Most specs only use what, 5 buttons for their rotation? Less if you can macro a cast sequence properly? Plenty of empty buttons on a controller for that.

Both the 360 and PS3 can support keyboards, too. So that's always an option.

@Avan: That may be fine for the dps rotation, but what about all your little utility things... I'm an Arcane Mage... so let's say three keys for ABlast, AMissiles, and ABarrage. But what about when I need to decurse, use my gem, use my lock cookie, use my potion, counterspell, arcane torrent, evocate, mirror image... Developing for the console would mean significantly dumbing down the game play I would think.

Lol... 5 buttons for a rotation, you have obviously never played a feral dps character.. our rotation is so complex that we would need at least two XBox controllers....

@Avan

That's true about basic rotations. A controller might work fine for levelling, where the need for quick thinking and special utility buttons is pretty lax. As soon as you enter a raid though, a controller just won't cut it unless you happen to be fighting a very simple boss that only requires your basic rotation.

In other words, a console version of the game could be called World of Warcraft: Patchwerk.

What do all these button spec comments have to do with Colin's FFXI on 360 remark?

On topic to Colin, I have heard Square Enix may not put FFXIV on 360, just because of all the red tape they've had to clear to put out patches on it.

Having played with a 360 PC controller, it's really no that bad, outside of a raid that is. Or if you're using a non-complex casting sequence like say...Frost Mage.

However, there's 8 useable buttons on a controller not counting start and select (er, back sorry). Though that really translates into your 4 back buttons becoming something like a 'shift macro' for your front four.

On a 360 controller you can up to 64 different button combinations using your Triggers and Bumbers and just using the letters on the front for abilities and such. Don't say it's hard without trying and any console gamer will tell you that holding down several buttons at once isn't exactly hard.

Also, that's not even counting the d-pad which could add whole different set of buttons to use...or something like that. Probably would be better use as the 'mouse' though.

If you think controls need to be dumbed down you might just need a bit of an Int boost to look at the various, and easy, combinations. Though, yes, pressing LT+LB+RT+X to cast your portal to Dalaran might just be a pain in the ass. :P

while I don't believe it'll ever happen....

using the 4 shoulder buttons as a 'shift' key gives you 16 macoes/casts/abilities on the 4 face buttons.

workable.. yes

but personally I can't think of a worse experience than playing WoW on a console...

As for controls, I remember with FFXI on PS2(and I assume 360), you would hold a bumper/trigger and scroll left and right over each 1-10 row of abilities. I think you could scroll up to different rows too. With that, you could control your abilities easily. Place them on the bars, then Say hit Right Bumper and Scroll over to Frostbolt or whatever. With practice, you could easily be as quick as you are with a keyboard.

@RogueJedi86

How is this scrolling method any faster than clicking abilities, which is not nearly as fast as pressing a keybind?

Not that it would be pleasant, but Dragon Age: Origins has a (sort of) workable solution to this in the radial menu, accessed with LT on the XBox - you obviously wouldn't put your combat/healing spells in it, but all the "I don't have to access this when a rogue is stabbing my head" spells/abilities would be fine in such a position. Um, annoying, but fine.

Not sure how other platforms would do it, but there you go.