newbie to PC .... about the mouse and keyboard..

ok, I was going to convert to PC gaming if it wasn't for my blue screen of death. I hope it's over now. I'm now replaying Left 4 Dead 2 on the PC and I played it with a microsoft Xbox 360 controller at the time, but now I'm trying to adapt the mouse and keyboards.

my question is .. are there any simple tips for getting better at them?? I'm not used to them at all.

like there is one time in left 4 dead 2 I wanted to crouch and I had to press the Ctrl button and it was too far to reach. All my fingers were positioned as a typing position, if you know what I mean, and I couldn't do it.

sorry if it's kinda a long text but if there is anything plz share it with me and thank you in advance.

All my fingers were positioned as a typing position, if you know what I mean, and I couldn't do it.

Jack_240

One of the biggest tips I can give you is to wipe the typing position out of you mind completely. Keep your fingers on the WASD keys. If you put your middle finger on W and S, your ring finger on A, and your index on D, then you have your pinkie for Ctrl and Shift and your thumb for the space bar. Otherwise, all I can tell you is keep playing. You'll soon adapt to the new control scheme.

[QUOTE="Jack_240"]

All my fingers were positioned as a typing position, if you know what I mean, and I couldn't do it.

Phoenix534

One of the biggest tips I can give you is to wipe the typing position out of you mind completely. Keep your fingers on the WASD keys. If you put your middle finger on W and S, your ring finger on A, and your index on D, then you have your pinkie for Ctrl and Shift and your thumb for the space bar. Otherwise, all I can tell you is keep playing. You'll soon adapt to the new control scheme.

it's really troubling when you're a secretary filled up with all the typing courses.. xD

i'll try it to do that. thanks for the help mate.

[QUOTE="Jack_240"]

All my fingers were positioned as a typing position, if you know what I mean, and I couldn't do it.

Phoenix534

One of the biggest tips I can give you is to wipe the typing position out of you mind completely. Keep your fingers on the WASD keys. If you put your middle finger on W and S, your ring finger on A, and your index on D, then you have your pinkie for Ctrl and Shift and your thumb for the space bar. Otherwise, all I can tell you is keep playing. You'll soon adapt to the new control scheme.

This, and OP you want to keep your pinkie on shift for crouch (that should help you), ctrl is usually for sprint. At least if you have normal people hands.

Sometimes I'm glad to be a leftie, must be damn annoying for your pinky to crouch in games where you can't toggle.

Give it a week. If it still sucks, try getting yourself a gaming pad like this one.

However, make sure you try different configurations. Using CTRL is fine for say, my brother, but I hate it. I prefer to change it to something like toggle mode or the C key since CRTL is used for crouching most times anyway.

You have a lot of keys at your disposal. Multibutton mice also take away some of the key usage too.

Sometimes I'm glad to be a leftie, must be damn annoying for your pinky to crouch in games where you can't toggle.

ventnor

kind of an odd question, but how many buttens does your mouse have?

the only real advice I can get you is when you get a new game, alter the default keys to your liking, try having the keyboard hand placed where it feels comfortable to you, and can reach the keys, it might be fairly simple, but it is alot easier to figure our where you want your keys, when you watch at the reach, and placement of your hand.

No one have the same controles I think, I tend to have fire, jump and duck on my mouse (aswell asfireing modes if apply)

My use is usually space, wasd is movement, and shift is sprint, or walk, ctrl, is usually scope, because it to me often is better to move better instead of have quick acces to a scope, or Ironsight. I guess that if there is no lean, then scope (secondery fire) would do allright on q, but ofcourse, that leaves you to stop movingfarwards.for a short while, when shifting.

As others said, if it is hopeless in a week or so, then there are the option for a controller. But I doubt you will need it in a week ^^ Just do a bit of getting used to in a games sp modes, and Im fairly certain youll be good to go in a few days.

Keep 3 of your fingers on A, W and D. Only move the finger on W, to S. Keep the other fingers on their places. You can occaisionally move them to press Q, E or R. Maybe even Z, X or C. Use your pinky on Ctrl/shift, and use it for them. Keep your thumb on Space. That's pretty much all you need to get used to.

Next thing you need to do is to just play, play and play some more =)

One piece of advice:

do not map the quicksave/quickload buttons to close to each other. This could end up in a real disaster. In the heat of battle, with one tiny health point left, you decide to try

again and hit the quickload button, but, oops, you accidentally hit the quicksave button, and the last auto save was three hours ago, way before all those nasty jump puzzles you barely got through.

Aside from the above mentioned finger allocation, I recommend to change the controls of most if not all fps you play so you can get used to the control scheme. Make sure:

shift - sprint

ctrl - crouch (some games have it "c" but ctrl is better as you will always have a finger on it)

rmb - aim down

Must have pretty small hands if you cant reach that far >.>Iantheone

they're big enough -_- .. xD

Your keyboard must be massive if you couldn't press the Ctrl key whilst having your fingers on WASD.

Your keyboard must be massive if you couldn't press the Ctrl key whilst having your fingers on WASD.

-Unreal-

[QUOTE="-Unreal-"]

Your keyboard must be massive if you couldn't press the Ctrl key whilst having your fingers on WASD.

FelipeInside

ok, you move the mouse and i'll be bouncing on the keyboard.. xD

Wouldnt it be easier for him to for example map the things he cant reach to extra mouse buttons? I mean most mice these days have thumb buttons.

[QUOTE="Jack_240"]

All my fingers were positioned as a typing position, if you know what I mean, and I couldn't do it.

Phoenix534

One of the biggest tips I can give you is to wipe the typing position out of you mind completely. Keep your fingers on the WASD keys. If you put your middle finger on W and S, your ring finger on A, and your index on D, then you have your pinkie for Ctrl and Shift and your thumb for the space bar. Otherwise, all I can tell you is keep playing. You'll soon adapt to the new control scheme.

shift for crouch , ctrl is usually for sprint.Remmib

[QUOTE="Remmib"]shift for crouch , ctrl is usually for sprint.harry_james_pot

[QUOTE="harry_james_pot"][QUOTE="Remmib"]shift for crouch , ctrl is usually for sprint.Remmib

Sometimes I'm glad to be a leftie, must be damn annoying for your pinky to crouch in games where you can't toggle.

ventnor

[QUOTE="Phoenix534"]

[QUOTE="Jack_240"]

All my fingers were positioned as a typing position, if you know what I mean, and I couldn't do it.

Remmib

One of the biggest tips I can give you is to wipe the typing position out of you mind completely. Keep your fingers on the WASD keys. If you put your middle finger on W and S, your ring finger on A, and your index on D, then you have your pinkie for Ctrl and Shift and your thumb for the space bar. Otherwise, all I can tell you is keep playing. You'll soon adapt to the new control scheme.

This, and OP you want to keep your pinkie on shift for crouch (that should help you), ctrl is usually for sprint. At least if you have normal people hands.

Really? I use shift for sprinting and ctrl for crouching. Also TC, practice practice practice. At first I thought PC controls were too complicated and I complained, but now its the only way I ever want to play FPS's haha. When I surfing the web I find my hand is in the WASD position :P. Seriously though get a good keyboard (I use a SAITEK II keyboard I believe) and a laser mouse that is comfortable to you. After a bit of playing it will become very easy.

Whatcha mean? I use crouch toggle though.....FelipeInside

dont let others decide your control scheme for you. come up with something logical like for instance situating your hand in the middle of the keyboard so you can access more keys than with wasd. rest your hand on thekeyboard naturally. if your ringfinger doesnt naturally rest on the same row as your index then dont bind left strafe to that row. my ringfinger rests naturally on the same row as my middle finger.

[QUOTE="FelipeInside"]Whatcha mean? I use crouch toggle though.....Remmib

Experiment with multiple control setups. Try remapping keys liberally until you find what works for you best. WASD is not law. The first thing I do when I start up a game for the first time is remap almost everything (I use arrows, Right Shift, Right CTRL, Enter, Delete, KP_INS, etc.)

Experiment with multiple control setups. Try remapping keys liberally until you find what works for you best. WASD is not law. The first thing I do when I start up a game for the first time is remap almost everything (I use arrows, Right Shift, Right CTRL, Enter, Delete, KP_INS, etc.)

UpInFlames

Experiment with multiple control setups. Try remapping keys liberally until you find what works for you best. WASD is not law. The first thing I do when I start up a game for the first time is remap almost everything (I use arrows, Right Shift, Right CTRL, Enter, Delete, KP_INS, etc.)

UpInFlames

[QUOTE="-Unreal-"]

Your keyboard must be massive if you couldn't press the Ctrl key whilst having your fingers on WASD.

FelipeInside

[QUOTE="UpInFlames"]

Experiment with multiple control setups. Try remapping keys liberally until you find what works for you best. WASD is not law. The first thing I do when I start up a game for the first time is remap almost everything (I use arrows, Right Shift, Right CTRL, Enter, Delete, KP_INS, etc.)

Remmib

[QUOTE="Remmib"][QUOTE="UpInFlames"]

Experiment with multiple control setups. Try remapping keys liberally until you find what works for you best. WASD is not law. The first thing I do when I start up a game for the first time is remap almost everything (I use arrows, Right Shift, Right CTRL, Enter, Delete, KP_INS, etc.)

Cranler

[QUOTE="Remmib"][QUOTE="harry_james_pot"] Actually, it`s the other way around..FelipeInside

funny thing, i've changed the Ctrl 'crouch' to Q .

[QUOTE="ventnor"]

Sometimes I'm glad to be a leftie, must be damn annoying for your pinky to crouch in games where you can't toggle.

DJ_Headshot

you know that's what I like about PC controls.. you can customize your own controls. unlike consoles which sadly you have to get used to how the developers want you to play.

[QUOTE="FelipeInside"][QUOTE="Remmib"] Yeah the devs always do it wrong. Crouch is used more than sprint thus it should be placed on the more ergonomic and easily acsessible position of shift, with sprint being used in short bursts it is better on the more awkward position of left ctrl.Jack_240

funny thing, i've changed the Ctrl 'crouch' to Q .

[QUOTE="Remmib"][QUOTE="UpInFlames"]

Experiment with multiple control setups. Try remapping keys liberally until you find what works for you best. WASD is not law. The first thing I do when I start up a game for the first time is remap almost everything (I use arrows, Right Shift, Right CTRL, Enter, Delete, KP_INS, etc.)

Cranler

[QUOTE="Jack_240"]

[QUOTE="FelipeInside"] I always use C for crouching....cause it's in a perfect comfortable reach and right beneath the WASD.... beneath = crouching :)FelipeInside

funny thing, i've changed the Ctrl 'crouch' to Q .

Hhaa I agree. And also I dont see why anyone would want to use a key that requires you to stop moving in a direction (if only for a second) to crouch or whatever. I should always be able to run in any direction :P. I still think crouch is used a lot less than running so I have ctrl set to crouch and shift to run.

Why would you want to limit yourself to the setup that you've picked when WASD offers many more accessible keys?Remmib

[QUOTE="Cranler"]

[QUOTE="Remmib"] Why would you want to limit yourself to the setup that you've picked when WASD offers many more accessible keys?Remmib

You list all these far away keys but not v and b which are much closer. I can access just as many keys without taking my hand from the standard position.

I use tyhj. I would use yghj but my ringfiner is only a little more than a 1/4 inch shorter than my middle finger so its rests more comfortably on the same row. Your finger should rest on the main keys without any bending effort. With this I have an extra thumb key and lots of keys to the left with the pinky. This is a much more ergonomic and functional control scheme.

[QUOTE="Remmib"][QUOTE="Cranler"]wasd isnt much better than arrows. neither makes any sense

Cranler

You list all these far away keys but not v and b which are much closer. I can access just as many keys without taking my hand from the standard position.

I use tyhj. I would use yghj but my ringfiner is only a little more than a 1/4 inch shorter than my middle finger so its rests more comfortably on the same row. Your finger should rest on the main keys without any bending effort. With this I have an extra thumb key and lots of keys to the left with the pinky. This is a much more ergonomic and functional control scheme.

False. Lol TYHJ? There is your problem son, you have alien hands. I have been talking about ergonomics for human hands.

The pinky finger needs larger keys like Caps, Shift, and Ctrl due to its less accurate nature, and it prefers to move up and down seeing as that is the way the finger naturally curls.

5, 6, T, G are not 'stretches'...a stretch would be 7 or H...actually, yeah 6 is getting to be a stretch. You can easily keep your middle finger on W while using 5 to pull out a smoke grenade or whatever it is.