Blogs Why I don't use WASD

I've never used a keyboard, because I've always had the computer set up in the living room I always use a joypad

 

Pretty interesting read. I have a friend whose left hand aches after a few minutes of WASD gaming. His solution was to use the left half of an Xbox 360 controller held in his left hand with the traditional mouse setup in his right hand. The 360 controller has the joystick (to directly replace WASD) and three buttons (the joystick click, the shoulder button and the trigger) to map to whatever he'd like.

Obviously this wouldn't work too well in games that require more than the movement/aim controls and the few buttons available on the mouse/controller but it certainly works well enough for him to play TF2 and CS:S effectively.

 

Ok, new to this part of the world so first, hello everyone.

there is another alternative that I have been using for the last 5 or 6 years. I use a Saitec X52 flight controller and a mouse.

Before you laugh, know that I am and always have been a clutz trying to use all these damn keys all at once in a good FPS game. I do know how to type though by no means a speed typist, 30-40wpm on a good day.

The Saitec X52 controller comes with programming software that lets you program "all" of the buttons, pot switches, rotary switches, stick and throttle to emulate any key press and most can be programmed for multiple key presses. I have profiles for all the FEAR games, Crysis games, BF: Bad Company 2, FarCry 1 and 2, and a couple of others. I currently use a Logitec MX 1000 cordless laser mouse left handed for directional control and most of the mentioned games allow the use of the 3 main buttons and mse wheel for what ever you wish to assign them.

So basically the joystick itself becomes Fwd, Back, step left and step right. between all the other buttons and the mouse, I rarely ever have to use the keyboard for anything. You do have to go in sometimes to the game options and reassign some of the default keys but it's not a big deal. Believe me if I can figure it out anyone can.

Anyway, anyone that has one of these controllers and would like to try it, let me know how we can arrange it and I can provide a couple of profiles to try. It's good to be able to be moving while stepping right or left and firing while selecting your next grenade and toggling crouch or run.

 

Yeah at last, one other like me, I use a Saitek ST290 Pro and a Logitech MX Revolution which is also programmable. I use a standard template with the bands on X, Y for wasd , and spacebar, then tailor the others, I must 20 plus profiles. I also use MS Publisher to print out the controls PM me if you want a copy of either templates.

 

It's amazing that WASD is the defacto standard for movement still. When I started playing FPS games with real life friends (I'd been doing it on my own for ages!) they all stuck with WASD. I pointed them towards ESDF or further in (I know players who use YGHJ) to give them better keyboard position and key control.

Needless to say they all found it immensely useful and still utilize ESDF or others to this day.