Using a PS4 Gamepad to Play They Bleed Pixels on the PC

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I’ve been wanting to test the PS4 gamepad with They Bleed Pixels for awhile so today I picked one up and ran a few tests.  Good news is with a few quick tweaks it works and works well, especially if you’ve wanted to play with a good D-pad (honestly something the 360 gamepad lacks).

If you just connect the PS4 pad without installing anything you only get some limited directInput compatibility which won’t work with They Bleed Pixels and a lot of other modern games. You’ll need to install this XInput wrapper:

http://forums.pcsx2.net/Thread-DS4-To-XInput-Wrapper
Use 1.1 Beta 3 or later if you want rumble and be sure to follow the instructions.

[We are in no way responsible for this wrapper. It worked for us but don’t blame us if it causes you trouble.]

Once that’s done load up They Bleed Pixels and switch movement to the D-pad in the options and you’re good to go! One thing to note is that since the motors in the PS4 are different then the 360’s the force feedback feels deeper and less sharp. You might want to turn that off if you find it distracting.

Just to head off any questions, NO this does not mean we’re porting TBP to the PS4. I just wanted to let folks know about another controller option available to them.

Update: if you do choose to use a PS4 pad, know that the bluetooth doesn't always play well with all devices so you may need to use it wired up via USB.

They Bleed Pixels: Tips for new Players

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We’ve got a bunch of new players coming in due to the sale so I thought I’d post up a few tips for folks discovering just how difficult (and rewarding!) They Bleed Pixels can be.

  • Play with a gamepad if you can! We support Xbox360 and other XInput controllers automatically and there are several ways to hook up gamepads that use the older directInput standard.
     
  • Prefer ‘X’ for attack? The controls can be customized in the options menu.
     
  • Having trouble with the little squidies? Don’t forget your dash attack, slash up and charge down attacks. They’re each super effective in the right situation.
     
  • Having trouble with slippery surfaces? Remember you can still react quickly in the air. When you can, use your jump and double jump to quickly change direction.
     
  • Having trouble with double jumping after wall jumps? Make sure you’re first hitting jump then pushing away from the wall. Otherwise you will fall off it first and then use your double jump early. There’s a few frames of buffer to help but for some that isn’t enough.
     
  • Don’t try to get all the pages and achievements your first time through a level.
     
  • If you’re stuck on a level try going back to an earlier one and search for pages or go for an achievement. You’ll probably be surprised by how much you’ve improved in skill!
     
  • Take a break. They Bleed Pixels was never intended to be played in a single sitting. As with the old game’s that inspired TBP you’ll often find your skills have improved when you come back to it.
     

If the controls feel slow or sluggish you’re probably not running the game at full speed! Experiment with turning off effects, parallax and v-synch in the options. If your graphic card is below spec you may also get better speeds running full screen or windowed depending on your particular card. Updating to the latest drivers can also make a big difference in some cases. For laptops make sure the screen is set to refresh at 60Hz or higher.

I occasionally come back and add to this list. If there’s a tip you think should be included let me know! (gif source: http://simonlane.tumblr.com/)