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[Hopeford]

So I always use a controller, no matter what kind of game I'm playing. This means I can't really get into a bunch of FPS and multiplayer stuff is like usually beyond me, but that's cool. I just stay away from multiplayer except when playing with friends and everything is fine. I tried giving mouse / keyboard a go a couple times but it never clicked with me.

Friend of mine is huge on mouse/keyboard so he tried getting me into it again, because he figures that I'd enjoy myself more even if it was only for single player games. So I gave it a shot and...to be honest, just not feeling it. Like just to be clear: I understand mouse/keyboard is a more accurate input method. I just don't really find it comfortable.

I kinda like playing games kind of lazily sinking into my chair(or couch), and doing that with a keyboard is kind of difficult. Like, I'm sure it's doable, just not really feeling it. Tried just sitting up straight to play as well and it felt like I was forcing myself to play instead of just, well, having fun. I mean I'd like to get used to mouse/keyboard because being able to play some multiplayer games would be rad, and if nothing else stuff like Doom single player is probably more fun with a mouse and keyboard. Just having some issues getting used to it. Also tried just flat out getting the mouse/keyboard to my couch with some thing my friend had, and to be honest I felt like my girlfriend trying to use an analogue stick for the first time. It was just weird.

So yeah, I'm half giving up on this keyboard experiment, but I figured before I do that I might as well ask if any of you guys had a similar experience trying out keyboard for the first time and had any recommendations on how to maybe make it more comfortable.

 

[joecanada]

I don't really have any suggestions because I'm right there with you. Used to play mouse and keyboard way back when and hated it then too. especially wasdx for movement. I have played with the controller in one hand and mouse in the other method but I just don't care enough. maybe try that. I could see it working.

 

[Syril]

I don't really have any suggestions because I'm right there with you. Used to play mouse and keyboard way back when and hated it then too. especially wasdx for movement. I have played with the controller in one hand and mouse in the other method but I just don't care enough. maybe try that. I could see it working.

What's the x for?

 

[vitalogy11]

You pretty much sound like a lazy millennial.

Please don't be too insulted lol.


Keyboard and mouse can be steep if you grew up only playing games with a controller, but just keep at it and it becomes second nature if not better. Takes some time to get the muscle memory down. Also just get over slouching, or just get a comfy computer chair I guess.

 

[Stevey]

What's the x for?

Crouch? I use c

 

[Arkanius]

Crouch? I use c

Real Crouch is CTRL

 

[Stevey]

Real Crouch is CTRL

Nah, I have more dexterity in my thumb than my little finger.

 

[Duxxy3]

I definitely don't recommend gaming on your couch with a keyboard and mouse. Not a good mix in my opinion.

For me KB/M gaming means sitting closer to a monitor on a desk, just like if you were browsing the web or working on a document.

If you're just have no interest in that, then I'd say stick with a controller.

 

[joecanada]

What's the x for?

pay respects?

or "c"

 

[ViolentP]

Nothing is for everyone.

 

[Huge Succeeded]

What mouse and keyboard are you using right now?

It took me about two months to get used to keyboard and mouse. I can never, ever go back.

One thing that helped was picking up a mouse and keyboard that worked for me. I grabbed a 13-button mouse specifically so that I could enjoy controller-like functionality without compromising my aim. You might wanna think about trying that.

Real Crouch is CTRL

Real Crouch is mouse button 4.

 

[Tagyhag]

I definitely don't recommend gaming on your couch with a keyboard and mouse. Not a good mix in my opinion.

For me KB/M gaming means sitting closer to a monitor on a desk, just like if you were browsing the web or working on a document.

If you're just have no interest in that, then I'd say stick with a controller.

Yeah that's probably the best option.

I've been PC gaming since I was 3 so I never really had to get used to it, but my guess is that if someone has been using controllers their whole life, it's not going to come for them naturally in a day. I bet you'd have to work on it.

One good thing is that it also helps you work on your posture!

That said, worst comes to worst, just use a controller in MP games, you'll be at a disadvantage, but you won't be last place every single time if you're good enough.

 

[suedester]

I'm right there with you. Don't have an issue with RTSs but shooters and RPGs just feel better using controllers. Multiplayer games should have controller only servers ideally.

 

[SmokedMeat]

I couldn't imagine using a keyboard mouse while hunched over a coffee table, which is usually pretty low.

My initial experience with mouse and keyboard was so so. Both were leftovers from our prebuilt, and upgrading to a different mouse and mechanical keyboard made a positive difference for me.

I also game at a desk and upgraded to a much nicer office chair. There's different factors at play here that could be causing your experience to be poor.

 

[InsaneTiger]

I can't relate to this at all. I grew up on playing PC with Doom. KB&M is just so natural, as natural as a gamepad to me. For me, playing FPS with KBM is comfortable to me.

 

[Sword Of Doom]

I grew up playing a lot of PC games in the 90's and kb/m felt like an extension of myself. I didn't even have to think about it. I then took a long break from PC gaming and now I'm having a lot of trouble going back to kb/m. Not sure why it's so difficult for me now.

I can't relate to this at all. I grew up on playing PC with Doom. KB&M is just so natural, as natural as a gamepad to me. For me, playing FPS with KBM is comfortable to me.

Sticks really do feel like the clumsiest of ways to control a shooter when you compare it to kb/m. That is why it's frustrating that I'm having so much trouble readjusting. You'd think it would be like riding a bicycle

 

[Chainsawkitten]

Maybe it'd help to play some first person games like Dear Esther or Gone Home where there is no pressure to perform and where you can relax/take things at your own pace. I imagine trying to get used to the controls while in combat might feel frustrating since "I could do so much better with what I'm used to". So maybe something like that'd help. Or maybe it'd just feel pointless since those games don't have any need for precision anyhow, idk.

 

[Moz]

I feel utterly handicapped when I have to aim with a crosshair using a controller.

 

[SargerusBR]

Real Crouch is CTRL

CTRL for Prone, C for Crouch

 

[creatchee]

I definitely don't recommend gaming on your couch with a keyboard and mouse. Not a good mix in my opinion.

For me KB/M gaming means sitting closer to a monitor on a desk, just like if you were browsing the web or working on a document.

If you're just have no interest in that, then I'd say stick with a controller.

Nonsense. I have the Couchmaster and I more than hold my own with M/KB in complete comfort and without the confines of a desk chair.

If interested, you can purchase here:
http://www.steigerdynamics.com/products-couchmaster-features

 

[wolgoen]

I'm useless on a controller.

Grew up mainly on PC kb/ms, back then consoles were mainly 2D too so no 'aiming' required.

These days I can't shoot **** on console but give me a kb/ms and I'm right at home.

Thank the lord for XIM

 

[bomblord1]

I have to agree OP I understand it's benefits but the comfort is just not there. I even used a controller for Skyrim and Fallout 4 when I play it on PC a Mouse/KB just feels uncomfortable.

I also avoid competitive multiplayer like the plague but that has nothing to do with Mouse and Keyboard just the kind of people it attracts and the stress it causes me.

Also a controller is always superior in action games and platformers.

 

[Swarna]

A lot of it can come down to what mouse and keyboard you're using, what kind of chair you're sitting in, and the height at which your mouse/keyboard sits.

A good light mouse and a huge mouse pad is super fun in FPS and ultra-comfortable. There's literally no alternative. Thumbsticks just feel less fun to use straight-up. I also vastly prefer mouse and keyboard for games like The Surge and Dark Souls 3 for improved camera control while sprinting (haven't tried elite controller tbf). Sitting up straight is nothing once you get used to it. In fact, you should be doing that in general for your health. Hunching over or bad posture in general is disastrous. There should be no fatigue at all. If any aspect of this is remotely tiring, you're doing something wrong and should look into fixing it (if you want to continue using mouse and keyboard).

If you're using a couch, there's a lot more room for awkwardness using mouse and keyboard. You weren't very specific but obviously if you're using a coffee table or something to the side, that's clearly not the intended use case for any of this. I personally wouldn't bother on a couch (well, I don't play games on a couch anyways, I have issues with getting sleepy lol). I have no experience with lapboards or whatever so I'll defer to someone else.

 

[Hopeford]

What mouse and keyboard are you using right now?

Those two:
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01N6A3MZT/
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01M73YYKR/

I'm right there with you. Don't have an issue with RTSs but shooters and RPGs just feel better using controllers. Multiplayer games should have controller only servers ideally.

Oh yeah, I have no issue with RTS either. Those I'm perfectly fine using a keyboard for. It's stuff like shooters and RPGs when I just really really want a controller in my hands, but then I suck at it haha.

You pretty much sound like a lazy millennial.

Please don't be too insulted lol.


Keyboard and mouse can be steep if you grew up only playing games with a controller, but just keep at it and it becomes second nature if not better. Takes some time to get the muscle memory down. Also just get over slouching, or just get a comfy computer chair I guess.

You pretty much sound like an asshole. Please don't be too insulted.

Jokes aside, it's not the muscle memory that's being an issue for me so much as the relaxation part of it. Like, I play games to relax, and mouse/keyboard don't seem to be doing the trick in that regard. Though maybe that could get better with practice, I don't know.

Maybe it'd help to play some first person games like Dear Esther or Gone Home where there is no pressure to perform and where you can relax/take things at your own pace. I imagine trying to get used to the controls while in combat might feel frustrating since "I could do so much better with what I'm used to". So maybe something like that'd help. Or maybe it'd just feel pointless since those games don't have any need for precision anyhow, idk.

That's actually a good suggestion. Thanks, I'll give it a shot.

 

[C.Mongler]

I play every PC game with a controller unless it's an FPS or an RTS. You're fine OP.

 

[SenkiDala]

I started with controllers on NES/SNES etc, then I played on PC when Half Life came out, played a lot of games on PC, and on consoles too, and I'm used to both... I'd say I prefer controller over KB+M for almost everything, except for fast FPS like DeadCore, Quake, and... That's all I guess. But both are fine for me honestly.

 

[NoblesseOblige]

For most shooters I feel completely crippled using a controller. It can't compare to how precise I can be with a mouse. You could always go the full crazy route like a certain Woolie:

 

[Coriolanus]

Join US, OP, JOIN USSSS...

(or get a steam controller, works fine too)

 

[chrominance]

You do you. I don't see any reason why you should feel obligated to play with a mouse and keyboard, even in multiplayer games. Now, if you feel like a controller is holding you back because it's less accurate, and you're suffering in multiplayer games as a result, that's a different matter; at that point you might have to just bite the bullet and get used to it. But if all you're doing is playing single-player games and casually playing multiplayer shooters and stuff, I don't think you need to force yourself to use a control scheme you don't prefer.

FWIW I have 100% a mouse/keyboard person and have all but stopped buying shooters on consoles because I prefer using mouselook for aiming, but I also only ever use them at a desk. I can't imagine trying to use mouse/keyboard on a couch, even with a lapboard; the ergonomics frighten me. Even at a desk, I find that leaning back and bending my elbows substantially less than 90 degrees is a recipe for arm soreness/pain. A couch/lapboard setup seems like it would accentuate that for me.

A potentially reasonable substitute might be the Steam controller. It's the best compromise between the accuracy of mouselook and the ease of using a controller on the couch that I've ever played with; I managed to play a few hours of Fallout 4 without doing too badly. It has its own learning curve, of course, and I wouldn't recommend just using the pads to aim--you really want pad+gyro for the highest accuracy. Also, I'm not sure it's a good idea for competitive FPS play unless you put a lot of time into it. But it's totally workable.

 

[yanipheonu]

I've got the particular problem that I use a keyboard all day for writing, so when I game, I prefer a completely different tactile experience a controller can give.

 

[wetalo]

Dude, you got two options here:

A) You try to play with Mouse and Keyboard till you get used to it.
B) You don't, and you just play with a controller.

It's up to you what you want. Personally, I grew up on PC/M&K. I remember buying my PS3 in 2009 and having a ton of trouble adjusting to dual analogue aiming, but hey over time I figured it out.

I say drop the mouse sensitivity to help you adjust if you want to give it another shot, but in the end unless you plan on doing it professionally, video games are just entertainment, do whatever you find fun.

 

[mullet2000]

As a recent PC convert (built my first PC in May 2015), it took me about a year to a year and a half to get truly use to mouse and keyboard.

Now I love it and will pick it every time when it comes to shooters.

It's all just practice. Find a multiplayer shooter you like and play, play, play.

Also, don't have the sensitivity too high. This is a mistake a LOT of people make. I made it too for the first six months I was playing on PC. You want to use your hold arm when aiming with the mouse, not just your wrist. Personally I set my sensitivity so that a full sweep from left to right on my mouse pad rotates my character about 540 degrees. Before it was like ..1080+ degrees. Having sensitivity that high will make it hard to do fine aiming and it just overall will lead to frustration.

Keyboard is just muscle memory like any other button. You'll get use to it over time.

 

[Krayz]

For FPS games, I use arrows keys for my movement, enter as interact, RCTRL as reload. Numpad 1 as crouch, numpad 2 for prone, numpad 0 for jump and numpad . for switching firing modes. For RPG it's mostly the same, arrow keys as movement and numpad for abilities.

I've played like this since I started gaming on PC. Call of duty 4 forced me to use the keys above the arrow keys for what I would normally map to the numpad, it didn't support numpad for some odd reason.

 

[RebornYeti]

What's the x for?

pay respects?

or "c"

This post has been overlooked.

Got a good chuckle out of me!

Stealth Edit: I'm with you, OP. I understand that for FPS games, KB/M is the way to go, but I feel like I can do well enough with a controller in say, BF1.

 

[MazeHaze]

I was the same way until I got a PC last year. Got a little lap desk that I use to play kb+m on comfy couch and it's rad and really comfortable.

As for adjusting, just stick with it. I got my PC in march and it's no coincidence that I didn't start to feel really solid using kb+m until may when Doom and Overwatch came out.

Doom is a great way to learn imo. Not only does it help you get used to how quickly you can turn your character and aim, but you're constantly moving amd jumping with wasd and spacebar. It also immediately show you one of the best benefits of a kb which is the number of buttons. Being able to instantly switch weapons by hitting a number key is so satisfying, where I feel using a controller kills the pacing a little as you're constantly stopping the action by bringing up a weapon wheel.

 

[Polygonal_Sprite]

I don't really consider using a m&k proper gaming tbh. They're designed for web browsing and creating word / excel documents.

 

[DodgyGeezerFella]

Real Crouch is CTRL

Ctrl for hold crouch.
C for toggle crouch.

Noobs.

 

[EBE]

wasd for movement in any game just feels so clunky to me
i'll never use kb/m

 

[DocSeuss]

I'm glad games don't use the key between c and b on the keyboard, 'cause mine's broken.

M&K takes some getting used to, just like your first time with a controller. You'll get used to it eentually! Just gotta stick with it. It's ery hard for some people at first, but it gets easier oer time.

Real Crouch is CTRL

CORRECT.

 

[petran79]

Going from controller to keyboard and mouse is mych easier than the opposite. Took me 2+ years to fully transition to arcade stick and pad for arcade games, especially fighters. Keyboard had numbed me.

 

[Hopeford]

It also immediately show you one of the best benefits of a kb which is the number of buttons. Being able to instantly switch weapons by hitting a number key is so satisfying, where I feel using a controller kills the pacing a little as you're constantly stopping the action by bringing up a weapon wheel.

Honestly this is a huge part of why I'm trying to get used to a mouse/keyboard. Like even for stuff like Skyrim, it feels kinda annoying when I have to go into a menu to switch stuff, you know? Like, the multiplayer stuff is fun and all but the number of buttons is really my main thing.

Maybe I should get a Steam Controller for that, hmm...

 

[Chainsawkitten]

I don't really consider using a m&k proper gaming tbh. They're designed for web browsing and creating word / excel documents.

What do you mean Eve Online isn't a game?

 

[wuth]

I certainly understand the frustration of not being able to relax on the couch.

Personally, I do everything on my PC from animation, to writing, to web surfing so I spend the most time there. I actually value that workspace and, as such, I like gaming there as well. Being able to alt-tab or quickly switch between projects and games is very important to me.

Not only that, but playing on the TV just doesn't absorb me like playing on the PC does. Being so far from the screen, even though my couch is much comfier than my shitty computer chair, strains my eyes as well.

But that is where I see the biggest disconnect between the kbm and controller users- I don't really like gaming in the living room but lots of other people do. Question, though: Have you tried using some kind of tray to place over your lap? I still don't think that's the most ergonomic way to play, honestly. When I do play KBM on my TV, I usually put a pillow on the floor and use my coffee table as a desk surface and, aside from having to sit on the ground, I find this works well.

The reality is that mice require a flat surface to play comfortably and you're not gonna easily achieve that on the couch. If that's the only place you're willing to play then you'll probably be better off sticking to the controller for the time being.

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

Real Crouch is CTRL

I use a mouse left handed (right handed buttons, I'm not a barbarian lol) and use my right hand on the arrow keys to move. Right CTRL and RIGHT Shift are my crouch and jump, respectively. Num 1 is use/interact, Num 2 is usually grenade and Num 0 is usually reload.

But honestly, for KB + M, it's something you do get used to eventually. It just doesn't come to you, you have to work at it.

 

[GamerJM]

I think it's fine for shooters and certain RPGs, but most of the kinds of games that use KB+M aren't really games I like in the first place.

I was console-only for a very long time so I expected to initially hate KB+M before I got used to it but I found that it mostly felt fine.

 

[GurgleBot20]

I can use both CTRL or C for crouch.

However, CTRL has to be hold and C has to be toggle.

Also, you have to realize that you need to configure control options a lot of the time in order to be comfortable using Keyboard and Mouse.

 

[Sub_Level]

Real Crouch is CTRL

Left shift.

"but left shift is sprint"

No.

 

[ichtyander]

Real Crouch is CTRL

One thing I learned from this thread is I'm probably the only one here using ALT for crouching (so it's jumping and crouching with the left thumb) and CTRL for Use/Interact.

To be honest OP, I'm kikda the opposite, could never feel really comfortable playing on a couch in any way, so it's almost always been on a chair, at a desk. Can't really see being comfortable playing with a m+kb on a couch, but then again I've never tried any special hardware or desks of that sort.

 

[Conciliator]

Only thing I really play with mouse and keyboard, other than grand strategy and PC interface stuff like that, is the rare competitive FPS I play. Even if I'm playing like Borderlands I'll play with controller b/c it's easier and more relaxing. I don't care about being an elite gamer or whatevs so that works for me.

 

[Ordinaryundone]

For most shooters I feel completely crippled using a controller. It can't compare to how precise I can be with a mouse. You could always go the full crazy route like a certain Woolie:

What is this abomination? I can appreciate wanting full analog movement but jeez, that's giving me a headache just thinking about it.