# Should I play the previous Fallouts before playing Fallout 4? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 2, 2017, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-play-the-previous-fallouts-before-playing-fallout-4/785683 "2017-05-02T00:22:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2017, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-play-the-previous-fallouts-before-playing-fallout-4/785683/41 "2017-05-03T21:52:39Z")
PS4 controls: [PlayStation 4 Controls - Fallout 4 Game Guide & Walkthrough | gamepressure.com](http://guides.gamepressure.com/fallout4/guide.asp?ID=32536) While old games used the D pad, newer ones use the sticks to move and the D pad is often presents that would be on the Function keys. ---
**Author:** ![Arcite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@Arcite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcite)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2017, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-play-the-previous-fallouts-before-playing-fallout-4/785683/42 "2017-05-03T22:31:43Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > PS4 controls: [Fallout 4: PS4 Controls | gamepressure.com](http://guides.gamepressure.com/fallout4/guide.asp?ID=32536) > > While old games used the D pad, newer ones use the sticks to move and the D pad is often presents that would be on the Function keys. Those are the controls for the actual PS4 version of the game. I’m asking how you use a controller to play a PC game on a PC, where the keyboard performs many different functions, more than there are buttons on a controller. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2017, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-play-the-previous-fallouts-before-playing-fallout-4/785683/43 "2017-05-03T23:38:29Z")
> [@Arcite](#): > > But how, specifically does that work? When a game is made for mouse and keyboard, so that each of the 12 function keys has its own separate function, a dozen or more different letter and number keys have their own functions, shift, enter, tab, and other keys each have separate functions, how do you map that onto a controller which has far fewer buttons? Well most games don’t actually utilize that much of the surface of the keyboard, at least not all at once. And Steam allows you to do things like create activators and mutators or context switches that allow you to cover a huge amount of input ground. For example, with Pillars of Eternity, a real time tactical party based RPG which only works with mouse and keyboard for a reason (the difficulty of managing a party in combat as well as inventory with a gamepad). I can map the mouse buttons to triggers, even use the dual stage nature of the on the Steam controller to change the action I’m performing depending on how far I press them. When I hold down on of the rear paddles My mouse cursor immediately goes to a small section of the UI for quick access to some of the game’s menus, while I can use the left track pad to quick activate a huge number of abilities. You can even customize profiles within a game so that you get one set of actions when say you’re fighting a battle in Total War, vs another set when you’re on the campaign map. Or when on a mission in Xcom vs when on the base map. I’d suggest taking a look at these tow channels if you want to learn more about what makes the controller pretty great: > **[RambleCan](https://www.youtube.com/user/ExistentialEgg)** > > Noob of the Proletariat / Artist / Gamer / Observant Fool... (he/him) Rambler formerly known as ExistentialEgg > > I like to play PC games with a controller (I know, get over it) so I end up being a bit obsessed and focused on controller remapping via... > **[Woodsie](https://www.youtube.com/user/TheDarkAlly)** > > Steam Controller guru, voice of a 40 year old black guy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-play-the-previous-fallouts-before-playing-fallout-4/785683.md?page=2)