Keyboard control?

[Dan Locke]

I've come to the conclusion that Wipeout HD just isn't suited to the DualShock 3 controller, to the point that I haven't even touched the game in weeks because I know that playing it will be an exercise in futility. Because of the analog stick's placement, I have to awkwardly push and pull it to steer and barrel-roll, and I don't get half of the precision that I need. Because it has squishy triggers (and awful ones, at that) instead of buttons, the double-tapping required for sideshifts is all but impossible unless I actively concentrate on s e p a r a t i n g the presses from each other. I've tried using the crosspad and shoulder buttons instead, but I'm even worse with them (I will never be able to understand how people can play games effectively with crosspads).

So, given my complete hopelessness at this game with an ordinary DualShock 3, I've decided that I'd be far, far better off using a keyboard. The problem is that, from what I've read, many PS3 keyboards inexplicably lack certain essential button functions (like the triggers, for example), which would make them rather unsuited to Wipeout HD. Supposedly, Penguin United is coming out with an FPS-oriented adapter (called the "Eagle Eye" or something like that) that would let me plug in a keyboard for use as a fully-functional controller, but their site makes no mention of it, and I don't even have a suitable keyboard to use with it (my family and I all have laptops, and our single desktop has a wireless keyboard, which would likely be incompatible with the adapter).

Any keyboard recommendations?

[rdmx]

Coming from a fairly experienced PC gamer here, I can tell you that I would take a controller, no matter how odd any day over a keyboard when it comes to racing games - an all digital input is not that good for racing games.
This point I have to concede to the 360 controller's concave triggers - it is obvious Sony were trying to emulate this in some fashion but in their adherence to keep the 'playstation' style controller made it rather unusable.

[Dark-Twisted]

Is there a trick that I don't know about because I thought that while keyboards were compatible with the XMB, they were... deactivated?... for games... :S

[Koleax]

I'm missing something as well. As I understand it, keyboard support has to be programmed into the game and very few games support it. My bluetooth keyboard connects to the PS3 fine. I can control the XMB and use it to send texts, but it will not control WHD.

If there's keyboard support at all, via some adapter or something unconventional, I'd be all over it. My intro to Wipeout is the Mac version of 2097 and that's my first control choice.

[JABBERJAW]

I'll be making one after the wipeout tourney in august. I just do not have the time right now.

[ProblemSolver]

Thanks god the keyboard era is over. A keyboard really distract from a game
when being used as a steering input device. But I would also like to see more
keyboard support in games for assigning shortcuts and stuff.
Well, Dan, you better tinker a little bit more around with the DS3. I once
started out with analogstick only (for about a year), but have then adapted
myself to the d-pad and are now able to enjoy the game on various scales.
And the shoulder buttons (L1/R1) work like a charm considering side-shifting.
Try it! Ok, if the DS3 doesn't feel natural to you, no problem. But if a
keyboard would make one any faster, then I guess most of the top10 players
can also go faster using a keyboard. Hence, being faster with a keyboard is
relative at best. But if a keyboard feels more natural to you so be it.

On a personal note; I hope keyboard & mouse doesn't make a return. The (PC)
gaming industry has suffered from it quite too long. How many shooters can we
take? Joysticks were abandoned long ago (the game-port wasn't easy to program,
bad standards to say at least). For sure, one could also use a controller on
a PC, but the games were never really built for it. And with the advent of
input devices like the Wiimote, Playstation Move, and Natal, the PC now even
loses traction to the consoles and will fall behind even more as time goes
by, since games won't be portable any longer. And I don't assume someone will
do something similar for the PC any time soon. You know what? I don't even
think 3-D gaming will carry over to the PC. It never took off on PC despite
multiple attempts were made. In summary, some games play better with a
keyboard like cs and WoW, but supporting a keyboard doesn't serve the gaming
industry as a whole. I wanna play new games using the PS Move in 3-D
giving me an unique experience. Supporting a keyboard as the main input device
is always a step backward. It's a nice addon, like it's done on the PS3.
Anyhow, that's at least my take on the keyboard & mouse discussion. I think
a hardcore PC gamer will argue the complete opposite. xD

[rdmx]

Frankly I don't see why K+B support is a step backward.
An average PC gamer with a keyboard+mouse setup could wipe the floor with any 'pro' console fps gamer especially if they have no auto aim to rely on. It's a much more precise setup.
The uptake of 3d gaming on console isn't going to be too great either when you consider that you need to buy a new TV to take advantage of it. People have just started the uptake of highdef screens, how many are going to race out to buy 3d capable hardware?
-Playstation move/natal
This video is why move/natal is a mere novelty at best:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hT1BHz7Ck1o
I don't quite fancy flailing about to play a game. Maybe if technology significantly improves and we start having 'minority report' style controls for rts games...
Mind you, gamepads are admittedly still better for racing games.

[JABBERJAW]

keyboard/mouse is far superior in fps games, but not for others. wipeout hd would work great with it, as there is no advantage to analog control as there should be for a wipeout game. if it was possible for pure pulse, it would be incredible I think with the pitch thing and barrel rolls would be easy.

[Dan Locke]

@ProblemSolver

What's so bad about the keyboard/mouse combination that PC games have "suffered from it", and that it's "a step backward"? The keyboard is, by far, the best digital input device ever conceived, and the mouse, while nowhere near as good as an analog thumbstick for precise movement, beats it soundly for everything else. And don't try to tell me that "wave and hope"-style motion control like Natal is anything but a ridiculous, technology-driven fad - sure, it's technically impressive (for the moment), but it's only suitable for niche uses. I'd rate its practicality somewhere between that of the DDR pad and the Space Orb. There's no way that people are going to trade in the practicality and versatility of a traditional controller or keyboard for the horrid vagueness of motion control, except for party games.

What motion control diehards always fail to understand is that, without a way to limit motion to what is possible within the game's environment, the system doesn't work at all - at least, not in the way that they say that it does.

I think a hardcore PC gamer will argue the complete opposite. xD

I happen to belong to the glorious PC gaming master race.

@Amorbis

That adapter looks nice, but I'm not sold on the idea of having to use my whole laptop as a keyboard. That said, my laptop's keyboard is better than any standalone keyboard that I've used (scissor switches > dome switches), so it might actually be better that way.

[Connavar]

If you're right handed, then I agree analog stick is not the way to play Wipeout
HD, because you have to use the left stick, barrel rolls on it etc.

I agree with PS, just use the d-pad and L1/R1, give it some time, and you'll see
it actually works great!

[ProblemSolver]

... What's so bad about the keyboard/mouse combination that PC games have "suffered from it", and that it's "a step backward"? ...

... Frankly I don't see why K+B support is a step backward. ... An average PC gamer with a keyboard+mouse setup could wipe the floor with any 'pro' console fps gamer especially if they have no auto aim to rely on. It's a much more precise setup.

I think you both don't get my point. It's not that K+M is any bad. But if you
would replace the DS3 with K+M and treat a DS3 like a game-pad on a PC (as an
afterthought), then most of the games won't be any fun to play. Certainly,
there are games playing better with a K+M, but that's just a very small subset
of all games. Just to let you know, I've played with K+M for about half of my
life starting with Duke Nukem and Quake back in 1996.

Well, my last post was written on a more general perspective (gaming industry).
If K+M would be superior for most games, then Microsoft and Sony would have
gone this way with the 360 and PS3. But K+M just doesn't lend itself to most
games. UT3 has K+M support on the PS3, but it never took off in any way. If
it would had made a huge impact, then CoD, KZ2, and others would support K+M
as well. But that's just not the case. Sure, K+M is more accurate for some
games, but I question whether it is any more realistic. If you ask me, it
takes more skill to control a DS3 esp. when combos and stuff should also be
applied at the same time.

The uptake of 3d gaming on console isn't going to be too great either when you consider that you need to buy a new TV to take advantage of it. People have just started the uptake of highdef screens, how many are going to race out to buy 3d capable hardware?

My comparison was made with respect to PC gaming. How many are going to buy
a 3-D TFT for their PC gaming rig? I think many many more people will buy a
3-D TV for console gaming and for watching 3-D Blu-rays and 3-D TV shows.
Thing is, it's just not appealing on a PC. You properly have to upgrade your
graphics system as well. But there is another problem. The PC has 'no'
standard / defaut 3-D input device. K+M doesn't cut it. 3-D is only half the
story without such an input device. And as such the PS Move really plays an
essential part with respect to 3-D. Not every game will profit from PS Move,
obviously, but the PS Move is what makes one connect to the 3rd dimension
while viewing stuff in 3-D.

... This video is why move/natal is a mere novelty at best:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hT1BHz7Ck1o

Yeah, I know that one. It's the latest video / gif on the web. xD

Anyhow. Whether Natal or PS Move will be successful or not depends on the
developers. Personally, I think the PS Move is underestimated due to all
the weak Wiimote games. The PS Move has a lot more potential. And Sony has
already said to the developers; "If it doesn't work on the Wii, it won't work
on PS3 either. So don't blame us if your game doesn't sell!".

However you will turn it, the console have pulled the gaming industry forward
within the last years. Graphics performance and unique K+M games are things
of the past. They did their job! Speaking of PC today, there aren't even
games like MGS4, Uncharted 2, Heavy Rain, WipEout HD, GT5, GoW III, etc. on
the PC, neglecting the question whether playing them with K+M would yield
any benefits.