Using a Logitech Game Controller F310

Well I tested out that F310 and F510 are more easy to use. Simply plug it to your Mac with the switch switched to DirectInput. Seems if they start in DirectInput mode, Mac will recognise them as Rumble 2 and can be used. But if they are started in X, switching to D will not work.

To get make the F710 work with your mac:

• Make sure the F710 is in D-mode (not Xinput).
• Hold down the connect Logitech (connect) button on the controller.
• Plug the USB adapter into the USB port, or the adapter into the end of the connected USB extension cable, *while* holding the controller's connect button.

* Emphasis on plugging in the adapter while holding down the connect button of the controller. This is the reason some folks, myself included, had the frustrating experience of having it work once or twice, but not being able to get it to work again--while tinkering with it we accidentally connected it while it was attempting to connect.

I bought Gamepad Companion but haven't used it for anything other than confirming my controller is connected (although it's really convenient for that purpose). It shows up as a Rumblepad II. At first I thought Gamepad Companion might play a part in the controller connecting, but it doesn't. If you have Gamepad Companion, it should be "off" unless you're explicitly using it to mimic mouse + keyboard inputs for a game that doesn't support controllers natively.

In terms of compatibility:

• Batman Archam Asylum nailed F710 compatibility with their latest update, so they support both X-Box and F710 gamepads flawlessly.
• The F710 is the only controller I can use with Psychonauts, which doesn't seem to support the analog triggers of an X-Box controller, but works perfectly with F710.
• Bioshock and Borderlands both support the X-Box controller only. Sensitivity of the X-Box controller in Borderlands makes aiming a little frustrating; Bioshock's support is flawless.
• Duke Nukem forever for the Mac, doesn't seem to actually support controllers at all, even though it pretends it does in the setup.*
• Prey also doesn't seem to support controllers.*

* In both these cases, Gamepad Companion could be used to map mouse + keybard keys to your gamepad controls, but it's tedious and well beyond my ADD brain's tolerance.

The F310 will work when you plug it in after you swiched it to D at the back.

I've decided to create a website dedicated using gamepad controllers with Macs and Mac games. The site is still under construction, and only has pages discussing the Logitech F710 and Xbox 360 wired and wireless controllers so far. I hope to additional content and support for tools such as content feedback and forum discussions soon. In the meantime, please feel free to email me suggestions and content you'd like added and I'll see what I can do.

The site is macgamepads.com.

i THINK i just found out a stupid way to make f310 work on mac? (macbook air at least)

I went to install USB driver (search it on google) and tried to configure the gamepad, end up unuseful and i then uninstall it. Now mac recognise the gamepad when the gamepad is plugged in.

I just buy a Cordless Rumble Pad 2 with the mac logo on the box and it works right out the box in mac os x but it stop working and Logitech exchange it for a F710 because say that the Rumblepad is out of producction..

Logitech confirm me that the F710 doesn't work with a mac computer ..

Is silly so much developers claiming do great games for mac that support gamepad and none selling a gamepad for mac ....Crazy isn't it ?????

F710 does work with Mac. See F710 page on macgamepads.com for instructions. Support isn't official, but it works perfectly with many games including Batman, Psychonauts, and Mini Ninjas. Gamepad support for Macs is on a game by game basis. Psychonauts, for example, cannot be played with the X Box 360 Controller, but can be played with F710.

Also, I haven't tried the Rumblepad, but suspect there's a way to get it working. If it's wireless and the trick is applicable, you might try the same thing suggested for the F710: plug in the USB receiver while the controller is trying to connect. It may be that's not applicable to this controller, though, in which case you should disregard my suggestion.

The Rumblepad 2 works without any tricks because it only supports DirectInput mode. Unfortunately, for Mac users, the F710 has XInput mode as the default mode. None of my games support that mode. However, the trick that you posted on your website works and is more convenient than my original suggestion to get OS X to see the F710 as a Rumblepad 2.

FYI, I'm guessing that you're running VMWare Fusion 3. The kernel extension in that version does appear to be active even when Fusion isn't running. That's why you have to activate the gamepad from Windows. I did find that disabling USB 2.0 support in Fusion avoided the problem so I could activate the gamepad without using Windows. Also, Fusion 4 has its kernel extensions contained within the application. The extensions shut down when you quit VMWare. With that change, I could use the workaround that have already been discussed to get OS X to see the F710 as a Rumblepad 2.

Thanks darwinmac. I think I was already running Fusion 4 when I ran into this issue. It was a VM that had been created using Fusion 3, but Fusion 4 was running. I only had the problem with one of my VMs, and I discovered it when I accidentally left the VM running and plugged in the controller. The VM then asked me whether I wanted it to handle the USB event, or pass it to the host OS. I selected host OS and it started working. I don't recall whether there was a way to persist the decision there, or if I also removed the USB controller.

If Fusion 4 was running, that would explain it. Under Fusion 3, I had problems even if Fusion wasn't running. While I like the feel of the F710 a bit better than the Rumblepad 2, I've stuck with the Rumblepad 2 since it works without any tricks. However, this thread is invaluable for anyone who either prefers the F710 or can't find a Rumblepad 2 since it's been discontinued.

That's a good point about Fusion 4 actively running. I had to think back for a couple of minutes, but I'm positive i had this issue--where it simply would not work--without the VMWare Fusion application having been launched. It wasn't until I did plug in with a VM running that I saw the opportunity to release the USB back to the host OS; it failed silently before that. I think there's a VMWare Fusion Helper item in startup items, but I don't think I even had any VMs configured in Unity view.

I think it all depends on what you enable in Fusion. I don't have any VMWare items in StartupItems, but I don't use Unity or anything else. I don't share folders either. I try to keep my Windows VM quarantined as much as possible.

I do have Fusion 4 installed, but I haven't seen a problem with OS X detecting the gamepad if it wasn't running. In Fusion 3, I did have the detection problem regardless of whether Fusion was running or not.

Excellent, and probabaly correct, points. I guess the moral of the story to users is, if you can't get your Mac to detect a controller after following the instructions to do so, and you have VMWare Fusion installed, consider looking at its configuration to see if its snatching events.

I should point out, too, that this experience was with the X Box 360 controller and driver, which is a fairly well ironed out connection process. I suspect it would have also been the case for the F710. but I hadn't gotten that far yet.

Hi!

How about the ThrustMaster F1 Wireless Gamepad Ferrari F60? In some pages they say it's MAC compatible, and then in other pages it doesn't say. Does anyone have any experience with this one?