Why is it WASD and not ESDF?

[CostcoSamples]

well?

[Zeke]

Easier to reach left shift and 123 keys are right above it?

[Mistaspiffy1]

Because thats the way it is

[NeatSquidYT]

Becuase it allows easier access to buttons like shift and ctrl.

[Infernal Burrito]

It is standard, everyone is used to it so it would be strange to change.

[HellaflushMcSwaggins]

Because it's the most natural position for one's hand on a keyboard. It's also closer to shift, ctrl and tab, which are important

[Guest]

Doesn't sound as good.

 

I believe it is more comfortable/easier to use.

[werto165]

Why isn't it ,AOE? 

[Guest]

Why isn't it ,AOE? 

Age of Empires

[werto165]

Age of Empires

dvorak

[CostcoSamples]

ESDF is more natural, its the home typing position.  Still gives good access to numbers, ctrl, shift etc.

[Zeke]

ESDF is more natural, its the home typing position.  Still gives good access to numbers, ctrl, shift etc.

Just remap the bloody keys.

[ttam]

ESDF is more natural, its the home typing position.  Still gives good access to numbers, ctrl, shift etc.

Not really. I have large hands and my fingers have to stretch in an uncomfortable way to reach ctrl with ESDF. WSAD my fingers rest there, feels a whole lot more natural

[DudeWazap]

Because not everyone has big hands and it makes it easier to reach the shift and ctrl keys. But you can always change all your key binding on games if you don't like it, that is the magic of PC games.

[dfsdfgfkjsefoiqzemnd]

It's none of the above, it's zqsd

Ah, the joys of using Azerty

[typographie]

It's whatever you bind it to.

[sgtcool]

because of , caps,tab,123,shift,alt,ctrl,space etc.

and everyone is used to it

 

i know a youtuber that uses numpad as wasd , num 8546 lol, its really weird

[SIGSEGV]

ESDF is more natural, its the home typing position. Still gives good access to numbers, ctrl, shift etc.

My home typing keys are WASD lol

[Lepp]

Presumably, someone made a popular game that used WASD and people copied it until it became the standard. Practically, it allows you to reach CTRL, shift, alt, tab, and 1-6 quite easily.

 

ESDF is more natural, its the home typing position.  Still gives good access to numbers, ctrl, shift etc.

 

I don't know how you were taught, but I was taught to hold my hands on asdf (left) and jkl; (right) while typing. It doesn't matter much if it "still gives good access," for it's not the optimal access that game creators seek. If it bothers you, you can always remap your keys in games that allow for it or you could set up keyboard profiles that move the keys around a bit. It's unlikely that they'll change the default layout anytime soon as it's too widely accepted at the moment.

[NeverNude]

Is it not obvious by placing your fingers on the KB why it is this way?

[Totallycasual]

I raided in WoW for many years using ESDF with E being forward and S+F to strafe/mouse to turn, its really no different just moved over a little

[Ertman]

Wasn't always WASD, anyone remember the arrow keys? They likely moved it to the left because of mouse integration into FPS.

 

WASD

-Easier to reach the number row.

-Easier to reach Ctrl, Shift

-Its at the edge of the keyboard ,

[piece of sheet]

Why isn't it ,AOE? 

 

this

[R_Golden]

ESDF is more natural, its the home typing position. Still gives good access to numbers, ctrl, shift etc.

I can't reach control at all on ESDF, it's extremely uncomfortable.

[CostcoSamples]

I can't reach control at all on ESDF, it's extremely uncomfortable.

Alright, but there is no reason ctrl has to be used.  with ESDF you've got extra buttons to the left: w, q,a,z,x  etc.  no need for ctrl or tab.   

 

I'm not saying I dislike WASD, just wondering why it became the default and not ESDF which is more natural in terms of being at the home typing position.  Did it start with a specific game?  I think it was right around the time of Quake, Unreal, Duke Nukem 3D etc.  If I remember correctly, Doom was played using the arrow keys.