Controller Vs. Keyboard, LFG...

While I love my controller, this is certainly a downside. Either play plugged in or watch your battery/cable/connections! I've had a few times where my controller *** up and I had to switch to keyboard to try, and often fail, to avoid death or failing a run.

Keyboard User: I'm a typist that does 500 words per minute with perfect accuracy so clearly that is the minimum proficiency of every keyboard user.

You can't move camera and move avatar without pressing down 4 different keys, one with your pinky, and then also having to press ctrl/alt for macros on top of that.

That's a one way ticket to carpal tunnel syndrome for me. Already have RSI on both wrists, don't need more.

It's just not comfortable. So you make do. You get really good at dropping the controller real quick to type a couple words at a time.

You can have more than one spell on one macro you know. Or just, type. Controller users have keyboards too.

Right hand on numpad. Right thumb works camera. Left hand set up with macro combinations using the 12 keys surrounding home row and modifiers. No strange stretching or carpal tunnel, near-infinite macro combinations, only have to move your right hand to begin typing.

Plus, your left hand is free while doing missions and light content. You can switch targets with numpad0 and engage and talk with np-enter.

What numpad. Haven't used one of those in over a decade.

skill issue

Cool story bro, but apples to oranges in regards to the discussion.

No, I literally do not have a numpad on any keyboard. Physical issue.

And no, I don't want one.

Two keyboard dealbreakers for me:
1-lack of numpad
2-those compact keyboards that half-size the up and down arrow. example

My home keyboard is a split ergonomic without numpad and space/enter are thumb keys in the center. Due to RSI, regular straight keyboards hurt my wrists.

Seriously though, this sounds like fighting game players. The classic "stick > controller" argument, which has now turned into "stick too slow, leverless controller is the only way". And then there are weirdo keyboard players, bat top versus ball top stick debates, which buttons are best, etc, etc, etc. I once competed in Super Street Fighter IV at Evo with a USB Sega Saturn pad, and despite that being in the "stick is the only way" era, I won a couple matches.

As many have said, play with what works for you. Bard should have to use a guitar controller though.

This is the also the worst debate we've had here for a while, and that's saying something!

Aight so you just out here trolling I guess. Anyways.

Having Rockband notes you have to hit come across your screen for your song to work. THAT would actually make me play bard

Interesting discussion here actually.

I'm some weird hybrid? Started with PS2 release so was 100% controller for several years before finally getting a keyboard. This game is actually what made me learn how to type proficiently! Kinda sad now that I think about it...

Anywho, I'm that weirdo that casts almost all spells through the menu. In order to make it... "Sane" I painstakingly organized every spell with high-priority spells at the top and bottoms of the list and certain spells set into specific groups as "Pages"? (where you press right or left on the D-Pad to move a whole spell page) For example, as a RDM main Dia/Cures and such are always at the top, Dispel/Sleep/Stuns are at the very bottom, Enfeebles are set at two pages down from the top and Refresh/Haste/Phalanx is always at three pages from the top and Nukes are two pages from the bottom. Now that Gearswap is a thing I replaced all of my F-Key functions with macros to make everything even easier for my weird style - never used the F-keys anyway so why not?

I've only ever macroed specific high-frequency spells like Stun/Sleepga/Etc and the rest were all equip-swaps and thats kinda just stayed like that forever. I've never suffered any performance from it either, have always been a 3% player for most of the game but I had to go well out of my way to make it work so the argument could be made that I'm just a nut job. Controller healing back in the day sucked because of blinking but with Blink-Me-Not and Lockstyles its much easier to do. I still hate doing it with a passion though because it puts me to sleep very very quickly.

Thats what I've been using. I will concede that a Keyboard will probably be the pennacle for FFXI (Just look up Arislan's Luas, the guy has his Keyboard mapped out like a damn Piano!) but I like my little system.

OK sure but not everyone has a RSI and a specialized keyboard. For most people, they have a numpad and can easily move the camera while moving their character with a single hand without stretching much, if at all.

I could say I only have 3 fingers so I can't hold a controller, that isn't meaningful for a broad discussion about the general use case of one vs the other.

You can also (somehow?) use WASD to move, and IDK what for the camera. The best option (IMO) is 8462 to move your character, 7 to auto-run, and arrow keys for the camera. Not that there's commonly a lot of reasons to adjust the camera in the first place, but if I ever need to adjust it while running around, I can easily do so with the same hand that's controlling my character without any acrobatics at all, and I have normal, barely-larger-than-Trump's hands which are MORE than large enough for a standard size, normal, has-a-numpad keyboard. The numpad/arrow keys on my KB are like...within 3 inches of each other, from end-to-end?

But can you drink a glass of water with only 1 hand? Jokes aside, FFXI has an aging population so carpal and small motor injuries are coming for some of us. If anything I'd say the most important thing is that people use what is comfortable and then develop it to the point that you can play at a high level that is sustainable.

Yes, as above. Using a regular keyboard is what gave me RSI in the first place.

OK, I understand all of that, but once again this is a /thread moment. I guess it should have just never been a topic of discussion at all if it eventually boils down to "do what works best for you."

If you have a medical condition that doesn't allow you to use a KB or a controller, obviously don't use that input method. If you have no thumbs, you probably don't want to use 2 joysticks to control your character. If you are Andre the giant, you probably won't be comfortable with a PS2 controller in your hands (though you may have typing problems too, IDK never met the guy).

If we're going to have a discussion about the pros and cons of each method of control though, I think we have to assume people have no medical conditions precluding them from using normal keyboards or normal controllers. Sorry if you can't use those, it's not really a factor in discussion of the pros and cons of the two.

Imagine discussing the advantages of wearing glasses vs contact lenses and then someone comes in and says "well, I can't wear contact lenses because I have an astigmatism, so I wear glasses." This adds exactly 0 to the conversation and is a pointless diversion.

I would also point out that 'using a keyboard' does not inherently give you RSI. Plenty of high-quality studies to indicate that hand exercises and proper nutrition will drastically reduce the chance of developing those sort of conditions, and can even reverse them after the fact in many cases. Y'know, just in case someone tries to take this to the logical conclusion of 'keyboard bad because it causes injuries'.

This is still the obvious conclusion, I have nothing against controller players and firmly believe that they can perform just as well as keyboard players in any possible situation if they have spent the time to appropriately configure everything and use an addon to allow for button combination macros rather than the awful built-in scroll selection.

It's not a "can't". It's a "not comfortable".

Call it preference or whatever you want, it doesn't matter. You can be good with using a controller by blowing split down some tubes, it doesn't matter.

Whatever works for you.

call me an ableist, but i will not be inviting the spittuber to my party

This is what you use to play FFXI

This thread was finally worth it <3 That was a good laugh.

I used to play with a Vanilla player that legitimately used foot pedals to control their alts.

Good player too.

Bonkers mad, but good.

Controllers are for kids.

Keyboards are for pros.

The average XI keyboard player:



Just remember - if you are offended by it, it is you.

WTF. Please explain this to me. What could you possibly need that can't be done with a controller? How is it ANY different than having macros set or using gearswap?

A player will have the same problem if they don't have a macro set up, regardless of a controller or KBM. This is one of the weirdest things I've ever read here. The fact that this is even a discussion is wild. This is a game that requires MINIMAL action, a controller is perfectly fine for the game lol. At worst, it requires a little extra time to navigate macros without shortcuts across different hot bars - but that is an easy thing to navigate. I hate to break it to you guys but this game is anything but demanding for actions, especially with gearswap and proper macro setup.

I am convinced that you people have lost your minds.

People who play FFXI with a controller are sitting in front of a keyboard too.

Wow.

The idea is that, lets just say for whatever reason I need a Dancing Edge and don't have a macro.

I can just type //de or I can just hit control+W

Instead of going in the battle menu, confirming abilities, confirming weaponskills, scrolling down and confirming de

Or a feather Step, it's as fast as typing //feather as opposed to opening 3 menus

Maybe "I forgot an impact macro" //equip body //impact or go menu hunting into gear, find out what wardrobe crep is in, then magic menu

Or oh ***I just got doomed, have to find my holy waters... or just type //holywater and the addons move it into your inventory for you

It's faster to fix a *** up (well just don't *** up in the first place)

And yes, anyone with a controller also has a keyboard. But youve got to put your feet down, set the controller down, scoot in to reach the kb, then type.