abfarid

joined 1 year ago
[–] abfarid@startrek.website 7 points 1 month ago (9 children)

You're missing my point and just sticking to the usual false dichotomy of KBM vs. gamepads. I'm saying, we should come up with something better than a device designed for entering text, and I didn't even criticize mice. Keyboard isn't and can't be "optimal" gaming device because that's not its purpose, and it's not what it was optimized for. Games just adapted to accommodate the devices already included with every PC, with varying degrees of success. That is just a fact, not an opinion. Keyboards weren't made for playing games, we just adapted to using them, therefore they aren't optimal.

Which means that we are yet to develop the optimal device for gaming to use in conjunction with the mouse, one that was designed specifically for that purpose. Just because you "don’t know what else would be better when combined with the mouse" (quote from your other comment) it doesn't mean that nobody can design something better.

Yes, controller are purpose built for gaming, and they are definitely far superior in a lot of game genres. But mouse still is better for precision control, be it aiming a gun or selecting a unit. And keyboard is holding it back, because it's just an unoptimized row of buttons.

[–] abfarid@startrek.website 2 points 1 month ago

That's not stupid, that's malicious. Well, and stupid, but malicious first.

[–] abfarid@startrek.website 3 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Yes! That's the kind of stuff I hope goes mainstream and supported more. Something purpose-built not for typing, but for gaming.

And I'm sure it would be quite comfortable to have a TKL (or some other compact KB) between that and a mouse and switch between inputs when necessary.

[–] abfarid@startrek.website 3 points 1 month ago

I aspire to git gud one day.

[–] abfarid@startrek.website 12 points 1 month ago (19 children)

Notice, that I didn't say it's impossible to use KB for gaming, I just said (or implied) that it's not optimal. It's not good, it's just what we have and what we are used to, and there's a lot of room for improvement. And I say this as a PC gamer of 30+ years. So much so that when I lay my hand on a keyboard it automatically assumes the WASD position, even if I intend to type.

And I'm glad that I brought this perspective to your attention, because we often don't question what we are used to since childhood. Hopefully, these discussions will eventually bring us something better, that we have not yet thought of.

[–] abfarid@startrek.website 3 points 1 month ago (2 children)

I specifically mentioned those special cases. It's obviously nearly impossible to play RTS and MMORPGs with a controller effectively. And of course another reason we use keyboards is that some games are just text input/typing-heavy, it would be mighty inconvenient switching to and from another input method very often.

But I also think that it's easy to argue the point that the device designed with the sole purpose of entering text is not optimal for navigating characters in 2D/3D space. Something better just hasn't come along yet or it hasn't been popularized enough. An improved mouse design could also offload a lot of inputs from the kb hand, like those MMORPG mice with macro buttons. There's definitely room for improvement.

[–] abfarid@startrek.website 2 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Maybe, but you'd have to wash shitstains even off regular opaque stall walls. In fact, I can see how it would be easier to do with glass walls, as glass isn't porous, unlike the usual materials that are used for this purpose.

[–] abfarid@startrek.website -1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

As I said, except special occasions. But ultimately, it's still not perfect for anything but typing-heavy games. I can probably imagine a better propriety input method even for RTS that would forgo finger gymnastics.

[–] abfarid@startrek.website 1 points 1 month ago (4 children)

Hopefully, it's not a routine procedure, seeing as the shitter is in the opposite direction from the glass.

[–] abfarid@startrek.website 22 points 1 month ago (62 children)

Can we all please admit that we merely tolerate keyboard as a gaming input device because of the precision that mouse provides? (Except maybe some special cases, like RTS) It's a glorified typewriter, and we (PC gamers) use it only because at some point, it was all that we had and we just got used to it. There must be something better than a panel of buttons.

[–] abfarid@startrek.website 4 points 1 month ago (6 children)

Yeah, removing greasy hand prints is probably an extra chore.

[–] abfarid@startrek.website 12 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (8 children)

There's a lot of things that people do that aren't for practical reasons. That's why all our homes aren't just concrete cubes. Somebody must have decided that this looks cool and futuristic.

Strictly from practical reasons, I suppose it's marginally easier and faster to identify a free stall. Whether that is worth the extra cost is subjective.

Also, the default state for this glass is frosted. In case of a failure it all becomes frosted.

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