, blog about the 
I never thought I'd say this, but I have found an FPS that I prefer to play on console rather than on PC. The game is of course Call of Duty 4. I have previously written about how much better COD4's controls are compared with other Xbox 360 FPSs, but it was only recently that I had the chance to experience COD4 on PC. The venue was a LAN cafe in Canberra, where I joined around 30 of my workmates for an extended COD4-session. After the usual reconfiguring of controls, I began playing - confident that my previous experience with the game would hold me in good stead. But something was wrong, I just couldn't get comfortable with the controls - a first for me on a PC shooter. Perhaps it was the lack of additional buttons on the mouse to assign various controls to, but I found that I didn't have enough fingers on my left hand to comfortably access all the functions I needed. Try as I might I couldn't reconfigure the keys any better, leaving me with the shocking revelation: Call of Duty 4 on console is superior to the PC version. The Xbox 360 controller provides much faster and more convenient access to the controls you need, while not sacrificing aiming accuracy - the scourge of the console FPS since time immemorial. I'm no PC FPS n00b - having played more than my fair share over the years - so this conclusion is as much of a shock to me as it is to you. It's a good shock mind-you, as it overcomes one of the last remaining bastions of PC gaming superiority... :)
Saturday, February 23, 2008
COD4: Xbox 360 Controller > PC's Mouse and Keyboard
(image from gadgetsandgames.co.uk)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
37 comments:
wow, that's almost blasphemy ;)
I JUST installed COD4 on my PC, and I have an Xbox controller for my PC, works GREAT w/ Halo2, but It won't work with COD4!!! I'm SOOOO heated. WTF, who thought this up! Is there a workaround to use the controller? I don't even own an Xbox.
HELP!
harry, the xbox controller unfortunately only works flawlessly with Microsoft games like Halo2, Gears of War, Shadowrun
Download xpadder from xpadder.com
And map the keys
As much as I see your point, I had quite the opposite experience from yours. I started on the PC COD4 and recently had a chance to try the xbox version. I must say I couldn't get used to the controllers and prefer the PC's Keyboard and mouse. Not to say which one is better or worse ,
I think it is just a matter of getting used the controls.
Yeah anonymous, I guess you're right. I was just pleasantly surprised that a console FPS could have controls that rival a traditional PC with mouse and keyboard.
Are you crazy? The PC version lets you create your own class, has more guns, more maps, and more options period. The xbox 360 one doesn't let you do shit, infact the graphics are even better on computer. Personally if someone thinks the xbox360 version is better, I cannot believe that.
What have you been smoking sir?
Played both game on 360 and PC. and you're wrong. If you feel the keyboard mapping is not working for you, change it.
You do know the reason why there's no official support for keyboard and mouse on the 360? Because keyboard and mouse is better than controller.
my worst day with a mouse can still be above average when compares to controller users.
I have COD4 on my dell xps 630i and xbox 360. I agree with eveyrhting you have said, the xbox controler is ten times better. You have triggers for shooting, i could aim better with the controller because i actually didnt have to physically move my hand, all the buttons are right there, 10times faster then any keyboard no matter what anyone else says! right there all the time, never had to look down. having to move my fingers around my keyboard is so anoying!!!!!!
I'm glad to hear that someone else agrees with me - thanks anonymous! :) And thanks to all others who have posted comments, no mater what your point of view. It's always interesting to hear another opinion. Even if you're wrong ;)
Works good on both, but prefer playing a game on a 47" HDTV :)
And i've played CoD4 more on the Xbox360 than on PC so im better on the Box :)
So i agree with Ferris
Thanks.
I dream of playing COD4 on a 47" HDTV... :)
Well Ferris GTI, while I disagree with you on this I'm glad you're enjoying it. So I guess you wouldn't mind mouse and keyboard opponents then?
It is time, well overdue infact, for mouse and keyboard on the 360. Bravo to Epic for putting it in Unreal Tournament 3 on the PS3. The problem was that nobody cared because it was the wrong game and the wrong platform.
We need a standalone version of Team Fortress 2 on Live marketplace with full mouse/keyboard intergration. It would sell like hotcakes. It would also would decapitate the 'games for windows' platform like the moronic joke that it is.
Thanks for the comment BigTexasButters! You know, it might not be as unbalanced as you think having some ppl play COD4 with Xbox 360 controller alongside ppl using mouse and keyboard. As long as the mouse+keyboard users don't have the benefit of 'aim assist' that controller users experience, then I think it might be a fairly even battle.
And I agree with you about TF2, and that having a mouse+keyboard option for 360 games would eat into the PC gaming market. Why bother to keep your gaming PC up to date when you can buy a 360 and play the same PC games you are used to, with the benefit of controls you are familiar with? ...
Ferris, that fact that you state "As long as the mouse+keyboard users don't have the benefit of 'aim assist' that controller users experience" is an admission to the superiority of a keyboard+mouse scheme over an analog controller. The most important aspect of any FPS experience is aiming. In a multiplayer environment, you have to be able to move and aim simultaneously. Analog controllers are just too damn cumbersome and lack the precision to perform the bread and butter of any FPS, hence the reason why any FPS on consoles add auto-aiming... and it still feels like molasses. Yes, it's nice that grenades are mapped to the shoulder buttons, but then again is it really that difficult to barely having to reach over to F on keyboard using the tradition WSAD layout?
You make some good points Anonymous, and I agree with you that mouse+keyboard is technically superior, but I still *prefer* COD4 on an Xbox controller. I think they way they implemented auto-aim is perfect- it doesn't do too much for the player, but just enough to take away the usual frustrations associated with playing FPSs on console. For other console FPSs I'd completely agree with you- mouse and keyboard are easily the best controls, but with COD4 I feel the opposite.
I dunno about anybody else but moving my thumb around instad of my whole hand gives me a tonne more precision. I can't aim for shit with a mouse [wsad controls are fine..just the mouse] but with a controller..headshots on halo all the damn time. People don't even get a chance to breathe. The trigger also feels a whole lot better than clicking a mouse. And I don't care what anybody says but reaching over to press a key is just godamn annoying, even if it is just a little bit...we shouldn't have to reach at all and thanks to the controller...we don't.
I'd like to see how mouse/board and gamepad players go together in an FPS. I know shadowrun tried it, but well...that was rubbish.
I don't think mouse and keyboard would dominate like people fear. I would do better than I do on a gamepad, however, I would still get schooled by veteran or even average gamepad players. Key difference is I (and other ex-pat PC gamers) would be enjoying the good FPS games on the 360 (/ps3). Simple enjoyment...is that such a crime?
Some good points made here. I am a PC FPS CoD4/CoD5 gamer but it's so expensive to keep up with hardware, you pay about three times the price of an xbox just for a gpu these days, it's insane.
Plus my friends are on xbox360 and it's just so convenient, with the voice chat and pick up and playability, not too mention how much nicer the graphics look on the xbox.
I am researching whether I can use keyboard+mouse on CoD4/CoD5 on the x360, DOES ANYONE KNOW IF THIS IS POSSIBLE?
To anyone who says "if you have to reach over to press a key it's stupid" you're missing the point that you don't really have to reach over much if you have a good keyboard/mouse button mapping, it's second nature and just as fast as a gamepad IMO.
I am open to the idea of the gamepad being a good control for CoD4/5 but I don't want to be stuck with it as my only option becuase I have spent time devloping my mousing skills and would have to re-learn what does seem to be an inferior aiming system IMO.
Jerry
My biggest obstetrical that Im having trouble with on the XBOX and COD is the look move control is different
On the PC when you look left or right the move forward follows (forward is now that direction)Is there a fix for this?
I play any fps better with controller. When I go to play on computer, I bring my 360 controller. Maybe its just because I'm really good with controller and not that good with mouse. I guarantee I will beat anyone on halo 2 using my controller on PC
Hey Harry there is a way round where you can use a controller its called xpadder and it allows you to assign the keys from the keyboard to the controller hope this helps. I have posted the site below
www.xpadder.com
Enjoy
Well i think that both the xbox controller and the keyboard and mouse are good. but i find i am hell of a lot quicker with the mouse for aiming and would much move my whole hand than my thumb. i also find that it is pretty much impossible to be quick and be good at aiming with the xbox controller without aim assist which is why i would not recommend using xpadder because keyboard and mouse is a hell of a lot better.
i've been reading this comment wtf is wrong with you people... read this carefully no matter what u say some people are good with controllers and some people are born to be god damn good at the key board and a mouse.... so theres no a big deal about it.... about the graphics xbox 360 and a pc cod 4 theres not much diff. if u dont believe me see it for urself....... to all game freaks out there if youre a real gamer you know what im sayin right..... specialy to all hackers lolz see you guys peace out and be all your x box 360 and desktop gaming be safe...... merry xmas lolz
well as far as gaming goes i prefer to use a controller because im less likeley to get tendonitis or some nerve damage to my wrist. and although the graphics and gameplay is better on the pc the controls are much easier for the 360
lol this is the first forum where people are not asking : WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO PLAY ON YOUR PC WITH MOUSE AND KEYBOARD ! i hate when poelple are saying that because when i use the mouse to shoot the screen go to fast and it make me headache also my screen is a 26 ' so my k/m dont go as far as i should be from the screen with a 360 controller
only unskilled noob can say that
I haven't bothered to read all the various comments but because I don't have to register and login, I'll say my piece;
There is no way on this earth that ANYONE on a noobstick controller can beat me on a mouse & keyboard. If we both know the map, I'll hand them their arse almost every time.
Thinking about it, maybe not every time in all honesty, but easily 90-95% of the time. Speed and accuracy of the mouse is far better, and much easier to me as I've never got to grips with a controller much. It makes me able to spipn around and check my angles far quicker than a controller. People like to put their killstreaks and whatnot on Youtube but I still haven't seen anyone with a controller react or as be as aware of what's going on around them as someone with a mouse.
This is an indisputable fact and I will leave it there.
I'm a xbox users and xbox controller users. But I'm in the process of getting a mouse/keyboard adapter to test out which I like better. I have a nice 42" tv which I can lye in bed and play. I think accuracy might improve, but I might be rusty in moving around like I do with the controller. It will be interesting to see the results. I like to have a good kill death ratio. Wonder if it will improve or fail. "II TRIGGER xx"
II TRIGGER xx...
I'd be interested in hearing how you get on with that adapter. If you ever come back here and read this..
Hey Guys. Trigger here again. I bought the MAX Shooter adapter, and sadly to say. I couldnt get used to it. I bought a brand new Logitech gaming mouse, and the settings were to difficult to control. Moving the mouse 1mm to the right. the + in the screen would move an inch. I played around with 3 different mouses and still had the same problem as the gaming mouse had up to 1400dpi. A friend suggested maybe getting a BALL MOUSE, but by this time I just went back to the controller. So sadly to say the only joy i got was getting my money back when selling it on ebay. And the mouse I bought on ebay was itemed as cordless. but it wasnt, so I got my money back on that also. Im not sure what I was doing anything wrong. But i was trying to set the settings on the adapter, and using sensitivity with the ingame settings and just had no joy. the keys were easy to map to the keyboard, and the turbo buttons did work. with using and 3 burst weapon like the M16 becoming fully auto. So I guess its not a postive post.
LOL, yeah, that's why all the FPS pros use gamepads, right?
Wow im a little late here commenting 2 years later, but i think the xbox 360 controller is easier to get used to than a keyboard and mouse, but if u can actually get used to the keyboard and mouse then ur just a bit better than controller users. However, i use the controller and it still works really well.
Never too late to comment Calvin, thanks for stopping by :)
Hi
The Wii controllers for CoD beat both the keyboard and X-Box controllers hands down, IMHO. (I have all 3)
Wii just feels so much more natural to me.
Just a shame the graphics aren't as pretty.
~Luth
Very late on this one but.....I have always been and still am a die hard console Sony Fan boy. I tended to avoid PC FPS's for the longest time because i knew that if i ever got into Counter Strike or Rainbow Six, I'd be hooked and have to spend ridiculous amounts of money on upgrades. Heck I used to use a PS2 (logitec) PC controller at friends house's for their PC games, and didnt do too bad. 2 years ago i caved and started playing Urban Terror (pc). After i got the button mapping and movement down it was a whole new world! 100% control (someone shooting at you from behind? whip the mouse and pull a 180° turn in a split second!)... My current roommate has COD:4 for the Wii. i caved (again) and bought an xbox360 w/ COD:4. He likes the wii version more due to familiarity (owned it since day 1), but also cause he uses Cabela's Big Game Hunter Shotgun or Rifle, rather than the controller, which is almost like a mouses control, just weird to get use to. I can't get the xbox's controller sensitivity exactly where i want it (i.e: im offered a setting of 1 or 2, but i need 1.25 or 1.55).
So, coming from a 20yr console gamer, I have to agree with the PC community on this...But as you said that was your opinion of the game, i love the graphics of the xbox, but there's no going back now... All i ever think about is how much A$$ id kick if i had a good mouse/keyboard setup.
You can have your assisted aim. PC gamers have hand eye co-ordination and it would be a good match up...
Fair call Anonymous, and thanks for posting. Even though I now have a laptop capable of playing the latest games, I still find I prefer to sit back on my couch and play console FPSs. The difficult choice looming is what format to buy Battlefield 3 on... 360, PS3 or PC? Advantages and disadvantages to weigh up... not going to be an easy choice!
Post a Comment