Full or Compact - A question for PC users

[UltraBlackone]

Coming back to the game I decided I'd let my wife try it out and see how she likes FFXI. We have been playing together for a week now and she loves the game as I knew she would. Now we both play from our laptops, though my laptop came with a full key pad where as her's did not. This of course means she has to play with the compact setup unless she uses a different keyboard w/ a number pad. So far, for someone new to the game and online gaming as a whole, she seems to be doing well with just her compact setup. Recently however in a conversation I had with a RL buddy of mine, who plays with us, he made it sound as if she were crippling herself for not playing with a number pad. Here at last is my questions I wish to put forth.

1. Which in your eyes is better? Full or compact? Why?
2. Does playing compact really harm one's ability to play? Why?

[Pufardo]

1) Full KB - Free range of both hands... However, I'm still using a Logitech PS3 style gamepad,
2) I dunno, I try not to play XI on my netbook because the compact KB bugs me, having to FN-NUM to walk then FN-NUM to go back and type... also if I hold FN-8 to walk and let go of the FN key I keep walking... so much fun when aggroing a IT++ oops!

[Amerlyn]

1) Full KB - Free range of both hands... However, I'm still using a Logitech PS3 style gamepad,
2) I dunno, I try not to play XI on my netbook because the compact KB bugs me, having to FN-NUM to walk then FN-NUM to go back and type... also if I hold FN-8 to walk and let go of the FN key I keep walking... so much fun when aggroing a IT++ oops!

Sounds to me like you didn't change the config settings in FFXI for your laptop. If you go into the Config settings you can easily set it to use wasd to move and such. This gets rid of having to use the FN Key.

Back to Topic: I have used both full and compact. Before my computer blew up I used Full. Back then I would have said Full atw. But now I play on a netbook. Have it set to Compact and since I have been playing games with wasd more and more lately, this feels much more natural to me. As a few ppl have stated though, it all depends on what feels more natural to you. I don't believe there is a difference in performance between the two.

[Gwynplaine]

Compact is better. You can effortlessly swap from controlling to chatting. I wish more MMOs used the same setup.

[Canadian]

Coming back to the game I decided I'd let my wife try it out and see how she likes FFXI. We have been playing together for a week now and she loves the game as I knew she would. Now we both play from our laptops, though my laptop came with a full key pad where as her's did not. This of course means she has to play with the compact setup unless she uses a different keyboard w/ a number pad. So far, for someone new to the game and online gaming as a whole, she seems to be doing well with just her compact setup. Recently however in a conversation I had with a RL buddy of mine, who plays with us, he made it sound as if she were crippling herself for not playing with a number pad. Here at last is my questions I wish to put forth.

1. Which in your eyes is better? Full or compact? Why?
2. Does playing compact really harm one's ability to play? Why?

I guess your question is more aimed towards laptop users, not all PC users. I don't know anything about laptops and such so I don't know what a 'compact keypad' is exactly. I took a look at my brother's laptop versus my dad's laptop and they both look the same to me.

I, for one, cannot play FFXI on a laptop though. I can only play on a Desktop PC and only with a keyboard -- no mouse and no controller.

[Dubberrucky]

I personally prefer the compact setting because I am right handed and do not use a controller it is a more natural feeling setup for me. But this is a personal preference either setup you choose to play it does not change the ability to play in the least just which keys you push to do actions.

[Unaisis]

i would recommend a ps2/3 type controller to play 11. It is soooo much easier than holding your hands in the spider position over the keys on your keyboard @.@. i used to play without a controller for the longest time and i swear i could make the Emperor's <star wars> lightning hands without even trying /zap. Playing 11 with a controller is much more comfortable and prolly reduces your risk on getting carpal tunnel <i think lol>. thats just me tho...

[Canadian]

i would recommend a ps2/3 type controller to play 11

I will have to disagree with this. I connected my PS3 controller to PC to attempt to play 11 with and I have to say, it's 10x harder to play 11 with controller than it is with a full keyboard. Pulling up macro sets on controller can be tedious at times especially for mage jobs. In the time it took me to find and use 1 spell using a controller, I could have already used 5 spells with keyboard.

[Dubberrucky]

I will have to disagree with this. I connected my PS3 controller to PC to attempt to play 11 with and I have to say, it's 10x harder to play 11 with controller than it is with a full keyboard. Pulling up macro sets on controller can be tedious at times especially for mage jobs. In the time it took me to find and use 1 spell using a controller, I could have already used 5 spells with keyboard.

I agree but some people like a controller I am just not one of them. I find them to be just another thing to juggle as a I play they slow me down unnecessarily.

[Boniant]

i use compact. i see some people are disliking the "fn+num:" functions, but my kb has a numpad built in so i dont have that problem. i have access to both, but i prefer compact cause of the ease in manuvering and chat