Board Thread:Dark Souls/@comment-201.67.202.133-20130503131123

Hi guys, I didn’t know how to post/contribute with this, but I think is something that will help a LOT of people, cause it’s a problem I faced when started to play Dark Souls: Prepare to Die, it’s about getting a gamepad to work with the game, and some “tricks” I managed to make so the gameplay could be better.

»» 1. Install the game, install DSFix, put the game to run in Window Borderless mode (through DSFix.ini).

»» 2. Done that, download JoyToKey keyboard emulator, so you can use ANY gamepad with the game, there are other programs on lots of guides out there, but I guess this one gives you more freedom as well as it is way easier to configure. You’ll see what I’m talking about…

»» 3. Remap your game keyboard keys “Key Settings” so it looks EXACTLY like this:

Movement:

Run (forward) – W

Run (backward) – S

Run (right) – D

Run (left) – A

Walk (forward) – L.Ctrl+W

Walk (backward) – L.Ctrl+S

Walk (right) – L.Ctrl+D

Walk (left) - L.Ctrl+A

Camera:

Move forward – I

Move backward – K

Move right – L

Move left – J

Lock target on or off/Reset camera – L.Alt

Switch equipment:

Switch right weapon – V

Switch left weapon – C

Switch item – F

Switch magic – R

Actions:

Right weapon action (attack) – H

Right weapon action (heavy attack) – U

Left weapon action (block) – X

Left weapon action (parry) – L.Shift

Use item – E

Dash/Roll/Backstep – Space

Action/Gesture – Q

Toggle one-hand/two-hand grip – O

Menu display:

Open Start Menu – L.Ctrl+O

Open Gesture Menu – L.Ctrl+Q

Menu control:

Select (up) – L.Ctrl+I

Select (down) – L.Ctrl+K

Select (left) – L.Ctrl+J

Select (right) – L.Ctrl+L

Confirm – L.Ctrl+H

Cancel – L.Ctrl+E

Menu function 1: switch status, etc. – Insert

Menu func. 2: toggle disp./remove equip., etc. – Delete

Switch menu (R) – Page up

Switch menu (L) – Page down

»» 4. With the controls configured as shown above, open up JoyToKey with your gamepad connected to a USB port, so it will recognize your gamepad buttons and assign names/numbers to them. NOTE: the button that activates the analog sticks [generally the one bellow the buttons 9 and 10 (select and start)] must be ON.

»» 5. Take a look at the controller scheme shown bellow, notice the button names and numbers in this scheme (pic 01), and the commands assigned to each button on JoyToKey (pic 02), this is the scheme you must “immitate” but it can vary according to your gamepad, the buttons assigned may be different, so you must look, compare and address each command to each button, so the commands fit the buttons just as shown in these schemes:

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f25/gutavu/Pic01_zpsa0fa8ebd.png

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f25/gutavu/Pic02_zpsdf7fef23.png

»»» TIP: To configure each button command, simply double click the button you want to configure, and you’ll see 4 boxes written “disabled” just click on the first one and press the key you want to assign, to assign more than one key (buttons 11 and 12), assign one to the first box and the other to the box bellow, in the correct order (b.11 = W, H and b.12 = W, U).

»» 6. When everything os properly configured, the controls will work like this:

- Left Analog Stick (up, down, left, right): will run in all directions / with L1 (button 7) pressed, you’ll walk.

- Left Analog Stick PRESS (Button 11): THIS IS THE USEFUL TRICK N. 01 since you have here the commands for both RUN FORWARD and NORMAL ATTACK, this button will automatically KICK, which is really useful, otherwise you would have to time these two buttons in order to make the kick movement, this is way easier (believe me, lots of times this makes the difference between life and death).

- Right Analog Stick (up, down, left, right): Will move the camera in all directions / with L1 (button 7) pressed will browse through menus.

- Right Analog Stick PRESS (Button 12): THIS IS THE USEFUL TRICK N. 02 here you have the commands of RUN FORWARD and HEAVY ATTACK, so, pressing this button will automatically make a JUMPING ATTACK, again you have this movement whenever you want, without any stressfull button timing.

- Digital Direction Pad (POV): up will change magic, right will change right hand weapon, left will change left hand weapon and down will change items.

- Button 1 (triangle): will use the selected item / with L1 (button 7) pressed will cancel/back on menus.

- Button 2 (circle): will dash/roll/backstep.

- Button 3 (x): will do a normal attack / with L1 (button 7) pressed confirm on menus.

- Button 4 (square): will do a heavy attack.

- Button 5 (L2): will block with the left hand weapon/shield.

- Button 6 (R2): will parry with the left hand weapon/shield.

- Button 7 (L1): will change the function of some buttons as explained above.

- Button 8 (R1): will lock/unlock target and center the camera.

- Button 9 (select): will change between one-hand grip and two-hand grip / with L1 (button 7) pressed will bring up the menu (items, equips, status and settings).

- Button 10 (start): is the action button, used to talk and interact with NPC’s, doors, etc. throughout the game / with L1 (button 7) pressed will bring up the gestures menu.

»» 7. Now that you have everything configured, and know how the controls work, time to test them! Just keep in mind the explanation given before step 1, cause it’s needed in order for JoyToKey to work. One more thing, you’ll need to do the following “ritual”:

1. Open JoyToKey (it must be always open during gameplay);

2. Open the game;

3. Connect your gamepad;

4. Go through the menus until you start the game by either a new game or loading a previous game;

5. Once you start the game, disconnect your gamepad, wait for the game to load;

6. When your character appears on the screen and you can control him, recconect the gamepad.

NOTE: if you do not do this “disconnect and reconnect gamepad thing” the game will recognize that one of the analog sticks is always triggered in some direction and your character will keep moving in some nonsense ways as well as the commands will go all crazy, if you do these steps, everything should work perfectly and the gameplay will be awesome.

(these steps sound more complicated when you read them, but they’re really quick and simple when done).

This is my guide on how to make a gamepad successfully work with Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition… hope it will help you, or at least give you a simpler way to jump attack and kick. 