Gaming with a keyboard? Geez, I wonder how you guys can do it

I remember being ok with it (kb gaming) as a child but after a decade of console gaming this whole WASD thing is not working out for me. For one thing I now game completely slouched with my hands resting all relaxed in my lap and my head tilted back. I just can't hunch over the kb like I used to.

Anyway; I find myself plugging in the 360 controller even for L4D. Mouse aiming is as great as ever of course but stick movement is more better than WASD than mouse aiming is better than stick aiming (does that make my english teacher cringe lol).

Anyone else feel the same? I can't even imagine playing Assassin's Creed or Arkham Asylum using a kb btw. I worry about Diablo III though. Diablo got me into gaming in the first place, that's a title I would buy a whole new pc for. I'm hoping it will be console ported and support gamepads on pc. /ducks but i'm being totally serious

 

Some simpler games are better on the gamepad because of the comfort, while others simply kind of fail when using gamepad.

 

Keyboard with or without a mouse is my one and only gaming method the main thing that sets me off when it comes to consoles is the fact that you don't use that mouse/keyboard combo

 

You know what would help me a lot with kb gaming, an auto run toggle so I don't always have to push down W. I'll bet there's a mod for that though. I'm using a gamepad in Mass Effect right now, and giving up the vastly superior Tactical Hud for the option of lounging while gaming. Especially with the ability to plug laptops into bigscreens now, I love gamepad gaming. Looks awesome on a cinemadisplay, though I'm constantly getting into trouble for forgetting to plug the Mac back in.

 

I play everything with an Xbox360 controller unless I am playing an fps or an rts type game.

 

Guess I am the first to say here, nope. I can't stand controller. KB/Mouse for me, regardless of what game I'm playing. Controller just isn't accurate or sensitive enough for me, I want that precision at all times. And I won't play a game where I get a headshot even though I didn't aim at their head (Halo). If I get a headshot, it better be dead center on the head, exactly timed. No auto aim for me. And even when playing L4D, I hate just spray shooting. I aim for the head on ever single shot.

Personally if I want to use a controller, I'd go buy a console. But I don't for the reasons above. I love KB/Mouse and I don't hunch over my keyboard, ever. Hunching over keyboard isn't comfortable or good for my spine. I don't know any PC gamer that hunches over their keyboard.

Also I view this thread as trolling considering this is a PC Gaming/Laptop forum. If you don't like keyboard, simple, play console. If you want to use with PC, whatever floats your boat, but I don't think it's an issue to argue or even worry about. It's a bit absurd, why do you even care if I use KB/Mouse and not controller anyways?

 

I have used my bluetooth number pad for Mass Effect when running the game through my projector so I can sit on my couch. It has enough buttons to cover all the functions.

 

Whoa! I really don't think it's trolling to dislike a kb for pc gaming when you say you prefer a gamepad for pc gaming. If I said pc gaming sucks then yeah sure. The most hardcore pc gamers I know don't use kbs btw, they use driving and flight sim setups.

Well afaik using a gamepad on pc doesn't give you auto head shots. And I don't know that it's tactically sound to go for the head every time. But I'm totally with you on the merits of mouse aiming. It's the kb I can't stand, not the mouse. I actually have an Orochi for example. But one of the problems with a mouse for pc gaming is the need for a mousing surface, which needs to be rigid if you're not at a desk. Ends up being a lot of stuff to haul just to move rooms. My setup, I pick up and the laptop, I pick up the controller (or just let it drag along the floor by the usb cable lol) and start walking.

Do you sit at a desk for pc gaming? I can't do that, that's what I mean by "hunching", I'm not talking like I'm quasimodo or anything lol. If I'm gaming I need to be all catlike and limp and on the verge of falling asleep. I also like to game in bed sometimes and it's super hard to use a kb that way.

 

This is a laptop forum, so I assume you have a laptop.

I had not problems using KB and Mouse even during a 4-5 hour straight of WoW raiding on my bed.

 

I do have problems gaming in bed on kb/m. I'm almost lying down with only head and upper shoulders elevated. I have the laptop to my left because I don't want it on my stomach. So my kb arm is curled up and my wrist is cocked at a weird angle to use the WASD keys. And it's a bit weird to mouse with your mousing arm almost straight due to lying down.

Btw you seem to have this impression that I am demanding that everyone else not like kb/mouse gaming. That's not the case. I'm just chatting. Basically all i asked was "who else feels this way"?

 

i agree with you. i kind of want a mini one handed controler, kinda like the wii nunchuck for regular movement, and a mouse for the aiming.

 

I would so pay for that, but please make it wireless. I see all these left hand gaming input options from Logitech, Belkin and the rest, but none are really standalone versions of left analog stick setups from consoles.

 

At first, I thought you were a troll. But after reading some of your other posts, I think that you just want an honest discussion about your personal preferences (albeit, personal preferences which may be unpopular in a PC-centric internet forum).

If you grew up on console gaming, and prefer console pads, great. Lots of PC games support console game pads, especially the games that were developed on console first and then ported over to the PC. Some other people prefer mouse + keyboard, even for games that would probably work better on a console gamepad (my guess is that Assassin's Creed 2 is probably one of those games, even though I still used mouse + keyboard).

That's the great thing about PC gaming - it is all about choice. When you game on a PC, you actually get to choose your control scheme and key/command mappings based on what works for you. When you game on a console, you are forced to use a gamepad.

So, gamepad on, my brother.

 

K/B & Mouse for me! Although there are a handful of games that I use a MS XBOX gamepad for though. Games like HAWX are perfect with the gamepad, and some other direct to PC ports that they didn't bother to hone for PC. Dead Space is another, although I never got real far into the game because neither kb/m or controller worked well for me. I really want to finish that game though.

 

Hmm, the playstation move sub controller might do that nicely, it's bluetooth and all. All we need now is a driver to make it work...

Back on topic: nothing beats a mouse for precision and as far as the kb goes, i find an analog stick to be more comfortable but kb is alright.

If you want to game in bed, an external keyboard is probably a good idea for not having the laptop on you.

 

I grew up on a mix of consoles and PC. But took several years off during the xbox/xbox 360 era. I think I generally prefer a controller for gaming.

BTW you controller people out there should check out a great program called pinnacle game profiler. Its not free but there is a one month full access trial. Works great in my experince. I beat hitman blood Money on every difficulty using it and 360 controller.

 

I wish there were more games that utilized 50+ keys on the kb to make console people happy

 

It's weird that at least two people thought I was trolling. I think I'm just too used to posting on Gaf or TXB on gaming issues, the language used at NBR is maybe a bit more genteel. Must be why no one reps me lol. Going forward I would phrase this post something like "there are aspects to kb gaming which displease me personally".

It is so weird though, when I started console gaming I was screaming for kb/mouse compatibility daily. Now, I can go buy the FragFX but I don't want it lol. Pretty excited about playing SOCOM4/PS3 with Move though, wonder if those kinds of controllers will appear pc side soon. In theory it should be great. I never tried the Wii shooters though so I don't know. Light gun games at arcades aren't all that precise so those don't give me a clue either.

That's so messed up lol why do you want to screw me over like that?

I've tried that, external kb slips around too much, especially since you need your hand at one end. It's ok if you sit on a couch and have it on your lap, that is what I do sometimes for games where a pad isn't an option, just plug the laptop to the tv and leave it there and game with kb/mouse from couch. But you can't veg out all the way this way, you need to be upright somewhat.

This whole thing for me is probably less about the input and more about the couch tbh lol. But I have to think going forward alternatives to kb for all aspects of computing will be coming fast, with the move to the living room and all.

 

nothing beats the mouse for aiming, so I use kb+mouse for FPS and GTAIV.

For all else, I plug the 360 controller.

 

I use the kb/mouse mostly for shooters, in anything else (including GTA4) I will plug in the 360 controller.

 

I don't. Like I said I want you to be happy.

 

I mix it up.


However, I cut my teeth for many years on a Sony SuperSlim Pro 12.1" and a Dell X200. I am inexorably tied to KB and trackpad, now.

I do put up with my xbox360's controller, because my family and friends game on the controller (two of my friends hang around for SC2 ), and it's just convinient - for me.

I still love laptop gaming, however


For those of you who claim a controller is hard to use in FPS, try playing it on a trackpad - it's near impossible for people that have never used it a lot, especially since there is no auto aim at all And yes, boredom during childhood factored in greatly to this perversion from the standard KB & M.

 

hmm..... I just cant see how people use them controllers .... I can't imagine myself playing DAO or WoW (not FPS or Strategy) or ..... any game actually with a controller other than PES

 

It's funny you should say that about WoW, The huge amount of commands and buttons to learn is one the reasons I find it so off putting.

 

The nice thing about gaming on a PC is that you have inifinitely more input/control options compared to something like consoles. If you find the irritation with a keyboard/mouse combo to mostly be the fault of the keyboard, replace it with a gamepad like a Belkin Nostromo. I can lie in bed, laptop on my chest, arms comfortably down at my sides, one hand with an appopriately positioned mouse & pad, and the other hand on the freely positioned Nostromo. Add in a bed pan, a nice tray filled with snacks on top of my bedside mini fridge and I have any console gamer absolutely pwned in comfort level all while enjoying superior controls. I'll hit 400+ way before any of those lazy console playing potatoes do.

 

KB gaming takes some getting used to. I find the KB+Mouse combo better than controllers for FPS.

 

That's just self abuse. I just now tried L4D with trackpad. In that first room in the kitchen I shot my teammates like 100x. A part of the problem was not turning off tap to click I think. But that's not really the problem lol. But man if you can aim on trackpad you can probably pull off not just headshots but call which eyebrow with a mouse.

That thing would be so great with a proper analog stick better positioned to serve as the movement input. But as is, it's not even analog right? It's more like a hat for a flight sim? But yeah the Belkin or the Logitech one or the Razer one, all are better than a kb and gets rid of some of my complaints.

Lol you might be even more into comfort than I am. I wouldn't be surprised if you changed into like a velour dressing gown before starting a session.

 

A long time ago I got a Microsoft Sidewinder Strategic Commander for about $15 out of a bargain bin.

It had a ton of buttons, on the fly macro programming, directional control (you move the whole thing around like a joystick), rotational control (you can twist it), and 3 saved profiles you could switch between.

It was designed for RTS gameplay where you'd use it to control your camera and program all kinds of macros for the buttons so you could do things like que up a bunch of units to build or command multiple squads to attack the same spot.

I used it for FPSes though.

I would imagine though that it would really shine in an MMO.

Unfortunately it was discontinued a long time ago (probably why it was in a bargain bin) and these days could be hard to come by. Personally I lost mine like 10 years ago.

 

Huh. Was that weird at first, a non moving mouse under your left hand? Seems like it would feel weird. Funky looking device.

 

You've been away for a while, and aren't used to WASD anymore. If you really wanted to, you could get comfortable again. Playing on the couch, with the notebook on your lap and an external mouse is pretty easy.

btw, I'm sure you know that this thread title would get you banned on GAF, thus you made it here instead.

 

What is GAF? Would GAF view this thread, opening post as a troll just as I did?

 

No it's just not that sensitive over there. Maybe if you're Dyack lol. Did I walk into crossfire from general antagnism toward console gaming and it's detrimental effect on pc gaming here or something or is that subject line really so offensive? Anyway sorry dudes. Just threw out a comment as a topic to see if anyone wanted to discuss, I don't really have a point. Useful lesson for me though, I guess I really need to ratchet down how I phrase things here at NBR, you're like the third or fourth guy who's commented. Maybe a mod could just zap the whole thread or something? Don't want to cause trouble.

 

Your opening post was fine, but "keyboard gaming blows" is a terrible way to introduce people to your perspective.

On NeoGAF, it would certainly start a bad flamewar and get you banned. If you don't believe me, go try it.

But, factually, WASD + a mouse is always more precise than an analog stick, if you're used to the control scheme. If you go jump on a PC server of Modern Warfare, you will get destroyed, using a gamepad.

 

You were trolling and you know it. Playing "stupid" doesn't work around here.

 

Holy smokes nm dudes. Sorry for everything lol.

 

How many games expect you to aim with a keyboard by the way? I thought most of the FPS games out there involve the mouse in some way or another.

Of course it's all down to gamer's personal preferences, but changing the thread title as mentioned earlier would go far to sooth a few ruffled feathers.

 

I actually find game console controllers very uncomfortable to use. My hands have never really been able to fit them properly. Therefore I have never been able to use a console controller for long enough to get any good with them so I prefer keyboard and mouse. I will still using game consoles the day they let me use a keyboard and mouse with them.

 

Is this why they ported SC2 only for consoles? Oh wait.. they didn't.

 

For me, game pads are superior to KB and Mouse only in sports games, racing games and fighting games (Tekken series). Other than those three genres I need a keyboard and mouse to game comfortably and at my best.

 

obvious troll is obvious. KB+mouse has been proven to be both more efficient and accurate for the major gaming genres (i.e. Action, FPS, RTS) over a gamepad.

/thread.

 

I find that fighting games are the only ones I prefer a controller for. The Gamecube controller is my favorite by far, and luckily it can be used with the Wii for Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Ever since I really got into PC gaming, playing a first person shooter on a console has felt painful (mentally I know exactly what I want the character to do, but physically I can't make them do it. Especially with how slippery Xbox 360 controllers get with sweaty hands.). Now that more time has passed, I've only become more particular. Regular mice don't even cut it anymore; I need a G9x or something that performs similarly or else I notice the input lag.

Serious business.

 

I like PC for greater movement control. Often WASD gets you left right forward back, but Q and E get you slide left slide right which makes for great dodging. Add in jumping with a space bar and you have one hand that has a ton of movement control and then the other either running spells/movements on the other keys or using mouse to aim/shoot/execute maneuvers.

I dislike the whole controller thing enough (except for flight and racing sims for which the appropriate controller is pretty nice) that I've often not bothered with games that were controller focused.

Now that said I can understand the variety and the focused packed level of control you have in a small space on a controller. So I do understand. It's just not my cup of tea. And I do enjoy others playing (well) on them, as it's fun to watch an artist in action

 

Lol, I forgot to bring my mouse with me on a half-year trip to my grandparents. No internet, compounded because I only had AOE2:Conq and Halo PC

There are lots of little tricks to using touchpads. One is double tap&drag = drag and drop (moving icons on the desktop). Useful for me becuse I broke my M1210's left clicker and I didn't try to repair it for a month (again... I never thought to buy a mouse. When I did, I got a cheap wireless mouse... that had nice "dropouts" that really irritated me enough to prefer the trackpad over it). Other one is to use the cursor acceleration. It really helps (like how a controller needs it, IMO).

Again... only when I am a child. I think I must of been brain-fried in terms of logical thinking at that point of my develpment....

 

I actually updated my post and added the fighting game genre to it before you posted this response. I just forgot to add it right off the bat.

 

I hope you are not seriously thinking that Blizzard will be making Diablo3 for anything but the PC?

 

Hope not. Anything like Diablo/MMO for console is a disaster. Just look at FF XIV while an MMORPG was definitely optimized and designed for PS3 and is sucks hard. By far the worst MMORPG to be released in the last I'd say 3 years now. Even crappy generic Korean MMOs have better gameplay than that garbage.

Consoles just not that awesome for MMO style games still. And if they try to make it on console, it turns to garbage. FF XIV is a great example.

 

Throughout my extensive collection thus far for PC gaming I sadly only use my keyboard for all my RTS games, COH, SC2, and BF2BC/MW2. Everything else I use my gamepad (360 controller) I enjoy the game more when using a controller pad because I'm comfortable. Which probably insinuates the idea that I'm a casual gamer, but perhaps I am in fact that when it comes to games like Mafia2, GTA, and Transformers. Keyboard's are for the intensive games, the games where you dont want to admit that you get the hand sweats for.

 

I had a similar problem coming back to pc gaming, Im too use to using a joystick for movement. I searched desperatley for something to aid me, and I found a few solutions on which I currently love and use often.

G35 gamepad, Essentially the left half of a controller with like 20 something programable keys and a joystick. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this, Im modding the joystick though because I find it too small. I now use one thumb for motion, and then the rest of my fingers are use for jump reload crunch etc etc. Way more effiecient and works surprisingly well for FPS even though the original design is for Micro managing RTS or RPG.

The second is Split Fish. Recieves horrible reviews on the net, but excellent idea if was better built. this is just the left side of a joystick (ps3 pad in particular) and a mouse with 4 buttons on the side (X O square and triangle). I was going to get this, but reviews say shoddy build and slow, the biggest problem I find with it is to click the mouse left click and a button with your thumb at the same time ( to say jump and shoot) is too complicated for one hand to do. The other hand your trying to grip, use shoulder buttons AND use a joystick to move, too cumbersom for my like.

And then theres a this option, which is getting the left stick of the playstion move which can be purchased seperately and pairing that with a mouse on your pc. Essentially the same thing as the Split fish device. But the problem now is that all the buttons are on the move controller and your using the joystick on it to move, so you can only do one thing at a time, not 2 like jump and run forward.

The G35 has been great so far and I recommend this to anyone who has a hard time like myself using a keyboard. Cheers folks.

 

A matter of habit, isn't it? Is there any more to it?

 

Are you guys just trying to start an argument, or do you seriously not know what "trolling" is? It's not just posting an unpopular opinion or something that you don't agree with. Personally, if I was to call anything trolling in this thread, it would be the number of posters rushing in to describe it as such while offering nothing meaningful to the conversation.

Anyhow, it doesn't matter if KB+Mouse is more efficient and accurate, if you are not comfortable using them. That should be blatantly obvious. For example, whenever I switch from my PC to Playstation, or vice versa I always have to "get used" to the controls again. It isn't a matter of what's better, but a matter of what you are experienced with. If you've been gaming on a console for the past ten years, then you simply won't have the muscle memory and comfortability required to effectively use a keyboard for movement.

It will just take a while to get used to.

Sorry so many people on these forums are silly geese OP.