What Makes PC Controls so Great?
- Thread starter Malediozone
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IMO Pc controls feel more natural for gaming. There is also a huge variety of accesories ( different mouses, keyboards, gamepads etc etc). Honestly though, I dont think one can say that Pc controls are so great and better than console blah blah. Its all about preference, some people prefer controllers, some people prefer mouse and keyboard.
Definitely just preference. If you like the fiddly little thumbsticks, then go nuts, but I'm old enough to remember when the key-mapping page was more than one screen in size.xI Kinshasa Ix said:
The key for me is in options. Options, options, options. There's only so much you can do with 14 buttons on a boomerang-shaped piece of plastic.
My most recent controller-related poor experience was Prrototype on the PS3. I could have done alot more with a non-contextual control map on a keyboard, but I was out of my element with the sticks and just ended up screwing around. Although I had learned the controls well enough, it didn't stop me from feeling as though I was button-mashing, just hoping to get the desired result.
The worst was playing Fallout 3 on the PC. I was expecting a MUCH larger control map. Sadly, the first time I saw the control map page, it let me know, for the entire game, that I was playing the equivalent of a ported game. All the glorious key options I loved were just gone.
Remember Deus Ex's control map?
I'm starting to see popular Keyboard & Mouse controller packages for consoles now, which isn't surprising considering that the gamepad option has been open to PC games for ages.
I didn't bother to see if anyone else said this, but 100% customization to your own preferences, that makes a huge differnece
i'll take a mouse and keyboard for a FPS anyday. I've gotten so used to using a m/k that i often give it a try w/ most pc games at first...example, Batman AA i tried using the m/k combo, then tried my 360 controller, for something like that i'll take the 360 controller, COD MW2 i love my M/k combo, but then i had a bunch of friends pick it up for the 360 so i bought the 360 version as well. I cant aim to save my life playing it on the 360. I'll be honest i was a console gamer for a large chunk of my life, and loved the controller. It took me a while to get used to using a m/k..(back when jedi knight came out...the first one) but since then i can play almost any game w/ a mouse and keyboard
I like the level of customising you can do, you only really have to learn one set of buttons and then all games will go to those keybindings.
You don't have to hope that the next game has a setup like the last one you played, you can have it exactly the same.
Also mouse is more accurate as it has a much higher range of speed, on the same setting you can turn 180 in less than .2 of a second and aim precisely. This was my main gripe on a console as I'm always looking around and in corners a lot, and it takes so long to turn around even on the highest sensitivity it's just annoying. With a mouse you can just whip it around a room everywhere in less than a second and be on your way.
This is obviously for FPS games, racing games and fighting games I'll take a controller for sure. Crash Bandicoot style I'd take a controller but 3rd person games where the camera is important like Tomb Raider I'll still use a mouse.
RTS games and RPGs I couldn't play without having all the buttons for everything so controller is quite limited in options there. Also I have custom bindings on a keyboard for most games to turn my lagometer and fps graphs on and off, and a suicide button just in case.
You don't have to hope that the next game has a setup like the last one you played, you can have it exactly the same.
Also mouse is more accurate as it has a much higher range of speed, on the same setting you can turn 180 in less than .2 of a second and aim precisely. This was my main gripe on a console as I'm always looking around and in corners a lot, and it takes so long to turn around even on the highest sensitivity it's just annoying. With a mouse you can just whip it around a room everywhere in less than a second and be on your way.
This is obviously for FPS games, racing games and fighting games I'll take a controller for sure. Crash Bandicoot style I'd take a controller but 3rd person games where the camera is important like Tomb Raider I'll still use a mouse.
RTS games and RPGs I couldn't play without having all the buttons for everything so controller is quite limited in options there. Also I have custom bindings on a keyboard for most games to turn my lagometer and fps graphs on and off, and a suicide button just in case.
It just depends on what your used to, I've been on PC for a long time, and i cant stand controllers, they are just slow and unresponsive to me, but this is just me, and partially cause i have my mouse constantly set at a rather high sensitivity. To each his own, you cant understand why people love keyboard and mouse, i cant understand why people love controllers.
My point of view? Agreed with alot of statements here.
1) Mouse: I love it, wouldn't have it any other way for shooters or RTS. Games like Assassins Creed however definately feel more at home on the Xbox, and this is someone who almost NEVER plays Xbox.
2) Sheer number of keys: Even for someone who only knows the basics of touch-typing, or if you've been using a computer for years, you can map a HUGE array of keys to functions, and be able to hit them quickly and with ease. Makes RPG's and RTS's super easy to manage.
One definate problem with it though, is pressure sensitivity. The keyboard can't compete in driving games and such when a keystroke means 'all or nothing' turning, when a thumbstick/controller button can let you move/turn/whatever in increments.
1) Mouse: I love it, wouldn't have it any other way for shooters or RTS. Games like Assassins Creed however definately feel more at home on the Xbox, and this is someone who almost NEVER plays Xbox.
2) Sheer number of keys: Even for someone who only knows the basics of touch-typing, or if you've been using a computer for years, you can map a HUGE array of keys to functions, and be able to hit them quickly and with ease. Makes RPG's and RTS's super easy to manage.
One definate problem with it though, is pressure sensitivity. The keyboard can't compete in driving games and such when a keystroke means 'all or nothing' turning, when a thumbstick/controller button can let you move/turn/whatever in increments.
Yes. And? Just you or is there a massive organisation of people like you?imahobbit4062 said:
From the looks of of it, the thread has a sort of a consensus of the opposite of that you're saying. I'd be willing to believe the popular opinion here.
Controllers are all fingers and thumb controls which are fine but don't take advantage of the fine motor control that comes from using all of the arm. Controllers like mice and joysticks do let you take advantage of those and the sense of control you get as a result is pretty satisfying. Some people make the mistake of only pushing a mouse around with their hand and fingers, not using all of the arm like they would when writing or drawing. This is a mistake and would make mouse controls feel worse or not much better than a thumb stick.
Hope this helps!
Hope this helps!
After getting used to my mouse and keyboard I suck at my game-pad more than vice versa, maybe that's part of the difference. But I usually do equally as well at like TF2 and MW2 on my console as on PC so its really hard to tell, I do prefer using the mouse though, just feels less slow.
For the people who say keyboards have too many buttons... my god. I look at new generation controllers with four buttons on top, four main buttons, multiple analog sticks with push functions, and triggers...
You've got half a keyboard already.
I will sing along with my friends here, though, the mouse affords precision control. When I try to play a console game, I feel like I'm driving a semi truck. I tried that resistance fall of man out, and it felt blocky and sluggish.
Some games are better on consoles. Consider mario. It doesn't make sense to play it with WASD and a mouse. But the FPS was designed on a keyboard, and it has been SHOEHORNED into the console.
Generally, console games also suffer from a lack of strategy gaming, an RTS on a console is usually derivative and clunky... and there is practically nothing in terms of grand strategy.
You've got half a keyboard already.
I will sing along with my friends here, though, the mouse affords precision control. When I try to play a console game, I feel like I'm driving a semi truck. I tried that resistance fall of man out, and it felt blocky and sluggish.
Some games are better on consoles. Consider mario. It doesn't make sense to play it with WASD and a mouse. But the FPS was designed on a keyboard, and it has been SHOEHORNED into the console.
Generally, console games also suffer from a lack of strategy gaming, an RTS on a console is usually derivative and clunky... and there is practically nothing in terms of grand strategy.
For people saying "one or the other is not better, it's preference", that obviously not the case. You might prefer the less good controller, but mouse and keyboard is better. How many elite FPS or RTS-player on PC uses joypads? If noen of them where better, and it was just preference, you should see roughly the same amount use both.
Because console controllers are at a set sensitivity, whereas mouses go as fast as your hand do. The more important controls (crouch, jump, use, reload, etc) are often placed fairly close to your hand as well.
As has been said, pc controls are better for SOME things.
For those of you saying that you aim better in fpses with a controller, that may be but then you havent had equal training. Each controller has a certain potential for aiming. The mouse has a greater potential than a controller when it comes to fpses.
For fighting games though a PS3 controller will always be superior. Especially for Street fighter type games. The pad on the Xbox360 is useless, as is the keyboard.
For 3rd person games I prefer a Xbox360 Controller, the stick is just better than the PS3 one.
So there is no "best" controller, only controllers that are best for a specific purpose. If you disagree I will just say that some tools are best for the job. Simple as that, if you dont know how to use them thats another matter altogether. A spade will always dig better than a fork, at least if you learn how to use it.
For those of you saying that you aim better in fpses with a controller, that may be but then you havent had equal training. Each controller has a certain potential for aiming. The mouse has a greater potential than a controller when it comes to fpses.
For fighting games though a PS3 controller will always be superior. Especially for Street fighter type games. The pad on the Xbox360 is useless, as is the keyboard.
For 3rd person games I prefer a Xbox360 Controller, the stick is just better than the PS3 one.
So there is no "best" controller, only controllers that are best for a specific purpose. If you disagree I will just say that some tools are best for the job. Simple as that, if you dont know how to use them thats another matter altogether. A spade will always dig better than a fork, at least if you learn how to use it.