What if consoles had m/k support?

I have a few friends who come over and play games on my LAN. They can't use a mouse & keyboard for sh*t. The games that don't support controllers, I have to set up xpadder for them and map all the movements and buttons to a 360 controller. At least one of my friends went back to the mouse and keyboard after a while. Maybe there's hope for him.

Thing is, most all of the "consolers" would stick to the controller any way. And they wouldn't even understand why they were getting owned.

Funny thing is I've seen people ask questions about how to get a controller to work with a certain game on the PC or if the game supports a 360 controller and they'll get answers like, "You'll get schooled," "Why would you want to?"...I even saw one guy say if he found out you were using a controller he'd kick you off his server and ban you. Thing is, my 6-year-old uses a 360 controller to play TF2 and L4D on the PC and I see him shoot people all the time who's probably teen-agers or 20 or more; he doesn't do bad. His problem is he's 6; it's not because he's using a controller. I always think, "What would that person do if he knew he just got killed by a 6-year-old using a controller?".
 
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Platformers, Fighting games and many action adventure games have something to say about that.

Fact is, there is no input method that is optimal for everything. Controllers/gamepads are the closest realization, but...

I don't quite get why people keep saying console controllers have the advantage on fighting games. I've played them on both keyboard and gamepad (There are fighting games on the PC and i use emulators for the console ones) and the fact is, if you can type your name, you can do a combo. I actually have the punches on the qwerasdf keys and i've been owning my friends when they come over and they use the controller (They are the top players in their console gaming shops and i'm an fps guy). I don't even have to do those fancy combos since keyboards are actually faster than controllers. You have to move your thumb, between atleast four buttons on a controller, the keyboards has qweasd literally under your three fastest fingers.

Some actually do the trick with wrapping their shirts around their thumbs trying to keep up.
 
I don't quite get why people keep saying console controllers have the advantage on fighting games. I've played them on both keyboard and gamepad (There are fighting games on the PC and i use emulators for the console ones) and the fact is, if you can type your name, you can do a combo. I actually have the punches on the qwerasdf keys and i've been owning my friends when they come over and they use the controller (They are the top players in their console gaming shops and i'm an fps guy). I don't even have to do those fancy combos since keyboards are actually faster than controllers. You have to move your thumb, between atleast four buttons on a controller, the keyboards has qweasd literally under your three fastest fingers.

Some actually do the trick with wrapping their shirts around their thumbs trying to keep up.

everyone arguing for any control scheme always has stories about how "I own X at X and i'm not even an X gamer" Sure man, sure.:rolleyes:
 
First off for the typical controller argument, by console controller, it usually refers to the joypad and by PC controller it's the kb/m combo. There are other controllers out there but they're more specialized like the joystick and steeringwheel but not really representative of either gaming systems.

everyone arguing for any control scheme always has stories about how "I own X at X and i'm not even an X gamer" Sure man, sure.:rolleyes:

You're welcome to try it. Unlike a lot of arguments, mine is easy to setup yourself and do your own comparison. Go ahead.

One argument about console vs kb/m on fps is easily solved by getting two PC's and giving one of them a controller. There's no argument who will win.

The same can be done with pretty much every other game since unlike consoles, PC's have no issues with what controller is used on it. So rather than go through pages and pages of justifications, you can simply do the test yourself.

So far there are a ton of genres where the m/kb will own a controller, but there is NO game where the controller will clearly own a keyboard user.

A typical console style flight sim (if you can call it a sim) is Heroes of the Pacific and you can actually fly that thing with the mouse with no problem. For more complex sims, a joystick is preferred but battlefield has air vehicles that can also be used with the kb/m. That's the genre that's closest to a joypad beating a kb/m but they'll both easily get owned by a specialized controller like the joystick. Same applies to Driving sims when they try to compete with the steering wheel.

When it comes down to it, the keyboard and mouse can accomodate every possible genre out there. As opposed to joypads that fall flat on its face when faced against FPS, RTS, MMORPG, RailShooters, etc.
 
Slap a new O/S on it and call it a PC.

[and I'd be laggin' like hell as well. hey, what's a circle jump? :)]
 
A lot of people I know are under the misconception that a controller is easier and more accurate than a keyboard. I was talking to my nephew the other day about games and he was like, "But it'd be harder to control on computer with a mouse and keyboard." My friends have thought the same thing. I'm the only PC gamer around here. My other friend who got me into PC's and PC games moved away and we don't get a chance to play very often. So I'm stuck trying to educate these other people. One of my friends drives me nuts 'cause he just bought a 360 and talks about how great it is and how good everything looks. But he's just using the regular composite cable connected to his 46" LCD. I'm like, "That's not even HD!"
 
A lot of people I know are under the misconception that a controller is easier and more accurate than a keyboard. I was talking to my nephew the other day about games and he was like, "But it'd be harder to control on computer with a mouse and keyboard." My friends have thought the same thing. I'm the only PC gamer around here. My other friend who got me into PC's and PC games moved away and we don't get a chance to play very often. So I'm stuck trying to educate these other people. One of my friends drives me nuts 'cause he just bought a 360 and talks about how great it is and how good everything looks. But he's just using the regular composite cable connected to his 46" LCD. I'm like, "That's not even HD!"

LOL. I hate it for ya, but I totally get it - it drives me nuts!
 
I won't get into the argument about aiming and this and that, but I GUARANTEE that I can beat anyone playing a fighting game with a keyboard. Fighting games aren't just about combos. You're right that the keyboard can do a dandy job with the actual buttons. The issue is WASD or the arrow keys you're using for movement. The sheer speed you'd have to be able to move your fingers at to do a wave dash in Tekken, a 360 throw in Street Fighter, or anything requiring 8 or more directional presses in a second just isn't feasible. You might beat little jimmy who doesn't know what he's doing or the CPU that has an exploitable pattern, but you're not going to be even a below average player on a stick or pad.
 
I won't get into the argument about aiming and this and that, but I GUARANTEE that I can beat anyone playing a fighting game with a keyboard. Fighting games aren't just about combos. You're right that the keyboard can do a dandy job with the actual buttons. The issue is WASD or the arrow keys you're using for movement. The sheer speed you'd have to be able to move your fingers at to do a wave dash in Tekken, a 360 throw in Street Fighter, or anything requiring 8 or more directional presses in a second just isn't feasible. You might beat little jimmy who doesn't know what he's doing or the CPU that has an exploitable pattern, but you're not going to be even a below average player on a stick or pad.


^I always knew you were a nut job Domingo!!! :)
 
lol i can relate to that, nobodys ever challenged me when i play with my keboard on neo geo emu games. Last year I had to change keyboard three times cuz i just completely feked up the keys. Guess keyboards do get RSI's too
 
I know that there are 3rd party adapters that allow m/k support, has anyone tried them yet?
 
Electronics Technician 3rd soon to be 2nd on the Acushnet. What about you Evan?
 
An OS on Hard? j/k. Yeah, I will have left for ESD Memphis by the time he got here though.
 
I think its bullshit that you can't chose your own controller. It makes no fuckin sense that you can't use whatever controller you want! The only reason why Sony and Microsoft support the Controller/Illegal keyboard/mouse system is because they are afraid that will open the door to a huge industry that specializes in mice/kb combos and they wont profit from it. I've already bought 3 controllers for my PS3 since I bought it 18 months ago for like $180....bullshit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Honestly, I can't wait for Microsoft Surface. Touchscreen plus rts is going to be a fucking great time. But as far as consoles having m/k support, I don't think it will happen for a while as long as Microsoft has the number one selling OS. The biggest reason for not supporting m/k is because of profit from controllers. You can get a no name m/k set for less than 10 bucks, but a controller has to be licenced by the consoles maker which means they can control the prices.
 
Microsoft could easily make their own version of keyboard that only functions with the 360, disallowing the standard usb keyboard and mouse. They probably just dont see much profit from it.
 
I believe attempts have already been made but failed. I still have a mouse Sony released for the PS1. While a mouse/keyboard will work (I've done it with my laptop sitting in front of my big screen) it's just not as practical/functional on the couch.

Also, PC gaming isn't just about the games. Some of us enjoy the option of diddling with our hardware and upgrading. While some casual pc gamers will complain other hardcore pc gamers like myself feel like its Christmas every time we upgrade. What's more awesome than getting a new videocard/cpu/mem/harddrive/mb etc and putting it in and bringing that beast to life. Console elitists will use that as a negative for pc gaming but for me its one of the pleasures. :D
 
^ I think a lot of that holds true. I think even with support for KB/M, you'll see PC gamers find another reason not to move to consoles. You can see that whenever any of those VS threads show up on here.
 
^ I think a lot of that holds true. I think even with support for KB/M, you'll see PC gamers find another reason not to move to consoles. You can see that whenever any of those VS threads show up on here.

I still wouldn't move to consoles. I hate having a closed platform.
 
I believe attempts have already been made but failed. I still have a mouse Sony released for the PS1. While a mouse/keyboard will work (I've done it with my laptop sitting in front of my big screen) it's just not as practical/functional on the couch.

Also, PC gaming isn't just about the games. Some of us enjoy the option of diddling with our hardware and upgrading. While some casual pc gamers will complain other hardcore pc gamers like myself feel like its Christmas every time we upgrade. What's more awesome than getting a new videocard/cpu/mem/harddrive/mb etc and putting it in and bringing that beast to life. Console elitists will use that as a negative for pc gaming but for me its one of the pleasures. :D

Well said...I think along the same lines. Also, as SixtyWattMan pointed out, the custom content and apps set the PC apart. I love Steam and still use Vent to talk to some of my old guildmates from when I played WoW.
 
The only advantage consoles have is that those developers know EXACTLY what hardware they're dealing with, and games never lag from background apps you forgot to exit and make the framerate hiccup. Granted, for top of the line systems this isn't really an issue, but for some mainstream PCs and middle budget custom rigs even, this is worth considering.

Don't get me wrong tho, I'm on the PC side of this issue. But I'm seeing both sides of it.
 
I know we have all seen the vs threads, but I would like to see an actual video of a controller vs a m/k player on the pc.
 
Hmm maybe then consoles would start replacing functionality of a pc. I mean they are designed to give you lots of power for an affordable price so they would be able to theoretically do things like video editing or w/e. As far as gaming goes I think RTS would then be actually playable on a console because I hate those fixed cursors.

loling at an office filled with X360's for office pc's!
 
Mouse and keyboard support isn't the only thing that's required. Game developers need to stop with the ridiculous <90 degree field of view garbage they've been gravitating towards recently. It absolutely boggles my mind why anyone would want to have a field of view that's any lower in the first place. I've heard some reasons like: A lower field of view feels better when you're playing on a TV where you're most likely to be 5-10 feet away from it. I call horseshit. And if it is the reason, some of these game developers need to wake up.
 
Does anyone remember the phrase, "ignorance is bliss." Most people think that the graphics on consoles are the best you can get, and what do you think most people think about a controller? Point is, the average joe is not educated hardly at all when it comes to tech shit and they suffer the ultimate price, ignorance. That is why people still think a good gaming pc cost like 3,000 dollars and you can't hook up your pc to your tv. Hell, some people ask me does my laptop have wifi. I tell them yes, then they ask me, "so that means you have internet right?"
 
Dunno about how technical console users are, but every pc user i know that games also has a joypad so we can do more direct comparisons between the two most common controllers and what games they can work on.

As for myself, i have four joypads, six joysticks, one arcade stick (considering getting another one) and two steeringwheels. And the m/kb of course. Maybe someday i'll be able to justify buying a HOTAS.

one more thing, it's not hardcore level, but my gaming rig is one of the highest specs locally, can play Crysis and Assassins Creed without breaking a sweat (My friends jaws dropped when they saw me drop a nuke in C&C3 with all the details on) and it cost around $800.00, including the 19" LCD. Of course, it's also my work rig so it's pretty much paying for itself.

@Krazykaveman
Not so affordable once they change the pricing to that of an office machine. General purpose computers stop making money for the manufacturer past the point of sale. Imagine how long the PC industry would last if a machine that cost 500 dollars to make from raw components was sold for 300.
 
the first time i ever gamed on a pc was when quake 2 came out my first Shooter and yes i used a freaking "joystick" "ms sidewinder" to be exact. Did pretty good as well... One some tournys on mplayer. No one believed i used joystiq :) Once i moved from isdn connection to cable people convinced me to swtich to kb/m, never turned back.

Ill return to the jstiq one day though :cool:
 
I think the biggest reason I would like to see m/k support for consoles is to pwn all the people that hate on the pc. I get tired of media and websites treating pc gamers as a second rate gamers when in fact pc gamers are the top tier. Most of what I see in the U.S. is mostly about consoles, and it's bullshit. Thank God for Valve and their trust in the pc.
 
I wouldn't use m/kb on a console, personally. Of course, I don't play a whole lot of FPS's, especially online, on consoles.
 
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