how do you play? controlpad or keyboard?

[Lordwafik]

I use the mouse a lot coupled with the keyboard. Never owned a controller. By the way if you do, can you scroll through alliance members?

Yeah, hitting up or down on the D-pad will scroll up and down in your allience, it's great for healers.

[Doofus]

until keyboards get joysticks, i'm using controller all the way

[Marsala]

The only time im touching my mouse is when I'm dead and want to turn the camera. Or when I am starting to browse through the net. <.<

This is the right answer.

[ryskar]

Love my keyboard, haven't tried a controller.

[Koga]

I remeber trying a controller when I first started and got so flustrated.
Never used controller since.

[Kyupi/Kij]

Not that I would EVER use anything like Windower, but if I did, I would still be able to control FFXI via controller even when the window is out of focus, and chat with friends or browse the internetz with the keyboard/mouse. It's handy when you're not doing anything except running somewhere. Call me strange, but I think this happens a lot in FFXI.

Personally, I think controller is worth it for the D-pad alliance tabbing and movement. That and there's no real reason to use it for anything else... lol.

[Charismatic]

controller+keyboard is the best with windower imo
can easily xp while browsing /v/ at the same time with the FFXI window out of focus... that alone makes using a controller worth it.

[Max™]

PS2+PS2 Controller, Comfy Chair, Table/Keyboard, usually have the controller basically in my lap, and just let go and type when need be.

[Isiolia]

100% keyboard. I originally used the mouse, but it's too clunky. I've tried using a Dual Shock with a USB adapter. Worked perfectly, but I found it to be too slow for accessing macros, plus I use a lot of console commands for spells and such.

[Max™]

100% keyboard. I originally used the mouse, but it's too clunky. I've tried using a Dual Shock with a USB adapter. Worked perfectly, but I found it to be too slow for accessing macros, plus I use a lot of console commands for spells and such.

How do you change pages on the keyboard?

I've got like 4 sets of War macros for different subs, and a couple have unique gearsets that I use sometimes on other subs, so I just hit L2/R2 on the right slot, then up or down and X to hit that macro, then go right back to the current page. tabbing left and right with a Macro set optimised for it (I put my most used things in the center, WS/TP gear, WS macros, then go left and right in decreasing order, most abilities left, gear swaps/Warcry/Warrior's Charge right) and it is smooth as hell.

Couldn't imagine going to using Ctrl/Alt+number fulltime.

[Keston]

PS2, use controller for almost everything.

Use keyboard for:
- quick-target (F-8)
- zoom in/out if needed
- to spam anything i need to (like ranged attack, or a chainspell-stun macro etc)
- to type/chat

[Isiolia]

100% keyboard. I originally used the mouse, but it's too clunky. I've tried using a Dual Shock with a USB adapter. Worked perfectly, but I found it to be too slow for accessing macros, plus I use a lot of console commands for spells and such.

How do you change pages on the keyboard?

I've got like 4 sets of War macros for different subs, and a couple have unique gearsets that I use sometimes on other subs, so I just hit L2/R2 on the right slot, then up or down and X to hit that macro, then go right back to the current page. tabbing left and right with a Macro set optimised for it (I put my most used things in the center, WS/TP gear, WS macros, then go left and right in decreasing order, most abilities left, gear swaps/Warcry/Warrior's Charge right) and it is smooth as hell.

Couldn't imagine going to using Ctrl/Alt+number fulltime.

You hold Ctrl or Alt and use the arrow keys to go up or down through pages. With a keyboard, you also access macros more or less directly. IE, I hit Ctrl-5 to cast Refresh, Ctrl-9 to Dispel something, etc.
I'm sure if I had been playing with a controller for four years now I'd be quick with that too, but trying to swap there's absolutely no contest.
Plus as I mentioned, I wind up typing a lot of stuff. -na spells, cures on Alliance members, etc.

I could easily see using it if I was playing a DD-centric melee, but since I have yet to level such a job past 37...doesn't really work for me.

The game does work a little different on controller. Movement is smoother, no variable speed with a keyboard. The macro bars themselves also don't have the slight lag that the keyboard controls give, which is likely intentional (and therefore should be adjustable).

[Eldelphia]

I use the mouse a lot coupled with the keyboard. Never owned a controller. By the way if you do, can you scroll through alliance members?

Yeah, hitting up or down on the D-pad will scroll up and down in your allience, it's great for healers.

Gah - need one. I can type /ta <a10> fast or /ta meleeofdoom but would much rather scroll faster.

[Kyreth]

Keyboard full time here. Who needs a mouse? KB or controller (or both) only for FFXI.

[Ketna]

I use the compact keyboard setting use WASD to move and the arrow keys to move the camera. The only time I use my Xbox 360 contorller is when I have to run for long distances so I can sit back, or when I am doing somthing easy like Ballad whoreing and then controller is fine. But for anything else KB > .

[Zosi]

I use the mouse a lot coupled with the keyboard. Never owned a controller. By the way if you do, can you scroll through alliance members?

Yeah, hitting up or down on the D-pad will scroll up and down in your allience, it's great for healers.

Something that a lot of people seem to not realize is that the same functionality exists on PC, the keys just aren't bound by default. If you go into key bindings in-game and set keys to Target Up/Down (might not be the exact names, I'm at work with no FFXI), you'll get the same functionality as pressing up/down on a controller d-pad.

I'm a compact-layout junkie, so I use T and G to move through the party/alliance, but you could use any two keys that are open on your configuration.

Edit: I also use IJKL to move the camera instead of arrow keys. Having to move your hand off the home row (and away from macros and other hotkeys) to move the camera is mega-fail.

[Ryko]

Keyboard and use controller for alliance healing.

[fishstix]

The only time im touching my mouse is when I'm dead and want to turn the camera. Or when I am starting to browse through the net. <.<

True for me too. Once though for kicks, I used my PSP as a wireless controller. It was good for laid back farming, but I don't know why you'd want to use a controller if you have to use a keyboard to type anyways. I'm one of those typing crazed people where it comes natural to me to type out /ma "Cure III" name. I hate SE for forcing us to use <> tags on spell and hate people with really long names...

[Diametric]

For the hotkey macros, why does it force you to use the ctrl or alt version, i just want the normal hotkeys by pressing 12345.. etc without holding down the alt/ctrl. Cant seem to set it.

You can't, as far as I know. Since FFXI doesn't force you to hit enter (or another key) before opening up a chat window, hitting 12345 etc will simply input the number into the chat log.

[EagleCeres]

Initially i was 100% KB...
took me the better part of 2 years to use a controller (xbox 360's usb controller is nice) especially now that I use a notebook pc to play all around the house
But I'm still a fan of pure keyboard, just easier to work with on my desktop setup.