Moving From Console to PC

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Whiplash907

Commendable
Aug 30, 2016
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1,510
So I've decided I'm ready to make the switch from PS4 to the PC market. I've got a few friends all willing and able to help me price out and build a unit so I'm not worried about that. One issue that none of my PC gaming friends has been able to make me feel comfortable about is the control, namely the keyboard. They all say things like "it's so much better than a controller", "you'll get used to it", and "you'll appreciate its greatness once you switch". What I'm really concerned about though is the keyboards inability for gradual control (not sure what to call it) but an answer for the analog stick and triggers. Basically with any key they're either on or they're not. It's 0% or 100% there is no pushing them softly to only apply a little control. For example any game where you drive a vehicle, if you use the mouse to steer (which sounds awkward in the first place as it wouldn't snap back to center), W, to accelerate, and S to brake then you're always driving with the pedal on the floor or the brake on 100%. There is no middle ground. If you use A and D to steer then you're slamming into a wall or not turning at all, there is no applying slight pressure to weave in and out of traffic.

I know you can use a controller with a PC and that might be fine for some racing only games, but what about one of just about everyone's favorite titles, GTA? Wouldn't using a controller while out of a vehicle put you at a disadvantage? Wouldn't driving with the keyboard suck? Do people really switch back and forth while playing to avoid this??

Is there a left hand peripheral that I don't know about that can solve my worries? Some half controller for the left hand? Everything I've searched comes up with some mini keyboard layout for the left hand keys...

Any and all advice is appreciated, thank you!
 
Solution
kittle
I come from the other side -- I grew up with a keyboard only and later on keyboard and mouse as the controller.
As much as I tried, i could never get used to gamepads or joystick controllers. But in the right hands and in the right game, they reign supreme -- namely driving games and flight sims. I got repeatedly creamed in GTA V by my 1-handed friend using a gamepad vs my kbd and mouse (yes he only has 1 hand).

on the other side of things, in-game text chat with a gamepad-only system has got to be painful. but with a keyboard its super easy.

You probably have a spare controller lying around somewhere. If not they are easy to find. Try both and pick what you like.

In the end -- pick the right controller for YOU that works...
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oobymach

oobymach

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Jul 11, 2015
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I grew up with controllers so pc mouse / keyboard only gets used in a couple games where I can't use my controller (the older call of duty games don't work with controller by default). I have an xbox one wireless controller with adapter for my pc and I use it in almost every game I have, before I got this one I used a 360 wired controller and the only downside is that if you are used to the ps controller is that the digital pad is on the opposite side of the analog stick so you might try to hit buttons that aren't there for a bit until you get used to the layout.

Most pc games are pre-coded to use the controller so you won't have to program buttons or anything like that, it'll work much the same as a console.
 
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Whiplash907

Commendable
Aug 30, 2016
2
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1,510
Wouldn't using a controller for a first person shooter put you at a disadvantage to players using a mouse though, and wouldn't using W A S D to move around in a first person shooter also be kinda frustrating? You're either moving full speed or not at all?
 
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CelicaGT

CelicaGT

Distinguished
Jul 22, 2013
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Every type of game has an optimal type of "controller". Keyboard and mouse generally reign supreme in MMO's (though FF14 comes close with its controller scheme), point and click style (Diablo) and FPS. As for flight sims and racing/driving I think at least for most of us it will be personal preference between controller and say a wheel and pedal or flightstick options. The beauty of PC gaming is that you get the choice at all.
 
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James Mason

James Mason

Titan
Jan 2, 2014
13,553
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I believe games like Battlefield and GTAV actually will let you use two separate controllers depending if you're in a vehicle or on foot.

What the others said about the right controls for the right game really matters the most, racing games and flight sims will be better with gamepads/wheels and joysticks. If you're doing frame perfect driving in GTAV you're not gonna care much about the FPS controls, so you'll just primarily use the gamepad or wheel. GTA doesn't really need pressure sensitive controls for ALL the driving, only the absolute highest end highest skilled required parts.
 
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kittle

kittle

Distinguished
Dec 8, 2005
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19,160
I come from the other side -- I grew up with a keyboard only and later on keyboard and mouse as the controller.
As much as I tried, i could never get used to gamepads or joystick controllers. But in the right hands and in the right game, they reign supreme -- namely driving games and flight sims. I got repeatedly creamed in GTA V by my 1-handed friend using a gamepad vs my kbd and mouse (yes he only has 1 hand).

on the other side of things, in-game text chat with a gamepad-only system has got to be painful. but with a keyboard its super easy.

You probably have a spare controller lying around somewhere. If not they are easy to find. Try both and pick what you like.

In the end -- pick the right controller for YOU that works with the game YOU are playing.
 
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