Classic FPS Games — Keyboard only?

[lestagio]

When playing the classics of the FPS genre, such as Doom, Wolfenstein 3D, and Quake, do you prefer to play with only the keyboard, or keyboard and mouse (WASD + mouselook)? Maybe a wacky control scheme of your own?

To this day, I play these all with only keyboard controls, especially Doom and Wolf3D. Over the years I've slowly grown more accustomed to WASD and mouselook with Quake (especially Quake 2 and after), but Doom and Wolfenstein didn't allow you to even look up, meaning that I find using mouse and WASD feels pretty awkward.

I've always played with left and right arrows to turn, up and down to move, ctrl to shoot, alt to strafe, and spacebar to use. People will argue "B-But the Doom manual says that you can use a mouse, so it was intended!" Yeah, and I'm not saying that you CAN'T use mouselook, it's not "wrong", but I just don't like to. I was aware at the time that you could use a mouse, but no one knew about WASD back then, so there wasn't a point of using a mouse for most of us. Besides, those trackballs kind of sucked. Maybe those keyboard controls feel a little awkward, but I find that you get used to them pretty damn quick.

I just like classic Doom how I've always played, because I'm used to it, and because it honestly feels less awkward than WASD + mouselook. That being said, it seems that a large majority of people play Doom source ports these days, which are fun as well, but they're just a different flavor.

I only ended up really transitioning to WASD + mouselook for games around the time of Half Life and System Shock 2 and Deus Ex, where the scheme became a default.

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

I have been keyboard-only since my Wolfenstein 3D days — I see joysticks as cumbersome and wonky for the vast majority of cases.

 

[ArchienineZXAdventArchienineZXAdvent's icon]

Sinde i don't have a PC, i use either the touch screen or a gamepad

 

[JustLooking123]

Keyboard rules!
I have been using it since i started emulation!

 

[Megarockman _1987 Megarockman _1987]

Keyboards always, I can't play a FPS with a controller, in special if is a online one

 

[extermist]

I beat Quake 1 with keyboard aiming, gotta say I perfer it over mouse.

 

[lestagio]

Keyboards always, I can't play a FPS with a controller, in special if is a online one

Yep, I can do certain console single player shooters with controller, but it has to be a game where shooting isn't everything or doesn't require accuracy, such as Uncharted. Anything FPS is lost for me besides a rare few like Goldeneye 007 (ironically).

 

[Megarockman _1987 Megarockman _1987]

I understand you
My main problem with controller and a FPS is my aim, sometime I need more precision, with a mouse is easy but with a controller is a odyssey, even the problem still when I configure the sensibility

 

[shaggi shaggi]

I prefer gamepad, but in case of choosing between keyboard + mouse or keyboard only, I choose the later. Mouse aim in old games like Doom or Quake feels strange to me.

 

[Bakuma1997]

For me it's the opposite, i am used to pre Sixth Generation FPS being Controller friendly, so i use controllers, modern FPS's for me tho now those are Keyboard and Mouse or Nothing

 

[beefbowl]

To preface I prefer gamepad for any game, I'm really not good with mouse.

BUT, if I have to play on PC, I always use mouselook. Keyboard controls for Wolfen3D or Doom doesnt make sense to me as my FPS journey started with the original Modern Warfare. Which is using the Quake engine funnily enough.

 

[Deathwing]

Quake plays surprisingly well on the Steam Deck as long as you use the motion controls with the stick. Still doesn't beat a mouse but it's a good alternative. I don't mind mouse or controller, anything goes but keyboard only nope.