So I just bought a new computer, and I figure I might as well try to get more into the PC side of gaming. I have always played console games, but I have also played PC games though not as much. I enjoy the FPS genre, but I have never been comfortable with the mouse/keyboard combo even though many say it is the only way to play the genre. Well with Deus Ex 2 coming out, I always wanted to play the original, but couldn't get into it due to my lack of patience for mastering gaming without a controller.

So I'm really just looking for you guys to give me some suggestions on how to get me more used to the keyboard and mouse combo. I have heard of the Belkin Pad, and was just wondering what exactly it does, and how it makes playing games easier. If there are any other devices that you guys would suggest and why you would recommend them, your help would be appreciated.

Oh, and any other games you might suggest I look at I would like to hear about too. I don't like a lot of micromanagement though so no games like the Sims, and I never got too into RTS's either.

Just stick with it. Play Q3 or UT or any other relentless storyless deathmatch for a week and you'll never go back.

RTS isn't for everyone. It's pretty time consuming.

Buy Half-life. it is like buying a skeleton key. it opens up all the doors for plenty of different brands of multiplayer games.

Counter Strike
Day of defeat
Death Match Classic
Team fortress Classic


and all for free once you buy half life.

force yourself to use the left hand keys.

asdw is pretty standard. Once you master that, start remapping stuff to what you feel is most comfortable. Some people prefer to hold crouch the whole time they crouch, other prefer to use it as a toggle. Some people use the lean keys judiciously, I don't so I remap them to things I do use, like switch to last weapon, or hotkey a favorive weapon.

During the single player, keep playing with the mouse sensitivity. You want it as sensitive as possible without screwing up your aim.

Other than that, just try a bunch of games. Each is slightly different. After Duke Nukem, I had to bind all the keys to be the same cause it worked best for me. Now, if the controls aren't just like Counterstrike, I usually change them. Just practice and you'll improve. After a while, you'll be frustrated by all the limitations of a controller.

Yes, it's all in the remapping. I agree with suggestions for HL and UT. Inexpensive fragfests that will get your movement to the reflexive level in short time. My movement mapping is ESDF rather than WASD so my fingers are always in the "home key" position with my index on the F (I use the little bump on the F to keep my hand from straying in a hectic firefight). Sometimes it helps to make a nice big chart of your new mapping and tape it to the left of your monitor for quick reference. After switching between America's Army, UT, Tribes2, and Serious Sam over and over (with the slightly different key maps for each) I have gotten pretty versatile. Just do it, don't let yourself get discouraged, and play!

I had the Belkin pad, and it works great for some games and not so great for others. Let me explain:

First, it is a great piece of hardware. Very clever design and intuitive. The software interface went through a lot of changes for the better, and as of last summer when I last used it, it was very easy to configure and load different profiles.

But it isn't for every FPS game. First off, there are some games that are just tough on the fingers. Max Payne is one, the keys make it difficult to crouch while walking. So I started using it for Max Payne and then for others, and that's when I started finding out it wasn't for every game. Giants for example, has such a large number of keyboard assignments it was just too difficult to configure to the limited buttons on the Belkin. I found myself crossing over between the keyboard and Belkin, and then I realized using the keyboard exclusively was better for that game. Other FPS were like that too - System Shock 2 for example. I started to find the challenge was not in the game itself, but rather in configuring all the buttons in a logical and efficient way on the Belkin. I woud originally configure the controls, try them out, exit out and re-configure. Try, repeat. At this point, I thought of the device as more of a novelty than a legitimate gaming tool, and got rid of it.

As far as good FPS to start out with for the PC, well, I'd definitely recommend Counter Strike, because it is really engaging to play online, especially if you have a microphone to chat with your team and some friends to play with. Day Of Defeat is great, it's also going retail later this year but free as a download now. Both are mods to Half Life, so that will only set you back a cool $19.99 at most. I'd also recommend Medal of Honor: Allied Assault for the PC, and Battlefield 1942, they are both great FPS tactical shooters. Definitely Giants: Citizen Kabuto, System Shock 2 and Clive Barker's Undying - you can find these for $9.99 each. Once you are done with those, get into the more complex games like Deus Ex. But to really warm up your fingers, get Serious Sam - that will give you plenty of good practice to learn the mouse/keyboard configuration and controls.

Good luck!

Jeremy