So I was playing BF3 when all of a sudden it occurred to me; WASD kinda sucks. I was like why don't we have a legit gaming keyboard that is designed to give ultimate comfort and usability of our fingers? Well after thinking about it for like 30 seconds I was like, QWSD! Seriously, put your fingers on QWSD and your pinky on CAPS instead of SHIFT as the run key. What a comfort difference, right? I also found that it is easier to use TAB and SHIFT for other functions. Shift is now my prone button, which, as it turns out, is a lot easier to press in a pinch than LCTRL. The "A" key (in QWSD) is easier than the "Q" key (in WASD) to push. I have huge man hands so it's difficult for me to crunch my pinky and ring finger in there on "A" and SHIFT. QWSD makes all the difference. Tell me what you guys think? I like it a lot better, and I feel like a pioneer of sorts because I have never heard of someone using QWSD as home keys before.
I usually map crouch to either 'C' or LALT. Little finger rests on LShift, third finger on 'A', middle between 'W' and 'S', index on 'D', and my thumb on the left edge of the space bar. I can reach most standard gameplay keys with little effort.
I'm trying QWSD right now and I'm finding that it's a little more comfortable on the wrist, but I keep hitting the very corner of 'S'. causing the key to bind a little when pressing. I also don't think I've ever played a game where LShift has been related to crouch/prone. It's usually run/sprint in the games I play.
I find QWSD worse than WASD. I honestly have no problem with WASD in terms of comfort.
With QWSD, CAPS is sprint. With WASD, sprint is LSHIFT. So I changed my prone key to shift while caps is run. It's pretty easy once you get the hang of it. It took me like an hour and I got it pretty much down. I also found that my thumb can press LALT really easily (in either QWSD or WASD.) I just always assumed that button was for the index finger.
You can't deny that QWSD is more comfortable, maybe not what you are used to, but definitely more comfortable.
Yes I can deny it. It is pretty much the same. I shift two fingers. Now I have to bend them weird. It is worse.
I don't mean to sound mean, but you have odd fingers if you are "bending" them to reach Q and CAPS. My fingers literally naturally rest there without bending them whatsoever.
The problem I have with it is that I want the W to be moved over to almost where the E is in this configuration. You could always just get a Nostromo speedpad for cheap (these days).
It's well worth trying out different layouts. Our hands are different after all. I've been running with ASDX myself and as you can guess having forward on S is pretty comfy. Backpedaling on X might be a downtrade, but it worked well enough for me back in the Quake days. Again, hands differ.
Nowadays if someone asks I simply retort, "move backwards, why?". ;-)
Actually in some first person shooters it's better to turn and run forwards in another direction, depending on how realistic the movement model is. It was fun though back in the day, running backwards sidestrafing and jumping at the same time, at full speed in games like Quake 2.
You must play with you elbow out. I play with my arm at probably a 10 degree angle to my keyboard (my elbow rests on my computer chair's arm rest.) Maybe that's the problem the other's are having.
I like that. We think outside the box. I do agree that reaching X is a bit quirky, though.
Everyone one has different fingers and feels.
It's too subjective to opinion.
I agree with logan- the Q and W get cramped.
this also depends on how you posistion your hand onthe keyboard
The more I think about it, that's a really good idea lol. I couldn't do it because I have to be able to move backward, QWSD allows that, but saying you can just turn around in game instead of hitting X is pretty legit.
Nah, i'll pass. Switching from D to S forces me to lean my left hand in a weird way and I immediately get finger cramps. I have long fingers btw.
Your index finger should stay on D. Your Middle finger goes on W, your ring finger on Q and the pinky on caps.
I find qwes easier then. Still, wasd with q and e for stuff suits me fine.
That's exactly what i did, and it still hurts my hand.
Gamepad = problem solved.
Money + Deskspace = New problems :[
Oh, damn.