PCgamer: Seriously, how the hell do you aim with a controller?

Milennia · Jul 5, 2020

I grew up with controllers and not KB/M
I'm now a primary PC player for over 7 years and still use a controller for all games outside of strategy and MMO's
I'm a 5.0 K/d in COD on pc with a controller in terms of aiming

Edit: I should be more specific, if an FPS game isn't super fast like COD and has fewer keys for various stuff I will use KB/M, so something like Overwatch where there's your standard WASD and like 3 other buttons
I tend to keybind those other buttons to the mouse, but overwatch is so mechanically simple from a controls standpoint I don't really even do that
Singpleplayer FPS games depend on the amount of useable buttons as well for control input for me

NinjaBoiX · Jul 5, 2020

gogosox82 said:
Its really not hard to precision move with WASD tho just like its not hard to aim with controller with heavy aim assist. You preferring one over the other isn't the same it being bad or difficult to do.

You don't even need heavy aim assist for solid aiming on a pad, especially if the game features fairly slow moving targets. I'm playing TLOU2 which doesn't feature any auto-aim (or so little that it's imperceptible) and it's an absolute joy to aim in that game.

I don't think I'll ever get my head around only being able to move digitally in four directions as opposed to fully analog 360 degree movement with a stick.

Even if you preferred a mouse over the right stick (which I don't) you surely can't argue that you prefer WASD over the left stick.

And that's not even getting into analog triggers, proper buttons instead of keys on a board, gyro, rumble.

To me using M&KB for gaming on a PC would be like a placeholder solution until I bought a pad, "yeah, it just about works repurposing the mouse and keyboard but it's far from ideal".

Rhaya · Jul 5, 2020

No worries fam

Woolie has got a solution .

Mr. Genuine · Jul 5, 2020

It's time to cancel PCGamer.

Deleted member 24118 · Jul 5, 2020

Manfred said:
Reminds me threads we read here, about people jumping into desktop gaming but having hard times with M/KB, something none of us could have think about, but it's absolutely logic. A keyboard hasn't been designed to be a gaming peripheral.

And the focus on "aiming" on this article also show its age when Fortnite or PUBG aren't FPS, and there are a very efficient ways to use movement to target in TPS (you mainly don't move the reticle but your char and the camera just to make slight correction).

Aiming is still much more precise with a mouse in TPSs. A lot of TPSs are wildly easier on PC (getting those headshots in GTAV is crazy easy) and a lot of console games (Horizon, TLOU2, Breath of the Wild, probably more I haven't played) have slow-mo aiming either as an option or directly integrated to make up for the inherent jank. Probably also a reason why so many TPSs are cover-based so the player doesn't have to worry about moving and aiming at the same time.

b00_thegh0st · Jul 5, 2020

Milennia said:
I grew up with controllers and not KB/M
I'm now a primary PC player for over 7 years and still use a controller for all games outside of strategy and MMO's
I'm a 5.0 K/d in COD on pc with a controller in terms of aiming

The truth is it all depends on the game. CoD obviously has a gameplay conceived around stick aiming. Something like Quake, not so much...

Milennia · Jul 5, 2020

b00_thegh0st said:
The truth is it all depends on the game. CoD obviously has a gameplay conceived around stick aiming. Something like Quake, not so much...

Shit I just edited my comment with a response to this kinda lol
But yeah, I play stuff like overwatch and doom with a kb/m

Penny Royal · Jul 5, 2020

HououinKyouma said:
Git gud.

Huehhuehhueh

Polymerization said:
i use whatever the game is designed for

This is the best answer.

IMO I only ever feel like I'm suffering from bad aim when using a controller is FPS (and even then I'm not so bad that it renders games unplayable) and just generally prefer kB/m for strategy games if I can't use a touchscreen for them.

Pretty much everything else I'm more than happy to use something I hold rather than have to sit a desk to use or balance my kB/m on my lap like a TV dinner.

KKRT · Jul 5, 2020

Transistor said:
How in the hell do you precision move with WASD?

There. Equally shitty argument.

I mean, there are games focused around precision movement on PC:

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I cant think about anything similar on this skill level on consoles.

Yuntu · Jul 5, 2020

I genuinly cant aim in FPS games on a controller as well. Sole reason I have a beefy PC tbh so I can play those there.

Reinhardt Schneider · Jul 5, 2020

TheRedSnifit said:
Aiming is still much more precise with a mouse in TPSs. A lot of TPSs are wildly easier on PC (getting those headshots in GTAV is crazy easy) and a lot of console games (Horizon, TLOU2, Breath of the Wild, probably more I haven't played) have slow-mo aiming either as an option or directly integrated to make up for the inherent jank. Probably also a reason why so many TPSs are cover-based so the player doesn't have to worry about moving and aiming at the same time.

Er... Breath of the Wild only has slow mo when aiming while jumping. Not the same as Horizon

Mukrab · Jul 5, 2020

The game does it for you

Cenauru · Jul 5, 2020

Manfred said:
Reminds me threads we read here, about people jumping into desktop gaming but having hard times with M/KB, something none of us could have think about, but it's absolutely logic. A keyboard hasn't been designed to be a gaming peripheral.

And the focus on "aiming" on this article also show its age when Fortnite or PUBG aren't FPS, and there are a very efficient ways to use movement to target in TPS (you mainly don't move the reticle but your char and the camera just to make slight correction).

I still have an easier time on kb+m on third person shooters. Hell, Division 2's raids on console were much harder on launch (no idea if they've been adjusted since) than PC because it was so much harder to precisely aim at weakspots. Tons of people were complaining how the game's balance wasn't adjusted for controller aim at all.

Calibro · Jul 5, 2020

amnesties said:
how? it works perfectly well

It's functional but if I was using a mouse I would be noscoping hollows faaar more effectively haha

softtack · Jul 5, 2020

Spray and pray.

Etrian Darkness said:
Enable gyro

Is that actually a thing?

bes.gen · Jul 5, 2020

just got doom eternal on steam sale.
and comparing to console experience, it controls like a dream with kb/m tbh.
i can actually raise the difficulty now and still be much better.
yeah it can make a huge difference on game to game basis.

erlim · Jul 5, 2020

I didn't read the article, but it seems so click baity. There are certain games for me that feel weird with controllers, even with steam input, like Quake; there are also games that feel bad with kB+m like MCC. It's not a one size fit all argument.

Reinhardt Schneider · Jul 5, 2020

softtack said:
Spray and pray.

Is that actually a thing?

Yep. You can get gyro either by using Steam Input, betterjoycon or DS4Windows.

Steam Input offers a huge amount of config options.

nickfrancis86 · Jul 5, 2020

I was always pretty rubbish with a controller and just assumed I was just bad at FPP games. Started PC gaming a few years ago and I rarely use a controller now. Mostly TPP games, but I'll always try with a mouse first though, RDR2 with a mouse isn't a great experience but I really like RE2/3 with a mouse.

I do agree there are certain aspects of each method that are superior to its counterpart though. Each to their own I, find what works for you.

softtack · Jul 5, 2020

Reinhardt Schneider said:
Yep. You can get gyro either by using Steam Input, betterjoycon or DS4Windows.

Steam Input offers a huge amount of config options.

That could help a great deal with third person Resident Evil games. Thanks, I may have to try that.

JustinH · Jul 5, 2020

I don't understand why they'd drudge up this old articled by retweeting in, unless one of the PCGamer editors got upset he died because he died in a PS4 game or something.

I find it so much easier to aim with mouse/keyboard, but even still I generally prefer to play with a controller on my PC because I can play in a "more relaxed posture" if you know what I'm sayin'...

Ploid 6.0 · Jul 5, 2020

softtack said:
Spray and pray.

Is that actually a thing?

Other's were mentioned above, and there is also reWASD. It seems better than Steam Input, allows for 2x Joycons, Controller + Mouse + keyboard configs (all together as one, like 2x joycons) and it it's separate from a game launcher (Steam Input can be a pain to get working for non Steam games). Though it has a price.

Observable · Jul 5, 2020

Weird to see the article being reposted, must have needed some clicks.

I will say though, Fortnite recently reduced Aim Assist by 75% for players on PC with high framerates, and after adjusting for a couple of nights, my aim is pretty much back to normal. Aiming is perfectly possible even without gyro and little to no aim assist as long as your aim doesn't have to be pixel perfect and you have little to no input delay. Games like Fortnite, Call of Duty, Battlefield should be no problem. Counter Strike at a high level though? No.

Video Kojima · Jul 5, 2020

Baby's first PC.

softtack · Jul 5, 2020

Ploid 6.0 said:
Other's were mentioned above, and there is also reWASD. It seems better than Steam Input, allows for 2x Joycons, Controller + Mouse + keyboard configs (all together as one, like 2x joycons) and it it's separate from a game launcher (Steam Input can be a pain to get working for non Steam games). Though it has a price.

Thanks, I'll have a look into it.

Res-bot · Jul 5, 2020

Oh crap, they found us out. Console Gamers have really just been faking it this whole time. We just sit in front of the tv for a bit admiring the game menu. Sometimes we waggle the controller around pretend playing while watching a game trailer then we go on forums and brag about our 'gaming'.

Biteren · Jul 5, 2020

How do do you aim with a controller?
Use your thumbs ya dingus!!!

For your health!

Verchod · Jul 5, 2020

Just don't be a Twat.

I use both. The only thing better about using KB+M is the mouse bit. Keyboard is shit. Yeah you have loads of extra keys for stuff but it's not ergonomic, half the keys are miles away.

The fact that you have two analogue joysticks makes the gamepad superior for me for most games. That's more important. Not speed

oriic · Jul 5, 2020

Icemonk191 said:
Seriously, how the hell do you aim with a controller?

After mouse and keyboard, I can never go back.

www.pcgamer.com

PCgamer having a boomer moment

Hey PCGamer! Shocking thing: I play FPS games with controller... ON PC! :D Without aim assist!

Pegasus Actual · Jul 5, 2020

Gamepad FPS controls are indeed pretty trash. I'm kind of interested in the flickstick stuff that people keep hyping. God knows the console space could use a revolution in aim controls... speaking of Revolution.... I've got to admit shooters on the Wii controlled far better in general than dual thumbstick garbo.

The DualShock becoming the de facto layout for gaming is great for multiplatform standardization but harmful for just about everything else. It's the "Homer designs a car" of gaming input.

Fishook · Jul 5, 2020

I can use a pad perfectly ok for basic stuff, but as soon as involves something complex then I am completely useless. Playing anything other than easy is just pure frustration for me. Where I can use a M+K no problems but the vast majority of gaming life has been using PC's .

Zojirushi · Jul 5, 2020

I exclusively use controllers for PC gaming, works pretty well.

Castia · Jul 5, 2020

I'm shit at shooters on consoles these days, too many years playing m&kb on PC.

Pads are great for some games though especially driving/sports game and single player 3rd person games etc.

Akira86 · Jul 5, 2020

trap and lock with a combination of character movement and camera control, and then firing when the targeting reticle is over the target.

Velikost · Jul 5, 2020

Reactionary takes to bait headline: the thread

TheRulingRing · Jul 5, 2020

KB&M is obviously more accurate for aiming, but it's just so damn uncomfortable for long periods.

Plus any time couch gaming comes up someone will undoubtedly bring up some dumbass idea like "oh just put your KB&M on this plank of wood over the arms of your couch!!" like that isn't the weirdest thing ever.

BlackManLovesKUF · Jul 5, 2020

I grew up using Gamepads instead of KBM (didn't own a PC until college) so obviously that colors my preference. I exclusively use Gamepads on PC no matter what game it is including shooters and RTS/strategy games. Great thing about gaming is that there are options so to each their own.

Cipherr · Jul 5, 2020

Transistor said:
How in the hell do you precision move with WASD?

There. Equally shitty argument.

Shitty? Honestly I think thats perfectly reasonable? As a PC gamer the mouse is just so granular and accurate, but unless I use an analog addon (which is easy enough) I wholesale lose that analog movement that I can get with a controller. The two having things they do better versus the other save for additional hardware or options seems reasonable to me.

Asklepios · Jul 5, 2020

With the D-pad Duh.

But as someone pointed it out this article is a year old.

johancruijff · Jul 5, 2020

i just can't, god knows i tried

Bulebule · Jul 5, 2020

I really do hope they make shooting more comfortable on next gen consoles though. Gyro aiming would be great Can't really play newest games on my potato PC and don't really care for upgrading it.

Lukemia SL · Jul 5, 2020

Who remembers an article/game review, a really old one where they were talking about aiming with the analog stick for the first time or something? I think it was a gamespot review.

But seriously I play Doom Eternal without auto aim like a champ, I don't get this take.
WASD is more wonky to me.

Reinhardt Schneider · Jul 5, 2020

Asklepios said:
With the D-pad Duh.

But as someone pointed it out this article is a year old.

Even one year ago it was a stupid article to make

One year ago Steam Input was already working in full force. One year ago, i was playing Doom 2016, Quake and Quake II with a Dual Shock 4, using gyro and massacring otherworldly beings like it's nothing.

I have read the "article" and it reeks of ignorance and preaching to the PC mashtahrrace choir.

While i agree on Dual Stick aiming being clunky and imprecise, if you have a gyro enabled controller, aiming shouldn't be an issue.

Pargon · Jul 5, 2020

Sony really needs to standardize gyro aiming on the PS5 - and show Microsoft how bad a decision they made by excluding one from the XSX controller.
That alone would convince me to buy a PS5 instead of an XSX if I was deciding between the two.

Analog sticks are just frustrating to use for aiming. With a keyboard and mouse, I'm never thinking about my inputs - it's completely natural.

TheRulingRing said:
KB&M is obviously more accurate for aiming, but it's just so damn uncomfortable for long periods.
Plus any time couch gaming comes up someone will undoubtedly bring up some dumbass idea like "oh just put your KB&M on this plank of wood over the arms of your couch!!" like that isn't the weirdest thing ever.

🤷‍♀️(Corsair K63 lapboard)

Tommcatt said:
I feel like there used to be a thing Razer made that had a thumb stick for movement.
Edit: Yeah the Razr Tartarus!

OtterX said:
I've thought about the Tartarus. If I went full ham on PC gaming, I'd probably give one a go. Once Apex goes cross play/cross progression this fall, I might do it. It probably doesn't help I have a mushy $20 Microsoft keyboard lol

FYI these Razer devices use a microswitched thumb pad, not an analog stick.
You're still going to be using WASD for movement - that thumb pad is for things like weapon selection (mapped to 1-8).
And you probably wouldn't want an analog stick there either. Logitech's G13 had one, and the ergonomics were bad.

softtack said:
That could help a great deal with third person Resident Evil games. Thanks, I may have to try that.

Unfortunately the recent Resident Evil games, both 2 and 3, have deadzones and bad negative acceleration - which really makes mouse aiming (and thus gyro aiming) far worse than it should be.

Kydd BlaZe · Jul 5, 2020

Transistor said:
How in the hell do you precision move with WASD?

There. Equally shitty argument.

This.

For the life of me, I can never get used to moving a character around with WASD and the using the keyboard for crouch, sprinting, etc. It just feels so rigid and awkward. I will always prefer a controller.

jelly · Jul 5, 2020

Playing a FPS on a controller for the first time was difficult for me, looking at the ground, just moving the left stick and trying to land the reticle that way but you soon get over that hill and it's fine.

OgTheEnigma · Jul 5, 2020

How do you use a mouse & keyboard standing up, or in a recliner chair?

/s

Sanka · Jul 5, 2020

Literally who gives a shit as long as it's enjoyable. Mouse and keyboard have always been better and everyone knows this.

subpar spatula · Jul 5, 2020

Controller FPS is really pointless unless you play with everyone who has a controller or are in a single player game. I am surprised the peripherals for consoles hasn't evolved yet.

mogwai00 · Jul 5, 2020

Without auto-aim, where possible

PCgamer: Seriously, how the hell do you aim with a controller?

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