Playing consoles with mouse and keyboard

[halflifeguy]

For all you Pc gamers out there, would you play consoles if they supported mouse and keyboard aiming? For me i cant aim for shit on a controller and dont get me wrong i love the pc, but i think it would make a transistion easier for me if they allowed for mouse and keyboard support

 

[DEATHMASTER]

I have a USB KB and mouse and tried to plug it into my 360 but as it would turn out I probably need some overpriced M$ version to get it to work.

 

[halflifeguy]

but can you also plug in a mouse to achieve the precision aiming that we pc players know and love?

 

[CyberPitz]

The only game I tried recently was Bad Company. I threw on a USB keyboard and mouse, no go. Apparently the game doesn't support that at all.

Otherwise, yeah, I'd gladly do it. As of now, my PS3 only sits for racing games and fighting games. \=

 

[Acepilotf14]

Friendly OP, did you know that consoles are simply fixed-priced PCs with queer operating systems?

If they supported a mouse and keyboard that would simply solidify that fact.

 

[YROC]

I tried using my keyboard, but the only thing I can do with it is type text messages. I have to admit though, using a keyboard is way better than using one button to click letters.

 

[halflifeguy]

well of coarse they are simplified computers. but there for us computer users that may are thinking of switching or using both (im staying PC until the very last day) there needs to be something to make us comfortable about switching. a new aiming scheme needs to be invented, or at least support for both mouse and keyboard and controller to make everyone happy

 

[pomegranate]

Friendly OP, did you know that consoles are simply fixed-priced PCs with queer operating systems?

If they supported a mouse and keyboard that would simply solidify that fact.

...No.

 

[TheOneFreeMan]

As far as I'm aware, Microsoft at least has prevented 360 games from having keyboard and mouse support for fear of completely unbalancing multiplayer games. A guy with a K&M against a guy with a keypad? Unfair.

This is, I think, the reason that there are no officially K&M peripherals for the 360. Which sucks, because I'm the same as you (can't aim for crap with a controller) and would love the 360 if I could have my beloved keyboard and mouse.

 

[halflifeguy]

well than thats too bad. i know a lot of people who are amazing at aiming on controllers. just a matter of getting used to it i guess. so why would it be a problem for K+M players to go up against controller players? i guess the controller players cant turn around as quick. theres a button in l4d2 on the x360 for turning around.

 

[PvtRyan]

As far as I'm aware, Microsoft at least has prevented 360 games from having keyboard and mouse support for fear of completely unbalancing multiplayer games. A guy with a K&M against a guy with a keypad? Unfair.

This is, I think, the reason that there are no officially K&M peripherals for the 360. Which sucks, because I'm the same as you (can't aim for crap with a controller) and would love the 360 if I could have my beloved keyboard and mouse.

You can just stick your keyboard in your 360 and it will work. Don't know about mouse. However, whether or not games support it, is a different matter. Best if they don't though, they weren't balanced for it.

 

[Quixoticism]

Funny enough, if they added keyboard and mouse support, everyone who wanted to play competitively would eventually get them so they wouldn't be at the disadvantage while playing. Sure a mouse kills a controller when it comes to precision, but adding support won't make it unbalanced because everyone can just plug in the one they already have.

And there is some hardware that allows you to use a keyboard and mouse to work while using a 360. Due to the way the consoles/games handle the input there are some slight issues that have to deal with dead zones. It's also costly.

 

[Blackthorn]

I wouldn't consider it. A large part of the appeal of consoles is the comfort of the experience; laid back on a couch with a controller in hand is a far more leisurely experience than being bent crooked over a mouse and keyboard. I'm also well used to dual analogue, so it is does not require much adjustment, especially since more shooters these days favour tactical skill over accuracy.

 

[DEATHMASTER]

I have bifocals, so I have to be slightly level to play anyways, so I'd probably use this pop up table to put the shit on.

 

[Qonfused]

well than thats too bad. i know a lot of people who are amazing at aiming on controllers. just a matter of getting used to it i guess. so why would it be a problem for K+M players to go up against controller players? i guess the controller players cant turn around as quick. theres a button in l4d2 on the x360 for turning around.

A mediocre M&K player could easily defeat an advanced gamepad player. Why do you think there's aim assist on most console shooters?

 

[Schall]

How could a keyboard substitute the controller buttons though?

 

[Bob_Marley]

With the keys and a 5 button mouse. Job done.

 

[Vegeta897]

How could a keyboard substitute the controller buttons though?

How couldn't it? With a controller you've only got one thumb on the buttons (other is on dpad/analog), plus maybe 4 shoulder buttons. And that's only 3 fingers in play to handle all those.

With a keyboard, you've got all five fingers on your left hand, plus mouse buttons on your other hand. On the left hand you've got easy access to at least 27 or so keys, PLUS key combinations.

K+M has the controller flatout beat as far as number of buttons, dude.

 

[Acepilotf14]

...No.

A very, very limited OS. Extremely limited. Also their policies are so strict you can't do anything with it.

PC is superior in all ways, really. Including freedom.

Spoiler

playstation 3 computer entertainment system

 

[Remus]

The question is, why would I want to use a console?
I already have a machine perfectly capable of doing everything I want it too. True there are a few console exclusive games which I would've liked to play but that's nowhere near enough to make me buy a console.
No freedom, no modes, and having to pay for every small addition to games (dlc, patches etc.). Games costing twice as much as their PC counterparts. Great deal isn't it?

 

[Ennui]

well than thats too bad. i know a lot of people who are amazing at aiming on controllers. just a matter of getting used to it i guess. so why would it be a problem for K+M players to go up against controller players? i guess the controller players cant turn around as quick. theres a button in l4d2 on the x360 for turning around.

It would be a problem because even the very top 1% of competitive console FPS players would get RAPED in a competitive environment where PC mouse and keyboard gamers are. They can aim well with a controller, much better than I will ever be able to... but it's simply not comparable in terms of precision and speed to a mouse.

I've been hoping that XBL or PSN would support cross-format play (e.g. PC vs 360) for a long time, just so all of my neophyte console gamer friends can finally stfu about it.

 

[Acepilotf14]

It would be a problem because even the very top 1% of competitive console FPS players would get RAPED in a competitive environment where PC mouse and keyboard gamers are. They can aim well with a controller, much better than I will ever be able to... but it's simply not comparable in terms of precision and speed to a mouse.

I've been hoping that XBL or PSN would support cross-format play (e.g. PC vs 360) for a long time, just so all of my neophyte console gamer friends can finally stfu about it.

Shadowrun did, as you should know. PC gamers were marginally better, but I played on 360 myself. I've beaten my fair share of PC players, and it wasn't terribly imbalanced. Of course, most of the time it was masked(you couldn't tell), but there was one achievement for killing a cross-platform player.

 

[kupocake]

I've wondered whether we haven't got it backwards, and that the developers are reluctant to let Mr Joypad Autoaimes face off against Average Joe Pointnclick. Would you get rid of the almost essential Joypad autoaiming, or force it on the skilled mouse users?

 

[Ennui]

Ace I did know Shadowrun did that but I never bothered playing it myself. Can't speak for the skill of your average pubbie in that game, whether on PC or not, but it doesn't particularly impact my argument. On a side note, is that game actually good? It looked like crap to me (when it came out I was working at a LAN center and watched a bunch of people play) so I never bothered investigating. At that point I was still very opposed to being forced to install Games for Windows Live, but by now I've begrudgingly accepted it as a necessary evil.

Kupo I always imagined that either it would require nixing autoaim altogether (which makes me happy in a sadistic way) or having it as an option. For skilled PC players autoaim really is a handicap, not a boon... I can't imagine they would force them to use it, all that would happen is competitive PC gamers would avoid the game in question like the plague. I also don't think it would particularly imbalance things since someone with twitch headshot mouse skills isn't going to get killed by some nub that autoaims at the torso.

 

[Acepilotf14]

It's pretty entertaining for what I got it for($20) as a nice little team-based game. Troll and minigun is fun as hell, although I could never get the hang of the katana(people would always manage to backstab me(causes you to bleed out after a while) while it was impossible for me.

TF2 is still a better team-based shooter, though.

 

[Dinnesch]

If the PS3 supported keyboard/mouse, I would have considered getting one of these instead of a high-end PC(which i have now). Well, I'd hate the lack of mods and dedicated servers.

 

[TheOneFreeMan]

Funny enough, if they added keyboard and mouse support, everyone who wanted to play competitively would eventually get them so they wouldn't be at the disadvantage while playing. Sure a mouse kills a controller when it comes to precision, but adding support won't make it unbalanced because everyone can just plug in the one they already have.

That won't be a comfort to however many people play without a keyboard or mouse. Constantly going into any online server and having to shout "WTF WHY AM I GETTING SLAUGHTERED???" every round would get tiresome, and ultimately lead to a huge decline in online play. It would be like playing with one arm tied behind your back; no fun.

Unless you implemented a "controller only" filter. Still seems like too much trouble for me.

And there is some hardware that allows you to use a keyboard and mouse to work while using a 360. Due to the way the consoles/games handle the input there are some slight issues that have to deal with dead zones. It's also costly.

I've looked into those things myself, and the general consensus is that they don't work well, if at all.

 

[ktimekiller]

Shadowrun did, as you should know. PC gamers were marginally better, but I played on 360 myself. I've beaten my fair share of PC players, and it wasn't terribly imbalanced. Of course, most of the time it was masked(you couldn't tell), but there was one achievement for killing a cross-platform player.

average gamer /= competitive gaming skills

 

[Qonfused]

Shadowrun did, as you should know. PC gamers were marginally better, but I played on 360 myself. I've beaten my fair share of PC players, and it wasn't terribly imbalanced. Of course, most of the time it was masked(you couldn't tell), but there was one achievement for killing a cross-platform player.

Did you play Shadowrun on the PC? Because they added mouse lag to try to make it even. It was a shit fest and adds to the fact that gamepads will never beat M&K.

 

[Acepilotf14]

Did you play Shadowrun on the PC? Because they added mouse lag to try to make it even. It was a shit fest and adds to the fact that gamepads will never beat M&K.

I didn't, that probably would have sucked.

average gamer /= competitive gaming skills

lol competitive gaming

 

[Adabiviak]

For all you Pc gamers out there, would you play consoles if they supported mouse and keyboard aiming?

No, for me to jump to a console, it would need to have loads of good games. Loads, meaning more than two or three that aren't otherwise available on the PC.

I wouldn't consider it. A large part of the appeal of consoles is the comfort of the experience; laid back on a couch with a controller in hand is a far more leisurely experience than being bent crooked over a mouse and keyboard.

Are you basing your platform decision on sketchy posture?

 

[Blackthorn]

Are you basing your platform decision on sketchy posture?

Nah my primary concern is what platform the game is best suited for. But I wouldn't take away from the consoles the main feature I enjoy about them, aside from local multiplayer.

 

[Viperidae]

I wouldn't consider it. A large part of the appeal of consoles is the comfort of the experience; laid back on a couch with a controller in hand is a far more leisurely experience than being bent crooked over a mouse and keyboard.

This, sort of.

But the real point here is that consoles have and always should be about playing beside someone. Never ever this crap about the singleplayer/competitive experience. Yes, I'd like my photorealistic graphics blurred on a shitty CRT from the 90s, while pretending I can aim with a joystick. No thanks.

This is why the Wii wins every time at parties.

 

[Kyorisu]

Shadowrun did, as you should know. PC gamers were marginally better, but I played on 360 myself. I've beaten my fair share of PC players, and it wasn't terribly imbalanced. Of course, most of the time it was masked(you couldn't tell), but there was one achievement for killing a cross-platform player.

Maginally better....PC players were nerfed to shit and they still beat console players. I got a copy of Shadowrun for free some time ago and it was fairly easy to dominate the console guys even with the huge amount of crap you had to deal with as a PC user. In low player matches I never died.

The mouse and keyboard aren't the only thing the PC has going for it anyway so it's a moot point. Sure add support but I still won't care.