Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
WASD or ESDF controls?
Boge
Member Posts: 182
I'm seeing more ESDF keyboard users for games which makes me happy since that keeps your fingers on the natural placement of ASDF.
I'd like to see a simple vote on what you use just as a comparison to see where we all stand.
Comments
I've never even heard of a game using ESDF, didn't know people used it ever. It feels exactly the same to me when my hands are on both WASD and ESDF so honestly I just prefer to stick with WASD since I already am accustomed to my ventrilo push to talk key from that point.
By default, they don't use ESDF, but many people use custom controls to ESDF in order to keep the natural finger placement when typing. It also allows access to more keys.
WASD is way more natural for games then ESDF, simply due to the function keys ctrl/shift/caps/tap being closer to you're finger causing less stress to youre hand whit long play sesssion.
ESDF has the benifit of a extra key but the A is out of place/line whit the finger ,the q is to far to reach naturaly the shift key needs more force to be pressed. it might be usefull in some games were you need to press buttons all over the place but in most games WASD is the nantural more healthy setup for most players.. (they made that defaulth in games for a reason)
personaly, I just got myself a g13, makes gaming a whole lot better :P
I used to use ESDF for everything because I started that way back with Quake II and Half-Life. I used A for secondary fire and I prefer to use Mouse 2 for Jump and Spacebar for Crouch.
The typing marker on the F key was also very important for my left pointing finger so I didn't lose my place.
Now as more and more games and keyboards encourage WASD I have to adapt. Still, I haven't forgotten the advantages of ESDF.
I prefer RDFG, there's more space to map all other keys around those letters.
I've remapped my extra mouse bottons to work as shift, ctrl and alt keys, so I don't need to reach on those with my keyboard.
Who cares?
It depends on your keyboard anyways and almost all MMOs let you change it if it matters to you.
I usually use WASD but I can use any other combination as long as they stick together.
Often either 10-key or gamepad, depending on the game, though it can vary. The QWERTY section of a keyboard is meant to give each hand easy access to 25-30 keys. That's great if you need access to that many, as you do when typing. But if you only need 11 or fewer with the hand that controls movement, you can do a lot better with an arrangement meant to give you comfortable access to fewer keys. The 10-key section does exactly that.
Now, if you need keyboard for movement in one hand, and mouse in the other hand, then I'll typically use QWEASD for movement and strafing.
He's saying it's for efficiency. If you type a lot but use a gaming device to play then you'd have to switch hands to your real keyboard to type things. Probably not ideal in that case. If you use homerow touch typing methods also not ideal.
i remember when WASD was introduced. i was furious with rage. now its obvious that WASD is whats up. ESDF is to hip for me.
I really doubt that there are "more ESDF keyboard users for games" like he said though. Especially with how the results are in under [thirty minutes] edit: scratch that, 1hr and 30 mins? But I guess I'll check the poll tomorrow out of curiosity.
I use WASD, but with natural finger placement. I started out playing on someone else's computer, and used the settings they had. It became the 'natural' way for me. No one told me that they moved their fingers over, so I didn't.
Though any game that doesn't let you reset keys/commands to what you'd prefer has a screwed up UI, and a dev team worthy of scorn.
If you are holding out for the perfect game, the only game you play will be the waiting one.
Well he said he's seeing more users of ESDF, not that there are more users of that than WASD. For all we know that could mean he sees two users of it now instead of one :P
They are both good, it is about what you prefer. I myself use ESDF just cause strafing with A-left strafe and G-right strafe is comfortable to me ( i can use my pinky finger to strafe left and thumb to strafe right with while still being able to keep 3 fingers on 3 different directions) then strafing with Q and E which is usually the strafe setting for WASD. It is all about what is comfortable to you and of course if games let you configure your keyboard, if not then your stuck with the default WASD, which isn't bad, so i voted for ESDF but have no problems using WASD if i have too.
I mostly use a speedpad, but otherwise I remap my mouse for WASD. The right hand controls movement & mouse look, and the left hand is free to use skills.
Works great IF the game will remap
Velika: City of Wheels: Among the mortal races, the humans were the only one that never built cities or great empires; a curse laid upon them by their creator, Gidd, forced them to wander as nomads for twenty centuries...
I've been using cursor keys since forever. Never did get the whole fuss about WASD
Haha, no. ESDF died with Tribes 2.
While ESDF is the natural typing position, WASD simply allows easier access to "bigger" keys.
WASD for access to the "big" keys and due to muscle memory/psychological memory -- 20 years of gaming instincts have diverged from 25 years of touch typing.
Arrow keys or numpad arrows? The former limits the number of keys you have access to, most notably the number keys across the top which were traditionally crucial for swapping out weapons in FPS' back in the day, before mmo's hit the scene.
me to. I never even thought of ESDF. I tried it just to see, didn't really feel right. Just used to WASD and see no real need to change.
I self identify as a monkey.
Cursor keys, I find I have easy access to RShift, RCtrl, Enter, Del, End, PgDn, Num0, Num1, Num4 ... plenty to get on with.
Find my hands rests easier this way rather then being in a tense claw shape while playing. You do need a big desk though as I push my keyboard all the way over to the left.
Im FPS I map thus;
RCtrl = DuckProne
Num0= Jump
Enter = Use
Del, End, PgDn, = Weapons (some times useNum7 and Num4 should I need more)
RShift = SprintSpecial
Num1 = Melee
Anything else I map some to my Mouse buttons
I have never accidently hit the windows key with my pinky using ESDF, maybe you need a little more flexibility in your fingers.
Me either. My pinky actually rests on my L.Shift, which works for me.
Always been an ESDF user since the switch from arrow keys from doom. My jump is also mapped to Mouse2, since I got heavily accustomed to that for rocket jumping and the like. I then use L.Shift for alt fire (since that came later).
Well, I used to. Now I use my belkin gamepad :P
Though I will say, I don't really think there's any advantage between either of them. It's just more of what you're used to than anything else. I am amused by the confused and sometimes dirty looks I get from my friends when they realize I'm not using default keys, though :P
ESDF gives you more access to keys with little sacrifice - that being the pressure and reach you must use to hit modifier keys if you use your pinky to roam the left side of your keyboard. WASD works fine, even in competitive play, especially if you are used to modifier keys (its strength).
Another scheme you can try is roaming index WASD. Normally people put their index on D, middle on W, and ring on A, but if you instead put your middle on D, ring on W, and pinky on A, you gain greater access to the right side of your keyboard. You lose easy access to Z or ~, but in most cases it is worth the sacrifice.
I use QWES ... More comfortable for my fingers.