Best tactical keyboard and mouse control layout scheme, yours?

**MiamiHeat87** · 09-17-2009, 08:24 PM

A few years ago (maybe around 2005?) I came across a strange layout of using ESDF as your movement keys compared to WASD. The guide suggested against using it if you had been using WASD for years, but I wanted to make sure I had the best possible layout to improvement my skills in game so I made the switch.

I did it with ease and even though it was awkward at first - it became a lot more useful then my WASD layout the even games now of days set as your default. The main advantages of moving your keys over by one is having more small keys you can set the different controls.

For example:
ESDF - movement
WR - leaning
Q - use
R - reload
V - crouch
X - prone
Z - drop item/weapon
A - in-game voice menu
G - special action (game specific)
CAPS lock - voice control (Vent or TS)
Shift - Run
Ctrl - Walk
Alt - alt fire
Mouse 1 - fire
Mouse 2 - zoom
Mouse wheel - change weapons
Middle mouse button - acquire target

That is my standard control scheme for all games I used. I have used it for years now and it serves me well by allowing me to have quick access to the most commonly used functions.

This is a years old layout and i'm sure some pro gamers or experts out there have come up with a more efficient layout. You know, like the Dvorak Simplified Keyboard which was invented recently to make a more efficient keyboard layout? They old layout was made for slow typing. Perhaps the standard controls (wherever they came from [doom?? quake?? wolfenstein??] was just thrown in quickly and not much thought went into it.

**kevlarorc** · 09-17-2009, 08:32 PM

Battlefield 2 influences my keyboard layout significantly despite it not being the first game I played.
Mine is pretty standard though.

WASD - standard movement
E - Use
R - Reload
Z - Prone
Ctrl - Crouch
B/V - VOIP
Shift - sprint
G - Grenades/special items
T/Y - Chat/TeamChat
Tab - Scores
Right Click - Zoom
Mouse Button 3 - scroll through weapons or used as my TS/Vent button. I never scroll with the scroll wheel though, I just click it. It doesn't scroll up properly
I don't use my left-click button though. I beat every game without firing a shot.

**DrBeat** · 09-17-2009, 10:05 PM

I use a Nostromo.

It's an older screen shoot, so my bindings might have changed.

**Sir-Nerd** · 09-17-2009, 10:36 PM

WASD = Movement
E = use
Space = jump
z = prone
ctrl = crouch
Shift = sprint
Alt = melee if necessary
NumPad enter = Commander chat
Middle Mouse button = grenades in all games
Mouse scroll plus number keys for selection
Mouse side button for Ingame VOIP
Another side button for TS/Mumble
tab for scores

I have a mouse that has two side buttons, so i can fight while moving and shooting and still talk with no problem. For commander chat, i put my mouse thumb on the Numpad Enter since i usually talk to him in calm moments.

I've gotten good enough for the scroll wheel that i can select anything i need very quickly. I only use it for weapons assigned to number i can't reach with my left hand on the keyboard.

**MiamiHeat87** · 09-17-2009, 11:27 PM

Dude, I was actually looking at these after I made this post. I am going for a external hardware update to improve my in-game skills. So far I have come to the conclusion that this is the best stuff to get:

razer megalodon headset
logitech g13 advanced gameboard (over the n52te, yes.)
logitech g9 mouse (this mouse was designed for pure gaming, while the g5 is designed for general desktop use but with gaming upgrades)
Creative X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Professional Sound Card

Just wondering tho.. will I still get full use of my megalodons if I use a a regular sound card??

**kevlarorc** · 09-18-2009, 12:58 AM

I don't know much about that megalodon headset but it looks almost like it has some kind of external sound processing on it already.
When I upgraded to the X-Fi Fata1ity I heard a significant sound difference when it comes to EAX effects, and clearer trebles plus it takes off some load from your CPU. I'm sure with a low quality headset or speaker system the sound difference from onboard to X-Fi would be near negligible but with a good headset it may make a difference for you.
The megalodon is 7.1 but if your mobo doesn't support 7.1 onboard then it probably would help to get the X-fi.
Keep in mind there are other sound cards out there too.

**Ferris Bueller** · 09-18-2009, 01:27 AM

WASD - movement
E - use
Q - last
Z - prone
C - Crounch
Shift - Run/Walk depending on the game
R - reload
G - Switch kits/drop weapon
Alt - Teamspeak
Mouse1 - Fire
Mouse2 - Alt Fire/Action
Mouse4 - Comms

**=DdogG=** · 09-18-2009, 02:00 AM

the best mouse I ever had had 10 buttons / actions on it... while my keyboard was a stock layout for the most part, I used the mouse to the teeth.

left mouse - fire
right mouse - reload
center mouse - alt fire / grenade
scroll forward - zoom in
scroll back - zoom out
click wheel left - lean left
click wheel right - lean right
thumb forward - stance up
thumb back - stance down
ring finger / pinky button - voip
mouse x and y axis both standard look

this left on the keyboard:

wasd - movement
q - strafe left
e - strafe right
shift - use
spacebar - run
z - also for stance up
x - also for stance down
c - map

granted, I played Ghost Recon... pretty much exclusively, but transferring more of the weapon commands to the mouse helped in reaction time...

this kept my left hand free for logistics / position / communication.

**fuzzhead** · 09-18-2009, 09:46 AM

Heres mine for ArmA2, it uses alot of keys -_-

Number Row:
~ - select all units
1-0 - group commands
- - time deceleration (singleplayer only)
= - time accereration (singleplayer only)
BACKSPACE - go back a menu (for group commands)

Top Row:
Tab - unassigned (so I dont accidentally alt tab)
Q - lean left
W - forward
E - lean right
R - reload
T - compass
Y - watch
U - GPS
I - multiplayer statistics
O - Team switch
P - toggle turn in/turn out (in land vehicle)
[ - scroll through action menu forwards
] - scroll through action menu backwards
\ - toggle auto hover on/off (in helicopters)

Middle Row:
CAPSLOCK - map on/off
A - strafe left
S - backward
D - strafe right
F - action key
G - pickup weapon / gear menu
H - step over obstacle
J - toggle between main weapon and handgun
K - toggle vehicle headlights on/off
L - use text chat
; - previous text chat channel
' - next text chat channel
enter - unassigned? (i think engine assigns this to something)

Lower Row:
LEFT SHIFT - sprint / bound forward
Z - toggle prone
X - toggle stance from run/walk
C - optical zoom in
V - zoom all the way out (wide peripheral)
B - equip binoculars
N - toggle night vision on/off
M - toggle diary
< - switch chat group forward
> - switch chat group reverse
/ - next target (in jets/helicopters)
RIGHT SHIFT - command watch

Bottom Row
LEFT CTRL - crouch
LEFT WINDOWS KEY - hold breath (for aiming)
LEFT ALT - use free look (non toggle)
SPACEBAR - toggle through weapons
RIGHT WINDOWS KEY - commanding mode
APP MENU - go to command menu
RIGHT CTRL - toggle weapon ready/weapon at ease

DELETE - toggle 3rd person / 1st person view
HOME - toggle between regular / tactical view
END - Surrender
PAGE UP - Salute
PAGE DOWN - Sit Down

Numpad:
NUM LOCK - Unassigned (to avoid disabling numpad)
NUMPAD / - change gunner weapon
NUMPAD * - toggle freelook on/off
NUMPAD - - Zoom Out
NUMPAD + - Zoom In
NUMPAD ENTER - talk on Vehicle Channel VOIP
NUMPAD DEL - toggle manual fire
NUMPAD 0 - swap gunner

ESCAPE - options menu / pause game

Mouse:
Mouse Button 1 - fire Weapon
Mouse Button 2 - use optics/ironsites
Middle Mouse Button - talk on Command Channel VOIP
Mouse Button 4 - talk on Direct Channel VOIP
Mouse Button 5 - talk on Group Channel VOIP

**Jeepo** · 09-18-2009, 10:35 AM

HAHA, I was going to put my ArmA 2 keys in, you saved me a hassle.....

**sporkife** · 09-18-2009, 02:06 PM

lol, fuzzhead. I'm not gonna ask how you remember all those.

These are mostly default bf2 controls, influenced by 1. personal preference 2. SWBFII

wasd: move
r: reload
g: action
e: vehicle enter/exit
l. shift: sprint
l. ctrl: walk
l. alt: roll
spacebar: jump
x: prone
c: crouch
v/b: ingame voip
win key: parachute
1-0: wep switch
f1-f12: seat switch
[: TS
]: mumble force center
\: mumble
tab: scoreboard
capslock: sqd menu / spawn menu
`: console
left click: fire
right click: zoom
mousewheel up/down: wep switch
mousewheel click: vent

This moves crouch and prone to somewhere that they're easily accessible to my right index finger and adjacent to each other, rather than having one off in the corner. Mumble and TS are up in the corner because I'm generally not using them at the same time as I'm shooting - I hit those with my left hand (laptop, so keyboard is pretty close to my mouse).

**Acreo Aeneas** · 09-20-2009, 09:25 PM

My usual layout (when possible):

WASD - movement
QE - leaning
R - reload
F - use
Z - prone
Shift - run (hold) / steady aim
Ctrl - crouch (toggle)
Space - jump
C - TS PTT (bound to mouse back)
V - grenade (bound to mouse forward)
X - weapon fire selection
1 - primary/secondary weapon (bound to mouse left scroll)
2 - sidearm (bound to mouse right scroll)
MW Up/Down - weapon switching/scrolling
LMB - primary/secondary fire
RMB - aim down sight (toggle)
Y - server/team chat
U - private/squad chat
I - P2P/line of sight chat (like in ArmA)
[ - inventory left
] - inventory right
' - inventory use

**Bommando** · 09-21-2009, 07:54 AM

I've been playing Pyro in TF2 lately.

Move Forward: W
Fire: Mouse 1

**EmperorMustard** · 09-21-2009, 04:59 PM

Originally Posted by DrBeat

I use a Nostromo.

It's an older screen shoot, so my bindings might have changed.

I have one of those but don't for the hell of me know how to use it - never really considered it as an option, I only have it as it was free with the computer - but I must give it a try someday...

**War.mongeR1** · 09-21-2009, 05:06 PM

N52 FTW!!! I used to use mine back in the BF1942/DC days. I was always ok at the game, but with the Nostromo N52, I started to consistently be the #1-#2 player in any given game. Made a HUGE difference in my response times. The macros made life so much easier. Especially for flying. I would have different custom setups for when I jumped into different vehicles. That saved crucial time. It takes a bit of getting used to, but will seriously help your game.

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