FPS mouse + keyboard layout

[davidbrit2]

For those of you who use the usual mouse + keyboard combination for FPS control, which hand do you use for which? I want to see if I'm the only person in the world that uses the mouse in my left hand. Heh.

I find that I can do mouse aiming pretty much equally well with either hand, but my left hand is just far too inept for decent keyboard movement control. My specialized set of controllers is pretty much nothing more than a USB optical mouse, and USB numeric keypad, for about $20 each. It seems like all the custom keypad-based controllers designed for 3D games are made to be used with the left hand, so they don't do me much good.

[Mr.FoodMonster]

I do it the old fashon way, left hand for keyboard, right for mouse. I remember way back when Half Life came out, I got pissed off that I had to use 'wasd' to move my charater. 'It will never last!' I told myself. Boy was I wrong. :D I'm used to it now, but what I hate is FPSers on consoles. Ugh, the control is so crappy. I always will get the PC version over the console version. But, there also have not been any FPS that have made me want to buy a keyboard/mouse for my PS2.

[Cmosfm]

I can't stand it in my left hand, tried it, it was an utterly terrible site.

My layout usually follows like this...

Mouse - right hand
Left Click - fire
Right Click/Space - Jump
W,A,S,D - Movement
Q - crouch
E - reload

and other buttons depend upon the game.

[buttasuperb]

keyboard for the left, mouse for the right.

i also switch the wasd crap to the directional arrows.

[Bratwurst]

Screw the wasd setting, I always set it to szxc. Gives your hand more sets of keys above to bind to things like flashlights, opening doors, etc.

[davidbrit2]

Here's how I've got UT set up, in case anybody wants to try the left-handed mouse approach.

Right Mouse: Fire
Left Mouse: Alt-Fire
Middle Mouse: Screenshot

7: Strafe left
8: Forward
9: Strafe right
4: Turn left
5: Back
6: Turn right
1: Previous weapon
3: Next weapon
0: Jump
Enter: Crouch

Then I just bind other keys to game-specific things, like weapons, etc.

The keypad I'm using is a Targus USB 19-key that I just got at Target for $20. I'm using an iBook, so it's kind of necessary. Heh. It's also a great keypad for being productive, since it's got a backspace key, and independent numlock setting.

[Berserker]

Mouse in right hand, keyboard on left.

I've used the WASD config since the days of Quake. I've always tried alternate setups from time to time, but nothing seems to be able to beat it overall. For one it's in a fairly comfortable location, for instance I'd hate to have to scrunch my left arm inward to try and use the arrow keys with the mouse, but thats just me. I mean if you just naturally lay your arms out, assuming your mouse is somewhere next to your keyboard, one hand is going to rest on the mouse and one hand is going to rest somewhere near the WASD keys, or somewhere around there. ESDF and SZXC, all just as good depending on what feels most comfortable. The fact is that its still sort of in the middle of the keyboard vertical-wise, which makes for plenty of keys all around to configure for extra things.

It's not like I find it "sacred", or use it just because it's sort of become the defacto config for most PC games nowadays. If myself or someone else comes up with a better way to control FPS games, I'll use it. But until then, I'll probably just stick with good ole' WASD.

[tholly]

WASD with the left hand
mouse with the right hand

[Cmosfm]

You know what I find odd?

I can play an action game (like GTA) perfectly fine with the directional arrows or WASD with mouse....but I HAVE to play a driving game with the directional arrows. WASD makes me feel like I'm not making sharp enough turns.

[Sylentwulf]

Wow, mouse in left hand. That's just wrong.

Especially when you have a logitech MX-510 which really can't be used in the left hand :)

WASD - strafe for. back.
Space - Jump
Left click shoot
Right click alt weapon
Scroll switch weapons
Left ctrl, or left shift for game specifics
C - crouch
E - open, use, examine
Z - Whatever

[whoisKeel]

wasd, left...mouse right

for ut i bind
tab-shock rifle
caps-flak
shift-minigun/link
e-lightning/sniper
f-rocket launcher
c-crouch (don't really use)
space-jump

when i played quake3, i went with the arrows, which now i know is wrong...you're just so limited.

[Nez]

I use left hand on keyboard and right on mouse. But my sis does the exact opposite, very annoying.

[thegreatescape]

Mouse in right, Keyboard in left.
Left Ctrl for crouch and Tab whenever i want to see my l33t XP in Enemy Territory LOL

[maxlords]

Keyboard in the left hand, trackball on the right. Haven't used a mouse for years, and I'm happier for it :)

[davidbrit2]

Yeah, I'd probably be better off with a track ball, but I can never find one I really like. And the ones I do like are usually incredibly expensive.