Why do people seem to think Gamepads are better than KB+M?
- Thread starter Gankytim
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Because controllers fit more comfortably in my hand. My arm starts to ache after extended keyboard and mouse use.
Yes for FPS KB-M is going to make you better, but I simply find a gamepad to be more comfortable. I almost always plug in my 360 controller when a game supports it on my PC.
Actually, it does not. It does not imply, infer or even hint at this. It may for you, but the words you used do no such thing. What Gankytim referred to is the default assumption that all others' opinions are inferior - therefore, when you try to build on top of that with your unspoken assertion that one has already considered the said others' opinions, that actually contradicts the quote you used. Therefore, the unspoken part becomes unrecognised.Denamic said:
Can you lay down in your bed and play with your keyboard and mouse? No? Thought so. Yes, KB&M is far more accurate and versatile, which is why I use it for things like programming, but if I just want to relax with a game, rather than be productive, a gamepad is just that much more comfortable to me.
I generally agree with this. It's not that KBM is worse, in fact it's quite the opposite. It's, in a sense, too good for shooters. There's no real weight or tactile sense to aiming/shooting with a mouse. It just feels like point and click whack a mole to me.Mr Fixit said:
Anywho, in a larger sense, I tend to prefer controller in most games simply because it's what I'm used to. There's very few genres I would point out where controller is better than MKB, but there's also very few genres where I'd specifically say I prefer using MKB. In other words, I'd never debate someone over controller being better than MKB because I don't think it objectively is, but I'd still rather use controller in most cases anyway.
This is one of those situations where everyone feels like they're an expert. But, in my opinion... not everyone uses KB+M or a gamepad enough to be an expert with both. A lot of people stick with what they enjoy, and in reality, that means their EXPERIENCE is quite limited. That said, people are still going to want to share their opinions, and that's fine.
As someone who has played everything from space sims to strategy games with keyboards, mice, and gamepads, for almost two decades now, all I can do is provide my opinion.
In my opinion, each device is better at .... what its better at! A tool is a tool, and if used wrong, will produce worse results.
Strategy games like Command and Conquer can be played with gamepads, but it is simply easier to do with a keyboard, for most people. However, if you start off playing this game with a gamepad and then after many, many hours go and try playing it with a keyboard, it WON'T appear easier to you, because it will be outside of muscle memory territory. So, your opinion will be biased.
You know what matters, really? Are you enjoying yourself? If you can say yes, then do whatever you want.
As someone who has played everything from space sims to strategy games with keyboards, mice, and gamepads, for almost two decades now, all I can do is provide my opinion.
In my opinion, each device is better at .... what its better at! A tool is a tool, and if used wrong, will produce worse results.
Strategy games like Command and Conquer can be played with gamepads, but it is simply easier to do with a keyboard, for most people. However, if you start off playing this game with a gamepad and then after many, many hours go and try playing it with a keyboard, it WON'T appear easier to you, because it will be outside of muscle memory territory. So, your opinion will be biased.
You know what matters, really? Are you enjoying yourself? If you can say yes, then do whatever you want.
They do? All I hear from other PC gamers is how unfair it is that some games play better with a controller than mouse and keyboard. The amount of people complaining that Dark Souls 2 was a bad PC port (despite the fact that it looked and ran better than the console version) simply because you had to use a controller to play effectively, was absurd. Mouse and keyboard is superior for many types of games, but not all
I suspect my completely personal and subjective opinion would be the complete opposite. I'm too used to mouse and keyboard, so aiming in first or third person shooting games is just an impossible challenge for me. Though having only ever played the Mass Effect games with a mouse and keyboard, I'm now a little curious to try plugging in a controller. I will say that it always felt weird to me that the PC version has all those keys to work with, but just map half the actions to the spacebarLeon Declis said:
You're all wrong!
Clearly a SpacePilot Pro for movement and a Novint Falcon for orientation is the only way to play games. Anything else is an affront to the industry, quite frankly.
Clearly a SpacePilot Pro for movement and a Novint Falcon for orientation is the only way to play games. Anything else is an affront to the industry, quite frankly.
KB+M is generally better for shooters and most strategy games. Controller's are generally better for racing, platforming, fighting and third-person brawlers. Of course PC games can support both forms of input so it's all irrelevant from a console wars perspective.
Personally, a controller feels much more organic in my hands. Whenever I sit down to play a game, am activity I'm supposed to enjoy doing in my down time, I want to be comfortable and relaxed. To that end, holding a controller on my lap as I sink ever farther into my couch with a bowl of chips is much better than sitting at my desk with my PC.
That isn't to say that KB+M isn't good. On the contrary, for certain games it is way better. And I like playing games on my PC just as much, but when I'm in the mood for it. RTS and things of that nature are not only better, but more fun to play on a PC when you aren't frustrated by the controls.
Ultimately, I guess it depends on your definition of "better". If you mean "more accurate, higher performance" then KB+M. If you mean "provides the nicest experience in terms of comfort etc" then controllers are better. Of course, there are games which defy these standards, but these are just my opinions.
That isn't to say that KB+M isn't good. On the contrary, for certain games it is way better. And I like playing games on my PC just as much, but when I'm in the mood for it. RTS and things of that nature are not only better, but more fun to play on a PC when you aren't frustrated by the controls.
Ultimately, I guess it depends on your definition of "better". If you mean "more accurate, higher performance" then KB+M. If you mean "provides the nicest experience in terms of comfort etc" then controllers are better. Of course, there are games which defy these standards, but these are just my opinions.
well KB+M is not meant to be used for games, or at least designed to. Game pads on the other hand well are designed for gaming, and then there is the whole vibrational feedback. Gaming with a rumble pad feels more organic, and thus more immersive due to our tactile sense being stimulated along with our eyes and ears.
And before some smart ass argues that by my logic, stimulation of our olfactory senses would make gaming even better. I mean that stimulating senses that we use to navigate and manipulate the world around us, will make the experience more immersive. So taste and smells won't count.
And before some smart ass argues that by my logic, stimulation of our olfactory senses would make gaming even better. I mean that stimulating senses that we use to navigate and manipulate the world around us, will make the experience more immersive. So taste and smells won't count.
Here's the general breakdown for what I feel between the two:
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Controller
In a word: intuitive. There may not be a lot of variation for option on most controllers, but they just feel more natural and leads to MUCH smoother gameplay in general. I find it also enforces a "simple elegance" for a game's design; you have fewer tools to work with, but those tools can accomplish a much wider variety of tasks. The other advantage is that brings you closer to being "in control" of a single character.
That being said, it has a tendency to break down in the following situations:
- When you need to manage a lot of things at once
- When you need a high degree of precision
- When you're separated from the action too much, usually when you don't interact more directly
Oddly enough, those are the EXACT advantages of a keyboard and mouse.
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Keyboard and Mouse
There's no question from me, keyboard and mouse are just plain awkward for when it comes to most games; but as noted above, it gives you an advantage when you need to watch a lot of things at once, need to be precise, and/or are separated from the action. Two note worthy genres where this matters: RTS and FPS. In the case of RTS, most attempts to do the genre with a controller have not worked out well at all. FPS didn't really take off on consoles until they worked out how to make it work with controllers, with the innovations of dual analogy sticks (one to aim, one to move) and carrying far fewer weapons (Halo: CE restricting to carrying only two weapons at once); those made the genre WORK with a controller, though it still struggles to keep up with the precision of a mouse in a competitive environment. Come to think of it, those are genres which are ESPECIALLY well-known for their competitive online communities.
However... I find that the keyboard and mouse just isn't as innately FUN to play with. Is it better sometimes? Definitely. But I still gravitate towards the controller, unless using that instead only ends up being unmanageable for one reason or another.
At the end of the day, winning isn't everything.
---
Controller
In a word: intuitive. There may not be a lot of variation for option on most controllers, but they just feel more natural and leads to MUCH smoother gameplay in general. I find it also enforces a "simple elegance" for a game's design; you have fewer tools to work with, but those tools can accomplish a much wider variety of tasks. The other advantage is that brings you closer to being "in control" of a single character.
That being said, it has a tendency to break down in the following situations:
- When you need to manage a lot of things at once
- When you need a high degree of precision
- When you're separated from the action too much, usually when you don't interact more directly
Oddly enough, those are the EXACT advantages of a keyboard and mouse.
---
Keyboard and Mouse
There's no question from me, keyboard and mouse are just plain awkward for when it comes to most games; but as noted above, it gives you an advantage when you need to watch a lot of things at once, need to be precise, and/or are separated from the action. Two note worthy genres where this matters: RTS and FPS. In the case of RTS, most attempts to do the genre with a controller have not worked out well at all. FPS didn't really take off on consoles until they worked out how to make it work with controllers, with the innovations of dual analogy sticks (one to aim, one to move) and carrying far fewer weapons (Halo: CE restricting to carrying only two weapons at once); those made the genre WORK with a controller, though it still struggles to keep up with the precision of a mouse in a competitive environment. Come to think of it, those are genres which are ESPECIALLY well-known for their competitive online communities.
However... I find that the keyboard and mouse just isn't as innately FUN to play with. Is it better sometimes? Definitely. But I still gravitate towards the controller, unless using that instead only ends up being unmanageable for one reason or another.
At the end of the day, winning isn't everything.
Because I like gamepads.
Also, try driving a car in a game with your mouse or keyboard. I have, and yeah, not very precise. Good thing rigs of rods is designed to be a fun car crash simulator.
Also, try driving a car in a game with your mouse or keyboard. I have, and yeah, not very precise. Good thing rigs of rods is designed to be a fun car crash simulator.
Controllers are good for games such as Dark souls (like you said). But, For FPS games, keyboard and mouse obliterates them. It amazes me how people elect to use controllers for FPS games - especially when it's on PC. No matter how accustomed to controllers one can get, a fairly privy keyboard-and-mouse user will outmaneuver them.
I suppose that for some, controllers are more fun. And, in the end, it's all about having fun.
I suppose that for some, controllers are more fun. And, in the end, it's all about having fun.
Mouse is FAR better at aiming but for smooth, controlled movement beyond [FAST] and [STOP] along with moving beyond a straight line in one of the eight cardinal directions at 45 degree intervals, controllers are where it's at. Not only that, but the simpler button layout means for quicker reactions(a reason most fighting games are better played with a controller, especially considering the ever popular quarter circle forward command). You won't accidentally hit reload(usually R) when you're trying to throw a grenade(sometimes F) while trying to run backwards and jump away(usually S and Space) and trying to do other finger gymnastics. Not only that, it's downright uncomfortable to try and control your fingers independently while focusing on the screen and GOD HELP YOU if you lose your placing because in that split second you look down, YOU'RE DEAD.Gankytim said:
As a person that grew up with controllers, they're much more comfortable for me. My hands don't cramp moving around the left analog stick after a mere 30 minutes of play.
EDIT: Two words to add: intuitive and ergonomic. A controller is designed with both of these things in mind. The intuitive part is what buttons do what(like the default of the "trigger" on the right side of modern controllers is the "fire weapon" button) and the ergonomics because it's designed to be held comfortably and fit the hand well with buttons all within easy movement range of each other yet by placement still being separate and unique.