Why do I use eadf instead of wasd? Am I the only one?

Icy006

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jan 4, 2004
Messages
135
Every game I play I have to change the keybindings, because a million years ago this is what I built up muscle memory on. I have NO IDEA why. Anyone know of a game from the 90s that may have defaulted to this? And does anyone else share my insanity? :)
 
Fucking wierdo.

I cannot recall a game that used EADF as a default. But I have read about other people using ESDF over the years.



That being said, I have gamed so much that when I type normally now, which I do a shit ton of, I default to WASD.

Maybe people use ESDF/EADF because it does not screw up your touch typing.
 
just give it up and revert to default - it makes it SOOOOOOOOOOOOO much easier to transfer game to game.

I used to HAVE to have inverse mouse. after getting annoyed with EVERY game under the sun not defaulting to inverse I finally took a few weeks and sucked it up and played the default way - makes it so much easier

same goes for mouse sensitivity, acceleration, default keybindings ect. Just join the borg.
 
I used to have enough desk space to use the actual arrow keys which Gives you access to 16 unique and impossible-to-confuse keys immediately around the movement keys for binding. I gave up when I downsized my desk, and started to use WASD.
 
Try living in a country with azerty layout :p

Some games will default to ZQSD but most don't and I need to change settings, I can't even play dreadnought since I can't use the abilities on an azerty keyboard and no way to rebind them.
 
Very unique to go that route, never played a game with that as the default.
 
EADF..? Makes no sense.. ESDF does since they're in the same order as WASD and use the same fingers. I would not like using my pinky to strafe left at all.
 
I've never used WASD and have always used ESDF (probably since Quake 1).

1). You have a couple extra keys to the left you can use with your pinky or ring finger.
2). The indent for touch typing on the F key is easier to find with your index finger if your fingers come off the keyboard.
3). It's the natural position for your hands if you're touch typing anyway. Functions assigned to letter keys come natural as it's the way you type anyway (E.G. "G" for grenade is your normal "G" touch type location).
 
I've never used WASD and have always used ESDF (probably since Quake 1).

1). You have a couple extra keys to the left you can use with your pinky or ring finger.
2). The indent for touch typing on the F key is easier to find with your index finger if your fingers come off the keyboard.
3). It's the natural position for your hands if you're touch typing anyway. Functions assigned to letter keys come natural as it's the way you type anyway (E.G. "G" for grenade is your normal "G" touch type location).
I agree for the most part. It's not a big loss, but you lose the ability to use the keys on the left while moving, since stretching your pinky will move your other fingers off the home keys. I just remap run/sprint to the 'A' key and crouch/prone to the 'Z' key.

On another note, I find it extremely annoying in some games that put the default melee keybinding on 'V' with WASD as movement. But melee always ends up on one of the thumb buttons on my mouse, anyway.
 
I've always used ESDF because SDF is where your fingers sit on the home row. Using WASD would either mean controlling using your pinky and not your index finger, which is much less dexterous, or moving your fingers over, which is what most gamers do. To me it seemed like a more sensible position. Then, on account of playing waaaaay too much Quake Team Fortress using it, it is now in my muscle memory extremely deeply and would be very lengthy and difficult to change. So I just stick with it. It does mean I have to remap keys in every game but the hell with it, I was going to do that anyhow.
 
i have to remap every damn game, sometimes a pain in the arse but i wont change no matter what. I use the mouse in left hand on left side of keyboard. Use arrow keys and INS/HOME/PgUp and Del/End/PgDn rows. Also use adjacent keys of keypad and backspace, backslash, Enter, right shift, right cntrl keys. Works like a champ in games that allow you to remap. In this day and age you should be able to remap any key to any key. But sadly its never the case. It was also a bitch to find a mouse that STILL has tilt wheel AND a button or 2 on right side of mouse instead of left side.
 
I'm an arrow key player. I usually use the arrow keys to move, CTRL to crouch, delete to reload, shift and enter for common functions, and the far left numberpad keys for things like swapping ammo types. Everything else (fire, jump, aim, grenades, etc.) I map to the mouse buttons.
Since I have my keyboard on a tray table, it's no big deal that everything is on the far right of the keyboard. I never did like having functions buried in a sea of random keys when the arrow keys were conveniently separate.
 
well if you want really strange, when i started really playing FPS games (quake 2 and UT when those were new) i used to map the mouse buttons to forward and backwards....left forward, right backwards. then i'd use ctrl to fire, alt to duck and space to jump. i think i used shift and / to strife.

but then the windows key became standard and that just threw everything out the window. i'd always hit it accidentally and minimize the game. i never really did learn to use WASD effectively. i've been using the old keyboards with the large WASD buttons....

i'm actually using this right now:
41kx5Z8CEAL.jpg


and for the record, yes i'm an inverted mouse kinda guy. always have been, always will be
 
well if you want really strange, when i started really playing FPS games (quake 2 and UT when those were new) i used to map the mouse buttons to forward and backwards....left forward, right backwards. then i'd use ctrl to fire, alt to duck and space to jump. i think i used shift and / to strife.

but then the windows key became standard and that just threw everything out the window. i'd always hit it accidentally and minimize the game. i never really did learn to use WASD effectively. i've been using the old keyboards with the large WASD buttons....

i'm actually using this right now:
41kx5Z8CEAL.jpg


and for the record, yes i'm an inverted mouse kinda guy. always have been, always will be

What is that device? Usually those weird keyboards just make the WASD keys and surrounding ones look wonky. This is the best of both worlds. Any chance it's wireless?
 
Every game I play I have to change the keybindings, because a million years ago this is what I built up muscle memory on. I have NO IDEA why. Anyone know of a game from the 90s that may have defaulted to this? And does anyone else share my insanity? :)
I thought of 2 reasons perhaps...

1) the early keyboard you used was not aligned well, making the E key more central to ASD and old habits die hard.
2) you wanted to hold your arm at a more acute angle and found pressing E for forward was easier.
 
What is that device? Usually those weird keyboards just make the WASD keys and surrounding ones look wonky. This is the best of both worlds. Any chance it's wireless?
It's a Zboard. Made by Ideazon before they became steelseries. This version doesn't have the removable keysets the original had.

https://www.amazon.com/Ideazon-Stealth-Illuminated-Gaming-Keyboard/dp/B000V62BZU

I had the original Zboard with the Doom 3 keyset.

https://www.amazon.com/Ideazon-Zboa...ie=UTF8&qid=1520019698&sr=1-8&keywords=zboard
upload_2018-3-2_14-42-39.png
 
As an Amazon Associate, HardForum may earn from qualifying purchases.
  • Like
Reactions: dgz
like this
At $400, I guess I'll have to do without! I've grown used to the arrow keys at this point, so I can deal. It does make me wonder why more alternative keyboards aren't available, though. I still feel the whole concept of gaming on a typewriter pad is clunky.
 
At $400, I guess I'll have to do without! I've grown used to the arrow keys at this point, so I can deal. It does make me wonder why more alternative keyboards aren't available, though. I still feel the whole concept of gaming on a typewriter pad is clunky.

There's actually quite a few, they are just generally separate addons to existing keyboards, rather than whole units. The best one I've encountered so far is from Razer. Little unit that's fully programmable and generally designed to be a multi-buttoned gaming device. Also you can just go with the more customizable keyboard route. That's what I do personally. I use a Kinesis Freestyle Edge. It is a keyboard but split in half (or 3 pieces if you buy the optional 10-key) so you can position it as you like. Also fully programmable so if you don't like the default QWERTY keymap, just make a new one. It comes with two others built in and you can program your own. The keycaps all come off so you can move them around to match whatever map you set.
 
Rest assured, I did not spend $400 on that keyboard. To my knowledge, they haven't made these in several years so the cost may be due to the fact that you can't get them easily anymore.

No wireless and they are a diaphragm keyboard, not a nice mechanical one.

I did have the original version too, as seen in the above reply. I managed to kill it by dumping a glass of water into it :( or maybe it was beer, can't remember.
 
At $400, I guess I'll have to do without! I've grown used to the arrow keys at this point, so I can deal. It does make me wonder why more alternative keyboards aren't available, though. I still feel the whole concept of gaming on a typewriter pad is clunky.
I paid $60 for my Zboard when it was new. I think the Merc Stealth I linked to was $80-$100. As THRESHIN said, they have been out of production for years. You might be able to find a much better deal for one on eBay than Amazon. I just wanted to provide a quick link.
 
In an ideal world, I'd like devices that combine controllers and mice to catch on.
Things like this: https://www.amazon.com/Tuact-Venom-Supreme-Mouse-Controller/dp/B00MLXZGNK , but they don't necessarily have to work or look exactly like that.
That way analog movement is taken into account. No need for a flat surface either. Those pressure sensitive mini-keyboards someone was crowdfunding would also work.
On the other side of the coin, I also still want mice that feature buttons for all 4 fingers. They existed back in the 80's.
 
As an Amazon Associate, HardForum may earn from qualifying purchases.
I always use the arrow keys on the bottom right for movement...I never used wsad or anything with the letters...too cluttered around there
 
well if you want really strange, when i started really playing FPS games (quake 2 and UT when those were new) i used to map the mouse buttons to forward and backwards....left forward, right backwards. then i'd use ctrl to fire, alt to duck and space to jump. i think i used shift and / to strife.

but then the windows key became standard and that just threw everything out the window. i'd always hit it accidentally and minimize the game. i never really did learn to use WASD effectively. i've been using the old keyboards with the large WASD buttons....

i'm actually using this right now:
41kx5Z8CEAL.jpg


and for the record, yes i'm an inverted mouse kinda guy. always have been, always will be

Inverted mouse players unite! ever since quake 1, i just can't function without it inverted.
 
Usually I am fine with WASD but not if I am playing Quake / UT or something competitive. Then I use RDFG because it gives me easier access to more buttons. This has caused me some problems overs the years due to wiring.
 
Did you play Tribes 2? That had defaulted to ESDF or whatever weird combination it was.
 
I get why people think EADF is weird compared to ESDF, since everything started with adjacent arrow keys. Honestly, if I try to do that it feels messed up. I use my first, third, and fourth fingers, not my ring finger. It feels totally natural to use my pointer finger.

My best guess is that this happened to me because I must have just set them myself on some early strafing game that used arrow keys as defaults.
 
Because you wanted to post this thread.
Hi M76. As you can see from my joined date, I've been a lurker here for a long time, but never posted before this year. Figured I would try chatting a little for the hell of it. Apologies if this thread is out of place. I was honestly curious if I was the only one doing the EADF thing (for about 20 years now), and figured what better place to find out?
 
Hi M76. As you can see from my joined date, I've been a lurker here for a long time, but never posted before this year. Figured I would try chatting a little for the hell of it. Apologies if this thread is out of place. I was honestly curious if I was the only one doing the EADF thing (for about 20 years now), and figured what better place to find out?
It was a joke, why so serious?
 
Every game I play I have to change the keybindings, because a million years ago this is what I built up muscle memory on. I have NO IDEA why. Anyone know of a game from the 90s that may have defaulted to this? And does anyone else share my insanity? :)

Don't feel bad. The first 4 years of PC gaming I used the arrow keys for movements. Yes, the arrow keys. But of course, back then games weren't so complicated to need many buttons so it wasn't a big deal. This was back in my Unreal Tournament days.

In all honesty, just putting my fingers on E,A,D, and F actually felt good because my fingers were a little more spaced out and since I have large hands it felt good. WADS feels like my fingers are scrunched together in comparison.
 
I used to use arrow keys and just shift the whole keyboard to the left.
 
Back
Top