Do you prefer Keyboard/Mouse or Joystick?

[jose21crisis]

So, my keyboard has been busted for a while and that's left me unable to do many things, including playing and writing my Journal. A friend borrowed me a joystick a while ago, and I've got to say it's weird. Most of my experience with gaming comes from using a keyboard, or keyboard/mouse combo so using a joystick means I have to relearn the controls (or outright program new controls. Xpadder for the W here). I wondered what does everyone prefer. To me, it depends. Plenty of games are designed with consoles in mind, and are difficult to use when playing with a keyboard (E.G. MVP Baseball 05's keyboard setup lacks quite a few controls, Richard Burns Rally is downright unplayable without at least a joystick). If the game demands precision when it comes to handling the camera (Most FPS games, especially those that don't come with aim assists) I'll take the keyboard/mouse pairing. If it needs analog control for something (Most racing games, especially Sim racing games where steering/throttle/brake control is essential) I'll take the joystick. If it requires neither, I'll probably take the keyboard/mouse, just because I have more experience with it.

[RevanFan]

Ah the great keyboard/mouse vs controller debate.

I've been a PC gamer my entire life, so naturally, I'll almost always choose keyboard/mouse. There are only a few exceptions.

1. Racing games. The triggers have far more variability than a key when it comes to acceleration and breaking. You can actually squeeze a trigger. You can't squeeze the W key. Also, the sticks are a lot more smooth for cornering than A and D. I can play racing games on keyboard, but controller is preferred.
2. Twin-stick shooters and top-down action games. They're just easier to control with controllers. They're called "twin-stick" for a reason.
3. Sports games (non-Madden 08). Most of them seem designed with controllers in mind, and I won't go against that (except 08, which I've been playing keyboard-only since I originally got it.)

Any other genre--FPS, RPG, puzzle, exploration, action, platformer, strategy, stealth, simulation, etc.--is keyboard/mouse all the way.

Here's a follow up question I have to anyone with experience. If you have to use a controller or choose to use one, which controller layout do you prefer? XBOX, PlayStation, Steam, or... uh... are there any others? Regardless, which type of controller do you prefer when you use one. NOTE: If a controller is not technically an XBOX or PlayStation controller (made by a third party), if it has the same look, feel, and button layout, I'd say just consider it the same type of controller. For example, I had a Logitech controller that has the same layout and feel or a PlayStation controller.

Personally, my favorite controller layout is the XBOX controller. My favorite model specifically would be the XBOX One Elite controller. However, as I said, I use keyboard/mouse in almost every situation when gaming on PC.

[jose21crisis]

1. Racing games. The triggers have far more variability than a key when it comes to acceleration and breaking. You can actually squeeze a trigger. You can't squeeze the W key. Also, the sticks are a lot more smooth for cornering than A and D. I can play racing games on keyboard, but controller is preferred.

I've learned to save tires by not smashing on the throttle/brake/steering when racing, something that I can't do with keys, but can with triggers and analogs. So yeah, controller for racing games is superior.

Any other genre--FPS, RPG, puzzle, exploration, action, platformer, strategy, stealth, simulation, etc.--is keyboard/mouse all the way.

I can't for the life of me play any stealth game with a controller. I find it hard to tilt the analog just enough to move the character without making noise (not a problem on keyboard).

Here's a follow up question I have to anyone with experience. If you have to use a controller or choose to use one, which controller layout do you prefer? XBOX, PlayStation, Steam, or... uh... are there any others? Regardless, which type of controller do you prefer when you use one. NOTE: If a controller is not technically an XBOX or PlayStation controller (made by a third party), if it has the same look, feel, and button layout, I'd say just consider it the same type of controller. For example, I had a Logitech controller that has the same layout and feel or a PlayStation controller.

I prefer the PlayStation layout, mostly due to experience. I just find it more comfortable than the XBOX layout.

[BigDaddyCool]

For Madden I prefer the Saitek 880 gamepad. It's close to the XBox controller in terms of layout and it performs quite well over time. Other controllers I've noticed have the sticks become looser over time which can cause some frustrating gameplay when you are trying to move in a certain direction and the controller moves you in another.

For a game like rFactor there is nothing like a good old fashioned wheel and pedal combo. Right now I use an older Logitech GT set that works great for any car I drive. I can set up the buttons on the wheel to control any driving feature I wish like Traction Control, speed limiter, ignition, etc. To me it just feels more natural to use a wheel rather than a gamepad.

[Rixster67r]

I prefer the F310 over the keyboard because using the keyboard gives me a cramp in my left forearm

[MikeWest502]

Sports titles - game controller
fps shooter - mouse/keyboard
Need for Speed, Grid, Xenon- game controller
All other Racing Sims - Wingman Formula Force (using saitek drivers on Window 10)
Flight/Submarine sims - keyboard