Why do some PC gamers prefer ESDF controls over WASD?

[DivergentSpectrum]

So, every time i get a new game i have to change the controls, because the default controls for moving are wasd, but i prefer esdf.
To me wasd makes no sense. first off, esdf are the home row keys so my fingers naturally go towards those. the only way this could possibly make sense is if you used ring for w and s, pinky for a, and middle for d. i prefer to use my middle, ring, and index though because theyre more coordinated/stronger.

So i was wondering, when you play a pc game (usually fps), do you use custom controls?
Also for the people who use the default controls, how do you do it? do you ever try to move and notice you arent pressing the right keys? does it interfere with your typing skills?
does anyone know the reason for this?

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Plenty of people use different controls and ESDF is perfectly fine. For many years I would bind the movement to the arrow keys. I since moved back to WASD and it feels good to me because I don't have a traditional typing technique.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrow_keys#WASD_keys

 

[rcgldr]

I use the WASD keys but shift my left hand over 1 key to the left, using the pinky finger for shift or control, mostly for some of the Tomb Raider series of games, which have a lot of other commands that I map to keys I can reach with the left hand, since the right hand is using the mouse and 2 or 3 mouse buttons.

 

[collinsmark]

I use WASD, which is/are usually the default keybindings for the game. But it's not for any good reason, besides familiarity and laziness I suppose.

Switching to ESDF might have some advantages: yes, since I often find myself with fingers over the "wrong" keys (ESDF) causing the player character to exhibit symptoms of doing terribly incorrect things. I chalk it up to my character having issues with muscle spasms and maybe even seizures.

I usually stick with the default keybindings for the most part. Sometimes I'll switch the aim-down-sights control to the right mouse button if it's not there by default, but that's usually it (I'm pretty sure I had to do that for Bioshock Infinite). Then I'll just learn the new keybindings for the particular game.

That's one of the reasons I was so upset with Far Cry 3, a couple of years ago. In various parts of the main-story campaign missions, the game would suddenly switch which keys did what (even by default), when the game changed to a frustrating, quick-time-event format. I don't know what the developers were thinking. It was a slap in the face to the otherwise, very good game mechanics. (Fortunately I haven't seen this in Far Cry 4*, but I haven't finished the game yet -- but I'm led to believe that remapping the keybindings might break the game when it comes to rope climbing.)

*[Edit: One common mistake I've made several times so far in Far Cry 4 is when attempting to gently climb on top an elephant to ride it, I accidentally take out my knife and slash the elephant in the gut (muscle spasm, I guess). This has the unfortunate effect of infuriating the elephant. Things go downhill after that.]

 

[DivergentSpectrum]

wow 3 WASD'ers and I am the only user of ESDF?
crazy. i think my first fps was quake, and back then I am pretty sure i used arrow keys for movement.
then i started playing tribes, and i believe i have that game to thank for my correct gaming style (apparently it was one of the few fps that had ESDF for default movement.)

If i ever come over to play vidya games with you guys, I am changing your settings. :P

just curious, i went to http://10fastfingers.com/typing-test/english
i scored 52 wpm with one word wrong the first try. (better than 76% of the people who take it) what kinds of scores do you get?

Man if i was a typing teacher i would be so pissed off lol

 

[collinsmark]

[...] mostly for some of the Tomb Raider series of games, [...]

Speaking of which, I couldn't tell you how many times, years ago, when I tried to get Lara Croft to sneak along the top of a rock-face only to have her inadvertently do a swan dive into the spiky rocks below. "Really, Lara? A swan dive?"

 

[rcgldr]

Tomb Raider - to get an idaa of Lara's moves, Tomb Raider classic moves:

http://www.tombraiders.net/stella/walks/controls/TR2controls.html

Tomb Raider "crystal trilogy" (TR6, TR7, TR8) moves:
http://www.tombraiders.net/stella/walks/controls/TR8controls.html

Tomb Raider 9 moves:
http://www.tombraiders.net/stella/walks/controls/TR9controls.html

 

[DavidSnider]

What nobody uses VIM bindings?!

 

[TheDemx27]

What nobody uses VIM bindings?!

XD right

I use wasd as it gives you easier access to the shift and ctrl keys for crouching/walking in cs.
Here's my results:
http://10fastfingers.com/speedtests/generate_screenshot_result/65_331_0_0_61_1_85.97_15291_108959

 

[cjl]

WASD makes more sense to me, since many games use left shift/left ctrl all the time, and centering the hand over WASD (middle finger for W/S, ring and index for A and D respectively) positions the little finger nicely over left shift and left ctrl. In addition, E and F are often used for actions in game, and they're convenient with the index finger when the hand is centered over WASD. Sure, it isn't the standard typing hand positioning, but why should your gaming hand position necessarily be identical to typing?

Oh, and for what it's worth...