Poll: Screw WADS

[RevRaptor]

I use a n52 te speed pad so I haven't used wsad in a long long time. speed pads are way better than keyboards

 

[Isan]

I'm left handed and I use UHJI

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

It makes a lot of PC games easy to pick up and play, since many use the same controls.

 

[CleverNickname]

I'm literally physically incapable of using WASD, so I have to remap the controls to and around the arrow keys for every game

which is impossible on Dead Space, so I uninstalled it after not-really-playing it for 30 seconds, because I couldn't. The only way I could play it was to find some guy's blog or something where he provided a custom control file for download that mapped movement to the arrow keys.
That rendered DS playable, but Isaac still moved every time I picked something from the inventory...

I manage, but if there was an alternative with more keys/buttons around unobstructed arrow keys, it would probably help things

 

[Scizophrenic Llama]

I can understand if there is a physical reason for not liking it, but I thought it was a fairly easy system to use. It's pretty much what my left hand defaults to whenever I first sit down at a keyboard now.

 

[teqrevisited]

Thread title made me nostalgic for Doom.

On topic, I don't see a problem with WASD. There are dozens of keys surrounding them so that anything you'd care to rebind can find a suitable key. These arrow keys I hear mentioned... I don't think I've used those since Doom actually.

 

[Yellowbeard]

Every since Thief I actually use WAXD. Never had need of anything else.

 

[Tommeh Brownleh]

I like my WASD, but I'm thinking about getting a Razer Nostromo, just so I can have a keypad for the games, and a keyboard for typing stuff.

 

[rodain]

hahaha, sorry, i like the passive aggressive wording of the question:
"would you like a BETTER alternative to WASD?"
you can't really answer no, but the question instead is if there might be a better option.

 

[SacremPyrobolum]

Nope, I find the WASD keys to be perfect for the way my comp/keyboard/hand size/etc is set up, but I wouldn't have a problem if someone invented a new, non standard keyboard for people who had issues with the norm

Captcha: Rolfs fromyri


Who is Rolf, and why does he feel the need to tell me hes from yri?

Rolf is a character from Mount and Blade and claims to be a baron. Perhaps he is the baron of Yri.

 

[Gasaraki]

well they made WASD method for the convenience(spelling?) of the typewriter because it used too be where the only way to delete letters was whiteout and before that you would have to retype. They originaly had all the keys in alphabetical order but people would type to fast so they invented the WASD so as to not inconvenience the writer until the technology could handle it. By that time though, people were already used to it, so.... same thing here... ahem.

...I think you're thinking of QWERTY, which is the current keyboard lay out. WASD are the buttons currently used for movement in the majority of pc games.

 

[SsilverR]

What the hell do you want?? ESDF??? .... WASD works man

 

[Griffolion]

It works, has done for ages. If it ain't broke...

 

[zehydra]

I'd probably stick with a normal keyboard. No sense in buying a fancy keyboard just for a more comfortable WASD, when WASD is already pretty comfortable.

 

[thedarkfreak]

I had the Zboard mentioned earlier, and used it until my brother ruined it by spilling water in it. Even after taking it apart and drying it out, it never worked again.

I loved the layout for it, though, and I will miss auto-configuring layouts.

The next one I'm getting is the Cyber Snipa gamepad:

Cheaper than a full gaming keyboard, but with a nice layout.

 

[TheEverix]

If you don't like WASD, either connect a gamepad, or play on a console. Pretty simple really.

 

[Limecake]

I've been using WASD since I was in short pants so I'm used to it now.

However I did see an article on a WoW messageboard a couple months ago (before I quit playing) that argued TFGH was a better setup since your left hand would have more access to keys.

and on a side note even if we do find a better alternative chances are WASD is here to stay (why do you think everyone still uses QWERTY keyboards even though they aren't as efficient as other keyboards?)

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

I find WASD controls problematic because they are so unbelievably commonplace almost to the point of an unmodifiable standard. If it were easier to get your fingers oriented around WASD buttons from touch I wouldnt have nearly the issues.

So, It got me to thinking that a solution for this would be to modify keyboards. If you moved the arrow keys to the left side of a gaming keyboard and make a more ergonomic 1 hand control layout around that set of arrow keys, it would alleviate many issues that are created with WASD configurations like tying up text capabilities with movement mapping

TL;DR: Would you use a keyboard with a specialized set of control keys to the left of the letter keys if available, over standardized WASD controls?

Or use an xbox controller...just sayin.

OT: No. WASD is fine. If you can't find WASD, you're not using your computer enough.

basically this, while my gamepad is awesome for some games, most controls these days are VERY similar so it's easy to switch from game to game without much change in where each button goes, i mean my pinky finger has never been so helpful in all its life with being able to hit ctrl,shift,tab,z key all by its little self, and then my thumb controls the space,v,b,alt keys

play some more pc games OP, i garuntee it will become hardwired into you

 

[Hungry Donner]

I tried one of the Wolf Paw keyboards years back and it was great for gaming - but as expected it sucked for typing. For the most part I don't mind WADS but if I had the desk space for a full-sized keyboard and a gaming peripheral I'd do it.

 

[honestdiscussioner]

You'll run into a few problems if you focus on the arrow keys. Let's pretend I'm playing oblivion. Okay, so I'm still using the mouse. Left click attacks, right click blocks, great. Now my up,down,left,right is all covered by the arrow keys . . . good so far. Oops, low on health, better cast a healing spell . . . wait . . what button to I press? There are no buttons close to the arrow keys, if I want to press C (or E as I remapped it to), I have to move my hands off of the arrow keys. Well, I cast it, but I couldn't dodge at the same time, so I died before it took effect.

There's your problem.