Keyboard & Mouse SUCKS! Where are the 3D Controllers?

[jenny?]

it's only the most used because for a very very long time there were no realistic alternatives.

and as for the taunts.. the sound somebody makes when i splatter them with some rockets should be enough.

god who am i kidding, i haven't even played a real game in like 2 weeks.

 

[Ixari]

Originally posted by jenny?

and as for the taunts.. the sound somebody makes when i splatter them with some rockets should be enough.

Dude.....do you play Clanwars?? Cause i do.....and by sound of RL splatter my team mates don't know that i need a gun or that the shield is avaible or what my location is...Taunts r very important. Unless you use RW or BC...but it's a little hard if you clan exsist of multi nationals (because most of us can't find the right word because of the heavy intens game sometimes)

 

[jenny?]

clanwars? yes, i played with nwa for several months. we used roger wilco for every game. no text or speech binds were used in-game ever, and i think we did pretty good when we played.

also from my previous clan experience, having members from all around the world = massive ping/time zone problems come game time. not something i'd want to deal with again.

 

[Kokensu]

Use whatever controller you feel like, just don't try to tell me that keyboard/mouse sucks cause I play with it just fine...

 

[Super-K]

Um, if you're constantly having to lift the mouse and move it back over then your mouse sensitivity is not high enough. It's easy to get used to a higher sensitivity and remain accurate. I play all day and rarely need to lift the mouse.

I have yet to see anything that can rival the mouse for speed, accuracy, and full range of motion.

Use a joystick to turn? No way you could be as fast and accurate as a mouse user. With a stick, you're selecting acceration rate based on how far you move the stick, whereas the mouse/trackball lets you aim "right here, right now" based on how far you move it. The only thing faster would be a circle that you could press at any point and immediately be facing that direction, but you still have the problem of looking up and down.

I do think using the joystick to move could be very useful. Instead of the on/off keyboard keys, it would be nice to be able to adjust your speed based on how far you push the stick. You could also do trick movement adjustments: full speed forward with a slow/slight left strafe. Can't do that with a keyboard without lifting and re-pushing the keys. Joystick for movement + mouse for aim. Would require some extra coordination though.

I think track-balls are slower than using a mouse because the ball movement ends up not being enough and you have to lift your hand, thereby slowing you down. Now, maybe a gaint trackball (maybe the size of a grapefruit) might be very usefull, but then you have to overcome the weight of such a device.

I can't remember his handle, but there is this Russian (I think) Q3 player who plays with a trackball. He is extrememly annoying to chase-cam because he mostly turns only in one direction (I think it is/was only left). So, if he needs to turn slightly 10 degrees right, he actually spins 350 degrees left to get pointed in the right direction... ugh, makes me dizzy, but he's pretty good.

 

[ShadowKi][er]

errrr......

So what if FPS R getting better & better. I find a game PAD SOOOOOO slow. It does not matter if the key & mouse combo is 100 years old, It does not effect the game play. I think they should make new Keyboards & mice, not throw them away. Just make them better & better. like the razer boomslang or intelli or what waz it called.

 

[ShadowKi][er]

And we wont B playing UT 4ever BUT we will B playing games LIKE UT & Q3A. UT 2, TF2, Q4, we dont know when they will come out, but they will

 

[Do_Or_Die]

pxl user

I'm a diehard PXL user and I wouldn't go back to keyboard/mouse at all. The only complaint I've had is durability. I'm on my 3rd stick (been using em for 2 years) all replaced within the warranty time. The first one I got was broken from the start, the second one broke because I got a little too rough with it and the third one's working fine although one of the directions on the HAT on top stopped responding, but I'm not worried about that. I still have more buttons than I need. I just think it's easier without having to search for a button on the keyboard when you're in the middle of a game when all the buttons I need are right there on the stick within reach, and each is distinguishable from the next by touch. The only game I use keyboard/mouse on is Deus Ex because of the more advanced interface and slower pace of the game.

 

[ImmorTal_FusioN]

Originally posted by Yellow5
I agree. The mouse/keyboard combo is... well it's old. Games have adbvanced, but the way we interface with them has not. I've yet to find a new controller that feels right.

My point exactly! I mean, 10 years down the line when FPS gaming will be a hundred times more advanced than UT, would you still prefer to interface with such an advance game with an antique keyboard and mouse?

I HOPE NOT!

Those third-party controllers like the Panther, Orb, or Gravis, are a step in the right direction, but they still suck as far as durability, amount of keys, and innovation. I'm VERY surprised that gamers are willing to stick with the keyboard and mouse all this time. Gamers should demand better not only in their games, but in the controls in which they use. If we don't, the way we interface with a Holodeck will still probably be a keyboard and mouse.

 

[MigraineMan]

PantherXL... Doh!

I've been a keyboard/mouse man for years, but I bought the PXL thinking it would provide more flexibility and programmability.

It was like having someone stick a ice pick in my brain. I simply could not get my hands to work right. The right and left hand functions are switched compared to the keyboard/mouse setup, and using a stick seemed so unresponsive compared to the quick movement when hitting a key on the keyboard.

Making the switch to another controller like PXL is virtually impossible unless you plan to not play UT or any other FPS competitively for awhile. I have little time to play as it is, so instead of spending time making the switch, my PXL is back in the box. If anyone is interested in buying one, mine is virtually unused and available at an extremely low price...

migraineman@pacbell.net

 

[sandorski]

Hehe, you wanna hear outdated? The keyboard I use is pre-windows key cursed! The biggest advantage to mouse/keyboard, is that every PC user has them.

As for mousepad usage, one could always get the better mouse, a trackball! The Logitech Trackman marble, to be more precise.

 

[§avage]

Keyboard and mouse is the most famous tried and tested method of playing FPS games on the humble PC.
I hated it at first when i first started out, but now i would never have it any other way.

And about the "picking the mouse up and resetting it", i have my mouselooks rate of speed up high, so i only need to move the mouse a little and im doing 360's

 

[hobart_paving]

old school mouse/keyboard user

back when every tom d*ck and harry was playing doom, i was on my mac playing marathon. talk about a game ahead of its time! how amazing it was that in this game you could look up and down instead of just straight ahead. and multiplayer lan games were so easy to set up, too. that's when i learned the mouse/keyboard combo. since i missed the whole quake period, i was still able to jump into ut pretty quickly after my earlier mouse/keyboard experience.

i think i need to relearn different keys because i use the number pad and accidentally hit my num lock sometimes in the heat of battle. that's when i end up running straight ahead constantly and unable to go in reverse.

oh, and mm, i'll buy that pxl off you. not that i really think i'll switch over, but it would be interesting to learn it. and god knows i have the time.

 

[LittleFlower]

I hate that PXL

I thought I liked the PXL, but I really learned to hate it. I broke two PantherXLs and one PantherDX. In just 4 months. And no warranty, because I live in europe, and I bought them while I was in the US. Warranty is 3 months, and my next trip to the US was too late. Besides, at the rate they broke I don't think a replacement would do me any good.

However, I never wanna go back to mouse and keyboard.

I now use a trackball (Logitech Marblemouse) and separate joystick (Logitech Wingman Digital Extreme 3D). That combination rocks. I can use ps2rate on the trackball to increase the sample frequency to 200 Hz. Couldn't do that on the PXL. Trackball is smooth as silk, and hardly gets dirty. PXL got dirty all the time. Optical makes the marblemouse very precise. The joystick has just enough buttons to switch my favorite weapons quickly. Too bad UT only supports 4-way hatswitch. My joystick has an 8-way hatswitch.

I am right handed, but have been using my left hand to operate the mouse ever since I used a mouse. To be honest, that probably helped me get adjusted to the PXL. But with a separate trackball and joystick, people can make their own choice.

When I play UT, I place my keyboard immediately left next to my left hand (that operates the trackball). I have my whole numpad full with keybinds. Plus most of the rest of the keyboard too. I just need to take my hand from the trackball for a split second to press a keybind. Not much different from using keyboard+mouse.

Of course the more buttons on the joystick, the better. And I think the trackball could be a little bigger. But overall, I am quite happy. I'm just a newbie with average skills and average aim. But thanks to the trackball I do feel that I navigate much more fluent through the maps than other newbies.

 

[Super-K]

Just a note on the optical devices (in case you're thinking of trying one)...

Don't use them for serious play. There is not a single optical device (that I've seen) that can keep up with the fast movement required for serious play.

Whether it be mouse or trackball, if it's optical and you go to make a snap movement, it won't work. The optics can't keep up with the speed.

The optical devices are nice, very precise and smooth (at slow speeds) but for high speed movement you really still need a mechanical device.

 

[Lengis]

3D-Controlers are not very good, I think people should keep on improving the mouse though (ie. the intelimouse), and i wish someone can combine the intelimouse with forcefeedback. The logitech one was not very good...

 

[Rooster]

Just a note on the optical devices (in case you're thinking of trying one)...

Don't use them for serious play. There is not a single optical device (that I've seen) that can keep up with the fast movement required for serious play.

<sarcasm>I guess I'm not a serious player then.</sarcasm>

My Intellimouse Explorer does just fine thank you.

 

[DarkCalm]

/me ashamed to know that I am not a serious player as well <sniff> <sniff>
Intellimouse rulez j00!
sorry had to say it at least once in my life

 

[Kokensu]

I know what you're talking about Super-K. I have an intellimouse explorer and if I move the mouse REALLY REALLY fast it will put a curve on the direction of the cursor. But I have to agree with Rooster and DarkCalm. I've NEVER EVER moved the mouse that fast in UT. Never had the need to. I play with mouse sensitivity at 7.0 and it works better than any other mouse I've used. The marble may be smoother but the idea of a trackball doesn't work for me. I don't consider myself a poor player and if you played me and my inferior mouse Im sure you'd agree.

 

[Super-K]

hehe... Ah, come on guys, gimme a break.

By "serious" player, I'm talking about you wanting to compete with the top players in the world. I realize most people don't want that, but if you aspire to be the very best, you won't do it with the current optical devices (I hear the Intellimouse Explorer is getting better at tracking speed).

It's not ment as an insult, it's just if you don't want to play professionally, then you're not "serious" in my mind.

Now, I may be wrong. Name me a top-10 ranked player who uses an optical mouse/trackball and I'll change my mind. I'll probably even go out and buy the device if it's true.

And I mean top-10 ranked by closed competion (ie. real tournaments), not some NGstats ranking (although it's probably the same there).