Holy COW... please use a controller for games meant for controllers. WOW.

[Zeze]

Probably like most of you, I'm a 90's kid and I grew up on PC gaming mostly. Who doesn't love the almighty KB+M setup with amazing precision and tons of keys to map?

Today, lots of console exclusives are now readily available in PC. They used to have awful implementations, but some do it AMAZINGLY (RDR2, Forza 5 Horizon, etc). But unless KB+M offers something entirely new, stick with the controller as the game intended. Holy cow it changed my life after I bought a Xbox controller.

You cannot ignore how amazing the rumble is. It's not a gimmick, it truly adds to immersion and makes KB+M look very plain. I know racing games should be with the real wheel, but keyboard is just absolutely trash. I played Forza 5 Horizon on a controller and it literally changed the game. The trigger buttons rumble and resist against your pushing, this makes it just super fun when you're accelerating or braking.

You also feel the road with the controller rumbling constantly, you can feel the gravel road, rocky road, and water with your hands. With KB+M, you will miss that visceral physical feedback.

Sure you can play FF7 Remake on a PC just fine, but bam add controller again (as it was originally developed for) -> The button mash combos and triggers all feel very intuitive and natural.

It goes same for lots of platform indie games / roguelike games. The controller is a GODSEND.

I'd go far as to say it's an essential peripheral as a PC GAMER.

Since Xbox controller is Microsoft-native, it's just plug-and-play with auto detect in most Window games.

 

[GodisanAtheist]

Its a situational thing for me.

FPS / Strategy type games KB + M is absolutely king, doesn't matter the lead platform.

Third Person Shooters are sort of 50/50, I prefer the precision aiming a KB+M provides but prefer the movement options with a controller. I generally lean toward controllers here because the games tend to be designed around them.

For beat em ups and brawlers where button combos reign supreme and precision isn't quite as important as timing then I prefer controllers all the way.

Lastly KB + M aren't even an option for couch co-op with the kids, but I do hope to level them up to "lan" gaming when they get a bit older so we can replace the "phone call from Dad" with "Gaming sesh with Dad".

 

[ElFenix]

pretty sure WOW is intended for keyboard and mouse

 

[psolord]

I play games meant for gamepad with keyboard, WASD and IJKL. Never a gamepad, gtfo.

Even in Sackboy, I changed the attack, rolls, headbutts, to my mouse's extra buttons.

 

[mikeymikec]

In 'Hades', if you're using an xbox controller and pet Cerberus, the controller vibrates in time with the dog's appreciation.

 

[Oyeve]

While I started gaming on PC (actually started on an Atari 400 computer) and still do my main gaming on PC I have adopted the controller long ago. When Mass Effect came out on PC, the first time, there was no controller option. Originally playing it on an Xbox with controller, I shelved the PC version because it was unplayable to me. I think the last game I played using WASD was Duke Numem 3d. Also being a lefty it was more "natural" for me but controllers FTW (IMO).

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Tried playing RE:7 with a controller and it was awful. Got as far as the first actual boss, wasting massive amounts of ammo missing everything, and couldn't beat him after about 15 attempts. Broke out the kb/mouse and beat him first try. How on earth do gamers do FPS's with a controller?

 

[Zeze]

Tried playing RE:7 with a controller and it was awful. Got as far as the first actual boss, wasting massive amounts of ammo missing everything, and couldn't beat him after about 15 attempts. Broke out the kb/mouse and beat him first try. How on earth do gamers do FPS's with a controller?

You don't. Controller is the devil for FPS.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

You don't. Controller is the devil for FPS.

I know, always has been, but RE games are traditionally targeted at console gamers. How anyone managed to play one since they flipped from isometric I'll never understand.

 

[Oyeve]

Please, you KB pc gamers just making believe y'all are elite hard core PC gamers. I bet you all play with controllers!

 

[Hotrod2go]

Could this phenomena explain why I sense a delay in command execution whilst playing Oblivion or Skyrim with KBM?
The delay I'm talking about is in the vicinity of what seems like a whole 1 second during melee fights!

 

[sdifox]

Err no. If I wanted to use a controller I would play on the console.

 

[CP5670]

I use a controller for racing and platformer games. I grew up playing these games on KB but a controller is a huge improvement like the OP said. It also works well in third-person melee games, which tend to be designed for it, although I rarely play these games. Mouse/KB (KB meaning G13 in most games) is far better in any FPS or TPS games with aiming, as well as strategy games. I also use KB only for space sims or vehicle games with finite turning speeds like Freespace or Overload.

I got a G920 wheel once but returned it, as it was too much effort to set up and take down just for racing games (and only worked well in a few games), even though it's very immersive in VR. I was thinking of trying a HOTAS but will probably not use it much for the same reason.

 

[DigDog]

controllers have good games specifically designed for them and KBM will not replace it, but it's only a few. And, i dont really play them.

 

[Zeze]

controllers have good games specifically designed for them and KBM will not replace it, but it's only a few. And, i dont really play them.

Not sure if I agree there are only a few.

Gaming is more mainstream than ever. And games are being released everywhere, breaking console / PC barriers. And they're amazing award winning titles.

Can you believe that bone snapping Doom Eternal is on Nintendo Switch? It's a proper port and sold by Nintendo.
And you have God of War on PC - an award winning console title.

I was gonna buy PS5. But there really is no reason for me to. I got all the titles I wanted to play on console... on PC now via official releases:

These games are all 10/10 GOATs. And as a PC gamer, I'm very happy we can all enjoy them:

• Forza Horizon 5
• Halo Infinite
• Final Fantasy 7 Remake
• God of War
• Batman Arkham City
• Persona 5 Royal

etc.

 

[DigDog]

• Forza Horizon 5
• Halo Infinite
• Final Fantasy 7 Remake
• God of War
• Batman Arkham City
• Persona 5 Royal

etc.

i'm playing GTA V and i reeeally miss a controller, as it's all driving. I suppose you could replace a controller with a driving wheel, but again that's "not a keyboard".
I don't know, but i think Forza will fall into this group.
FF7 you can play it with a toaster.
Halo you either get only-controller, or only keyboard, but when you mix KBM and contrllers in a shooter, the results are game-breaking. I dont play Halo so i dont know.
GOW i think i'd rather play on a controller, but don't know since the only GOW i played was GOW1, which i played on a controller.

The point here is that, only, I MEAN, MOSTLY those games that require you to have vectorial inputs actually benefit from a controller.
Then you got a bunch of games where you have mappings very specific to the controller; i recall playing Dishonored on PC was agonizing, because it wanted me to associate mentally keys which i already have memorized as something else, and simply remapping wasn't an option, because it's not a different map set, it's a set of different game mechanics.

 

[Zeze]

i'm playing GTA V and i reeeally miss a controller, as it's all driving. I suppose you could replace a controller with a driving wheel, but again that's "not a keyboard".
I don't know, but i think Forza will fall into this group.
FF7 you can play it with a toaster.
Halo you either get only-controller, or only keyboard, but when you mix KBM and contrllers in a shooter, the results are game-breaking. I dont play Halo so i dont know.
GOW i think i'd rather play on a controller, but don't know since the only GOW i played was GOW1, which i played on a controller.

The point here is that, only, I MEAN, MOSTLY those games that require you to have vectorial inputs actually benefit from a controller.
Then you got a bunch of games where you have mappings very specific to the controller; i recall playing Dishonored on PC was agonizing, because it wanted me to associate mentally keys which i already have memorized as something else, and simply remapping wasn't an option, because it's not a different map set, it's a set of different game mechanics.

FF7 - yes, great for PCs and toasters alike.
Forza is 10000% controller than KB+M, which was the whole point of my OP.
FPS is always KB+M for me. And Halo plays beautifully.
GOW = classic console game which is controller

 

[Artorias]

Depending on the game I will use both a controller and K+MB. In GTAV I drive and fly using a controller and then switch to KB+M when on foot, best of both worlds.

 

[Ranulf]

i'm playing GTA V and i reeeally miss a controller, as it's all driving.

Uh, I use a controller for flying and some driving on the PC version of GTA 5 all the time.

 

[Aikouka]

I grew up using a keyboard and mouse in racing games simply because I didn't really have a good controller back then. It didn't help that they weren't nearly as user-friendly as they are today. (They weren't awful, but it could be messy at times.) I actually find it kind of fun sometimes because my hands end up getting into weird contortions trying to steer with WASD. I was in a computer store with a friend awhile back, and they had a racing game up on a PC but without a controller. He struggled to play it and was shocked when I didn't have that much of an issue, "How'd you do that!?" Unfortunately, a huge downside is that since keys are simple on-off switches, you lose the ability for analog control. So, if the game supports analog control for pedals, you'll miss out on that a bit.

 

[igor_kavinski]

My weird controller story:

After dreaming for years and years of using a driving wheel, I finally managed to get one in my twenties.

It was a cheap one without any rumble feedback.

Had trouble configuring it in my favorite racing games.

When it did work, it wasn't as exciting to use as I had imagined. Seemed too much work turning the wheel. Arrow keys were still the best for me for racing games.

However, the wheel was PERFECT in Moto Racer!

Just imagine the irony of using a driving wheel to ride a bike.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

I use a Xbox BT controller for many titles when gaming in the living room. Eliminated the desire for a new console. I am about to fire up Spiderman Miles Morales. Freshly charged batteries in the controller, and ready for a lazy Saturday gaming session.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Newegg - MSI GC30V2 (white) PS3 / PC game controller wired / wireless $24.99 AP

https://www.newegg.com/msi-s10-43g0040-ec4-controller-white/p/N82E16826554062?Item=N82E16826554062&Description=PPSSMXLAIFCVJF&cm_re=PPSSMXLAIFCVJF-_-26-554-062-_-Product&quicklink=true Yeah, it's kinda cheap... and cheap-looking, but it's from MSI, which is a legit but not very well-established...

forums.anandtech.com

https://c1.neweggimages.com/ProductImageCompressAll1280/26-554-062-V04.jpg

Are you a human?

www.newegg.com

Are these controllers any good from MSI?

I had, last BF-ish, bought a bunch of BT Switch controllers, generics, that also emulated XBox360 controllers for PC when plugged in USB.

They were sort-of OK, but mostly sucked.

Maybe I Need to suck it up, and pay $50 for a real XBox controller?

 

[CP5670]

This is a good one and is 40% off right now. It has a hefty feel, sensitivity adjustments and extra programmable buttons on the back. I use the earlier version of it.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Maybe I Need to suck it up, and pay $50 for a real XBox controller?

That's my advice, if playing on PC. The other brands I have used never match up for build quality or user experience.

The Gears of War games are not the same without the feedback. The chainsaw demands it. Aiming with a mouse in the campaigns feels like cheating; too easy.