Full-feature control scheme for action camera mode and standard Xbox controller (or something similar). Includes necessary in-game bindings, suggested settings, general play overview, and detailed button mapping. Introduction This guide has instructions and necessary game settings for a versatile Steam Input configuration to play Guild Wars 2 with an Xbox 360 controller (or similar shapes that can reuse the config). Steam Input stuff has no home and you can't properly document a configuration, so we end up here. New versions will come with updates detailed here and a post in the linked forum thread, which is your only way to track changes. Please share this configuration by linking this guide, and not the configuration directly. To set it up:Either install the game through Steam or add the normal GW2 launcher to your Steam library as a non-Steam game Load the configuration with one of the Steam Input links below (don't forget to turn on your controller while doing this) Set the necessary options and keybindings in the game (see 'In-Game Settings' section)And that's it. Whenever you start your GW2 from Steam with your controller on, you'll have full controller play (if you forget to turn on the controller, switch back to Steam and open and close the controller configuration for the game, then Steam should have things straight). I also use a mouse/trackball for quicker inventory and menu handling, but the config does have its own full-featured mousing support. In-game mappings are chosen to make the least changes to the default configuration, so you can still play on keyboard and mouse without too much disruption. (Paste config links into your browser and they will open in Steam--these can't be proper links because Steam refuses to recognize their own config links in their formatting markup.) This version of the configuration automatically engages the racing mode when activating the beetle mount: steam://controllerconfig/1284210/3650649595 (Steam install) steam://controllerconfig/2306085804/3650652406 (non-Steam install) (v7-race 2026-01-20) This version of the configuration includes the racing mode as a manually activatable option, but stays in normal controls when activating the beetle mount: steam://controllerconfig/1284210/3650651430 (Steam install) steam://controllerconfig/2306085804/3650653166 (non-Steam install) (v7-norace 2026-01-20) Play Overview This config plays surprisingly well considering all the things it needs to do, but it still takes some time and effort to get a handle on it. Be patient and don't try to do or remember everything at once. It looks daunting, but there's lots of hours of play and refinement behind it. Let your hands learn the connections, and you'll be off in no time. First, it will help to make a couple preparatory mental adjustments. You'll want to think of the four face buttons and Start together as a button group (A, X, B, Y, Start), and do likewise for the four D-Pad directions and Back (Up, Left, Right, Down, Back). These five-button groups will make things a lot more intuitive. We have two main shift-key sets: one focused on more immediate combat keys (Right Trigger), the other on utility keys (Left Trigger), and you'll be using both of those and the unshifted layout simultaneously, so everything that helps the mental mapping take hold is important. Whenever you start the game, when you first get in character, you will need to press Back+LB to toggle the action camera on. You won't need to do this again within a session, because any time a dialog, panel, or menu comes up, the game automatically switches to showing a cursor instead of the action camera. Once you close whatever it is, it will be back in action camera for you. Note: There's a Steam bug that can leave the configuration in a broken state. If you ever find buttons not acting like you expect, you should be able to press and hold Start then also Back, to reset the config to a correct state. If that doesn't work, the Steam client may be broken entirely (or have just crashed) and you should just restart it and the game. That's very rare, but it can happen. Without any modifiers held, basics:Move with the left stick and aim/turn with the right stick (holding LT or RT won't change this, of course) Jump with A, Interact with X, Dodge with B Heal with LB Highlight enemies and interactables by holding RS-Click or RB (game default changed to highlight everything all the time, so you can turn that off to reduce clutter and pop names when you want to see them, or leave names up and forget this mapping) Tap Back for Escape, which closes open windows/dialogs or brings up the system menu if nothing is open Hold Dpad-Down to dismount or get off a chair With RT held, attacks:Face buttons and Start are your weapon skills (1-5) LB swaps between your two equipped weapon sets Dpad and Back are your profession skills (F1-F5) With LT held, utilities:Face buttons and Start are your utility slots (7-9), special action (-), and elite skill (0) Dpad and Back are your mounts (these all need to be unlocked through play, and require expansions)Remember the Special Action! It doesn't come up that often, but when it does you will need it. That's part of why it's between 9 and Elite, to help keep the spot in mind when suddenly searching for it :) With Back held, mousing:mouse with either stick mouse click with triggers and RB: RT is primary click, LT is secondary click, and RB is alt-primary, for setting map waypoints LB toggles the action camera (note that any panel, dialog, or other such active UI element will switch the game to mouse cursor from action cam while it is open) With Start held, UI panels:Map on Dpad Up Hero/Character panel on Dpad Left Inventory on Dpad Right Contacts/LFG on LB PvP on X (also useful for trying out fully unlocked versions of a class without leveling, or for travel through Lion's Arch to avoid waypoint fees) You can also hold Start and then also hold one or both triggers for various secondary and novelty commands, such as your homestead door, rift scan, and some preset emotes and chat insertions (eg Start->LT->Dpad-Up,Up to dance, or Start->LT->hold B to type "thank you", which is nice after a revive :). Detailed Button Mapping All states: hold Start then also Back to reset controller configuration state when Steam bugs out and buttons are performing the wrong actions (very important) Main layout -- Unshifted LS: Movement LS-Click: If holding forward, activates auto-run until you move backward, otherwise toggles walking RS: Camera/Aim RS-Click: Highlight enemies/interactables (hold longer for more names) Back: Tap for Escape; hold to shift for mouse set Start: (shift for menus/panels set) LT: (shift for utility set) RT: (shift for attack set) LB: Heal (6) RB: Highlight enemies/interactables (hold longer for more names) A: Jump / Swim Up X: Interact B: Dodge Y: Mount Ability 2 / Swim Down Dpad-Left/Right: Target previous/next enemy Dpad-Up: Call target; hold to lock autotarget Dpad-Down: Take target; hold to dismount or get off a chair Attack layout -- Hold Right Trigger LB: Swap weapons RB: (unused) A, X, B, Y, Start: 1,2,3,4,5 Dpad-Up, -Left, -Right, -Down, and Back: F1,F2,F3,F4,F5 Utility layout -- Hold Left Trigger LB: Skiff; double-tap for fishing RB: Stow/draw weapons A, X, B: 7,8,9 Y: Special action (depends on context, not always available) Start: Elite skill (0) Dpad and Back for Mounts: RIGHTUPDOWNLEFTBACKPRESS Raptor Springer Skimmer Warclaw GriffonHOLD Beetle Skyscale Turtle Jackal n/a Mouse layout -- Hold Back LT: Right click RT: Left click LB: Toggle action camera (you'll need to do this at session start) RB: Alt + left-click (in map, set navigation marker at cursor) A: Left click X: Interact B: Ctrl+right-click Y: Ctrl+left-click (in map, paste waypoint at cursor into chat and send) Start: Escape Dpad Up/Down: Mouse scroll-wheel up/down (camera zoom, map zoom) Dpad Left/Right: Page Up/Down (change map layers) Menu layout -- Hold Start RS-horizontal: Adjust map zoom RS-vertical: Change map layer LB: Contacts/Looking for Group panel; hold for Mail panel; double-tap for Ranger Pet panel RB: WvW panel A: (unused) B: Chat panel; hold for logout dialog (F12) X: PvP panel Y: Guild panel; hold for Party dialog (note: this UI does not work with action cam and captures keypresses, so you need Escape to close it) Dpad-Up: Map Dpad-Left: Hero panel Dpad-Right: Inventory panel Dpad-Down: Trading post panel; hold for Wizard's Vault panel ---Below here are extra things you don't strictly need but are handy or fun--- Controls layout -- Hold Start, then hold RT A,X,B: Build templates 1,2,3 Y: Swap between equipment templates 1 and 2 with Y (you may need to press it a couple times, to get the game in sync with its toggle) LB: double-tap to switch controller to racing mode RB: Hold to scan for rifts; double-tap to place temporary Jade Bot waypoint Dpad-up: "Tonic" novelty; hold for Conjured Doorway (homestead) Dpad-left: "Toy" novelty; hold for "Musical instrument" novelty Dpad-right: "Held item" novelty; hold for Fishing Dpad-down: "Chair" novelty; hold for X/dismount (re-pressing Chair does not exit it) Social layout -- Hold Start, then hold LT LB: (unused) RB: hold to Toggle mentor mode (if unlocked). Double-tap-hold to cycle chat channels on each following hold. A,B,X,Y: Two-step quick-chat with Y=Up, X=Left, B=Right, A=Down: UP LEFT RIGHT DOWN just press and hold yes sorry thank you no press, then again and hold marker blue red green press UP, then push split cut build press LEFT, then sustain cc boons carry press RIGHT, then chase coming stack defend press DOWN, then repair run gather hold Dpad: two-step quick-emote: UP LEFT RIGHT DOWN just press and hold agree shrug ponder disagree press, then again and hold cheer wave thank sleep press UP, then dance salute bow kneel press LEFT, then laugh beckon talk sad press RIGHT, then surprise crossarm point threaten press DOWN, then cry cower upset sit (hold on threaten for hiss) UI Mousing layout -- Hold Start, then hold both LT and RT (pending, but you can try B to right-click reward boxes, make sure you have a cursor first :) Racing layout -- Double-tap LB from Control layout, or use beetle auto-switch config LS: Camera (Mouse) (use to steer) LS-Click: Hold to toggle autorun (R) RS: Movement (WASD) RS-Click: Show names LT: Drift (C) RT: Forward movement (W) LB: Endurance refresh (7); hold for heal (6) RB: Tap for boost, double-tap for left mouse click, hold for interact (F) A: Jump/boost/trick (Space) B: Drift (C) X: Boost (V) Y: Endurance refresh (7); hold for stealth (9) Dpad-Up: Map (using Start or Back will clear race mode) Dpad-Left: Attack dismount (1); hold to wing-dismount (8) Dpad-Right: Beetle; hold for Raptor (useful for quick remounting) Dpad-Down: Dismount; hold to wing-dismount (8) Dpad-Down and Dpad-Left both return to normal control mode, as does Back. If you are using the automatic race mode switch on beetle mount, there is an interim control change until you let go of Dpad-Right to smooth the transition when mounting while moving. In-Game Settings RECOMMENDED GENERAL OPTIONSAoE Loot on Interact: checked Use "Show Ally Names" Key Bind: checked Ground Targeting: Fast with Range Indicator Double-Tap to Evade: UNCHECKED -- checked will kill you Lock Ground Target at Maximum Skill Range: checked Move Inventory Compact Option: checked REQUIRED CONTROL BINDINGS MovementWalk: Shift-R Swim down: CTargetingPrevious enemy: Ctrl-Tab Next ally: . (period) Lock autotarget: Ctrl-Shift-. (period)User InterfacePvP panel: Shift-P Mail dialog: Shift-OCameraToggle action cam: Ctrl-' (single quote)Mounts (must unlock each to see the option)Raptor: Shift-X Springer: Ctrl-Z Skimmer: Ctrl-x Jackal: Shift-C Beetle: Shift-Ctrl-X Griffon: Shift-Ctrl-Z Warclaw: Shift-Z Skyscale: Shift-Ctrl-C -- If you prefer Skyscale as your immediately-accessible aerial mount, bind it to Shift-Ctrl-Z and griffon to Shift-Ctrl-C. Siege turtle: Ctrl-CMastery SkillsStart Fishing: Alt-NUMPAD_6 Summon Skiff: Alt-NUMPAD_7 -- Skiff enthusiasts, especially those without turtles, may wish to bind skiff to Ctrl-C and turtle to Alt-NUMPAD_7 Set Jade Bot Waypoint: Alt-NUMPAD_. (decimal) Scan for Rift: Alt-NUMPAD_0 Conjured Doorway: alt-NUMPAD_ReturnMiscellaneousShow enemy names: ' (single quote) Show ally names: ; (semicolon) Stow/draw weapon: Ctrl-` (backtick) Activate Chair: Alt-NUMPAD_1 Activate Musical Instrument: Alt-NUMPAD_2 Activate Held Item: Alt-NUMPAD_3 Activate Toy: Alt-NUMPAD_4 Activate Tonic: Alt-NUMPAD_5TemplatesBuild Template 1: Ctrl-NUMPAD_1 Build Template 2: Ctrl-NUMPAD_2 Build Template 3: Ctrl-NUMPAD_3 Equipment Template 1: NUMPAD_/ (divide) Equipment Template 2: NUMPAD_* (multiply) Issues and Bugs Steam Input has problems and Valve really doesn't care about them (seriously-- one key bug I reported with a very nice test case just had them change the documentation to redefine the broken and obviously undesirable behavior as "intended"), which is a darn shame considering the vision and potential it shows. Unfortunately, some things just can't really be avoided and this is a complex configuration, so problems do come up. The biggest problem is getting stuck in a shifted mapping. This has long been a thorn in the side, so the config offers a reset mechanism by pressing Start and Back together (you must press Start before Back). You can also usually press whatever would have triggered the layer that's stuck, and it will clear on subsequent leaving, but the Start->Back chord doesn't require figuring out what got stuck. If this comes up, you're probably in combat, so be aware. Sadly, between the Steam bugs and painful lack of even the most rudimentary debugging for configurations, the more one tries to protect the config from weird situations, the more complicated certain buggy interactions become and the harder noticing and restoring a sensible state gets. More common but less problematic, due to the misguided way Steam Input handles layout changes and buttons, if you hold a button as you release a shift or switch to a new layout, Steam will interpret that as pressing the button again in the new layout. Often this just comes through as a jump because you still had A down as you let the trigger go, and jumping is one of the few actions you can do during an ability animation. Both triggers use "hair trigger" mode, so they count as off the moment you start releasing them, and as pressed the moment you start pressing them again. This makes the layout shifting nice and responsive, but the down side is making it easier to linger on a button as the layout changes. After rebuilding the config to use only "more reliable" action sets instead of the much more versatile layers, layer sticking has been less problematic, but there are some inexplicable random bugs, such as LT won't work the first time you use it after leaving Race mode. Weird, but more manageable than the various layer sticking problems that Valve never fixes. Version and Updates Update thread: http://steamcommunity.com/app/353370/discussions/0/2149847423916655685 Steam Input has zero facilities for versioning or updates (or documentation or testing or debugging...), so updates will be posted to this thread. You can subscribe to it and receive notices when there's a new version to install.