Controller play in Forever: what the beta notes changed, and what to check at launch

Official gamepad support is one of the player options listed in Blizzard’s What’s Next panel recap from 12 September. During the beta, Blizzard’s development notes thread logged the controller work build by build. Everything below is a beta change reported by Blizzard staff. We have not tested any of it, and the launch client may behave differently.

Where the settings live

The thread’s opening post was created on 24 September and has been edited since, so its individual items cannot be dated to a particular build. It lists new options in a Gamepad (Alpha) section of the game options. Use Compact Action Bar shows only the action bar that is currently active. Fixed Party Targeting, used in a party rather than a raid, gives every d-pad button its own party member. Further options swap which side the friendly and hostile targeting modifiers sit on, and swap the directional pad and face-button actions for each.

In the 1 October notes, the gamepad UI bindings became static: any gamepad rebinding now affects only the keyboard-and-mouse interface. The same post listed a known issue, where switching into or out of Gamepad UI mode reset the active Edit Mode layout to the default.

The 8 October notes gave the gamepad action bar Edit Mode support, and each UI type now keeps its own saved Edit Mode layout. Settings such as the compact action bar moved from the options menu into Edit Mode. Blizzard warned that earlier choices would not carry over, so players had to set them again there.

Targeting and combat

The 8 October build updated the input indicator for actions you hold rather than press, and fixed inputs that could stop working after looting. Opening the map now puts focus on the Quest Log, so you can keep running unless you are actively using the map cursor.

The notes posted on 15 October, Pacific time, added more:

• A swing timer on the center reticle.
• Your own fishing bobber is always targetable.
• A fix for ground-targeted items: using one a second time now confirms the placement.
• The Press and Hold Casting setting now works with a gamepad.
• Hunters’ Auto Attack/Auto Shot setting is supported on gamepad.
• Class-specific flyouts are easier to activate, and the cast bar can be customized in Edit Mode.

Pets, macros and group frames

On 1 October, the pet stable interface was updated for gamepad, as were the compact raid and party manager frames. A fix also let you move macros placed on a gamepad action bar. The opening post separately lists Druid shapeshift, Hunter and Warlock pet, Paladin aura and Warrior stance flyouts, and says Hunters and Warlocks now keep their bottom gamepad bar instead of losing it to the pet bar.

Quests, trade and social windows

The 15 October build fixed a quest-reward selection bug that blocked some quests from being completed. It also fixed turning in quests offered by objects and other non-character quest givers. The Trade confirmation, Guild & Communities dialogs, Chat Channels menu and Transmog frame all became usable with a gamepad, and new bindings toggle Voice Channel Transcription from the Chat Channels menu.

What to check at launch

These checks are ours, built from those notes:

• Bindings. Rebind something and see whether it changes your gamepad layout or only keyboard and mouse.
• Layouts. Build a gamepad layout in Edit Mode, then relog and switch UI modes to see whether it holds.
• Placement. Use a ground-targeted item and check that the second press confirms it.
• Casting. Turn on Press and Hold Casting and try it with your class.
• Pets and forms. If you play a pet class, a Druid, a Paladin or a Warrior, try the flyouts.
• Questing and trading. Hand in an object-offered quest, pick a quest reward and complete a trade.