What are the advantages/disadvantages of using ESDF over WASD?

[Dweller Dark]

I've pretty much always used WASD for games and whatever else requires it or has it built-in, but I've considered using ESDF before and just haven't because it's a bit disorienting at first and because I don't know what I'm gaining or losing by switching to it. Most of the games I have can probably support it, so it'd probably be a simple matter of rebinding keys and getting used to it, though it would help if I knew what the pros and cons of it are. 

 

 

[Dusty_Rhodes]

Not many pros or cons, mostly just personal taste. It functions the same, I just don't use it because it's too far away from Shift and Control for me. Dario Casali uses the ASZX layout, so play how you want.

[[McD] James]

Pros:

- Access to more keys

 

Cons:

- Personally, I find the number keys more awkward to access

- Ctrl key is slightly harder to reach

 

Ultimately, it all boils down to personal preference so just use whatever you feel the most comfortable with. I use wasd for FPS games and esdf for RTS games.

Edited August 8, 2021 by [McD]James

[Dweller Dark]

5 minutes ago, [McD]James said:

Pros:

- Access to more keys

 

Cons:

- Personally, I find the number keys more awkward to access

- Ctrl key is slightly harder to reach

 

Ultimately, it all boils down to personal preference so just use whatever you feel the most comfortable with. I use wasd for FPS games and esdf for RTS games.

 

It's probably because of the size of my hands, but the number keys have always been awkward for me to use, especially on-the-fly in FPS games. Ctrl too, but I generally rebind whatever's bound to it to something else (such as Shift for crouching, since I can use sidebuttons on my mouse for running). 

 

But the extra accessible keys I'd think would be useful in FPS games that have inventory systems or items that can be activated with specific keys, such as proximity bombs in Blood or items in Heretic. Possibly even things in Deus Ex games, etc. It'd probably take some time to figure out and get used to, but it'd be worth it for that.

[out_of_service]

For years I've played FPS games using the WASD set-up. I'm going to have to start trying ESDF configuration or others!

[Dweller Dark]

13 minutes ago, PSXDoomer said:

For years I've played FPS games using the WASD set-up. I'm going to have to start trying ESDF configuration or others!

 

I've already tried it out on Ultimate Doom and Strife so far, feels pretty comfortable once you figure out what keys work for you. I tried W for the Use key, but R feels better, and W seems like a good replacement for Map keys (like Tab, but closer).

[7Mahonin]

From what I’ve gathered, ESDF’s main advantage is quicker access to weapon slot 3. To me, that’s mostly specific to games that have a SSG.

 

I prefer WASD because it’s closer to more buttons on the left, like capslock, tab, shift, ctrl, and I like to use “e” for the use key, and it’s really not that much less closer to weapon slot 3 to make a difference for me. 
 

I think it’s mostly personal preference though and not really a pro vs con situation. I’d recommend going with not only what feels comfortable, but what helps you perform best in-game. For some that’s WASD/ESDF and mouse, for others it’s arrow keys or the numpad with little to no mouse use. 
 

I recall a left handed mouse user used home, delete, end, and page down keys for right handed keyboard control. I’m sure others use the numpad or even arrow keys with a more WASD setup too. 

Edited August 8, 2021 by TelicAx7

[Murdoch]

This sounds like a classic case of overanalysis.

 

If you are already struggling to reach Ctrl then ESDF is going to take you further from it as well as from shift, tab and other potentially important keys. You could rebind them to the ones vacated by changing, but this makes them smaller targets and easier to bump accidentally.

 

The correct way is "Whatever suits you best". Everyone is different, every keyboard is different, and getting someone else's preference really is not that relevant to you. Not to mention that WASD by now will be muscle memory for you and getting that deprogrammed out of your reactions will be a boat load of frustation.

[Pirx]

2 hours ago, TelicAx7 said:

From what I’ve gathered, ESDF’s main advantage is quicker access to weapon slot 3. To me, that’s mostly specific to games that have a SSG.

 

I prefer WASD because it’s closer to more buttons on the left, like capslock, tab, shift, ctrl, and I like to use “e” for the use key, and it’s really not that much less closer to weapon slot 3 to make a difference for me. 
 

I think it’s mostly personal preference though and not really a pro vs con situation. I’d recommend going with not only what feels comfortable, but what helps you perform best in-game. For some that’s WASD/ESDF and mouse, for others it’s arrow keys or the numpad with little to no mouse use. 

 

this. it's a pet peeve of mine in gaming, as i tinkered with setups a lot and never really adapted to something different. might have to do with not having much time for gaming, though. and generally being rather stubborn.

 

i tried ESDF, but i've been playing with WASD now since 1996, when quake came out and i converted to the mouse, after keyboarding through doom for 2 years.

 

actually it's ASD + RMOUSE for walking forward because "right middle finger = forward" stuck with me from my keyboarding setup.

 

now, even if i wanted to change it, it's hard to undo 25 years.

 

ESDF can  be better if you need one more key row to the left, but the best thing is not necessarily the objectively best, but the one you can use best. 

 

tbh, i've seen pro gamer setups where i wondered how one can even play with such weird keys, but it works for them.

[out_of_service]

Ok I've got EDSF for movement, R for run, Q for automap, mouse 1 for attack,  mouse 2 for use and I feel pretty comfortable with this setup.

Edited August 8, 2021 by PSXDoomer

[SilentD00mer]

I use ESDF for easy access to 3 and 5 keys, and because I got used this setup since when I was recording with doom.exe, and constantly hitting Q by accident, so I changed my setup to ESDF to avoid this.

[Dark Pulse]

I'm crusty and old. I still use arrows.

[CorianderCastor]

With esdf, I don't have to move my left hand to start touch typing. Also, am I the only one who uses the alt key with the thumb?

 

My basic Doom set-up is:

 

weapon 1-7: w, r, wheelup, wheeldown, mouse3, a, and g respectfully

use: mouse2

fire: mouse1

and of course

forward: e

backwards: d

strafe left: s

strafe right: f

 

I like mouse4 and 5 for vertical movement in games that have that. And that dpi switch as pause.

[Wavy]

3 hours ago, CorianderCastor said:

am I the only one who uses the alt key with the thumb?

I do. It's close enough to the space bar to not feel awkward.

[doom guy66]

You know I've never really thought about other layouts

[BaileyTW]

In a game where you can rebind all the keys freely, ESDF is does give you more access to keys close to your left hand, so if lots of there's lots of bindings that you're rather have closer than that's fine.

If the game doesn't let some keys be rebinded or if shift and the ctrl key are important ones then your hand is farther away from those keys, ctrl is particularly an issue since it just seems a bit far away now.

I think the biggest downside is that if you get used to it then its going to suck when you do get to a game less free about the key bindings which will very likely default to just wasd.

[DuckReconMajor]

I tried switching to ASDX recently since my left middle finger had a dull ache. Something like that makes you wonder why poor middle finger has to reach up to a higher row all the time for the most used movement. The middle finger isn't that much longer to warrant it.

 

Anyway, I don't think ASDX helped much. Maybe a little, but it wasn't worth trying to re-learn. I got a new keyboard, which may or may not have helped, and switched back to WASD. I should prob take better care of my hands/joints/crappaltunnel

[Murdoch]

1 hour ago, DuckReconMajor said:

ASDX

 

Huh. Weird. That requires me to push my finger down and back at a really awkward angle. It's kind of like trying to play a D major chord on a keyboard. Perhaps more suitable for those of thinner fingers. It illustrates the overall point well though. Do what works for you.

Edited August 9, 2021 by Murdoch

[Jello]

1 hour ago, Murdoch said:

 

Huh. Weird. That requires me to push my finger down and back at a really awkward angle. It's kind of like trying to play a D major chord on a keyboard. Perhaps more suitable for those of thinner fingers. It illustrates the overall point well though. Do what works for you.

Oh my God. I played Ultima Underworld (free on GOG) for the first time last night, and that's what it was. It was ASDX. I pressed W to go forward, then wanted to go back, so I pressed S, still went forward. A and D functioned as normal, but I had to press X to go back. I honestly don't see how a person can play with that configuration comfortable, it cramps your fingers, in an unnatural way. Or at best you could severely angle your wrist and maybe make it work, while worsening carpal tunnel. 

 

But yeah, do what works for you. I see the advantage of ESDF, it does open up quite a few new options for keys within easy reach. But every keyboard I've tried it on seems to have slightly off key alignments. My laptop? The top row alignment matches the middle, matches the bottom. So literally any key configuration can feel like WASD... but it's also the softest keyboard I've ever used, and not in a good way.

 

Every desktop, the WASD keys match up slightly differently that ESDF, than RDFG, etc. So I can see the advantage, more keys at your disposal, especially in RTS or Dungeon Crawlers, makes them better. Hell, I hate reaching over to the "7" key in Doom and I rebind that to something I don't use, like Q, or Z. And keep the WASD. It's what I'm used to, it's comfortable, I'll probably stick with WASD.

[dmdr]

it's effectively the home row so you get the tactile feedback of the little bump on your f key when your hands are in the right place

seems kinda minor but if you've ever tried to type on a worn-down KB you'll know how frustrating it is to constantly press the wrong keys due to the lack of the little bump to remind you where your hands are supposed to be

 

since you're all just dying to know my layout is .oeu chn which when translated to QWERTY is esdf ijl (I is shoot, J and L are turn left and right). I use kqa (vxa in QWERTY) for rocket launcher, plasma and bfug respectively which makes weapon changes very breezy. I like this layout, and it works nicely with only minor modification for Quake as well. I hope you liked this post

[Dweller Dark]

I haven't really experimented with ESDF in every game yet, but I've figured out some that work almost the same, work better, or don't really work. Anything as "simple" as Doom, Quake, or Duke Nukem works almost equally with ESDF as it does with WASD, but Strife VE and Deus Ex work better with ESDF considering a wider array of bindings for things like menus, maps, or inventory items. I ran into issues with Thief and Fallout New Vegas though, mainly that sometimes moving forward in Thief is weird when using "E", and some binds in New Vegas interfering with the ESDF layout. Might end up being a bit of a pain, but using ESDF and WASD interchangeably depending on whether the game supports one, the other, or both could work.