What control scheme do you use for old-school-type PC games?

[Plastiware]

I've noticed that for a lot of keyboard-based sidescrollers, a very common control scheme is to use the arrow keys to move, and the X and Z keys to jump and attack.  However, exactly which key is the "jump" key and which one is the "attack" key isn't consistent.  Cave Story even gives players the option to reverse these keys.  A common variation on this is to use the A and S keys as the jump and attack buttons, and the same inconsistency seems to apply.  A third variation, and apparently the default controls for many games made with Clickteam products, is to use Shift for jump and Ctrl for attack.  And then there are people who use WASD or even gamepads to play these kinds of games.

It got me thinking, just what is more common?  So I bring the question to you, BLF.  How do you prefer to play PC sidescrollers and emulators?

[Ad Bot]

[Kochieboy]

Just get a logitech contoller.

[Tudoreleu]

I got a Cyber ripoff of a PS2 controller here.

[Plastiware]

Just get a logitech contoller.

No?  I'm not asking for control scheme recommendations, I want to know which ones people prefer to use.

Personally, I prefer to use a keyboard.  Gamepads just don't feel right anymore.

[Kochieboy]

No?  I'm not asking for control scheme recommendations, I want to know which ones people prefer to use.

Personally, I prefer to use a keyboard.  Gamepads just don't feel right anymore.

Console emulations don't have proper flow or control without a gamepad, IMO.

[Demian]

RDFG for movement; SW for AB; and QA, ZXC, ET, left alt, and space for various other keys.

Why would anyone use arrows keys. This way you have access to way more keys. I use this setup for any game that doesn't use the mouse.

[Regulith]

Controller, keyboard feels wrong

I use my SNES controller whenever possible and Xbox for everything else

[Plastiware]

RDFG for movement; SW for AB; and QA, ZXC, ET, left alt, and space for various other keys.

Why would anyone use arrows keys. This way you have access to way more keys. I use this setup for any game that doesn't use the mouse.

That is perhaps the strangest control scheme I've ever seen.

Why not use the arrow keys?  Why would you even need that many freaking keys?  If I'm playing a sidescroller or something, it feels more natural and uncluttered to use one hand for basic movement (arrows), and the other hand for actions (Z, X, A, S, etc).  It's a lot like a gamepad that way, though I've grown so used to using keyboards I'm not nearly as good if I use an actual gamepad.

[Bisjac]

the only time the arrow keys have ever justifiably been used in pc gaming history, is back when there were first person shooters, but no mice.

[Tudoreleu]

the only time the arrow keys have ever justifiably been used in pc gaming history, is back when there were first person shooters, but no mice.

hell, I just played deus ex recently and a large part of the keys were taken up by camera keys

F centered the camera, I think C, X and some other keys moved it

[Cybertails1998]

ZX for AB master race

[TristanLuigi]

RDFG for movement; SW for AB; and QA, ZXC, ET, left alt, and space for various other keys.

Why would anyone use arrows keys. This way you have access to way more keys. I use this setup for any game that doesn't use the mouse.

what kind of inhuman beast are you
WHO USES RDFG*

I use WASD for pretty much everything rebindable. Space to jump (A), Shift to run/attack (B). Q and E make for nice extra buttons. If I had a second choice, it would be arrow keys + Z and X . Z for B and X for A. On a Nintendo 64 emulator, I use Z for Z, X for A, and C for B.

*admittedly I can see this being very useful

[Demian]

Why would you even need that many freaking keys?

With some games I've actually needed more than 4 extra keys. For example the PS controller has the d-pad = RDFG, 4 symbol keys = SWQA, shoulder buttons = ET, Start & Select = space & lalt, then if the emulator needs extra keys for something = ZXCVB etc.

what kind of inhuman beast are you
WHO USES RDFG*

What's wrong with it? It has the same layout as WASD.

[Zanaran2]

I use WASD like a normal goddamn person