How to get better at Keyboard and mouse use in FPS gaming

Howlz123

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Jul 7, 2015
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So I just joined the glorious master PC race jk. And I am finding it quite hard to adapt to the mouse and keyboard. There are so many keys on the keyboard that it takes my brain a while to figure out what key to press. Example: Playing battlefield and I run into an enemy close range, on a console I know to just hold the B button down to go prone and then fire without thinking at all. But on a keyboard, it takes me a couple seconds to find the Z key to go prone and then fire (I'm usually already dead before I find it).

So any tips on how to get used to playing FPS with the keyboard. Some help with mouse settings also would be appreciated, I seem to suck using my whole hand to aim compared to using just my thumb on a controller.
 
Solution
the best thing is to get used to certain keys and try to always configure the games to stick to those keys. if you use WSAD for movement then Tab, CapsLk, Shift, Alt, Space, Q, E, R, F, C, V, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, are right there and after a little use become second nature to click. other less used game options can be bound to keys further away from your main area.

you should open "Mouse" link in Control Panel and try to get the DPI sensitivity to where you are more comfortable if you have trouble aiming. then you can set ingame settings for even more or less sensitivity if you need. with 27" 1080p and 1440p screens i set my DPI to ~4800.
one thing that does make it much easier after you become accustomed to key placement is getting a good...

Archgaull

Admirable
The best thing about keyboard + mouses (IMO) is the ability to customize/bind keys. It's one of the reasons I like keyboard + mouse over controller, because I can just bind my keys for every game, so I don't spend the first 10 minutes of every campaign figuring out what the controller scheme is like. My advice is to find the keys that you use regularly, or actions that are in every game, and bind them to one key, all the time.

For example, I always bind go prone/crouch to my left control. With my left hand on WASD, my pinkie just rests naturally on the left control. Because just about every game has a prone/crouch option, it only takes a couple days before it comes natural, since you aren't constantly changing controls. Same with Sprint bound to Left Shift, or Throw Grenade bound to Middle Mouse Button (click the scroll wheel in)
 
Well if you have an Xbox 360 controller, with a wired connection to it with the usb end.
Windows 7, or above you can plug that into your pc and set it up like you play on your a console.
You can bind most of the keys in the game setup to each control/button on the 360 pad.
In the controls set option of each game once windows has setup and installed the xbox 360 driver for windows.

Its` like going from a pool table to, playing on a full sized snooker table it takes time to master and learn when moving from a console pad to Keyboard and mouse. Give it a try if you have an xbox 360 controller.

I know a few people that play with there xbox 360 controller connected to there pc and set it up the way the controls are set on there 360, for the game in question cross platform.
They say they find it much better, but I am a long term mouse and keyboard player and like I said not a console pad player so it does prove a point, cannot play for toffee with a pad.

Where there is a will, there is a way !
 

GObonzo

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Apr 5, 2011
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the best thing is to get used to certain keys and try to always configure the games to stick to those keys. if you use WSAD for movement then Tab, CapsLk, Shift, Alt, Space, Q, E, R, F, C, V, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, are right there and after a little use become second nature to click. other less used game options can be bound to keys further away from your main area.

you should open "Mouse" link in Control Panel and try to get the DPI sensitivity to where you are more comfortable if you have trouble aiming. then you can set ingame settings for even more or less sensitivity if you need. with 27" 1080p and 1440p screens i set my DPI to ~4800.
one thing that does make it much easier after you become accustomed to key placement is getting a good mouse and keyboard. a mouse with more buttons that are easily accessible is always a better option. mouse side(thumb) buttons and scroll-wheel tilt buttons will also become second nature and make things more fluid during gameplay. a keyboard with cherry or good mechanical switches will make a big difference too.
have Logitech G600 mouse \ Cooler Master Storm Quickfire TK keyboard. have been through ~10 "gaming" mice and a few keyboards and these are the best i have found.

you can use console gamepads very easily now too. a wireless XBOX360 for PC is the best option i've found for gamepads. a wired USB version should also be good. the 360 pads do not need installation or setup, PCs since Windows 7 will automatically recognize and setup the gamepad for use with any compatible game(most newer games for years support them).
 
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