G13 owners: About to buy G13 based on RECENT reviews of analog stick (driver v.3.03)

[FuriousJorge]

Hey all.

I was just baptized into this forum when I wanted to gripe about keyboards for FPS gaming in my first post.

Long story short, I wanted something like this to replace the keyboard for my left hand in FPS. I know it wouldn't work for technical reasons, but I was talking in theory.

Anyway, the culmination of that thread was my determination that I had one of two practical choices:

A n52

http://www.techpowerup.com/img/07-10-05/n52te.jpg

Or a G13:

http://gallery.techarena.in/data/500/g13-Gameboard.jpg

(I still think that if the 'wrist-rest' on these were actually small-range-of-motion-return-to-center analog sticks, they would be better)

Anyway, I'm leaning toward the G13 based on the following logic:
[*]

• I'm thinking that some form of analog control would ultimately be superior or as good as WASD (or Arrows in my case) for character control.

• I know that with the NEWEST drivers the 'thumbpad' on the G13 can be converted into a real analog stick.

• There is even a relatively simple mode to turn this into a real console controller-tyoe analog thumbstick

I hate FPS/TPS on consoles. Aside from GTA, which is a 75% driving game, I won't play'em. The one thing that I've conceded to console-gamers is that the console controller analog stick is at least as good as key-off style WASD for character control.

This is even more interesting for me because a lot of games force you to use WASD over the Arrows these days, and I have not personally been able to get used to that (I'm *NOT* stating this is the best way, it's just my way, and I don't want to get flamed for my preference again. Please PM me if you wanna tell me off for feeling this way).

So, my question is:

Do you have a G13, do you use the newest driver, and have you tried to use the thumb-pad (with or without mod) to replace WASD?

If so, what are your thoughts?

 

[Ichigo]

How many FPS's are coded for analogue movement? PC games have been coded around 4 directions (forward, back, strafe left/right) with run/walk/crouch/prone modifiers bound to keys and turning to the mouse.

I'm just not sure how having an analogue stick helps if no games take advantage of it.

 

[FuriousJorge]

Originally posted by: Ichigo
How many FPS's are coded for analogue movement? PC games have been coded around 4 directions (forward, back, strafe left/right) with run/walk/crouch/prone modifiers bound to keys and turning to the mouse.

I'm just not sure how having an analogue stick helps if no games take advantage of it.

I don't know the answer to this question.

My understanding is that it is possible to map G13 keys to keyboard keys, and, with the newest drivers, it is possible to emulate a PS3-type controller Analog stick.

I don't know if this means I can use the thumb-stick to play Doom3 with WASD analog movement like in the PS2 port.

This is why I'm asking for testimonials.

I have no experience with this type of hardware, or its support in modern games.

 

[ZzZGuy]

Three main downsides to the G13:
- As I had mentioned, the back key (G11, similar setup as WASD) is placed too high. You have to lift your middle finger up which i find a slow process but one you can get used to.
- All keys are labeled G#, so it's harder to remember what key does what.
- The thumb stick is too small. While your thumb naturally rests ontop of it, it will easily slide off. I plan on trying to get a cheap/broken console style controller and taking the analog thumb grip off and gluing it onto the G13's.

Most problems will be resolved with familiarity with the pad, with the thumb stick being the exception. I have no experience with the n52te.

 

[ZzZGuy]

Originally posted by: Ichigo
How many FPS's are coded for analogue movement? PC games have been coded around 4 directions (forward, back, strafe left/right) with run/walk/crouch/prone modifiers bound to keys and turning to the mouse.

I'm just not sure how having an analogue stick helps if no games take advantage of it.

The G13 thumb stick originally (and still can) acted as a 4 way button and not a true joy stick. There where only 4 directions and pressing the thumb stick in one of those directions was the same as pressing a button.

So even if a FPS can not make use of a joystick, this is not a issue for the G13.

-edit- The thumb stick does have a full rage of motion, and I have not used it as a joystick so I do not know how well it will preform.

 

[FuriousJorge]

Originally posted by: ZzZGuy
Three main downsides to the G13:
- As I had mentioned, the back key (G11, similar setup as WASD) is placed too high. You have to lift your middle finger up which i find a slow process but one you can get used to.

Thanks for the reply. I'm not looking to use the WASD-like buttons. I'm specifically asking about the thumb-stick for WASD movement.

Originally posted by: ZzZGuy
- All keys are labeled G#, so it's harder to remember what key does what.
- The thumb stick is too small. While your thumb naturally rests ontop of it, it will easily slide off. I plan on trying to get a cheap/broken console style controller and taking the analog thumb grip off and gluing it onto the G13's.

I hear this complaint a lot about the thumb-stick. There is a fairly simple and well documented mod to improve it as you've described. It sounds like you've heard of it. (source)

This is one of the reasons I'm leaning toward giving this a shot as a keyboard replacement.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[FuriousJorge]

Originally posted by: ZzZGuy
So even if a FPS can not make use of a joystick, this is not a issue for the G13.

-edit- The thumb stick does have a full rage of motion, and I have not used it as a joystick so I do not know how well it will preform.

You need driver version 3.03 to use the thumbs-tick as a real Analog Stick (ala Xbox Controller). That is the latest version as of right now. I'm assuming this doesn't break compatibility with games, and it should still be an 'non-issue'.

I have my doubts. (e.g. I have a feeling that if I choose to use the new feature of the driver whereby the d-pad becomes an analog stick it will now interface as a game-pad, and break compatibility for many FPS).

This is one of the reasons I'm leaning toward giving this a shot as a keyboard replacement.

Let me know how it works if you decide to give it a try as WASD (compared to, for instance, a PS3 controller).

I'm very curious to hear how this works for mainstream FPSs.

That is the point of my OP

 

[styrafoam]

I do not have a G13, but i do have an N52 and i use the pad as a wasd replacement and i am satisfied with it. I read your other thread and i figured i could offer up a little bit of info. Tendancy to lose finger placement on the keyboard led me to buy it.

I use it to play wow mostly, and wow isnt super demanding in relation to FPSs. Keypresses in wow rarely have to be closer than 1 second apart. If there is one aspect of it that is akward it is curling your fingers to hit the row of keys nearest to your palm while maintaining control with your thumb. In response i save the inner row for things that are handy to have bound, but not needed in time sensitive situations.

For using it as a WASD setup it is just as simple as binding those keys to the 4 positions on the stick and leaving the 4 inbetween spaces blank. Pushing the pad in a diagnoal direction will still hit the 2 nearest keys so you still get diagonal movent. I would be surprised if the logitech software wasnt at least as functional as the belkin, if not more.

 

[FuriousJorge]

Thanks styrafoam!