Do you use4 the arrow keys for movement or WASD??

[[Matt]]

Do you use the arrow keys for movement or WASD??

I cant use the WASD key as i have funny finger lengths. My Index fingers are quite stubby and my ring finger just a few millimetres longer than my middle finger. This means that if i try to use WASD i have to hold my hand in a position so that the middle of the base of my palm hovers somewhere over the N key... Because of this im forced to use the Arrow keys for movement.

 

[Echelon]

i used the arrow keys until i realized that i could use much more functions of many games by using the WASD config and all the keys around.

 

[Hudson]

i didnt even use the arrow keys for castle wolfenstein!

/me kills arrow key people

 

[leg0]

Long live WASD!!

 

[Dax]

telepathy

 

[Alzxul]

I used to use arrow keys and until a few months ago when I relaised it was so much easier to use WSAD because you had easy access to reload, use etc.,

 

[Mechagodzilla]

wow, only two arrow users thus far. (me being one of them)

When I use wasd i always end up hitting q by mistake, when i really mean to strafe out of gunfire or jump over a pit of lava. :x

 

[Lucifer Crass]

Originally posted by Echelon
i used the arrow keys until i realized that i could use much more functions of many games by using the WASD config and all the keys around.

Same here

 

[Loshadka]

Actualy I on Thursdays I call myself Constasuella.

WASD

 

[Dedalus]

WASD is the only way to go.

|MaTT| i didn't quite understand the mechanics of your problem. how on earth are you trying to use the WASD keys? the way i do it is to have the base of your palm resting just below the CTRL-WINDOWS-ALT key. how on earth do you manage to get your hands all the way over the other side of the board where the N key is?! nevermind the lengths of your fingers, it should be a simple affair.

here's a little walkthrough for you arrow key users:

-thumb rested on SPACE bar
-middle finger rested on W
-index finger rested on D
-finger between middle and little finger (what's it called?) rested on A
-pinky rested on or beside LSHIFT
-hand dropped down onto surface or keyboard rest


that's how the common way of using the WASD setup is. if you're finding it difficult best thing is to practice of course. it's much more powerful then using the arrow keys. i have friends who use the arrow keys and they end up doing gymnastics with their fingers just to open a door or reload or something.

it becomes second nature. evenatually you'll get the 'claw' hand and you'll walk around trying to hide your deformity, but gamers everywhere will know who you are, so give a little salute.

try it. it might improve your game.

 

[Shippi]

I use the arrows

Enter = Reload
R Shift = Use
Ctrl = crouch

It's comfortable, and it works, so I'm happy

 

[Murray_H]

Originally posted by Alzxul
I used to use arrow keys and until a few months ago when I relaised it was so much easier to use WSAD because you had easy access to reload, use etc.,

Ditto

But i use "mouse 3" (click the scroller thing) for reload

 

[LoneDeranger]

It puzzles me how people do not notice the painfully obvious problem with WASD:

The W is not directly on top of the S for God's sake!

If fact, it's so much to the left it actually covers a part of the A. If you have a big hand (like I do) it's torture basically.

I always use the arrow keys and all the other functiones (reload, use, jump, etc) I programmed into my 5-button mouse.

 

[MrWhite]

I use the arrows keys for the same reason as the wasd keys feel weird to me, but my setup is good so I have access to everything and dont have to worry about 4/5ths of my keyboard.

I have it so:
Up = Forward
Down = backpedal
Left = strafe left
right = strafe right
\(|) = Jump
Enter = Use
Shift = Crouch
ctrl = walk or sprint or whatever the game uses
Fire = mouse 1
fire2 = mouse 2
reload = the middle button on my mouse
delete = flashlight or anything ese special to the game
insert = multiplayer stats

and other stuff I figure out with the game

 

[Echelon]

Originally posted by SHIPPI
I use the arrows

Enter = Reload
R Shift = Use
Ctrl = crouch

It's comfortable, and it works, so I'm happy

i have the reload button on the left side of my mouse and "use" on the mouse wheel, as third button (not the rotation function but u can click on it like on a button), so i can use the "r" and "e" fr something else like looking around corners. maybe some game developers will realize that "crouch" should be assigned to l-shift and not to c or l-ctrl .

i only know one who is using the arrow keys. my brother uses the left hand instead of the right one, no idea how that's called in bg or the us, but for him it's way easier to use the arrow keys.

 

[Grif]

Yeah i was a big fan of arrow keys myself, until i tried WSAD. At first i didnt like it, cos got used to the arrows and all the buttons around. But later on, i got fond of it and realised that its way better to play that way. As some guys mentioned here, gives you more access to diff. keys and you have a broader access to other keys as well. This way you can have alot of functional keys within a reach of your left hand, which is great. I love it
Cheers

 

[Grif]

Originally posted by Echelon
maybe some game developers will realize that "crouch" should be assigned to l-shift and not to c or l-ctrl .

Why not use Q for crouching if using WASD. Its way better, but hey everones got their keyboard set to their taste so why argue about that.
:cheers:

 

[DimitriPopov]

Depends on the game , its almost impossible to crouch with WSAD. C for crouch sucks ass.


I have to have a 5 button mouse , with it I have enough buttons to use either WSAD or Arrows. Mouse 4 is reload mouse 5 is jump.

 

[Dedalus]

it's easy to crouch using WASD, just use your little finger on Left CTRL. you don't have to use the very tip of your little finger, just use the trunk part of it, works fine. most games have crouch toggle anyway which means you only have to hit it once.

and the W key isn't miles to the left like you say. it's more like 2 mm, the actual contact surface that you use makes it so that the positioning of the key doesn't really affect the way you play. is it so hard to move away from arrows to letters, or is it just you've got comfortable using arrows?

i like the sound of some of your setups. have you guys tried WASD before choosing arrows or not tried at all? i started off in my Doom days with arrows, then Quake introduced me to a mouse and then WASD. it seemed like a natural progression for me, how did you guys discover WASD?

 

[Hallucinogen]

Arrows 4 life!

 

[LoneDeranger]

The single best improvement anyone can do to their setup is set the Reload somewhere on the mouse. It feels so natural.

You can also set Jump and then impress your friends and enemies by jumping during combat.

 

[The Mullinator]

I use WASD, it works fine for everything except crouching. It feels to unatural to press any of the keys on the bottom row, so the result is I don't crouch as often as I should.

 

[OCybrManO]

Before Quake I didn't even use the mouse... and it was good.

Then, I started getting the crap beat out of me in Quake multiplayer (because I had to stop moving to use 'keyboard look')... so I tried the mouse... and it was good.

I moved to WASD once I found out that you could bind movement to letters... and it was good.

Now, I'm thinking about moving it over so that it will be either ESDF or RDFG to let me have access to more keys for my pinky to use.

 

[Someone]

I used the arrows for a long time until a coffee accident killed my keyboard. The only one I could pick up at locally to replace it that day was an erogonomic Microsoft keyboard.

The arrows were far too small for my hands and the split keyboard design also didn't help that....so I ended up with WASD and have never gone back...and never went back to a standard keyboard either.

As Cyberman said though, I too am considering moving over to have more access to keys for the pinky.

Dressing up in a pink tutu on Thursdays and calling myself Petra does have its place now and then....you know...when bored.

 

[crabcakes66]

s=backwards
z=left
x=right
ctr=crouch
space=jump
alt=prone
c=secondary function

 

[Dhoco X]

I use the default keys

WSAD Forever !

ps: but i jump with x and crouch with c.

 

[Ruben]

I like your 4`th voting option. I was compelled to vote that but i must resist in letting go of my big secret. Its not "Petra", but "Ninni". DOH!

Tutu ... heh

 

[palindrome]

WASD is teh WINNAR!

 

[Sulkdodds]

I used to use arrow keys and I can safely say the only thing they've got over WASD is that you use return to reload....BANG BANG BANG ahh out of ammo WHACK big beefy button to reload. Fun.
I just tried WASD on single-player half-life and never looked back.

 

[Shippi]

I tried using the button on the right side of my mouse (mouse 4) to reload but my hands are too small, and I miss it in the middle of firefights .

I just can't get the hang of WASD, I end up getting my fingers tangled up. I'll stick with the nice, simple arrow keys.

 

[Rift]

i usually use the WASD keys, but for some reason i use the arrow keys for jedi knight. dont know why

 

[marksmanHL2 :)]

I am now slowly converting to WASD because well. It owns the arrows .

I played it once one CS for a trial and it was so much beter I am changeing all my game controls

 

[OCybrManO]

Let's make you an official member of the WASD group...

One of us!
One of us!
Gooble gobble!
Gooble gobble!
One of us!
One of us!
Gooble gobble!
Gooble gobble!
One of us!
One of us!

Heh... I love that episode of South Park.

 

[CrazyHarij]

The completely rubbed-away WSAD-letters on my keyboard reveals what I use the most...

 

[thehunter1320]

i've never even considered WASD..... but with my control scheme in vehicles in Vice City.... i'm not allowed to convert rite now ;(

 

[Axyon]

Arrows - Numpad 0 is reload, Shift is crouch, Ctrl is run/whatever. It's what I've always used, and will never change it!

 

[Solid_Raiden]

I use the default controls. Which means, WASD ALLL THE WAY!!

 

[nw909]

Originally posted by Abom|nation
Arrows - Numpad 0 is reload, Shift is crouch, Ctrl is run/whatever. It's what I've always used, and will never change it!

I tried that, its cramped.

wasd for life.

 

[Mr. Redundant]

Arrow keys used to be my bag... but I recently converted to WASD, as I simply find that games are coming out with more functions (such as leaning, parachuting etc)

in fact I was just too lazy to change controls in BF1942, and kinda got stuck on it. (and IM not even a big bf1442 player)


my old arrows config: (obsolete now)
arrow keys - movement
right shift - reload
right ctrl - secondary fire / function
enter - use/open
keypad_end - duck
keypad_ins - mic / quick change weapon

 

[Maskirovka]

Originally posted by OCybrManO
Now, I'm thinking about moving it over so that it will be either ESDF or RDFG to let me have access to more keys for my pinky to use.

i used to use arrows...i didn't like wasd because of the key limitation...i couldn't play games that require more keys (like rainbow 6 or games with leaning, etc)

i use esdf now and it's sweet.

in cs, you can use w, r, and v to switch between your guns and knife (hud_fastswitch 1, duh) guns having their own key is the fastest way to use them.

then you can use shift, capslock, q, z, x, c, v, g, t, space, and 1234, which are all really close to your hand.

i chose esdf over rdfg because my pinky isn't very dextrous and it needs that whole shift key area to mash on...plus i can easily feel the difference between a, shift and z...whereas s, x and c are all the same size.