Control setups.
#1
Wed, 08/29/2012 - 01:48
Control setups.
Been spoiled using a gamepad on consoles too long. Now that I'm back on PC I'm having a hell of a time finding keybinding options that are comfortable for me with mouse/keyboard. In my WoW days I was a huge macro whore because as a main tank I loved not having to activate revenge as a separate key in between shield bashes and heroic strikes. I don't think GW2 supports macro's nor do I want to use them because it's almost cheating so I'm wondering if people here can throw out some of their personal keyboard control setups. Also does anyone own the Nostromo speedpad or the logitech g13? Just wondering if those might be the answer to my control issues.
I have the Belkin version of Nostromo but I don't use it at all. (I got it off Woot.com for $30.00). People swear by it, it's just something I've never got into. I probably need to spend more than 5 minutes with it.
I'd suggest getting a better mouse. The Razer Naga or Logitech G600. Both have 12 buttons on the side to program. I use the Naga and love it. Sure it was expensive for a mouse, especially since I get them free at work, but it was a game changer. It made all the difference for PvP in SWToR. I was able to move and attack with ease. And the same goes with GW2.
Also, bind your A and D keys to strafe.
I'm a binding master at this point. Within WoW I ended up binding more then 20 key combinations all with ALT/Shift modifiers plus the mouse. I must say, the easiest way to bind is to start with the mouse and move on to the keyboard from there. LaLa's, advice in getting a great mouse is solid. The Naga Hex or Naga Razor are both fantastic for binding your heals, utilities and ultimate skills while leaving all attacks on the keyboard. Personally, I use the Hex since I think the Razor is over kill, but then again I used a 2 button mouse for 6 years without issue.
Before I bought that mouse I was using all my bindings on CAPS, R, T, V, 12345, Shift 12345, Alt 12345. After the mouse I cut that down to CAPS, R, T, V 12345. I still use some shift modifiers at this point, but it's more out of habit. Everything else is bound to the mouse for quicker reaction time. The great part is that you can also bind modifiers to the mouse as well. This means I can use things like SHIFT Mouse 5 or Alt Mouse 2.
The bottom line is that muscle memory is really the only way to learn a comfortable keybind, and there is no way around this in terms of time. However, the more you bind now and the less you click will only make your gameplay faster and smoother in the end. For a game like GW2 that is based on reaction time, PvP, and dodging attacks, it's well worth it to learn.
I'm actually thinking of picking up a new mouse w/ additional buttons here in the next couple days. It hasn't been as big of a deal w/ my ranged characters (Elementalist & Ranger), but with the melee characters (Warrior & Thief) I tend to flounder pretty bad trying to find the attack buttons whilst trying to move around in a close range battlefield.
I use the Nostromo in conjunction with the Naga. It is definitely more than any one gamer should need in terms of how many possible combinations you could program. I do it because I am lazy and like having my arm elbow deep in a bag of cheetos while melting faces, so it's a win from that perspective. Doodi pretty much spelled it out above. THe only addition I would add is in learning where your highest impact abilities are. I am not sure with GW yet since my exposure to it has been limited in brief 10 minute increments, but with most games, you don't need to bind everything. Yeah, you may have 40 abilities, but chances are many of them don't have as much throughput from a theorycrafting perspective. If you have 20 DPS abilities, chances are that some smaller amount are the abilities that should make up about 95% of your rotation leaving you with a couple of others used situationally you can bind to less used keys. Maybe it's 5, maybe it's 10, maybe slightly more, but low enough that you should bind everything easily.
Binding vs. clicking is the difference between someone who is more skilled typically in these types of games. I can't even begin to fathom how people go into PvP clicking skills and keyboard turning...would make it not fun enough to me that I would quit PC gaming forever.
Being a lefty, I can't get all those fancy mice with 10 buttons on the side. I have to settle for my Razer w/2 thumb buttons. My binds typically consist of those 2 buttons and the MMB with Alt, Ctrl, and Shift variations. That alone gives me 12 possible skills without having to take my hand off the movement keys or mouse looking. I also have a crazy setup where i use PL;' instead of WASD (basically it's opposite). My major heal in every game is backspace since it's big and I can hit it with my pinky.
I use a similar set up with Caps Lock is my interupt in any MMO I play. Easy to hit and can mean the difference between winning and losing a 1v1 fight.
Thanks for the input fella's. Picked up a Razer Naga and a Logitech G13. I'm left handed as well so it remains to be seen how the Naga will perform for me. I wish they were wireless since I use my big screen as my monitor. I have a couple extender cables that should do the trick though.
Haha, I just picked up a Naga tonight too based off this thread (you guys are a bad influence)..gif)
JTLYK, they're supposed to come out with a left handed version, but the ETA is unknown at this time.
The Naga was a tough purchase because of the price. I even had to order mine to get red to match my case (how gay). After using it for a night, I am totally satisfied with the purchase. I couldn't go back to a regular mouse after using it, at least for gaming.