Keyboard vs. gamepad

[LauriJ]

Let's say that you're playing an FPS multiplayer that's cross-platform between PC and PS3/Xbox players, which players are inherently better in your opinion? Those that use the computer keyboard and those that use the gamepads?

[Koh]

I simply do not care for the FPS genre anymore, and never really did minus the 007 games. I'd say keyboard and mouse users are advantageous due to the extra precision and turning speed with a mouse compared to an analog stick. In addition, there's a chance they'll lag less, since computers have always been ahead of consoles in terms of raw power and memory.

[Lemonray]

PCs have a great and obvious advantage in the form of the mouse. Gamepads, however, allow for more precise movement of the character due to analog control. PC gamers have the best of both worlds because they can use gamepads anyway, along with the mouse if they want. I once played TF2 using a 360 controller for movement and a mouse for aiming, and I found the superior movement offered by the controller rather helpful in the game.
I'm considering getting myself a flight stick for the purpose of further control experimentation.

Edit: As for lightguns and similar things like the Wiimote/PSmove, I've found that they're also inferior to mice. Not only are they generally not quite as accurate as mice (This depends on the hardware) but since it's impossible for any human person to keep their arm -perfectly- steady without being dead, lightguns and similar tools will always fall behind mice because players are required to support the device themselves.

I simply do not care for the FPS genre anymore

And this matters because...?

[Zero Kirby]

I simply do not care for the FPS genre anymore, and never really did minus the 007 games.

'Cause that has everything to do with this particular discussion

I'd say keyboard and mouse. Having tried both while playing TF2, I discovered fairly quickly that when using a gamepad, you are just way too slow. Sure you get increased fidelity in movement, but that won't help you if you can't aim quickly and precisely, and the mouse is the best way to do that.

[Marth]

Keyboard for FPS games all the way, for the reasons Zero stated. It allows you to quickly aim, move and have a better handle of the environment without the compact controls of a gamepad. I've tried playing games with both and as awkward as it is to go to a keyboard from a life of gamepads it took only a short while to get the hang of it and see the supremacy in it.

[Koh]

There would be those, of course, who are skilled enough on both sides of the coin, who would say they're both equal as long as you're good at the game. Without the correlation of skill level and equipment, keyboard and mouse are definitely superior. Otherwise, it'll vary from player to player.

[Gwen]

I've found I'm too jumpy with a keyboard and mouse, so I go with the controller

[Zero Kirby]

There would be those, of course, who are skilled enough on both sides of the coin, who would say they're both equal as long as you're good at the game.

Ehhh, I still don't think so. There's a lot more to it than just skill, ergonomics can have a lot to do with it too. Keyboard and mouse are a hell of a lot more customizable than a gamepad - mouse fidelity compared to the amount of mousepad you have, ability to reach certain buttons over others, having more hotkeys on a keyboard for swapping weapons/shouting things (I have the "last weapon" button in TF2 mapped to "Spy!" for instance because I always swap weapons with the number keys), keyboard and mouse is just the way to go.

[puggsoy]

I've always been a keyboard and mouse guy. I once played a shooter on a friend's PS2, hated the controls, although I'm sure that's just because I wasn't used to them.

But yeah, if you take out the factor of player skill and experience, mouse and keyboard are probably superior to a controller for the reasons Ray and Zero Kirby said. I also think moving your entire hand and arm to move the mouse feels closer to handling a gun, as opposed to simply twiddling your thumb.

[Vipershark]

Kb+m is better for anything that needs any sort of precision aiming
fps (obviously) and 2D games with cursors (anything from awesomenauts to terraria to hotline miami) are best on kb+m

[Kriven]

Keyboards obviously have their advantages, but I definitely prefer gamepads. I've tried to adjust to keyboard controls so many times on so many games, and it's just not anything I'll ever enjoy.

[Koh]

Kb+m is better for anything that needs any sort of precision aiming
fps (obviously) and 2D games with cursors (anything from awesomenauts to terraria to hotline miami) are best on kb+m

I think it's hilarious when they try to turn a game from being keyboard and mouse like that (PC game) to a d-pad/analog stick game (console). It doesn't work, and fails miserably. Take a gander at Dark Castle on Sega Genesis, for example. Or that Pac-Man Adventures game on Genesis too...that was a POINT AND CLICK game WITH A D-PAD, or Nightshade on NES that was also a POINT AND CLICK game WITH A D-PAD. What kind of nonsense is that?

[Gors]

it's not a nonsense, it's just a point and click game with controllers as input. It's not the developer's fault; the D-pad is the default method to control things and therefore it's just a sensible adaptation, and honestly, I don't think it's bad because you can play it without any problems (which is not the case for Mario Paint, for obvious reasons).

Of course it would be better with an actual mouse, I'm just saying that adapting a game is not 'nonsense', and yes an effort to make it playable no matter the method.

[Koh]

Dark Castle is barely playable because of the control. The way you use the weapon (rocks) defies all common sense when it comes to gaming, and easily gets you killed =(. Pac Adventures just feels awkward using a D-Pad. I've also heard from console players that Terraria on console is far inferior to the PC version in terms of control.

[Lemonray]

Dark Castle is a terrible game regardless of what kind of machine you use to play it.