Home Gaming Keyboard and mouse “The only way to go” for shooters

Keyboard and mouse “The only way to go” for shooters

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MK

AMD and PC Gamer’s press conference was, frankly, a little on the dull side. Though it was set up in a nice, casual Q&A style, it suffered from seriously poor pacing issues. It could be argued that it’s excusable, seeing as it’s their first go, but Bethesda’s inaugural conference showed that it can be done properly the first time around. There really wasn’t very much in the way of exciting news for PC gamers. Gears of War, Killer Instinct and No Man’s Sky are coming, which is nice – but there wasn’t much else beyond looks at games we already knew about. There was also a bit of stating the bleeding obvious.

Speaking at the conference, former Epic guy, Gears of War designer Clifford Bleszinski extolled the virtues of first person shooter and PC gaming, and how they go hand in hand, adding that keyboard and mouse is the weapon of choice for shooters.

“I wanted to get back to first person—Gears is third person—it’s one of those things, that seeing down the barrel of a gun, it’s a very powerful thing,” Cliffy B said.

He added that developing games for PC allows his new studio to be “agile,” giving them leeway to work outside of the constraints of walled gardens like Xbox Live and PSN with “test kitchen servers” that allow for easy testing and tuning.

Cliffy B has in the past said that consoles are where it’s at, but his love for all things PC has returned.

“I love my console shooters,” he said, “but keyboard and mouse for first-person shooters, it’s the only way to go.”

Now that sounds like the bleeding obvious to PC gamers, but there are likely a number of console-playing soldiers who’re a little peeved at the elitism. I certainly think the mouse itself allows for precision aiming that consoles really struggle to manage, but for actual player movement? The keyboard is pants.

BS

Hopefully Valve’s Steam Controller manages to do what it says on the tin, and find the perfect balance between the control schemes. He was, of course, there to show off his new game from his new studio, Project Bluestreak – but really only showed off a bit of concept art.

Last Updated: June 17, 2015

46 Comments

  1. Matthew Holliday

    June 17, 2015 at 11:08

    cannot into FPS with controllers.
    its the biggest nail in the consoles coffin.

    Reply

    • Deceased

      June 17, 2015 at 11:27

      Agreed ( not sure what the first statement said, but still agreed )

      Wait, you can ACTUALLY play FPS on console ( without aim-assist 😐 )?! O.O
      – Learn something new everyday :/

      Reply

      • SargonTheBatpandaOfTI5

        June 17, 2015 at 11:49

        A lifelong console fanboy friend of mine was playing a FPS the other day and said “Wow. I can get headshots. Why have I never used aim-assist before?”

        Lol’z.

        Reply

        • Deceased

          June 17, 2015 at 12:08

          How to express that the face-palm is real? 😐

          Reply

      • N@te

        June 17, 2015 at 12:09

        You can usually turn it on or off in most games. The games that do enforce it do annoy me. Hell I even switch it off when playing GTA 5.

        Reply

    • N@te

      June 17, 2015 at 11:50

      Felt the same when I made the switch to console about 5 years back, that goes away. In the beginning I could only hit the floor and the sky but it is amazing how quickly your muscles adjust and can pinpoint as well as it could with a mouse. Coming from playing online in both environments, the best on one platform is as good as the best in the other platform. When windows 10 hits it would be interesting to see the result, controller vs keyboard.

      Reply

      • Matthew Holliday

        June 17, 2015 at 13:03

        been trying to get used to analogs on shooters since the ps1 brought them out and i just find it impossible.
        got an xbox controller for my pc ages ago, and even still, cannot use it for anything other than racing games or RPGs.

        Reply

  2. Blood Emperor Trevor

    June 17, 2015 at 11:10

    Okay Cliffy. We all know if your new game was a console game you’d be saying controllers are the best.

    Reply

    • Captain JJ Browmehn

      June 17, 2015 at 11:26

      Imagine if it were on the Nintendo. Then suddenly the motion controllers would be the best. Oh dear.

      Reply

    • SargonTheBatpandaOfTI5

      June 17, 2015 at 11:39

      When he eventually moves to VR he’ll be saying your MIND is the best at moving things. Like please dude. The what? Pssssht.

      Reply

      • Captain JJ Browmehn

        June 17, 2015 at 11:40

        LOL

        Reply

        • The King Shopper

          June 17, 2015 at 19:04

          IN PAINS ? ,?ANnxiety?, have SLEEP issues? we got good ?PainsPILLS? n good?BUD n Mary. j ? n the ?Purple/leann? TXT us????) 464-60???. Low key delvry. Real shit. no bs. fghgh

          Reply

      • The King Shopper

        June 17, 2015 at 19:04

        IN PAINS ? ,?ANnxiety?, have SLEEP issues? we got good ?PainsPILLS? n good?BUD n Mary. j ? n the ?Purple/leann? TXT us????) 464-60???. Low key delvry. Real shit. no bs. gfgfg

        Reply

    • The King Shopper

      June 17, 2015 at 19:04

      IN PAINS ? ,?ANnxiety?, have SLEEP issues? we got good ?PainsPILLS? n good?BUD n Mary. j ? n the ?Purple/leann? TXT us????) 464-60???. Low key delvry. Real shit. no bs. dvfggfg

      Reply

  3. Captain JJ Browmehn

    June 17, 2015 at 11:25

    I don’t think the Steam controller will really close that gap. There’s no way my thumb would ever have that kind of precision. Mouse and keyboard for FPS, strategy and certain RPGs. Controller for racing (arcade) and the other spectrum of RPGs. For me. 🙂

    Reply

    • Blood Emperor Trevor

      June 17, 2015 at 11:32

      I, and it pains me to admit this, used a controller over the weekend. Found it kinda difficult to control my movement. Was advised to use the buttons instead of the thumb stick but found those even worse.

      Reply

      • Captain JJ Browmehn

        June 17, 2015 at 11:34

        Wow dude. This is probably the biggest thing you’ve ever admitted to 😉 I know how you feel about controllers.
        I play Witcher 3 on controller. Really makes the fighting so much fun.

        Reply

        • SargonTheBatpandaOfTI5

          June 17, 2015 at 11:38

          I have also done this. The controller is surprisingly adept at making Geralt dismember pretty much everything. I have never had this much fluid carnage on my keyboard before.

          I will need to play it on PC as well to see what it is like there before I judge. But I was pleasantly surprised at how well the controller worked.

          Reply

          • Captain JJ Browmehn

            June 17, 2015 at 11:40

            I played Witcher 2 with keyboard and controller and even there the controller was nicer to use.
            With Witcher 3 I immediately settled in with my controller. Now I can’t imagine using a keyboard for it. As you say, it’s just so fluid.

          • SargonTheBatpandaOfTI5

            June 17, 2015 at 11:45

            I think that’s what really really impresses me. The combat is often tough, but it ALWAYS feels like I’m in control and it is ALWAYS just so damn fluid. It honestly feels like I’m controlling a master swordsman. It all just comes together on the controller after a while.

            Btw. I’m playing on the second hardest difficulty. Is it just me or is fighting more than four same level enemies actually require thought and planning? 😛

          • Captain JJ Browmehn

            June 17, 2015 at 11:47

            Yes man. Especially those damn murkers or drowners. They keep interrupting your attacks!! Makes me lose my sh!t, but then I remember to plan ahead and not just jump in like it’s Skyrim. 🙂

          • SargonTheBatpandaOfTI5

            June 17, 2015 at 11:48

            Yeah I was just thinking “I HATE DROWNERS” and I read your comment. So it’s not just me that hate them. 😀

            But I’m loving the new crafting and alchemy system with the once off alchemy requirements. I can haz ALL the things! Feel like a real Witcher with the entire Witcher arsenal at my disposal. 😀

          • Captain JJ Browmehn

            June 17, 2015 at 11:51

            Agreed. I was just smart (read – dumb) enough to craft a level 37 sword before checking what the level requirement is. I’ve been lugging that thing around for five levels now and still need to go more than ten to be able to use it. :/

          • SargonTheBatpandaOfTI5

            June 17, 2015 at 11:54

            LOL! I did the same thing, except I was level 3 and I crafted a level 13 Silver Sword. I lugged it around until about level 8 before I get fed up with the constant reminder of JUST how stupid I am everytime I open up the inventory. 😛

          • Captain JJ Browmehn

            June 17, 2015 at 11:56

            Hehehe

      • Captain JJ Browmehn

        June 17, 2015 at 11:38

        Imo. Never use the directional buttons for movement. And I’ve found the 360 controller to be super comfy.

        Reply

  4. frikkenator

    June 17, 2015 at 11:30

    Having spent my fair share of time on both PC and the 360 with FPS games I honestly don’t feel much of a difference, mouse wins but not by a large margin. I never managed to get the same accuracy on my PS3, but you can get crazy accurate with the 360 controller if you spend some time on it.

    Reply

  5. justlikemo

    June 17, 2015 at 11:45

    Thank you, which is why the PS and all the other consoles will always be a nice to have to play the odd adventure title, but will not go out of my way to buy it.

    Reply

  6. Aries

    June 17, 2015 at 11:53

    Mouse and KB is far better, and dont know about controller beating KB on movement, never seen or felt that before

    Reply

  7. Timmy_The_Good_Troll

    June 17, 2015 at 11:53

    I play most games on PC with a controller. I am not that big into FPS, but I played Bioshock, Borderlands etc with a controller and it was Heaven. If I was really into FPS I might consider mouse and keyboard. Definitely all RPG’s I will play with a controller, Fallout, Dying Light was amazing with controller, Elder Scrolls online, Skyrim. Basically only use a Keyboard and mouse for the obvious strategy games eg Xcom, C&C etc.

    Reply

    • Captain JJ Browmehn

      June 17, 2015 at 11:55

      I liked Skyrim with a controller as long as I wasn’t using a bow. With one of my replays I decided to go ONLY bow and arrow. Had to play with mouse and keyboard for precision. I do, however, refuse to use any kind of auto-aim.

      Reply

      • SargonTheBatpandaOfTI5

        June 17, 2015 at 11:56

        Auto-aim is for casual gamers. I refuse to be one of those!

        Edit: The day I start using auto-aim is the day I start playing ALL games on easy mode. I mean, WTF is the point? 😛

        Reply

        • Captain JJ Browmehn

          June 17, 2015 at 11:56

          😀

          Reply

        • Captain JJ Browmehn

          June 17, 2015 at 12:28

          Quite

          Reply

      • Timmy_The_Good_Troll

        June 17, 2015 at 12:01

        I played with a bow with a controller, but then 1 shot was almost always enough from sneak, with double enchanments and posion etc.

        Reply

    • SargonTheBatpandaOfTI5

      June 17, 2015 at 11:55

      If I had to play as Zer0 with a controller I’d die screaming.

      Reply

      • Timmy_The_Good_Troll

        June 17, 2015 at 11:59

        lol, I did play zero

        Reply

  8. jean

    June 17, 2015 at 12:05

    Right on. It’s like any software. You should not fight with the interface nor controls.

    Reply

  9. Generic ZA

    June 17, 2015 at 12:54

    Header pic is pure win 😀 and on the other hand being ambidextrous I’m happy with either but prefer two thumb-sticks and a plethora of buttons to play with.

    Reply

  10. Mark Treloar

    June 17, 2015 at 13:34

    Movement is pants? Clearly doing it wrong then.

    Reply

    • Geoffrey Tim

      June 17, 2015 at 14:42

      I can WASD like a champ, but an analogue controller is just better for directional movement.

      Reply

  11. loftie

    June 17, 2015 at 14:29

    “but for actual player movement? The keyboard is pants.” LOL

    Reply

  12. MakeItLegal

    June 17, 2015 at 14:57

    Um , here is my view

    FP(first person games ) ie mirrors edge , dis honoured, thief , portal 2 ETC basically games that arent always about shooting , are better with a remote , better fluidity for me

    How ever a FPS ( bf4 , cod etc etc ) require a keyboard and mouse i find the extra flexibility that is offered by a keyboard far superior in this case , still i fly jets and heli’s with a remote straight up (and shoot with a K & B )

    Reply

  13. Craig Henry

    June 17, 2015 at 15:04

    The controller will never be as easily accurate, simply because of the nature of the “thumbstick” It’s design is such that you are constantly fighting against the pull to bring it back into an upright position. This results in you having to learn the correct amount of force to apply to the thumbstick,as well as the amount u need to move it,whereas with a mouse there is no resistance, u just need to move it where it needs to be.

    Reply

  14. Joe Black

    June 17, 2015 at 15:07

    Honestly people thinking its elitism are a bit absurd. It’s like saying tablets are the ideal platform for MS Excel. It works, but its not ideal.

    Best tool for the job is still the best tool for the job.

    Reply

  15. hatmadter

    June 17, 2015 at 15:30

    Splitfish!

    Reply

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