Esdf

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mrblotto

Golden Member
Jul 7, 2007
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Arrow keys for me, 'cause sometimes I start mashing the buttons frantically. No other buttons in the immediate area to accidentally hit is a good thing for me!
 

JoshGuru7

Golden Member
Aug 18, 2001
1,020
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It depends a lot on your keyboard, but the primary disadvantage to ESDF is increasing distance to your ~ and 1 keys and forcing Tab to your pinky instead of your ring finger. That's a big deal in general usability and the MMO genre where shift-tab is an important combination. I switched to ESDF when I was playing UT'99 constantly but switched back to WASD not long after I quit UT. I use a Sidewinder X6 now which works well with WASD (extra row of macro buttons to the left of the keyboard).
 

Chapbass

Diamond Member
May 31, 2004
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Being that I use a Kinesis Advantage keyboard and the D key is significantly lower than the rest...yep, I had to switch to ESDF when I got the keyboard.
 

KeithTalent

Elite Member | Administrator | No Lifer
Administrator
Nov 30, 2005
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I think ESDF makes way more sense, but unfortunately I started out on WASD and it's too late to change now.

KT
 

Glitchny

Diamond Member
Sep 4, 2002
5,679
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WASD here

Problem with the arrow keys is that on some keyboards (like my laptop) you cannot hit Left and Up at the same time and have it register as Diagonally, will just use one of them due to the keys sharing a buffer or something like that.
 
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lifeobry

Golden Member
Oct 24, 2008
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I used to be hardcore arrow keys. Then I switched to WASD. ESDF seems to be the best option but I don't want to switch again.
 

Treyshadow

Senior member
Jan 31, 2000
937
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I am EDSF and have been for years. It was a true pain in the butt in BF2, but many games have an easy switch. It allows for more keys to be used. I really like it.
 

aigomorla

CPU, Cases&Cooling Mod PC Gaming Mod Elite Member
Super Moderator
Sep 28, 2005
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meh i just use a Logitech G13.

:\

I couldnt go back to standard keyboard wasd.
 

TheUnk

Golden Member
Jun 24, 2005
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Many years ago when Quake came out I used arrow keys, after hundreds of hours of gaming I finally rebound the keys to WASD before it was the standard. It was strange to me when games started coming out with WASD as the default, cause I thought I was the only one!

EASF will never work for me, I've tried it, but my pinky always rejects it. Pinky isn't happy on the Z key as it's too close, the Shift key becomes too far. With WASD all my fingers are evenly spaced.
 

Boobs McGee

Senior member
Feb 6, 2006
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ASD Space. S is forward and space is backward. I use mouse 4 to jump.

A friend had his set that way when I first played Unreal Tournament. I just stuck with it.
 

aigomorla

CPU, Cases&Cooling Mod PC Gaming Mod Elite Member
Super Moderator
Sep 28, 2005
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Hmm this looks interesting, but how does it make up for the space and shift keys?

keys G15

And G22 on the unit.

Once u get used to it, its more comfortable and your hands cramp up less after you game.
 

TheVrolok

Lifer
Dec 11, 2000
24,254
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I used to be an arrow key guy, then I relented and went to WASD. I have no desire for another change. I can't imagine needing more keys than those that surround WASD.
 
Oct 20, 2005
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I just use wasd, but with my pinkie on the w, ring finger on the a and s, middle finger on the d. Doesn't take my fingers off home row, and leaves my index finger and thumb free for for hotkeys.

Ended up on wasd because I played on a friend's computer that was set up that way, and didn't want to mess with his settings. But no one told me that they used different fingers, so I just learned it that way.

I am a reasonably fast touch typist, so perhaps that might have affected it.

physically impossible the way you described.

I'm wondering if you meant that you put your pinky on the "a", ring finger on "w" and "s", and middle finger on "d".
 

SOSTrooper

Platinum Member
Dec 27, 2001
2,552
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ESDF here as well. It feels more natural since it's also the same position as typing. I also rebind my mouse 2 to jump and LShift to duck.
 

veri745

Golden Member
Oct 11, 2007
1,163
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Anybody remember the default key bindings for Descent (original)? I think 'a' was forward and 'z' was backward.

That was the first game where I used something other than the arrow keys.

Now I'm WASD, though, and I don't think it's going to be possible to change to ESDF or something with more keys accessable.
 

Mike Gayner

Diamond Member
Jan 5, 2007
6,175
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Anybody remember the default key bindings for Descent (original)? I think 'a' was forward and 'z' was backward.

That was the first game where I used something other than the arrow keys.

Now I'm WASD, though, and I don't think it's going to be possible to change to ESDF or something with more keys accessable.

I remember that. Heaps of old racing games used 'a' and 'z' for accelerate and brake, and '<' and '>' for left and right.