The unbalanced advantage of game controllers and how to make keyboard play better.

[Pence]

I think you're confused. XIV is not XI. It's not a sequel, it's not horizontal or solely party based. XI was built a long, long time ago and it was inspired and emulated (pretty well, may I add) the traditional console Final Fantasy feel. TP acted as your ATB, you had menus stacked on menus which led to more menus. Summons were a 'one and done' deal. XIV is not XI.

After reading this: "holding ctrl or alt will swap the action bars to an alternate version of that action bar. each key providing access to a different set. " I'm 90% sure you have never bothered even trying to look in game for the option, or outside of it.

[Callback]

I don't get it.

I mean this is clearly supposed to be some kind of joke or satire, but I'm not seeing the punchline.

[Morbid]

I don't get it.

I mean this is clearly supposed to be some kind of joke or satire, but I'm not seeing the punchline.

The only thing I consider 'joke' worthy is advantage...

Other than that his point is quite clear...

[Niwashi]

There was a thread several months ago comparing them, and this is what I came up with as an answer:

Controller is better for movement. Double joysticks beat anything a Keyboard/Mouse user has to work with in that regard.

Controller is marginally better for activating skills, with all of its controls being in easy reach at all times. KB/M users either have a limited section of their keyboard easily available one-handed, or else they have to forego the mouse in order to have both hands for the keyboard, but that then further limits their movement and targeting controls. (This is as compared to a standard keyboard and mouse. Specialty devices like the Razer Naga some have mentioned, a mouse that can be configured to effectively act as a controller at the same time, may be able to take care of this issue.)

Keyboard & Mouse is marginally better for targeting, since they have mouse-over options that controller players don't. (KB/M would probably be significantly better than Controller if compared to the default controller configuration, but most of the controller's awkwardness is taken care of by setting up multiple targeting filters. It still has the issue of targeting elements of a particular type in a strange seeming order, but the keyboard has that same issue, leaving the mouse as the tiebreaker.)

Keyboard and Mouse is better for things like setting waymarks or any action that gets placed at a spot on the ground rather than on your target.

All in all, I'd say it's pretty much a wash. Each has some slight advantages and some slight disadvantages, but either works well enough for even its worst feature once you're used to it.

[SnugglesD]

Get a naga.

/endthread

[Firesped]

there, I changed my words for advantage and disadvantage to pros/cons. I guess I used a bad choice of words. the reason for the post was to get additions done to action bar that everyone gets access too. the overall issue is we don't have enough action bar space. but I guess everyone just doesn't want anything. I'd delete the thread if I could but I can't. sigh.

[Morbid]

Perks of using controller probably would've been fine. I got what you were trying to say..

[Shurrikhan]

Wait, what? You have 10 bars to bind as you see fit...
For me:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, cZ, cX, cC, cV, csZ, csX - bar 1
s1, s2, s3, s4, s5, sR, sF, sC, sV, sB, sT, sY, sG - bar 2
c1, c2, c3, c4, aS, aD, aF, aG, aX, aC, aV, aB - bar 3

1. Figure out how many bars you need (hint: 3 + optional mouse bar?)
2. Stack and scale them for comfortable visual presence
3. Bind them
4. Slot abilities
...Takes all of 3-5 minutes?

I usually feel disadvantaged when using the controller, not the other way around. Feels about the same as pure KB to me. I usually don't find that controller has any advantage, even in steering during movement, if you have comfortable binds for lock-on and/or legacy/character-based control swap.

That said, I certainly wouldn't mind the options you've mentioned.

[Firesped]

as far as my setup goes, I have a g510s keyboard. I have hotbar 1 (rotating bar) mapped to the "QWERTYUIOP{}"line. hotbar 2 is mapped to the "1234567890-=" line. ASD and X move my menu. my numpad is mapped to character movement, arrow keys are mapped to camera movement. I use bars 1 3 and 4 for my rotations. my g-keys are mapped to access hotbars 5 and 6.

until a recent change, I was using the first 3 spots on hotbar 2 to swap my main hot bar. I haven't fully integrated that change yet with my playing. I mapped the hotbar switch binds over on the keypad which will let me free up those 3 slots.

[Laraul]

Keyboard & Mouse is marginally better for targeting, since they have mouse-over options that controller players don't. (KB/M would probably be significantly better than Controller if compared to the default controller configuration, but most of the controller's awkwardness is taken care of by setting up multiple targeting filters. It still has the issue of targeting elements of a particular type in a strange seeming order, but the keyboard has that same issue, leaving the mouse as the tiebreaker.)

There's very little use of the custom target filters outside of the sheathed/drawn mode. For the most part all targeting is done either via L2/R2 + L1 or R1 to targets enemies, and up/down on the directional pad to target party. L1+ Up/Down cycles thru the enemy list.

Keyboard and Mouse is better for things like setting waymarks or any action that gets placed at a spot on the ground rather than on your target.

This can be true, especially w/ waymark placement. Actually placing an action ground target isn't that hard do to the size of the targeted area. On the other hand, when using ground targeting via a mouse from an object (i.e. cannon) it's awfully easy to accidently disengage yourself from the cannon, forcing you to right-click the cannon with the mouse to bring back up the cannon's hotbar.