Controller



For some people, the controls for Final Fantasy XIV feel a little awkward, and using a controller can enhance their gameplay experience greatly. The following is a guide to configuring a Playstation 3 controller with FFXIV for a Windows 7 PC. Also see the guide for the XBOX 360 controller.

Installing the Drivers

Step 1: Download the latest PS3 drivers here. The file is in RAR format. You can unpack the contents with WinRAR (32bit version or 64bit version). See the contents of the RAR file in Figure 1.



Step 2: Connect the PS3 controller to your PC via the USB cable that comes with the Playstation 3 system. The lights will blink, indicating the computer sees the device.

Step 3: Open Device Manager with the command line devmgmt.msc. See Figure 2.



Step 4: Expand the category labeled Human Interface Devices. See Figure 3.



Step 5: Right-click on the item labeled HID-compliant game controller and choose Update Driver Software... See Figure 4. [Note: Windows 7 sees that your PS3 controller is a game controller, but it doesn't recognize what kind yet. Right-click it and choose Update Driver Software... to help Windows find the new drivers you downloaded.]



Step 6: Choose the option Browse my computer for driver software. Do not allow Windows to search the web, and tell Windows you have your own disk if prompted. Then click the Browse button to locate the folder from the download called ds3drv. See Figure 5. [NOTE: The .inf file in this folder has the drivers you need to make the PS3 controller work like a charm in Windows 7.] Click OK and then Next to have Windows install the driver. Windows will warn you that it does not recognize the manufacturer of the driver. It is safe to ignore the warning in this case (always be sure you trust the source of drivers for your PC), so tell Windows to continue anyway. Installation may take up to two minutes. When complete, click the Finish button and close Device Manager.



Step 7: Open Control Panel and click on the link View devices and printers under the Hardware and Sound Category. Right-click the icon for Playstation 3 Controller and select Game controller settings. See Figure 6. Next click on Playstation®3 Controller and click the Properties button.



Step 8: Press the Playstation button on your PS3 controller to turn it on. Now you can try out the buttons on the Test tab to see where each button is assigned. By default, the drivers map the buttons as follows:

See Figure 7. When satisfied that all buttons and the axes are working correctly, click OK and OK to exit and close Control Panel.



Step 9: To install the rumble feature for your PS3 controller, navigate to the location of the drivers you downloaded in Step 1. Open the folder called ForceFeedBackDriver. Locate the file called DUALSHOCK3FF.inf, right-click it, and choose Install. See Figure 8. [IMAGE: Figure 8 CAPTION: Right-click this file and choose Install to get the rumble working on your PS3 controller.



Configuring the Controller for FFXIV

Step 1: Open the FFXIV Configuration tool (usually Start-->All Programs-->SQUARE ENIX-->FINAL FANTASY XIV-->FINAL FANTASY XIV Config) and click on the Gamepad button. Use the pull-down menu at the top to select PLAYSTATION®3 Controller. See Figure 9.



Step 2: Click in the box next to the commands and press the button you want to use for that function. Tips: Use the direction arrows for the Target/Open Menu box. Use the left analog stick for the Movement box. Use the right analog stick for the camera box. Assigning functions to the L2 and R2 buttons can cause some problems if you set down the controller to type, which often clicks those buttons. Consider leaving them unassigned or assigned to unimportant functions.


 * NOTE: IMAGES ARE BEING RESIZED*