Blogs Why I don't use WASD

This picture was made a long time ago (2003?).
In 1998, Quake 3 Arena was what converted my to EDSF. In almost every possible case of any game, EDSF is superior to WSAD. The problem is spending 5 to 10 minutes for each new game to map out an efficient configuration and, as you mentioned, impossibility of sharing controls. Playing all of those aircraft simulators from the DOS days is responsible for my playing all games with an inverted mouse Y-axis (aircraft pitch is inverted).

 

Like others I started using ESDF when I started playing Tribes, and continued to rely on it when I played Infantry. Those games required a bunch of keybinds, especially Infantry. In Infantry I have every key between 1/q/a/z and 5/t/g/b bound, and use them often during battle. This is in addition to the 5 mouse buttons.

 

As like you, except with even more frequency, I've shattered the bones in my left forearm thrice.

As a result my left arm doesn't like to lie flat AND perpendicular to the keyboard, so I have to use QWAS as my control cluster - Q for left, W for forward, A for back, and S for right.

 

I am left handed, and I use the default set up - i.e control mouse with my right.

I am about the opposite of ambidextrous - you should see my hand writing when i use my right! but I am fine gaming like this, just got used to it I guess. I would imagine you could get used to it pretty quickly as well.

I think many lefties use the mouse with their right, not only are all games set up with this default assumption, but most workplaces, university computer labs, internet cafes etc etc all set up like this as well.

 

i can use WASD but since my hands are big i only use them for singleplayer games if i'm too lazy to change em.

For multiplayer or any game i feel like switching the default controls for, i use the arrow keys in conjunction with the six keys above the (pg down, pg up, home etc.) and some of the num. pad keys.

 

Back when I first got my very own PC I started off using the arrow keys (Cursor). But it was a stretch to hit the keys around it. So I moved on to the number pad to play games. But again, I didn't find it comfortable. So I moved onto WASD set up and haven't looked back since. Must be 10 years since I used anything other than WASD (on the keyboard, still use pads for racers).

 

Anyone else use scroll wheel to fire? I use it from time to time and game to game, particularly one with primary and secondary keys, or when I can work up a good keybind.

Counter Strike: Source got me really started on it. Weapons like the dualies which aren't automatic but which fire as fast as a person can click can be somewhat exploited by using the scroll wheel to 'click' at very high speeds. With one quick stretch of my middle finger I can fire up to eight shots in a split second, effectively making a shotgun pistol. It also helps control bursts with automatic weapons, but unless you can use a macro/secondary bind to retain LMB functionality you lose any way of constantly holding down a key to spray.

Razer's little macro thing is very nifty for simply spoofing the scroll wheel as being LMB and just keeping all games as LMB, but then you can't really scroll anymore on web browsers.

 

I have used arrow keys since Jedi Knight II.
I usually play cs:s or ns but here is what I am using (logically the arrows are obvious)
[numbers on keypad]
0 = use
1 = crouch
4 = buy menu
7 = flashlight
2 = reload
5 = voice chat
3 = spray tag
pgdn = map
shift = walk

Everything else is on the mouse.

 

I used to use the forward and backword arrow keys, along with delete and page down for strafing. Home and end were jump and crouch respectively. It was weird and my friends were like 'WTF?!', but It made my hand at such an angle that using all the keys around Enter was natural and easy for my pinky.

But then I got a new keyboard, and the delete, home, page down area was squished up and it was useless. So I had to get used to WASD. I bought an Eclipse 2 a while back and WASD just stuck with me even though I could of gone back.

And gaming mice Cheesecake!

 

I remember when i used to have all my controls around the arrow keys.. up = forwards etc. enter = use. Then i suddenly changed to WASD and found it much easier as everything isnt as cramped (in the case of mouse to keyboard space)

 

I use the same standard keys, except for the WALK and DUCK, I need to change duck button from the standard left-ctrl to "c" key because I'm not very good with my pinky finger. And for the Walk button, well, I never use it because like I said, I'm not really good with the last two fingers, so in most games, I'll just run and shoot like a Rambo Well, I don't really have to worry though because I'm pretty good at headshots; most of the time, my headshots rate are within 66-85%

 

Greetings!

Used to. But then it started to lose some grip.
Switched to mouse button 4 (aka mouse back button), using the thumb.

 

Cursor keys for forward/back and strafe left/right, plus the cursor keys have to be isolated on the keyboard. I have never been able to get used to having the main movement keys immediately adjacent to other keys.

 

Just a WASD user myself although i have been thinking it would be cool to be able to use the pedals from my G25 in FPS games.

But i dont think any games allow pressure sensitive input? For instance what im thinking is:

Accelerator- lightly pressed = walk forwards, Full down = run forwards.
Brake - Move backwards.
Clutch- Crouch.

I dont think it would achieve anything, but with a multi button mouse i could play single handed (my left hand doesnt like resting on a keyboard regardless of the buttons its covering)

 

I tried ESDF for CSS and BF2142 for a period of about 6 months and 9 months respectively. Ultimately, I found that after years of playing with WASD, I was still making keying mistakes here and there with the ESDF setup after months of use, so I switched back to WASD, which I am more than comfortable with. I don't adapt to change in my gaming setup very well. If you changed the resolution on my mouse by more than 100DPI I'd notice, and be noticeably inaccurate as a result. Same goes for my monitor resolution, it has a big impact on how well I move and how reactive I am in most games, especially BF and CSS.

 

That's where the Saitek software is really good. You can greate multiple bands for each axis. For example 1-50% would be W, and 51-100% would Shift+W to run. It works on the pedals for the steering wheel too, I just found it a pain having so many cables around all the time.

 

I've lost almost all the use of my left arm, and I really enjoyed this! We need to press for the losing of hardcoded keys, and just so you know, I got a SteelSeries Merc Stealth to fix my issues. I even had to outfit m case with hardware to deal with it...

Nerve damage sucks.

 

I've had minor nerve damage in my index and middle fingers on both hands before, severed nerves that (luckily) repaired themselves over 3-4 weeks so I sympathise with anyone who has permanent nerve injury.

As for control schemes, I tend to bind Q to 'knife' as it's a button I can reach very quickly when someone pops up in my face on BC2 or cod6 ^^

 

I dictate, just like I used to with my typewriter. That's what a secretary is for, right?

 

I use the Dvorak keyboard layout, which obviously spreads WASD out quite a bit. I mapped all the normal keyboard controls to the number pad and mouse with my left hand (although I'm right handed). Works really well actually.