Poll: WASD, Arrow keys, or other?

[sandorski]

Arrow Keys for life!!!

 

[Imaginer]

Originally posted by: BFG10K
ESDF for teh win! :thumbsup:

:thumbsup: This should be a poll option damnit!

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: AmberClad

Originally posted by: DangerAardvark
I use WASD now, but when I used to use arrow keys, I used every key on and around the numpad, the entire cluster around DEL and all the keys on the right edge of the main part of the keyboard. So yes, there was some stretching involved.

Out of curiosity, back when you still used the arrow keys, what key did you map to jump? I feel like 0/Insert on the numpad would be the most obvious answer, but I personally can't reach it with my thumb without turning my hand almost 45 degrees (yes, I have really small hands ).

Here's what I use for BF2:

Fire: Left Mouse
Jump: Right Mouse
Alt-Fire: Num-0
Pick up kit: Num-1
Crouch: Ctrl
Run: Shift
Enter vehicle: Middle Mouse
Prone: Side-mouse Back (It's an MX1000)
Reload: Side-mouse Front
Assault rifle: Side-mouse Middle
Pistol: Top-mouse back
Knife: Top-mouse front
Weapon 4: Page down
Radio 1: Numpad 2
Radio 2: Numpad 5

I can reach the "L" key comfortably without changing the position of my index and middle fingers, which I use to move. Anything inside the ring of ",", "L", and "P" is fair game.

 

[Captante]

Originally posted by: AmberClad

Originally posted by: DangerAardvark
I use WASD now, but when I used to use arrow keys, I used every key on and around the numpad, the entire cluster around DEL and all the keys on the right edge of the main part of the keyboard. So yes, there was some stretching involved.

Out of curiosity, back when you still used the arrow keys, what key did you map to jump? I feel like 0/Insert on the numpad would be the most obvious answer, but I personally can't reach it with my thumb without turning my hand almost 45 degrees (yes, I have really small hands ).

I still use the arrow keys & also map all the keys surrounding them ... I do it mainly because I like to have a small open area around my fingers.

For jump, I either use the right-mouse button or right ctrl & I never have a problem reaching anything. (I use a Saitek Eclipse 2)

 

[JRich]

WASD since '97

 

[Ackmed]

ESDF. Gives you more options than WASD for buttons. And, it is where you're supposed to place your hand for proper typing.. just makes sense all the way around.

 

[homercles337]

Dont any of you touch type? My fingers are always on ASDF when i type and when i game. I never understood the wasd nonsense. You have FOUR fingers, use them.

 

[homercles337]

Originally posted by: Ackmed
ESDF. Gives you more options than WASD for buttons. And, it is where you're supposed to place your hand for proper typing.. just makes sense all the way around.

Ha ha, no, ESDF is not where youre supposed to place your hand for typing. ASDF is where you place your hand for typing. :Q

 

[EvilComputer92]

Why would you use anything other than the number pad? Any other combination is obsolete.

For example here are my Crysis keys

num8 forward
num4 strafe left
num6 strafe right
num2 backward
num0 jump
num. crouch
num+ prone
num* nightvision
num/ weapon mods
numenter use

I can play the entire game just from the numpad and the mouse.

 

[microAmp]

I use WASD but not like anyone else.

W - Jump
Left Mouse Button - move forward
ASD - the usual stuff.

 

[Chaotic42]

I just tried ASDF, and I like it a lot better than WASD. It would definintely take some getting used to.

 

[Maximilian]

I use arrow keys and have done for many years, i just shift the keyboard over to the left a little when i play an FPS, no big deal. I like the big shift key for jump and the unmissable numpad 0 for run fast and enter for use/enter vehicle.

 

[ZzZGuy]

WASD

I see no need to use ESDF as WASD works fine, and I can't use the arrow keys because it's too awkward a position (i'm right handed), and even using a shelf laid on top of my keyboard tray i do not have enough room to move the keyboard over enough to use the arrow keys.

 

[CP5670]

Originally posted by: homercles337
Dont any of you touch type? My fingers are always on ASDF when i type and when i game. I never understood the wasd nonsense. You have FOUR fingers, use them.

You can't move both forward and backward at the same time though, so you're never using all four fingers at once. The WASD type arrangement frees up a finger for reloading, crouching or a variety of other actions.

WASD itself never made sense to me because of the staggered key layout. I want my up/forward key to be directly above the down/backward one, not slightly to the left of it. The first thing I do when I load up a new game is to change the keys to a numpad layout very similar to what EvilComputer92 posted.

 

[homercles337]

Originally posted by: CP5670

Originally posted by: homercles337
Dont any of you touch type? My fingers are always on ASDF when i type and when i game. I never understood the wasd nonsense. You have FOUR fingers, use them.

You can't move both forward and backward at the same time though, so you're never using all four fingers at once. The WASD type arrangement frees up a finger for reloading, crouching or a variety of other actions.

WASD itself never made sense to me because of the staggered key layout. I want my up/forward key to be directly above the down/backward one, not slightly to the left of it. The first thing I do when I load up a new game is to change the keys to a numpad layout very similar to what EvilComputer92 posted.

By that logic, you cant go left and right at the same time either. Maybe you should use just two fingers for motion? One for LR and one for UD? Like it or not, touch typing is fast, WASD/ESDF makes no sense for the fastest change in direction and comfort. D for forward can not be underestimated, it is probably the most used, no? So why move that out of your home row to E or W? It makes no sense at all. I could maybe support the idea of using ASDF and C for backward. I have tried that and moving a finger to change direction just doesnt work for me.

BTW, you *can* go backward and forward at the same time if one is gas and the other brake.

Edit: so by using the numpad you must have a LOT of room to the left of you monitor so you can push your keyboard way over? Or is it detachable?

 

[Jaskalas]

Originally posted by: Spankthru
arrow keys.........I'm a lefty

I'm left handed, but use the mouse with my right hand and WASD keys for the left hand just like anyone else. Curious that you?d use it differently.

 

[CP5670]

Originally posted by: homercles337

Originally posted by: CP5670

Originally posted by: homercles337
Dont any of you touch type? My fingers are always on ASDF when i type and when i game. I never understood the wasd nonsense. You have FOUR fingers, use them.

You can't move both forward and backward at the same time though, so you're never using all four fingers at once. The WASD type arrangement frees up a finger for reloading, crouching or a variety of other actions.

WASD itself never made sense to me because of the staggered key layout. I want my up/forward key to be directly above the down/backward one, not slightly to the left of it. The first thing I do when I load up a new game is to change the keys to a numpad layout very similar to what EvilComputer92 posted.

By that logic, you cant go left and right at the same time either. Maybe you should use just two fingers for motion? One for LR and one for UD? Like it or not, touch typing is fast, WASD/ESDF makes no sense for the fastest change in direction and comfort. D for forward can not be underestimated, it is probably the most used, no? So why move that out of your home row to E or W? It makes no sense at all. I could maybe support the idea of using ASDF and C for backward. I have tried that and moving a finger to change direction just doesnt work for me.

BTW, you *can* go backward and forward at the same time if one is gas and the other brake.

Edit: so by using the numpad you must have a LOT of room to the left of you monitor so you can push your keyboard way over? Or is it detachable?

The thing is that WASD/2468 type layouts have the same physical arrangement as the movements they correspond to. Your fingers are laid out horizontally (unless you somehow play with your hand oriented at a 90 degree angle to the keyboard) and each one has a much greater vertical range of motion than it does horizontally, so it's much harder to have one finger for both the left and right movements if you try to maintain the same relative key positions. Although I think two fingers might actually work if you're used to it.

And yeah, I have a lot of room to push the keyboard around, almost two feet if necessary. I used to have that area cluttered with game CDs but now just put them under my Stacker case, which has some room under it since it's on wheels.

 

[martybauer31]

My config has been the same since my Doom days...

S and F for strafe left and right
right mouse is move forward
space bar is move back

When Duke Nukem 3D came along g was added for jump, d for mouselook, and c for downward movement with the jetpack

 

[JBT]

WASD. I can see ESDF too but pretty much all games default to WASD so I just stick with that ao I don't have to remap all the sorounding keys too. Arrow keys? thats just silly.

 

[Maximilian]

Originally posted by: JBT
WASD. I can see ESDF too but pretty much all games default to WASD so I just stick with that ao I don't have to remap all the sorounding keys too. Arrow keys? thats just silly.

I would beat you at any FPS with my arrow key setup.

 

[Harabec]

Numpad arrows. I'm a lefty and that's the only comfortable position.

I used my right hand for mouse movement when I broke my left thumb a year ago, but that was for WoW, and you don't need anything but the mouse and number keys for WoW.

 

[chizow]

Non-WASD makes Baby Mavis Beacon cry.

 

[imported_Imp]

Started with arrow keys for Doom an that other really violent game... oh ya: Rise of the Triad. That led to a very very sore left wrist. Thank Quake for introducing WASD to me.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Nostromo N52 FTW!!!!

 

[homercles337]

Originally posted by: CP5670
The thing is that WASD/2468 type layouts have the same physical arrangement as the movements they correspond to. Your fingers are laid out horizontally (unless you somehow play with your hand oriented at a 90 degree angle to the keyboard) and each one has a much greater vertical range of motion than it does horizontally, so it's much harder to have one finger for both the left and right movements if you try to maintain the same relative key positions. Although I think two fingers might actually work if you're used to it.

And yeah, I have a lot of room to push the keyboard around, almost two feet if necessary. I used to have that area cluttered with game CDs but now just put them under my Stacker case, which has some room under it since it's on wheels.

Yep, you fail at convincing me. Try again in english? 3 fingers for 4 directions is efficient? Meh, i type all day every day and ASDF is more natural than any numkey layout you can conjure up.