PC-->Controller vs. Keyboard

Zama666 · January 2023

Hello,

I switched over from using the keyboard a while back to using a PC controller (Xbox Elite 2 which I love). But am wondering for PvP and PVE - which is better for performance?

I am finding in PvP especially delays in execution after I press a button/trigger compared to keyboard
And since I have lost the keyboard skills, trying to hit the 1-5 for weapons and move (AWDX) is a mess, especially in pvp.

Thoughts/Opinions on how people manage?

Are you strictly keyboard?
Are you strictly controller?
or do you use Hybridization (yeah, sort of a pun)

Tanks,

Z

KilianDermoth · January 2023

I am keyboard + mouse with customized keyboard and mouse layout.

A mouse with more than 3 buttons helps, so you can put on some skills instead of using 1-5.

Danikat · January 2023

I think the most important factor is which you find most comfortable and easiest to use. I've noticed skill lag sometimes (or skills not firing at all) when using the keyboard, but I think that's just lag, it will happen no matter what your inputs are. Unless you're using a really cheap and badly made controller I think it's unlikely it would cause signifcant lag.

I use keyboard and mouse, but mainly because that's what the game defaults to on PC and I rarely bother changing the inputs for games. I probably should experiment more, but I only actually do if I'm finding a game really difficult to control. The only PC game I'm currently using a controller for is Valheim.

I have however changed a lot of the keybindings. I'm left-handed so my right hand is on the keyboard and to make it more comfortable I moved everything to the right side. I have everything combat related on the number pad (skills, but also things like use synergy, quick slots, dodge, weapon swap etc.) and use my thumb on the arrow keys to move, then I have other things around that. Page down is my 'alt' key to open the menus. (I also have a mouse with 5 extra buttons, which helps.)

Of course it takes a while to get used to any new setup after you've changed it, but I found getting used to this one much easier than learning to use the defaults. (I don't really understand how anyone can use WASD and the number keys together and doing it with my right hand is especially uncomfortable.)

I've heard of people doing other things like using ESDF instead of WASD and then putting their skills in a circle around those keys, or using a mouse with enough buttons that they can do almost everything with one hand.

Zama666 · January 2023

Hello,

FYI
I switched to a controller as I was getting ergonomic injuries.
The idea was to switch it up - keyboard, then controller...
But controller has given me no issues..

Necrotech_Master · January 2023

as far as im aware, its whatever your comfortable with

in some of the vet trial groups i run, some of the players in those still use a controller because they originally played on console and just wanted to keep using controller (at least one person i know that uses a controller did a kynes aegis trifecta run a few months ago lol)

so there is nothing wrong with using a controller as long as your comfortable with using it lol

fred4 · January 2023

TEX Shinobi mechanical Thinkpad keyboard, with trackpoint instead of mouse, for use on my lap while playing on my living room TV. I have a fixed hand position. The middle finger of the left hand rests on the E key at all times. The middle finger of the right hand rests on the trackpoint. Other fingers have access to loads of keys. Keyboard bindings are remapped completely.

The trackpoint is inferior to a mouse. I believe controllers are inferior to mice in terms of speed and accuracy too. Try to play Minesweeper with anything but a mouse. You will not put up a good score. Some games that mix console and PC players on the same server give console players "target assist" for that reason. I've certainly felt that some players can outplay me via quicker and more accurate targeting in PvP, where staying on attack and on target can be very important. In PvE, if you know the mechanics, you can predict movement to a large degree. In PvP you can't.

Of course trackpoints are an acquired taste. How they hold up versus a controller, I don't know.

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49718966438_3992a52ec6_k_600x600.jpg?v=1592296598

KilianDermoth · January 2023

I think they are even worse than controllers.

WuffyCerulei · January 2023

I mainly use controller while also using the shortcuts on keyboard for Inventory, Character, Skills, etc. I do prefer the controller UI as well, as it's more simple and big for my special eyes. I do stick to keyboard chat though. Controller chat window is too odd for me, and it does NOT work with addons.

biminirwb17_ESO · January 2023

I play purely with a mouse as I have only one working arm.

12 button razer naga.
Scroll wheel tilt for S and W movement
Scroll wheel click for E
12345 mouse buttons for skills
11 for ult
6 for bar swap
7 for mount
10 for sneak
9 for flex depending on scenario
scroll wheel for dodge
res up for map
res down for q

Have an 18:1 k/d ratio and two Grand Overlords so it works.

TechMaybeHic · January 2023

I use a 12 button mouse and keypad for everything except typing yet I know there are a few great pvpers that use a controller. This games targeting is so forgiving and yet so bad that precision on the cursor becomes irrelevant

I actually have a Razer Wolverine V2 I use on most other games I'd like to learn to use as I find it more comfortable but I'm so used to having so many buttons at each hand. I imagine some would struggle the other way at getting used to all the buttons I currently have.

Guess Im trying to say it's preference and what your used to over trying to force one way or another.

N3CR01 · January 2023

I've been a console player for most of my gaming life so I use an Xbox controller.

UnseenCat · January 2023

I too use a controller -- in ESO and just about any game that has an option to use one. Like some others in the thread, I started gaming on consoles in the 80s and 90s, really somewhat before gaming took root on PCs, even. So I probably adapt muscle memory to controller schemes faster than anything else.

I have a Razer Tartarus controller for use with keyboard/mouse games; it's a little more ergonomic and a lot of the time I'll map WASD to the thumbstick/D-pad anyway. I'll sometimes break it out for use in PvP; I kind of feel like since most PC players use keyboard/mouse, it's easier to use the same input method in PvP because there's a slightly different rhythm to keypresses and movement on WASD compared to using a controller. It's easier to sort of sync up my movements and skill fire-offs that way. On the other hand, I'm more of a PvE player anyway so I freely admit to sucking at PvP so the control scheme only helps me so far...

I do sort of wish that the controller UI was better thought-out. I use (patched) BetterUI which helps. But for some UI menus and such, it's just more efficient to change over to the keyboard/mouse UI.

KilianDermoth · January 2023

UnseenCat wrote: »

I too use a controller -- in ESO and just about any game that has an option to use one. Like some others in the thread, I started gaming on consoles in the 80s and 90s, really somewhat before gaming took root on PCs, even. So I probably adapt muscle memory to controller schemes faster than anything else.

PC gameing was even a thing in the 80s and especially 90s.

And if we are talking about computer games in general then there is the amiga computer which had probably more games than all consoles together in that time (atari excluded, ) and usually in a better quality. Also many even nowadays known games, IPs, brands or even complete genres were created back then - on and for computers.

Just a few: civilisation (still a very known game series), sim city, dune2 (which led to to command & conquer, because westwood couldnt get the dune licence again for a successor), settlers, anno, worms, prince of persia (there is even a movie based on a successor), wing commander (also a movie based on the game, done by the star citizen guy and probably squadron 42 will be pretty similar, even one of the trailers looked like the iconic start off scene in wing commander), mortal combat (also led even to several movies), street fighter (also led to a a movie and led to plenty references in others) and more.

Some of them were available on PCs back then, too.

Even some of them were played with joysticks back then, some also were played with mouse and keyboard and literally none of them with controllers (except if you had a joystick in the shape of a controller).

And in the 90s, pc gameing started literally to boom and several new games were created that even were not possible on consoles. Most of them were or could be played with mouse and keyboard.

Then there was also gameing on apple computers, too.

So that you started gameing on consoles with controllers has nothing to do with that you started in the 80s or 90s, because pc or in general computer gameing was also popular back then, probably even more popular, especially in some countries in the EU.

I for example know more people who got used to mouse and keyboard when they started gameing in this years, myself included. My only consoles I owned myself were btw. 2 game boys and a nintendo DS. And never felt that I have less or worse game, more the opposite most of the times.

Zama666 · January 2023

biminirwb17_ESO wrote: »

I play purely with a mouse as I have only one working arm.

12 button razer naga.
Scroll wheel tilt for S and W movement
Scroll wheel click for E
12345 mouse buttons for skills
11 for ult
6 for bar swap
7 for mount
10 for sneak
9 for flex depending on scenario
scroll wheel for dodge
res up for map
res down for q

Have an 18:1 k/d ratio and two Grand Overlords so it works.

@biminirwb17_ESO ...I awesomed you, but also have to tell you...THAT IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A kill ratio close to 1 is fine with me!!!!

Zama666 · January 2023

@TechMaybeHic

The Xbox Elite 2 has paddles....but I am not sure how to configure them with ESO.
That's 4 buttons gone to waste.

I would love to use one for 'sprint' instead of having to push forward and down on the left thumb joystick.

How did you config it?

Tanks!

Z

TechMaybeHic · January 2023

Zama666 wrote: »

@TechMaybeHic

The Xbox Elite 2 has paddles....but I am not sure how to configure them with ESO.
That's 4 buttons gone to waste.

I would love to use one for 'sprint' instead of having to push forward and down on the left thumb joystick.

How did you config it?

Tanks!

Z

Not sure with that. Razer has software that you map those 4 back buttons on the wolverine to the front. It doesn't let you use it as extra buttons, just relocate existing

If you play through Steam I think you can remap there

Thecompton73 · February 2023

Zama666 wrote: »

@TechMaybeHic

The Xbox Elite 2 has paddles....but I am not sure how to configure them with ESO.
That's 4 buttons gone to waste.

I would love to use one for 'sprint' instead of having to push forward and down on the left thumb joystick.

How did you config it?

Tanks!

Z

I'm not 100% on this but I do believe you can go into the gamepad settings and map actions like ultimates or break free that require two simultaneous button pushes onto one of those paddles instead, which makes them much easier and more reliable to activate.