WASD control scheme - origin?
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John Uskglass
Venerable Relic of the Wastes
Unreal I think.
I use the arrow keys. WASD is for CS losers. And Americans.
WSAD (or QZSD for the azerty kidz like myself) comes from HL1 i think
it's possible other games used it before, but i think HL was the first to really make it the primary settings (yes arrows worked too, but they were the secondary keys)
it's possible other games used it before, but i think HL was the first to really make it the primary settings (yes arrows worked too, but they were the secondary keys)
I'm left handed though, so it's really no problem for me to use the arrow keys. WASD is confusing, as all keys "around it" are basically the same (in size).
Baboon, you mean that you use the mouse on the left side of the keyboard? Besides, why should it matter what size the keys around it are? Even if you weren't wrong, since there are the Tab, Cap Lock, and Shift keys to one side (at least the Shift and Cap Lock keys are 'touching' the A key).
Really, I don't remember the key mapping of old games I've played, not without playing them. In any case, I refer you to a very similar question on the IGDA Forums.
Really, I don't remember the key mapping of old games I've played, not without playing them. In any case, I refer you to a very similar question on the IGDA Forums.
My mouse is on the right side, and my standard control scheme for FPS games is:
-arrow keys: back, forward, sidestep
-enter: jump
-shift: walk, sprint, prone (depends on the game)
-end: use
-delete and pgdw: lean left and right
on the mouse, it's
-left button: primary fire
-right button: secondary fire
-middle mouse button: reload
-mousewheel: change weapons.
Many find it very hard to use or even accept, but I've been using it since HL and find it optimal. That doesn't mean I can't change some stuff from time to time though, or Tzeentch forbid, use WASD.
-arrow keys: back, forward, sidestep
-enter: jump
-shift: walk, sprint, prone (depends on the game)
-end: use
-delete and pgdw: lean left and right
on the mouse, it's
-left button: primary fire
-right button: secondary fire
-middle mouse button: reload
-mousewheel: change weapons.
Many find it very hard to use or even accept, but I've been using it since HL and find it optimal. That doesn't mean I can't change some stuff from time to time though, or Tzeentch forbid, use WASD.
I've never seen the point to WASD. The keys on a modern keyboard aren't laid out with gaming in mind, and really aren't laid out with typing in mind either! Older computer books advocated keys laid out in a diamond pattern for cursor control (as opposed to the linear arrangement on, say, the Apple ][ ) but nowadays everyone is used to the inverted "T".
The arrow keys make sense for directional movement, and there's plenty of nearby keys for functions. WASD puts too many like keys near eachother; it becomes to easy to hit the wrong key. I usually map the arrow keys to classic "doom-style" arrangement with forward and backward handling linear movement and left and right turning. Then I map the strafe modifier onto the second mouse button so it basically converts the mouse from looking into moving, so it handles forward and back while held as well as side to side. This is also useful for precision movements.
As for actions, I put primary fire on mouse one (duh), jump to "Shift" (right under my left pinky), crouch to right control, and action to carriage return, or, in the case of a secondary fire, it gets carriage return and action goes to the space bar. (A holdover from "Doom") I usually put the run/walk modifier onto the "?/" key since I don't use it often (either crouch or use strafe modifier to move slowly as I set "Always run" to on).
Some games don't include a strafe modifier so then I set the arrow keys to strafe and mouse 2 to secondary fire. I think Medal of Honor uses this evil system; it makes it hard to switch to another game and back again -I try to strafe as I normally do, and, look! A grenade at my feet! Oops! *Boom*
The arrow keys make sense for directional movement, and there's plenty of nearby keys for functions. WASD puts too many like keys near eachother; it becomes to easy to hit the wrong key. I usually map the arrow keys to classic "doom-style" arrangement with forward and backward handling linear movement and left and right turning. Then I map the strafe modifier onto the second mouse button so it basically converts the mouse from looking into moving, so it handles forward and back while held as well as side to side. This is also useful for precision movements.
As for actions, I put primary fire on mouse one (duh), jump to "Shift" (right under my left pinky), crouch to right control, and action to carriage return, or, in the case of a secondary fire, it gets carriage return and action goes to the space bar. (A holdover from "Doom") I usually put the run/walk modifier onto the "?/" key since I don't use it often (either crouch or use strafe modifier to move slowly as I set "Always run" to on).
Some games don't include a strafe modifier so then I set the arrow keys to strafe and mouse 2 to secondary fire. I think Medal of Honor uses this evil system; it makes it hard to switch to another game and back again -I try to strafe as I normally do, and, look! A grenade at my feet! Oops! *Boom*
i think it's obvious why they started using WASD: keys, lots of em.
you have instant access to a shitload of keys, without moving to much. i dont know any veteran player who plays CS with the arrowkeys, none at all. i do know some use Home End Del Pagedown.
as for the misplacing finger issue: it almost never happens... using WSAD, the F-key has a thingy sticking out, so you know if you moved right by accident. if you move left you bump into caps lock, which is obviously another shape.
as a little illusteration my partial Cs config (in qwerty although i myself use azerty):
`: console
numberkeys: instant weapon selection
Q: flashback weapon (go to last previously used weapon, this is a lifesaver in a tight spot)
W: move forward
E: use key
R: reload
A: strafe left
S: walk backwards
D: strafe right
F: flashlight
G: drop weapon
space: jump
ctrl: crouch
shift: walk/run
tab: scoreboard, stopsound & timeleft bound together
mouse1: fire
mouse2: secondary (scope, select fire,...)
mouse3: stopsound
mouse4: Teamspeak bind
mouse5: cs ingame bind (if TS should fail for some reason)
(left the less relevant keys out)
i've experimented a lot and the only config that i find equal to thisone is ESDF instead of WASD. all the others have to great drawbacks for me.
you have instant access to a shitload of keys, without moving to much. i dont know any veteran player who plays CS with the arrowkeys, none at all. i do know some use Home End Del Pagedown.
as for the misplacing finger issue: it almost never happens... using WSAD, the F-key has a thingy sticking out, so you know if you moved right by accident. if you move left you bump into caps lock, which is obviously another shape.
as a little illusteration my partial Cs config (in qwerty although i myself use azerty):
`: console
numberkeys: instant weapon selection
Q: flashback weapon (go to last previously used weapon, this is a lifesaver in a tight spot)
W: move forward
E: use key
R: reload
A: strafe left
S: walk backwards
D: strafe right
F: flashlight
G: drop weapon
space: jump
ctrl: crouch
shift: walk/run
tab: scoreboard, stopsound & timeleft bound together
mouse1: fire
mouse2: secondary (scope, select fire,...)
mouse3: stopsound
mouse4: Teamspeak bind
mouse5: cs ingame bind (if TS should fail for some reason)
(left the less relevant keys out)
i've experimented a lot and the only config that i find equal to thisone is ESDF instead of WASD. all the others have to great drawbacks for me.
Ugly John
So Old I'm Losing Radiation Signs
Wasteland had WASD...or was it IJKL
Ugly John said:
you got me there johnnyboy
sjeezes thats a long time ago 8)
I prefer WASD too. I'm on a good old DOS keyboard tho.
No fancy Windows keys, no fancy key layout. Just plain old usefulness.
I actually got three spare keyboards simply because nobody produces any sane keyboard anymore (and by sane I mean only the DOS keys and no "aerodynamic", "ergonomic" or "anthropological" designs).
I've used that layout ever since Unreal and by now I find the arrow keys incredibly clanky. Their only purpose is to be used in Text applications.
I usually have Q for pocketing weapons, E for USE (thanks to HL for that one), R for reloading, the lower lefthand three keys for vision modes (flashlight, night vision, infrared, that kind of stuff), CTRL for crouching, SHIFT for running, TAB for the map and SPACE for jumping.
I'm not the classical "pro-gamer" tho. I'm a programmer, so I need the keyboard a lot and type by watching the screen rather than the keyboard (which pretty much removes any chance for typos -- most of the time), thus I'm used to the letter keys and have no problem using them rather than the arrows.
No fancy Windows keys, no fancy key layout. Just plain old usefulness.
I actually got three spare keyboards simply because nobody produces any sane keyboard anymore (and by sane I mean only the DOS keys and no "aerodynamic", "ergonomic" or "anthropological" designs).
I've used that layout ever since Unreal and by now I find the arrow keys incredibly clanky. Their only purpose is to be used in Text applications.
I usually have Q for pocketing weapons, E for USE (thanks to HL for that one), R for reloading, the lower lefthand three keys for vision modes (flashlight, night vision, infrared, that kind of stuff), CTRL for crouching, SHIFT for running, TAB for the map and SPACE for jumping.
I'm not the classical "pro-gamer" tho. I'm a programmer, so I need the keyboard a lot and type by watching the screen rather than the keyboard (which pretty much removes any chance for typos -- most of the time), thus I'm used to the letter keys and have no problem using them rather than the arrows.
you have an old OTK?
those things are like 2 kilos & they make a lot of damn noise imho
got some oldskool friends who swear by em, but it's just not for me i guess
didnt like em a long time ago and i still dont
those things are like 2 kilos & they make a lot of damn noise imho
got some oldskool friends who swear by em, but it's just not for me i guess
didnt like em a long time ago and i still dont
The thing I've noticed now is that designer-specific keyboard layouts are comming back. Remember when the keyboard on an Apple was different from on a PC was different from a Commodore was different from a VT-100? Then for a while keyboards all had the same basic layout. Now people are putting the keys in different locations again -I'm on a Microsoft Office keyboard that's real nice except that the cluster above the arrow keys is completely different- two keys wide, home and end on top, then a double-height delete key, and page up and page down below the "end" key. The layout makes directional sense, as does a bigger delete key, but it's odd to see keyboard layouts changing again. (BTW does ANYONE use those extra "windows" and "Menu" keys that clutter up most keyboards between the Control and Alternate keys?)
[PCE]el_Prez
Vault Fossil
My friend showed me WASD and i started using it way back playing the first 'Jedi Knight'.
I've actually grown to love my laptop keyboard. Now I can reach every key without moving my hands, which is rather convenient.
Ashmo, so you can touch-type, anything special about that? Everyone I know types that way. I don't think that's really the issue at hand.
Ashmo, so you can touch-type, anything special about that? Everyone I know types that way. I don't think that's really the issue at hand.