FFXIV - Controller or Keyboard?

[Ostardva]

Final Fantasy XIV has been with me since 2.0b and I hated it on the PS3 and it's controller. It was only on the PC that I fell in the love with the game and being able to tie skills to every button on my Naga's 12 extra buttons. I do play on PS4 but I struggle with the cross hotbar. There's extra button presses for me changing between skills, and the fact I have to hold R2 or L2 with everything is a pain in my eyes.

 

Still, nothing beats doing roulettes as a White Mage whilst kicking back on the sofa, controller in hand.

 

What about you? What's your FFXIV controller preference, and why?

[Mira Yurizaki]

But it's all muscle memory in the end. Once you train yourself how to use a controller, you can press buttons as fast as you can hit whatever's on your Naga. Besides, you don't have to hold down L2/R2, because there's no point in mashing the button anyway. When you think you can command it again, you just flick the two buttons you want and bingo. The only thing that would really irk me is targeting effectively. But then again as a WHM I just press "switch to target's target" whenever I want to DPS. Except I'm sure the controller doesn't have a fast way of selecting party members.

 

Though a keyboard is handy for chat.

[Ostardva]

Just now, M.Yurizaki said:

But it's all muscle memory in the end. Once you train yourself how to use a controller, you can press buttons as fast as you can hit whatever's on your Naga. Besides, you don't have to hold down L2/R2, because there's no point in mashing the button anyway. When you think you can command it again, you just flick the two buttons you want and bingo. The only thing that would really irk me is targeting effectively. But then again as a WHM I just press "switch to target's target" whenever I want to DPS. Except I'm sure the controller doesn't have a fast way of selecting party members.

 

Though a keyboard is handy for chat.

You're totally right. I find it hard when I setup my hotbars on a new / friend's PC or PS4 because I normally get some skills wrong and muscle memory makes me mis-click! They really need to give us Cloud-based HUD options.

 

Maybe because I initially played XIV on PS3 it put me off, since most of my MMORPG experience was on PC then. Now I read back what I put I'm with you. When casting (with some memory in there) it's just those two presses each time. No need to "hold down" as I said. Silly me. Though I do hold down sometimes when out-of-practice so I can take in my skills whilst playing and remember the keybinds.

 

On controller I just cycle through party members with Up and Down on the D pad? It defaults to my party members through there? Somehow I probably haven't explored all the control options this game has. Lazy PLD is lazy.

Thanks for the reply though. Glad there are XIV players here!

[Convar]

I play Keyboard & Mouse pretty much the entire time. I also have the PS4 version so when I play on that I do use a controller and it took a while to get used to. Once you memorize your hotbars on both it becomes muscle memory as someone else above stated. I still prefer a M&KB though because it's faster and more responsive because I click on targets faster than I cycle through them with a d-pad.

[Ryoku]

Unless your playing very far from a tv I don't see why anyone would use a controller the game supports mouse and keyboard even on ps4.  Some classes are harder to play then other ones controller, some classes are actually easier, but in the end it just comes down to preference.

[Ostardva]

On 8/25/2016 at 9:35 PM, Ryoku said:

Unless your playing very far from a tv I don't see why anyone would use a controller the game supports mouse and keyboard even on ps4.  Some classes are harder to play then other ones controller, some classes are actually easier, but in the end it just comes down to preference.

I think coming from a keyboard and mouse perspective I struggle to understand but can appreciate the simplicity of a controller and it's unknown benefits (to me, not generally). I find it more relaxing to use. It's just another medium to learn. Like painting on paper or on a tablet I guess.

[phu]

i do enjoy the moving on a controller but i started playing ffxiv on mouse an keyboard so when i swapped to a controller on my pc to try it. it was to difficult for me to do my monk combos that i swapped back. but have to say the controller movement feels alot smoother. also i can't let go of keyboard shortcuts vs controllers

[Ostardva]

10 hours ago, phu said:

i do enjoy the moving on a controller but i started playing ffxiv on mouse an keyboard so when i swapped to a controller on my pc to try it. it was to difficult for me to do my monk combos that i swapped back. but have to say the controller movement feels alot smoother. also i can't let go of keyboard shortcuts vs controllers

I agree with you on movement, much more free and smooth. I use legacy camera mode and control my movement with right-click mouse more. Offers similar smoothness, but no great transition in to walking as such yet.

[CharlieJiang]

I use controller to move, use skill, etc.

and use keyboard/mouse to use Long-CD skill or use drugs....

But I think it is not comfortable to use a controller on Tank/Healer character.

[Ostardva]

11 hours ago, CharlieJiang said:

I use controller to move, use skill, etc.

and use keyboard/mouse to use Long-CD skill or use drugs....

But I think it is not comfortable to use a controller on Tank/Healer character.

I agree about tanking, but I do heal a lot using a controller. I'm a lazier healer than I should be when DPSing.... >_>.

[CharlieJiang]

On 2016/9/10 at 8:13 PM, Ostardva said:

 

On 2016/9/10 at 9:00 AM, CharlieJiang said:

I use controller to move, use skill, etc.

and use keyboard/mouse to use Long-CD skill or use drugs....

But I think it is not comfortable to use a controller on Tank/Healer character.

 

arr... I'm using controller to tanking and i often have to select target by mouse... but just OK...