Keyboard rebinding...why not!!!

[runzwithsizorz]

Why do some devs not allow players to remap keyboard and/or mouse to the players' preferences??? Is it prohibitively expensive? Is it because they (the devs) know better than you how the controls should be set? This is a personal gripe of mine...I do NOT use WASD, but the arrow keys and have done so forever. Also, some people have physical handicaps where they cannot use the left hand side of the keyboard.
I know this isn't a "burning" issue, but it is a pet peeve of mine...and it seems to be a fairly recent development...at least for the games I've played since 1998 (Dead Space an exception, so I never played it).
I don't mind some key maps being unchangeable, but these are usually special hot keys or F keys, but basic movement and weapon use keys should be whatever the player wants them to be, NOT what the devs think they should be.
I know there are keyboard remapping programs, etc., but they aren't always accurate and besides I don't think one game is worth the time and effort.
A recent example is the Witcher games; W1 allowed easy remapping. W2 did not, though keys could be remapped in ini files...to me an unnecessary and arbitrary extra step.
Anyway, thanks for "listening" to this rant...the whole key binding issue in games seems so arbitrary...remember "Outcast"? that game managed a majority of the controls with 2 mouse buttons!

The Wife

 

[TheUnk]

Consoles probably

 

[Wardawg1001]

Thankfully this is a pretty rare occurrence (at least among games I play), but I share your frustration OP. I'm pretty handy with a keyboard so I can usually accommodate most setups, but there are definitely a few games over the years where the default key maps were incredibly annoying for me and the inability to change them literally made me stop playing the game.

 

[BSim500]

Why do some devs not allow players to remap keyboard and/or mouse to the players' preferences???

A combination of sheer laziness & "consolitis".

 

[cronos]

This is why I got myself a Nostromo N52 back in the day and ever since then I don't have to worry about anything like this. I have full control of what I want my gamepad to do, it doesn't matter what the game thinks/wants me to do.

 

[KidNiki1]

Consoles probably

This is why I got myself a Nostromo N52 back in the day and ever since then I don't have to worry about anything like this. I have full control of what I want my gamepad to do, it doesn't matter what the game thinks/wants me to do.

both of these

 

[clok1966]

Consoles probably

its sorta true, but its more like

MONEY

most PC/console games sell many more units on Consoles, and sadly PC games are pirated. While I am a PC gamer through and through and dispise gamepads for FPS, its just simple economics, 2/3rds (or more) of your product is sold on consoles, who will get the love? 1/3rd are sold on a platform where many players are not paying at all. If i was a DEV it would make more economic sense to put out another console game then port for PC. MONEY is a powerful motivator. As the PC world got a small revitalization from STEAM, the MONEY people are all trying to kill it again buy splintering the digital format with the "me too" attitude. PC gaming is simply a niche market now. Pretty big niche, but still compared to console sales....

the one Upside, the console makers have went more PC centric with the hardware this gen, so ports should be easier then ever. But I think the problem will remain with many games..

 

[runzwithsizorz]

This is why I got myself a Nostromo N52 back in the day and ever since then I don't have to worry about anything like this. I have full control of what I want my gamepad to do, it doesn't matter what the game thinks/wants me to do.

We have one and Hubby uses it, and has been trying to get me to use it for years...maybe it's time I learned how.:whiste: