Keyboard or Controller

[Rocl]

Controller is for dummies

[Kilorilo]

I can only play with my PS2 controller, maybe if I messed with the key bindings I'd be able to stand it a bit but XIs lack of hotkeys and a menu system like EQ or WoW (being able to bring up inventory/equipment/missionlogs/etc. & have its box stay on the screen until you cancel it) and such makes it feel clunky and inefficient. Obviously these are due to the game being meant more for PS2 players or whatever stupid excuse SE will use to not update their shit.

Side question/note: When you hit Ctrl or Alt to get to Macro pallets, does it always take a moment to bring up the pane ? with my controllers L2/R2 triggers its instant, although I cannot hit a number on the keyboard to use a specific macro (it just types it) and I have to scroll left/right. Any way to change either of these ?

[Kongolo]

keyboard mainly, mouse for "cancel", menu and camera.

[Pelican]

I started off on pc as keyboard only and was just fine with it. But then maybe three years ago my friend got my hooked onto using a controller and now it is all that I use. I will admit for me using macros is a lot faster on a keyboard than on a controller. Using a controller has made me really lazy though, especially when my linkshell used Vent and did not need to type out anything to talk.

[Julian]

This. When i started using a controller, i was stumbling around going hitting macros way too slow for about a day or so. After that i was a bit slower than i was with my kb, and within a week, i got used to it enough that i could play just as well with either kb or a controller. It really isn't that hard to get used to using something different, once you get past day one.

"if it's not broken..."

I play perfectly well on controller, and my macro reflexes are incredibly fast. Sure, if I practiced the keyboard enough I'd probably be able to get just as fast as how I am on my controller, but why bother? I also know from previous experience that I'm going to fumble around and hit the wrong key anyway, so meh. I'm not a FPS person, or a computer gamer anyway.

Also, I have a question. Before I installed windows 7, I used to be able to click the middle scrolling button thing on my mouse to open up the menu, which I used pretty damn often when I was typing, and probably the only thing I ever used my mouse for, but now after I installed it, that button doesn't do shit in game is there any way to fix it?

[Aksannyi]

Oh I should add, another reason to use controller is the fact that I was playing on a laptop for the last three years of playing, and using FN+anything to open menus is a pain in the fucking ass. Controller made this so much easier.

[Rocl]

Oh I should add, another reason to use controller is the fact that I was playing on a laptop for the last three years of playing, and using FN+anything to open menus is a pain in the fucking ass. Controller made this so much easier.

Are you dumb? There is a compact keyboard setting. I started playing FFXI on a laptop, and am now once again playing on a laptop. There is no reason you need to hit the FN key at all. I cannot think of a single time I have ever used the FN key to hit anything other than the initial menu opening to change the setting.

[Aksannyi]

I didn't see the need to change my entire keyboard configurations when I switched to laptop when I was already using controller for movement and menu purposes in the first place.

[Ragnus]

Keyboard only here.

[Rocl]

I don't understand. You played on a laptop for 3 years and didn't think it was necessary to make your life easier to play on it? It's not like changing from Full Keyboard setting on FFXI changes anything drastic. I don't see the logic in complaining about a setting you were too lazy to change.

You didn't use FN to open menus, you used a controller. But because if you didn't have a controller, you would have to hit FN once, it sucks. Got it.

[Rocl]

In the long and short of it, I don't care what the hell someone plays with, but I just don't see the logic in shooting down keyboards on the basis of laptops needing to use the FN key when you can change it in 30 seconds.

[Aksannyi]

The laptop was only intended to be temporary while I moved. It turned out to be more long term. I guess I didn't care enough about it to change it because I never expected that I wouldn't return to my PC.

[Kipling]

I played on a laptop for years, but I knew what a pain it would be from playing on my brother's so I made sure I got a laptop with a num pad to avoid that.

[Nirokun!]

; ; Controller but I've been forced to use keyboard for like 2years and it still sucks You cannot run as well, which I think is incredibly important. The faster you move the more time you have to do everything you need to, or, conversely, the faster you get there the sooner you act. The imperfect movements with numpad+direction keys makes it difficult/impossible to see whats behind you while running, which was pretty important before the distance plugin. Easier targeting of alliance members was always good.

I used my controller to do some spells off of macros (L/R Buttons with x), and used the keyboard for some things. It was a good mix. And for people who think that you always had to set your controller down and pick it up, all of that being annoying, it really wasnt. I play with a pillow in my lap and just drop it on the pillow to reach for the keyboard and just pick back up when all my actions are completed. And if I'm not really doing anything intensive, I can just sit back and play using the controller, which is really comfortable/convenient.

[Sho]

Both, but been using keyboard more for the past few years. Time to go back to controller :3

[Mojo]

I will agree that movement is better with a controller. However, I never found movement or camera to be inhibited on a keyboard, just less precise. Never found issues with seeing what was behind me while I was running etc.,

[Dowzer]

Keyboard since I started, I only enjoy controllers for mining or events where I don't use macros. It's just too slow to scroll through the pallete. On a keyboard, even though the pallete takes a second longer to load, you can still fire a macro while that's happening.

For smooth turns with a keyboard you strafe the camera while moving forward. For looking behind you while running, I don't understand why that's a problem, you would do the same thing you do with a controller. Unless for some weird reason you don't auto-run forward while looking behind you.

edit: What Mojo said, not inhibited but less precise. I solo a lot and it's never been an issue.

I admit targetting alliance members used to be difficult on a keyboard. Since they added <stpt> and <stal> that's not a problem anymore.

My friend used to have a keyboard/controller combo, it was awesome till the analog stopped working. This is the exact same one:

http://www.superufo.com/item_photo/item/PS2-0601-L.jpg

[Ksandra]

Side question/note: When you hit Ctrl or Alt to get to Macro pallets, does it always take a moment to bring up the pane ? with my controllers L2/R2 triggers its instant, although I cannot hit a number on the keyboard to use a specific macro (it just types it) and I have to scroll left/right. Any way to change either of these ?

This is one thing that makes me refuse to play a healer job on the keyboard. When I dual boxed the healer was controller only. It drives me nuts I always seem to get lag with the ctr and alt buttons and half the times I'd hit it too fast and the macro wouldn't go off and someone would die. Seriously hate it.

[Fiye]

Keyboard, I try controller every so often, but in the end. This is a MMO, and using a keyboard just feels more natural. Every so often I'll use my mouse, but with the way how the mouse works with windower. Either I'll just tab browse, or just end up doing /assist <p#>, F8, /ma spell <bt>, or something of that sort.

Though, a controller is nice to use every so often, when I just want to kick back and level up a newbie melee DD

[Pikarya]

http://i49.tinypic.com/e0l8j4.jpg + Xpadder + PC