closer” to the characters because I control them directly. The UI is significantly different with a controller - Larian didn’t just hack a controller on to m/k controls.

Is one “better” than the other? I don’t think so but they are more different in the way the game feels to play than I expected. It’s almost a new game switching between the two.

I’ve found information is presented better with the controller UI because there is more limited data on screen at one time. It just means I’m not overwhelmed with stuff. On the other hand, there have been times I’ve felt like m/k would have given me a better overview of the environment.

At the moment I think I’m enjoying my play time better with the controller because it’s comfy couch, sit back and relax gaming, but let’s see how it goes over many hours.

Also of course, if you can hook your PC up to the TV then there’s no need to wait. In fact I was going to double dip for cross saves but now I’m not so sure.

In summary, if you prefer controller then waiting for PS5 is fine, or just use it on PC today.
 

Nankatsu

Gold Member
I've seen some youtube videos from people playing it with controller and everyone praises how well it works.

What I feared most was the UI being the same as if you're using Keyboard + mouse, but it gets changed.

It may not be insanely snappy but feels more comfy, so that's what I'm going with.
 

SmokedMeat

Gamer™
It’s a PC centric game so keyboard works best. I’ve heard controller works nicely too, but ACG said there’s some commands you can’t perform with a controller.

Not enough buttons I guess.
 

MidGenRefresh

*Refreshes biennially
I've seen some youtube videos from people playing it with controller and everyone praises how well it works.

What I feared most was the UI being the same as if you're using Keyboard + mouse, but it gets changed.

It may not be insanely snappy but feels more comfy, so that's what I'm going with.

Honestly, how pressing 6-7 buttons to perform an action that can be done with a single click on M+K can feel 'more comfy'? So weird.
 

HL3.exe

Member
I actually switched over from m/kb to controller. Found it te be more enjoyably 'tactile' and having 'direct control' when exploring the world. Lowering the camera to be more 3rd person.

Example of 3rd person camera:
 
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It works fine on controller. You’re also locked into controller when playing split screen with no option to use mouse and keyboard for one player and controller for the other.

If I was only playing single player, I’d be using mouse and keyboard, no question. It’s a far better way to play these games. That being said, controller is more than OK in my opinion.
 

Filben

Member
Also, with m/k I find myself constantly messing with the camera because of the intricate and complex geometry of the world and terrain; stuff gets obscured by geometry. Let's say I want to read a book but I can't click it because something from the ceiling or walls or other items are in the way. I feel like I'm always working against the camera. The only setting requiring no tinkering is the tactical bird eye view but then all the characters are loosing details and I can't look into the distance.

That's the beauty, gameplay wise, of games like PoE where everything you need to see can be seen due to a fixed camera angle. Although it feels way more static this way.

With controller in BG3, however, there's less hassle. Context interaction (like reading said book from the example above) is relative to your character, like in most 3rd person games. With m/k it's always character and mouse pointer relative.

As someone said earlier here, it's a different experience. Not inherently better or worse.
 

darrylgorn

Member
I've been playing 40 hours so far with a controller. Other than inventory management, there is no inherent advantage in using a keyboard and mouse.

The game is more enjoyable playing on a couch with a controller. Splitscreen co-op is fun as hell.
 
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Vroadstar

Member
I've been playing 40 hours so far with a controller. Other than inventory management, there is no inherent advantage in using a keyboard and mouse.

The game is more enjoyable playing on a couch with a controller. Splitscreen co-op is fun as hell.
Yup, same, I played and finished Divinity 1 & 2 on a controller and did not feel I'm at any disadvantage compared to M+K. I say whichever of the two you're more comfortable playing the game, then just go with it.
 

twilo99

Member
I tried it with an Xbox controller yesterday and it feels really tedious compared to mouse and key.. could be better with a PS5 controller but the difference can’t be that big.

The game, well the whole genre really, was obviously designed with m/k in mind, so just buy it on PC or hook up m/k to your console.
 
It's best with keyboard and mouse by a mile.

I'm usually a controller kind of person but it's so awkward and clunky to play this game with one.

With a keyboard/mouse it's much easier to select skills, position party members, select enemies, deal with inventory, etc. The controller support is probably as good as it can be for such a complex game. Reminds me of trying to play Flight Simulator with a controller. You can do it but it's not fun and you're missing out a lot.
 

Mister Wolf

Member
Controller for me. Not having to point and click all the time is a godsend. Sometimes you just want to make minute adjustments to their positioning that only an analog stick can provide.
 

Ivory Samoan

Gold Member
Both have things they do better than the other.

Movement, 'feeling' and exploration in general? Controller wins I think.
The rest (especially inventory management) - KB+M definitely has the upper hand.

I'm playing with my wireless KB+M perched right by my ottoman, so at the touch of a button, I can hotswap between the 2 for using the KB for custom map marker labels, save game typing or the 2 things I can't out on Controller (how to reorder your group on the left edge of the screen, and how to hotswap between melee, range and light source.

Apart from that - everything else seems to be mapped, as far as I can tell! :)
 

Hendrick's

If only my penis was as big as my GamerScore!
I'm someone who almost always prefers game pad, but I just can't do it with this game. Too many different icons and options.
 

Gaiff

SBI’s Resident Gaslighter
People that say any game is definitively better with mouse/keyboard, I never believe. I don't enjoy a game with mouse and keyboard, regardless if it's designed for it or not, I never do, and never will. Playing a game with those in my hands does not feel like a game to me. It feels like work. I hate mouse and keyboard controls so much, that I'll gladly play an "inferior" way to control because it's what I'm comfortable with.
You're probably one of those, "I don't game on PC because I work with one and when I get home I wanna relax on a couch, therefore console gaming is better."
 
I just wished the game had m+kb controls kinda like wow. Hold the middle mouse for camera look and WASD for movement. When the middle mouse button is let go, it acts just like a normal mouse cursor.

My biggest complaint about the game is the camera and lack of wasd movement/controls. It's so annoying the way it works now.
 
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