PC Gaming PC's - Controller or M&KB?

[Smiley Cat]

I was just wondering what preference people have on gaming PC's - controller or mouse and keyboard?

(Note: I'm not really talking about console retrogaming/emulation here, since obviously those kind of games are better with controller, at least mostly. I'm more talking about PC games).

Nowadays I tend to favor m&kb myself. Although I do still use controller for certain games, such as fighting games, driving games, and emulation ofc. I use an 8bitdo Pro 2 in general, but I prefer a wired logitech F310 for fighting games because it has a better d-pad for doing "236" etc.
I prefer m&kb for most PC games though.

I even got the HD PC version of Timesplitters 2 just to see how that played with a m&kb, since back in the day controller was the only realistic option for it.

How about you?

 

[Waffles]

I grew up with keyboard & mouse, and that's what most --if not all-- games were designed for, so I keep using those unless I'm emulating something or feeling particularly fancy when playing something.

 

[moonbits]

I only use M&K if there's no gamepad support.

 

[guppy]

I still do not understand how people can play certain games with controllers. For instance shooters, but equally strategy games are quite hard for me without a mouse. Curious Expedition 2 is great to play with either though, so I am not sure it's always an either/or situation. Both working is great because options are great =)

 

[MajesticSiN]

I've been lazy as I get older and just use a controller if it's supported. Otherwise it's mouse and keyboard for me.

 

[nachito]

M&K for FPS and Fighting games, everything else with controller.

 

[guppy]

M&K for FPS and Fighting games, everything else with controller.

How the hell, on the face of this planet - do you use mouse and keyboard for fighting games?

 

[nachito]

How the hell, on the face of this planet - do you use mouse and keyboard for fighting games?

Keyboard works just like a hitbox.

 

[guppy]

Keyboard works just like a hitbox.

Don't lie to me, it's not kind =(!

*I am joking, just to clarify - because the internet =P

 

[Smiley Cat]

I still prefer m&kb even in many third person action games, like GTA5, RDR2, Uncharted, the Tomb Raider reboots, sleeping Dogs, Batman Arkham, modern Resident Evil etc etc.

 

[sandogma]

I grew up using mouse & keyboard for PC games, so as a kid it was fine to play any game on PC using that. Plus, during the 90's there really weren't any good controllers for PC and there was no guarantee the game you wanted to play with a controller would be compatible with it.
Now as an adult, and working full time using m&kb, the mere thought of using one to play a game triggers my carpal tunnel lol. I'd rather be less performant on an FPS using a controller than agonize my wrists using a m&kb.

To me, personally, its much simpler and more comfortable to use a long HDMI cable to connect my PC to my TV and game on the couch. I do have a mini wireless keyboard with a touchpad so I can type and browse the web from my couch (the logitech K600 is amazing for this purpose), but all my gaming is done with a controller these days. My wrists gotta rest up for another 9 hours of work the following day.

 

[moonbits]

I grew up using mouse & keyboard for PC games, so as a kid it was fine to play any game on PC using that. Plus, during the 90's there really weren't any good controllers for PC and there was no guarantee the game you wanted to play with a controller would be compatible with it.
Now as an adult, and working full time using m&kb, the mere thought of using one to play a game triggers my carpal tunnel lol. I'd rather be less performant on an FPS using a controller than agonize my wrists using a m&kb.

To me, personally, its much simpler and more comfortable to use a long HDMI cable to connect my PC to my TV and game on the couch. I do have a mini wireless keyboard with a touchpad so I can type and browse the web from my couch (the logitech K600 is amazing for this purpose), but all my gaming is done with a controller these days. My wrists gotta rest up for another 9 hours of work the following day.

Yeah, when I touch a keyboard now it's for work only.

 

[sandogma]

Yeah, when I touch a keyboard now it's for work only.

I think the ONLY game that would make consider playing with a m&kb would be if Blizzard released Starcraft 3. But even then, I noticed that I just don't have the mental dexterity to play ANY real-time strategy games these days. I realized this when I was getting my ass kicked all the time in Starcraft 2 lol

 

[Boo Man]

M&KB for RTS, isometric ARPGs, MMO & FPS or anything that requires precise aim
Controller for anything else
some games i like to hold controller in left hand for movement and mouse for aim & shoot

 

[dropsmegamega]

I think for me is the opposite, for most of my steam & GOG games I prefer M&KB and even when controller is the optimal I often get too lazy to connect a controller. For emulation I always try to use a controller as its closer to the og experience, but I can't get into console FPS games because I just suck at a lot of genres with controller.

 

[Adrastia]

Unless it's a puzzle game or something with very simple controls I have to use a controller. Mouse and keyboard are just painful and awkward to me. A few times I used the mouse to aim in Portal. But the game would have been unplayable to me without a controller. I don't have a problem with a hybrid control system. I grew up on console games. I think that has a lot to do with my preferences.

Phantom Brave would have been fine with a keyboard and mouse. But the curser kept scrolling off the map no matter what I did.

 

[Don Patch]

Okay, so most of the answers here are in line with what I was thinking; it just depends.
So, in short: Both,

I'm more curious about the games that are designed for both/either in mind.
Random examples off the top of my head would be like how Diablo IV has both down pretty solid. Or, the two newer Doom games.
My answer would depend on if there is a couch involved or not

 

[SuperSampleStar]

I have a PS1/2 to USB adaptor i got back in the early 2000's and to this day it works perfectly, including Linux... both natively and WINE recognize it, although the name its given is a ShanWan PS3/PC Adaptor. The most i ever go up to is DualShock 2. I like how the D-Pad feels on the PS1/2 controllers.

 

[Smiley Cat]

I have a PS1/2 to USB adaptor i got back in the early 2000's and to this day it works perfectly, including Linux... both natively and WINE recognize it, although the name its given is a ShanWan PS3/PC Adaptor. The most i ever go up to is DualShock 2. I like how the D-Pad feels on the PS1/2 controllers.

I like ps1/2 controllers for gaming. Mainly because of how much I dislike the L2/R2 buttons as "triggers".
Triggers are great (maybe) for people who love playing driving/shooting games, but for most other kinds of games, triggers are worse than simply having buttons, as the original DualShock did.

This is especially the case with fighting games, since buttons have faster response time, and are more comfortable anyway.

Buttons > Triggers.

 

[sandogma]

I like ps1/2 controllers for gaming. Mainly because of how much I dislike the L2/R2 buttons as "triggers".
Triggers are great (maybe) for people who love playing driving/shooting games, but for most other kinds of games, triggers are worse than simply having buttons, as the original DualShock did.

This is especially the case with fighting games, since buttons have faster response time, and are more comfortable anyway.

Buttons > Triggers.

I can see what you mean about that. Shoulder buttons feel awful in fighting games, no doubt about that.
While I'm fine with them for other games, I would really like it if modern controllers brought back the 6 face buttons layout instead of 4. If had a controller with 6 face buttons and 4 shoulder buttons, that would be the best of both worlds! Has any company even tried doing this? I'd love to know.

 

[ZEGA ZONIC]

M/K for FPSes
Controller for everything else.

 

[Gaz]

I was just wondering what preference people have on gaming PC's - controller or mouse and keyboard?

(Note: I'm not really talking about console retrogaming/emulation here, since obviously those kind of games are better with controller, at least mostly. I'm more talking about PC games).

Nowadays I tend to favor m&kb myself. Although I do still use controller for certain games, such as fighting games, driving games, and emulation ofc. I use an 8bitdo Pro 2 in general, but I prefer a wired logitech F310 for fighting games because it has a better d-pad for doing "236" etc.
I prefer m&kb for most PC games though.

I even got the HD PC version of Timesplitters 2 just to see how that played with a m&kb, since back in the day controller was the only realistic option for it.

How about you?

The Vast majority keyboard and mouse. Unless it's something like a racing game or a football game, the I'll slap in an Xbox controller.

 

[RetroLaw]

I use a fighting stick for anything that isn't 3D.
Even Visual Novels.

 

[Tonberry]

It depends entirely on what type of game it is to me, but it's kind of too wide a question to narrow down.
Usually I go "If it's made for consoles, controller. If it's made for PC, KB+M." but it's not a law set in stone.

 

[SwordBreaker39]

Both. Some games are better played with mous and keyboard like FPS and RTS. While games like Dark souls, Final fantasy, Forza horrizone and such are better with a controller.

At least that how I see it. For game that require precision and maybe use allot of commands like an RTS mouse and keyboard anyday. While Controller works good for most other games.