Keyboard Only

[Alhanelem]

I think it's more a personal preference than one being better than the other.

No, there are very technical, physical reasons why one is better than the other. It boils down to what a keyboard by itself is physically incapable of. Adding a mouse to the keyboard gives you much more sensitive control over your camera and movement. If you want to "prefer" inferior controls, that's fine, but a keyboard without a mouse is like a sandwich without bread- the fact remains there are limitations that exist which can be overcome by the mouse. Honestly, if you're going to play keyboard only, it would probably be better if you used a gamepad.

This is a very vague and nontechnical response.

There's nothing vague or nontechnical about it.

A keyboard by itself is incapable of analog movement- something critical to good control in a 3D world. A mouse specifically exists to resolve this deficiency. This is not a preference- it is a fact. A mouse in combination with the keyboard provides undeniably superior control. How much more technical can I get?

A key on a keyboard is capable of two states: Pressed and not pressed. Specifically relating to movement, you can move in 8 directions- to go between those directions, you have to press/not press other keys (at which point you're near the ghosting limit on keyboard keys, making it difficult to perform actions in certain circumstances unless you release one of the movement/camera keys for a brief moment). By contrast, a mouse does not control movement with buttons with on and off states, it continually is tracking its position relative to a surface and relaying that information to the system. Subtle movements produce subtle results and large movements produce large results- there is infinite variation, where movmeent with the keyboard is constrained. There, is that techncial enough for you?

In playing FFXI, you MUST have noticed how difficult it was to make small adjustments to the camera and movement. even pressing and releasing a key as fast as possible often could make the camera move more than you wanted it to.

Again, i'm telling you. You don't prefer keyboard only, you're simply used to it. Get used to mouse and keyboard, and you'll eventually realize how much better it is. (Note: This I consider very different from mouse + keyboard vs gamepad: That is much more a matter of preference- the gamepad is in some way capable of doing everything you can do with the keyboard, there's just a different style to it, aside from chatting)

I understand that you prefer the mouse over the keyboard, but I'm saying I would like an officially supported option.

There already is an officially supported option: Rebind the keys.

[Ethari]

No, there are very technical, physical reasons why one is better than the other. It boils down to what a keyboard by itself is physically incapable of. Adding a mouse to the keyboard gives you much more sensitive control over your camera and movement. If you want to "prefer" inferior controls, that's fine, but a keyboard without a mouse is like a sandwich without bread- the fact remains there are limitations that exist which can be overcome by the mouse. Honestly, if you're going to play keyboard only, it would probably be better if you used a gamepad.

This is a very vague and nontechnical response. I understand that you prefer the mouse over the keyboard, but I'm saying I would like an officially supported option. I'm not saying that they should do away with the way that you play the game.

[Welsper59]

This is a very vague and nontechnical response. I understand that you prefer the mouse over the keyboard, but I'm saying I would like an officially supported option. I'm not saying that they should do away with the way that you play the game.

What's missing from the keyboard-only play currently? Rebinding should offer you access to everything... I think.

[MithrasInvictus]

I would love a Keyboard only for PC/
Out of all games I've played I think FFXI has the best keyboard control.

Seconded. I played that game for many, many years with keyboard only.

[Jynx]

This thread needs more people telling others that there prefered control style is "Wrong"

[Kaedan94]

Keyboard-only worked in FFXI because it's a very slow-paced game. It would be impossible to complete the difficult content (HM primals and Coil) with keyboard-only. Plus, once you use an MMO mouse like a Naga or something, you'll never even think about going back to regular mouse, much less keyboard-only.

[Ethari]

Keyboard-only worked in FFXI because it's a very slow-paced game. It would be impossible to complete the difficult content (HM primals and Coil) with keyboard-only. Plus, once you use an MMO mouse like a Naga or something, you'll never even think about going back to regular mouse, much less keyboard-only.

It was available in 1.0 of FFXIV

[ispano]

It was available in 1.0 of FFXIV

1.0 was also very slow paced.

[Kewitt]

Why when I'm running from mob to mob, do I care about being able to look at a water fall.
Why do I care how I turn.

The mouse was always there for things like that in FFXI.. But to 99% of thing other then look at the view. You didn't need the mouse.

Run up to mob, Lock on mob (Fix camera), Unlock mob (tap a key 2 times). Move left and right, in and out.
Key thing here is... one hand controlling Movement very very nicely in that I can press Left right and up and down, Camera control quick and easy on arrow keys with thumb.
2nd hand free for all actions.

It's supper hard to use Alt + key or Control + key when one hand is hovering over 1/2 the keyboard.


I don't know how many times I've missed moving out of AOE because I was looking at where my mouse was pointing well trying to move.

As for the comment on more sensitive control.
Please point out one point when this matter outside of looking at scenery.
Post beta 3 your POS is a single point at the center of your character, and there is never a time when your feet need to be positioned perfectly.

[ispano]

So if you get bad placement of weights in Titan and there's a clear spot 30 degrees to one side, how will you run to it quickly if you have to turn first, and potentially mis-turn? Chalk it up to bad placement and get hit/killed? Or would you rather have better control to get out of it? Yes yes, I know you can space out and avoid it, but no one is perfect and people mess that up all the time. Precision movement has its place.