Can New Game Control Schemes Hope To Match the PC Keyboard?

An opinion piece on Gamasutra discusses how, in spite of the fancy new motion control systems that have come to console gaming, the PC's keyboard and mouse setup is still unreplaceable for many titles and genres. Quoting: "With over 100 keys to choose from (back of the box quotation right there), the possibilities are near endless, if you start to think of shift and control functions altering the purpose of keys. It means that, when the developers start to make their game, they don't have to worry about the limitations of the interface, knowing that, if all else fails, they can always assign the compass to K, even if that's a bit of a stretch to all but the pianists. The keyboard is the friend of ambition, and ArmA 2 is the testament to that, in all its surrealist, broken glory. ... It's the same reason RTS games have found a home on the PC for so long, able to use the skills people accumulate moving around windows and clicking on icons to command troops and manipulate their battle lines. Developers taking advantage of what we already know to teach us something we don't is what gaming is all about."

Re:unreplaceable?

[Kawahee]

"keyboard and mouse setup is still unreplaceable"

Is "unreplaceable" even a word? Try "irreplaceable".

Of course it's a word, Slashdot's editors would have changed it when they proofread the article otherwise. Duh.

What's this?

[Anonymous Coward]

...they can always assign the compass to K...

but i'm left-handed you insensitive clods

K?

[mister_playboy]

I'm a Dvorak typist, you insensitive clod!