Keyboard vs. Gamepad

[Garth_of_Sarlona]

I use a laptop and use the inbuilt trackpad. I find that I can have both my hands on the keyboard at the same time along with being able to twitch play - this allows me to use both my hands to push hotkeys. Using a mouse means one hand is constantly away from the keyboard meaning you can only really have 5 hotkeys (and you need to move forward too)

I find it works well - but I know people think I'm mad when I say I use a trackpad.

Garth

[Shade]

I use the max amount of hotbars and don't play in "click-mode" either..

Just a matter of setting up enough keys you can memorize for each spell/item.

I keep all my most commonly used spells on 1-10, quickswap weps/2ndary spells on ctrl + 1-10.. Then other important stuff like wands/scrolls/feats on keys around wasd or on my mouse.. usually r,x,c,b, and xtra mouse keys for metamagics, or rage/potions on melees. Then everything else that doesn't fit there goes on 2ndary hotbars, accessed thru ctrl + # or mousewheel up/down/

Really can't match that combo, 100% mouselook mode for the highest precision movement, with all hotkeys accessible.

I like console and PC gaming, gamepad is certainly better for some games.. But nothing FPS style like DDO is.

[Ashmer]

I was thinking about buying a gamepad for DDO, i Yours in the flesh,
Rozata

I currently am using an Xbox360 controller for Windows. I find that it works very well for me. Now what would be a rather nice feature to the game would be to be able to turn on the feedback "rumble" option.

[Noirceuil]

I have been floundering around trying to run characters with a noraml kb and always felt that I was fighting against my gear instead of with it. Thought a game pad might be the answer so I checked out this thread - some were for, some against. But The Merc Stealth ( http://www.ideazon.com/us/products/mercstealth.asp) looked like it might solve two probelms:
1 - a more user-friendly key arrangement to the w,s,a,d setup I was using before, and
2 - I like playing in the dark. It is great for the graphics but it sure is easy to hit wrong buttons when you need them most.

And hey, it looks totally cool, too.

Is it really sick to be in love with a keyboard? I used it all weekend and my toons are SO much more fluid, especially the magic flinging ones.

My only complaint is that in real-life (ie MSExcel) you have to choose between a numberpad or having a delete key. Most gamers would not care but I am going to have to switch to a different keyboard when I log from DDO.

[Vizzini]

OP - See my thread here about the review of my current gamepad

http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=134309
^^^^^

[Deusxmachina]

Personally i hate using the mouse PERIOD, for anything. I've bought trackballs for both my laptop and desktop, alls u have to do is move ur thumb instead of ur whole arm, and then pick up the mouse and start over...

If someone has to move the mouse so far that they have to pick it up and start over, they may need a higher dpi mouse. I've got a 2500dpi, and I can cover the entire screen with about a 1/2" movement. Even a 1600dpi is much better if someone is using a "stock" mouse that's often only 400dpi or maybe 800dpi on a good day.

I've got an N52 sitting here I haven't tried with DDO yet. If someone wants a dpad, something like that is probably the way to go.

[Nefahrin]

I use a $12 gamepad I got at EB Games.

It is identical to a Playstaion 2 controller (I think it's a Logitech).

With the correct setup, it has controls to move, look, attack, jump, target nearest enemy, and control 2 full hotbars.

I use it on my Sorceror with no issues, I simply put the long duration buffs on the keyboard number pad.

I use the gamepad with all my characters, a TWF Pally, a Nuking Sorc, a Ranged Bard, a TWF Ranger, a Casting Cleric, a TWF Bard, and a Barb.

The only one that is kind of difficult is the Cleric, since there is no way to cycle through party members, so you have to use F1-F6. I simply put Heal and Mass CSW on the controller for right hand use and use my left hand to cycle through the party.

Same here.
I just played console games for so many years, I can use a mouse and keyboard to play.
On my Sorc and Wizard, all my buffs are on hotbars that I'll click with the mouse. All my Offensive spells are
hot keyed to buttons on the game pad. There's also a Modifier button you can use to almost double the number of buttons
you have on the game pad. (I say almost double as I have one button set as a modifier and hold it down while I hit another
button)

[Aodh]

I use a logitech multi-button mouse. I think there's 5-6 extra buttons on it that you can bind to whatever you want. I usually use those for "twitch" stuff, like PK/FOD/Heal/wands, etc. Then I use the 0-9 keys for weapon sets, or additional spells/potions, etc. Works pretty good, although I usually need to swap spells at the start depending on which quest I'm running.

[Tous]

I use an Xbox 360 PC controller and love it. As far as control it is the best for me because I like the twitchy aspect of DDO.

All my basic combat functions and movement are on the controller, 16 keys mapped and move forward, move backward, strafe left and right and camera pitch up and down.
My mainly play melee base classes and any clikies or item switching I do on the keyboard.

[roadkill525]

anyone seen a place to find those gaming pads made to be used in the right hand? all the onese I find are ment to be used in the left hand

[Krondox]

Hey i baught a game pad this weekend, for a melee character it is working great! for a caster it is working well enough. My friend just set one up for this sorc and he seems to like ti as well. I can push one button and take care of all my buffs. yep one buttom like 10 buffs. Look its all a matter of what your comfy with i like the new game pad, feels just like an Xbox controller and it works great for me. You can set your X and Y axis to your mouse you can set your other X and Y axis to movement. It all works really well....grab one at your local eloctronics store they are only like 20$. I like em.

[Stormanne]

To each their own. My wife played with a game pad and loved it. I tried it, didn't like it that much. Now, when I'm on the PS 2, I couldn't imagine using anything but the controller. But then again, I only play fighting, driving, and sports games on the PS 2...

[Noirceuil]

nm

[Tous]

Hey i baught a game pad this weekend, for a melee character it is working great! for a caster it is working well enough. My friend just set one up for this sorc and he seems to like ti as well. I can push one button and take care of all my buffs. yep one buttom like 10 buffs. Look its all a matter of what your comfy with i like the new game pad, feels just like an Xbox controller and it works great for me. You can set your X and Y axis to your mouse you can set your other X and Y axis to movement. It all works really well....grab one at your local eloctronics store they are only like 20$. I like em.

How are you doing that? I would love to be able to do that as well.

[Karr]

I have to put my vote in for the Nostromo as well. Great piece of gear.

[Mr._Dna]

When I initially got DDO I was using the keyboard and mouse exclusively. Maybe it was the lack of an ergonomic desktop or something but, having to CTRL+1-0 or SHIFT+1-0 for my hotbarred actions/spells was just killing my hands/wrist. And that was only accounting for TWO hotbars worth of junk. I understand that you can stay out of mouselook and just click on the stuff that you need, but I need to stay in mouselook 99% of the time. I can't explain it, but I just can't run around a 3D world without it on...it's too counterintuitive.

So I just set myself up with a gamepad - PS2 style...I'm used to console games anyway, so it was a no brainer...and it's not like you need fine targeting in DDO anyway for most things. Autotarget and spam your spells, etc...but of course you still need to be facing your target (hence the mouselook).

I set my pad up kinda different...

move on the left thumbstick, look on the right (pretty standard)
L1-select nearest target, L2-select next target
R1-jump, R2-attack
D-pad: I just use the up/down buttons to scroll through my hotbars
A,B,C,D buttons I use to activate the spots on the hotbar I've got selected (the downside is that I only have access to slots 1-4 (but on all my bars at least)

Honestly, it works flawlessly on all my toons 'cept my cleric. I'm still a bit of a spazz when I try to heal, but after an hour or so I get used to it...I do have to use the F-keys to target my party mates, so that means a weird gamepad/keyboard combo thing that I really can't avoid.

For me it really comes down to the ability to move, look and "shoot" at the same time. When you have 40 different things you might want to "shoot," this method just works out best for me personally.

[Krondox]

How are you doing that? I would love to be able to do that as well.

I use the Logitech controller and in the profiler is the option to record a command. So what I set in the options menu is to record the times inbetween each button...I.E. I go ctrl #3 then 1 for barksin wait a full second then #2 wait a second, then for my protections and resists their is a 3 second delay, so I shot for a 3.5 second delay adding that the animation may take a min. Now for my friends sorc who casts super fast, he only had to wait 2 secs and its still a little slow.

The trick is to go to the options and see if u can have it record delays and remember not a keystroke but a command line for it.
PM me if i can be more help!
K

[Glassya]

I use a standard 7 button joystick in my left hand. Twist the Z axis for strafing. My main is a 16th level Sorc, and most of my combat spells are hotkeyed on the number pad. I can select next and last using thumb buttons on the joystick, and the toggle switch is handy for different weapon sets.

[Horrorscope]

Mouse - Check
Nostromo - Check
VR Commander - Check
Heavily modify keys - Check

Perfect? Just about.

[Tous]

I use the Logitech controller and in the profiler is the option to record a command. So what I set in the options menu is to record the times inbetween each button...I.E. I go ctrl #3 then 1 for barksin wait a full second then #2 wait a second, then for my protections and resists their is a 3 second delay, so I shot for a 3.5 second delay adding that the animation may take a min. Now for my friends sorc who casts super fast, he only had to wait 2 secs and its still a little slow.

The trick is to go to the options and see if u can have it record delays and remember not a keystroke but a command line for it.
PM me if i can be more help!
K

Ah, a logitech controller. I have a 360 controller.
Maybe its time to retire it after 2 years.