Poll: WASD or Arrow Keys?

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AntiAntagonist

Neither good or bad
Apr 17, 2008
652
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WASD

Got tired of changing keymaps during LANs. Also found that having those extra keys around gave me more options.
z, x, c, v, f, r, t, b, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 shift, ctrl, caps, tab, alt

All those keys can be quickly reached at the WASD configuration. Plus type-chatting & alt-tabbing take less movement.
 

Valiance

New member
Jan 14, 2009
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Depends.

I come from the old glory days of the FPS.

Arrow keys - Move
Ctrl - Fire
Space - Open Doors
Shift - Run
- Strafe
[] - Change Item
Enter - Use Item
Page Up - Look up
Page Down - Look down

And using a mouse was heresy.

I was really awkward with WASD when I first started using it, but now it's natural.

However, I still prefer ESDF. Why? It's the same thing moved over one space. My friends can't naturally find those keys, but I find F easy because of the notch on it. They find the tab and capslock keys easier.

Personally, I love having QAZ for extra keys. I change guns with W and R (previous and next) and don't use the scrollwheel for that at all.

It usually works like this:

ESDF = move, WR = guns.
T = generic talk
G = generic "use"
A = reload
Q = something else. (Flashlight, translocator, hoverboard, medkit, etc etc.)
C = crouch
X = prone or something else
V = some talk menu or something else
Z = something I don't need to hit much but when I need to, I can do it quick. Grenade or something.
Space = Jump
I don't use shift for anything much, tab is usually score, capslock is usually eh...
Jump is space or rightclick (depends on if I'm playing tribes or not, or if the game has alt-fires or not)

But yeah.

It's just WASD moved over so I can use my pinky for more keys. ie: be more efficient.

Edit: Yes, I voted Other.

Slycne said:
What no ESDF love?
If only I posted a second or two sooner.
 

ianuam

New member
Aug 28, 2008
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WASD, for the first few months that I played pc fps games I used the arrow keys, but for some reason I get better control with WASD, and after all the years now I can't play with any other configuration.

Oh, add to that the space bar for jump, and right m button for fire.
 

Ringwraith

Absolutely Useless
Jan 15, 2009
201
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Arrow keys, though I can understand using WASD now as it's easier to reach things, I inherited my arrow-key playing habits from my dad, and I'm far too settled into arrow keys to change, besides, I'm pretty good with my setup, though others might find it tricky.

Typical configuration (changes depending on games):
Fire: LMB
Jump: RMB (very weird I know but makes jumping puzzles a whole lot easier in my opinion)
Melee/Alt Fire (if no melee): MMB (easy to reach in case of being jumped by people at point blank range)
Zoom: NUM 0
Reload: Enter
Crouch: Ctrl
Prone (if there is one): Shift
Sprint: End
Grenade: Delete (as they 'delete' the enemy, how I decided to set it up years ago so I could remember it, second nature to me now)
Special Grenade/Switch Grenade: Page Down

If I missed some other common functions I can add them to that list later.
 

Howlingwolf214

New member
Dec 28, 2008
393
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I always use WASD, I find that using the arrow keys is too cramped in one corner. It also feels much more comfortable.
 

orifice

New member
Nov 18, 2008
414
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I'm a leftie so it's arrow keys for me! You'll probably find everyone who picked arrow keys is a leftie so it should be about 1 in 10 or slightly over.
 

Ago Iterum

New member
Dec 31, 2007
1,366
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WASD, ARGUE WITH ME AND I'LL KILL YOU ALL

UP THE REVOLUTION
WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEW!
 

Jursa

New member
Oct 11, 2008
924
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I used to use the arrow keys when I was younger, but later on WASD proved to be better for overall control and typing.
 

savandicus

New member
Jun 5, 2008
664
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WASD controls are by far superior to arrow keys because by simplely putting my hand on them my 5th finger is immediately ready on shift and ctrl. my thumb has space bar covered. CXZEQR are all only a twitch away from being pressed. The numbers 1 to 4 are easily accesable too. right hand on the mouse.

using arrow keys your thumb becomes useless on 99% of keyboards and as i use a laptop for all my gaming then i dont have a num pad to the right of the arrows so the only nearby buttons are shift and ctrl and maybe enter.

Edit - Also SEDF is probably the best movement combo but i never use it as that requires rebinding the controls for every game i play and i cant be bothered just to get 3 slightly better placed buttons.
 

gigastrike

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Jul 13, 2008
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Fire: MB 1
Grenade: MB 2
Zoom: MB 3
Weapon select: mouse wheel, ins, home, delete, end, MB 5
Move: arrow keys
Jump: ctrl
Crouch: num 0
Prone: num 1
Reload: shift
Use: enter
Flashlight: num 2
Melee: backslash (it's easier to hit than you think)

I don't like using WASD in shooters. It puts too many buttons below my hand.
 

Raptoricus

New member
Jan 13, 2009
237
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I use WASD, again it's just for reach purposes, but reading what Valliance was saying about ESDF makes sense, I might just have a go at that *reaches for FEAR*.