I've been using my PS3 controller with the DS3 tool to emulate my keyboard for the first Witcher. I hate having to be connected to the internet to use it, it not being wireless, and lacking buttons. I'm sure the interface for a less iconoclast option would be much sleeker as well. Could someone recommend such a controller? I'm looking for a cheap controller at least less than 20$ bucks, used or new.

Thanks.

Also not wireless, but I'm loving my Logitech F310.

The only gamepads I can ever recommend is the stuff from Logitech. I have two wireless F710's and have no trouble with them. It does DirectInput and XInput at the flick of a switch and the software for setting different buttons is easy to setup and use. It has the same amount of buttons as an Xbox 360 controllers but you'll struggle to find one with any more than that. I got mine for around $40AU last year. I still haven't changed the batteries either.

It looks like it has 2 extra middle buttons and two extra sort of reverse triggers.

I was looking at some vertical mice too.

The face buttons are: Back(select) , Start, Mode(changes Dpad to analogue stick) and Vibration. Also there is a Logitech button what acts as the "Home" button. The triggers are L1,L2,R1,R2 with the back two being analogue triggers like an Xbox controller.

Aye... only two extra buttons...
I think the only reason I hate my mouse is because of how much it stresses my arm and wrist in comparison to the controller. I'm starting to think 20 bucks isn't worth something I pretty much already have.
You never thought about vertical mice?

I have to second this.

You can make one button a toggle button so instead of just twenty programable buttons, you have 39.

It can also be switched back and forth from X-Input and D-Input - So if it's 360 Game Pad ready you don't have to bother mapping if you don't want too.

One word of warning however is that Logitech went the extra mile and made the triggers analogue but on the 360 those triggers are digital - This is good for flight sims but terrible if you're plaing something like Bio Shock and want to rapidly swing your weapon. In those instances you have to find the config.ini and manually edit to swap R1, L1 with R2, L2.

Oh and mouse can be mapped to analogue stick and all three mouse buttons to game pad buttons.

The only problem is that the rotation action of the wheel can not be mapped unless you change wheel up / down functions to keyboard keys (ie; Page Up, Page Down) in the game's options menu.

Can you explain this more?

Yup, the Logitech programable dual stick game pads come with mapping software so you can map the analogue sticks, D-Pad, Triggers and Buttons to your mouse, mouse buttons and keyboard.

While mapping you can option to make a button a 'Shift' key.

So let's say I map my Left Trigger as Shift (not keyboard Shift - that's different)

Now lets say I map Right shoulder button as Left Mouse Button Fire (standard PC shooter configuration) and then I also map my Right shoulder button as Right Mouse Button Alternate Fire.

When I just simply press Right shoulder I will fire my machine gun but when I hold my shift button down (in this instance Left Trigger) and press the Right shoulder it will launch a grenade (Alternate Fire).

You can do this with all eight directions on the D-Pad making for 16 buttons (8 + 8) and all of the buttons on the game pad including L3 & R3 (which is pressing in on the analogue sticks like buttons) and your Start/Escape buttons.

The only thing you can not double map for shfting is the use of the left and right analogue sticks. (In other words you can not map Left Analogue as move and then hold a shift button so that Left Analogue looks around instead but with that example you would not have to anyway because you can map mouse to your other analogue stick).
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Also, one other useful feature is that there is a button that toggles control back and forth between D-Pad and Left Analogue.

So for example in a game like Unreal 2004 I usually have my D-pad to cycle through weapons, open maps, etc. and my left analogue for moving.

However when in a vehicle, its much easier to control vehicles using the D-Pad. So I press the toggle button and now pressing left or right on my left analogue will cycle weapons and D-Pad will be for moving.

Then when I exit the vehcile back on foot, I can toggle again so that move controls swap back to my left analogue.

I think you might also be able to program shortcut commands to buttons for games like Street Fighter. So say throwing a fire ball would normally be four button presses - the three directions and then the punch button, you can compact the entire move to one button press.

X360 for Windows, and official Xpadder are all you need.