Which Way Do You Circle Strafe?

[Arbys550]

The other day I realized that I almost always circle-strafe clockwise when given the option between the two. That got me curious as to how other people did it, so I thought it would be interesting to start a poll. I also wonder if it there's any correlation between the dominant hand of the player and circle-strafe direction. I'm right-handed.

[xvertigox]

Depends 100% on the room and enemies. In a vacuum (E2M8) I'd say clockwise but there's only a very slight affinity for that direction. Even that depends on which way I'm dodging the enemies first shot (dodge left, keep going clockwise and vice-versa).

[GarrettChan]

I'm right handed, and probably when the fight is cleared in the half and you have "unlimited", I'll do CW unconsciously, it seems, but I can't really tell.

 

Also, there could be a fun additional question about:

 

Do you go to the left or right in the Plutonia Map01 starting room? (It's kind of funny that I always go left in this situation, but it seems quite a lot of people go right as well.)

[vyruss]

It really depends on the nature of what's shooting at me, and what direction I've initially approached from.

[galileo31dos01]

In cases where two or several mancubi are present, spamming walls of fireballs or minding their own business, and we are given enough room to apply circle-strafe until you trap them in a whirlwind, dodging counterclockwise in the meantime is practically much safer than clockwise. This is because reasons someone with better english than mine can explain, or you can watch decino's video on monsters stats and stuff. I know it's in the second volley of fireballs, which is directed a little more "pronounced" to the left than the first and third volleys to the right (I probably worded it out so bad)...

 

It actually works with one lone mancubus in a decently cramped room provided you've already anticipated your moves, although normally you'd want to dodge in zigzag. 

 

So I trained my instinct to always tell me "go against the wave", even when there're no fatsos around  :p

Edited April 2, 2021 by galileo31dos01

[Andromeda]

Never really thought about this, but I think I prefer counter-clockwise (I'm right handed). I circlestrafe rarely though.

 

23 minutes ago, GarrettChan said:

Also, there could be a fun additional question about:

 

Do you go to the left or right in the Plutonia Map01 starting room? (It's kind of funny that I always go left in this situation, but it seems quite a lot of people go right as well.)

Likewise I always work from the leftmost to the rightmost when faced with a choice of paths, unless I know the level and the paths have different outcomes of course.

[deleted.]

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Edited June 12, 2022 by a.a.i.

[Simomarchi]

I'm right handed but if I try to strafe counter-clockwise I really lose coordination between every part of my body and die painfully after a couple of seconds.

[Fairen]

Preferably in the direction that causes me to not die.

 

95% of the time you're not in a featureless room that makes the choice moot, and the other 5% of the time it's a cyberdemon and that means you'd want to circle-strafe in the direction furthest from a wall.

[Pirx]

i strafe both ways, but mostly start clockwise, for example when 2-shotting cows, because that's the pattern one gets use to thanks to our fat friend the mancubus.

 

 

[Shepardus]

I've noticed that when strafe-running in a straight line I almost always do so with W+A rather than W+D. I haven't paid attention to whether that holds true when I circle-strafe, but if it does, that would mean I go clockwise.

[Gokuma]

Up

 

 

 

[Bauul]

Never really thought about it, but I have to admit I tend to strafe clockwise first.  

 

Thanks OP, now I'm going to be super conscious of myself whenever I circle strafe. 

[DisgruntledPorcupine]

Had to think on this one... Pretty sure I mostly end up going clockwise personally.

 

54 minutes ago, Bauul said:

Never really thought about it, but I have to admit I tend to strafe clockwise first.  

 

Thanks OP, now I'm going to be super conscious of myself whenever I circle strafe. 

 

And same here now... dammit!

[Ant1]

CLOCKWISE. Right handed, and it just kinda happens that way.

And yes, now every time I circle strafe I will be super conscious of it.

[forgettable pyromaniac]

I've always gone counter-clockwise when given the chance, but that's because right handed, right direction.

 

Only when I run into a wall on the right is when I realize my mistake and go left instead.

[Rytrik]

Into the 4th dimension. 

 

 

[Gokuma]

Widdershins

[erzboesewicht]

Just wondered about that and it seems I'm more leaning to circlestrafe counter-clockwise (being right-handed).

In Plutonia MAP01, it's interesting: in the first room I go first to the right, but in the second one, to the left (the stairs up to the chaingunners). As in the second room the configuration is a bit different (in contrast to the first where it's identic) I think this has to do with the characteristics of the entrances, so with identic entrances I would first tend to check the right one.

Edited April 3, 2021 by erzboesewicht

[dmslr]

I've always been conscious about my preference to strafing clockwise. When a player strafes to the left with W+A, the objects on the screen move to the right. In order to fixate them in the center of the screen you have to move the mouse to the right which is much easier than moving it to the left.

I'm right-handed.

Edited April 3, 2021 by dmslr

[silentzorah]

I'd say no preference, but it's really context sensitive for me.  Whichever route is more clear when I start.

[Biodegradable]

Like many right-handed players, I also tend to move clockwise out of sheer habit, but mainly it's whichever direction makes the most sense at any given time.

[deleted.]

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Edited June 12, 2022 by a.a.i.

[Tony_Pepporoni]

really depends where your being shot at  if you want to circle around them and if you are talking about compensating for your decision by randomly running in an exceptional circle generally i'd recommend doing the opposite of where the enemy is

[Arrowhead]

Counter-clockwise, right-hand dominant.

[antares031]

Like galileo mentioned above, mancubi shoot fireballs insymmetrically in classic doom; the second front/right(mancubus' perspective) fireballs pattern has greater degrees than the first front/left fireballs pattern, making it a liitle bit more difficult to dodge the second pattern with clockwise direction in close-mid range. This "bug" was fixed in several modern source ports, but I still prefer to circle strafe counter-clockwise in classic doom.

 

P.S.: I'm right-handed.

[MrTAD]

I used to almost always start my circle-strafing going counter clockwise. It cost me my fair share of deaths, usually cause I end up in a pit or walking into a projectile. But I've stopped and usually just strafe whichever direction gets me furthest from whatever I'm trying to get away from. Though I do notice I still prefer counter clockwise when I can do both, mainly cause holding down the W+D keys is much more natural then the W+A keys.

[ReaperAA]

I don't think I have preference when it comes to circle-strafing clockwise (W+A) or anti-clockwise (W+D). I can do it either way.

 

However, I have noticed that when I am strafe-running, I hold W+A 90% of the time.

[dmslr]

1 hour ago, ReaperAA said:

However, I have noticed that when I am strafe-running, I hold W+A 90% of the time.

This means you unconsciously have a preference.

[Doom-X-Machina]

No preference. Whichever direction doesn't get me killed.