Is this game propaganda to make you buy a gamepad?

[StraightFlame]

No, really. You can tell that someone uses a gamepad by the fact that they can get past the first boss and still have their left hand.

How did they ♥♥♥♥ up the keyboard controls so horribly? You often have to press space while holding shift, with just your left hand since you move left/right with the arrow keys. Space and shift are four. Keys. Apart. That's like trying to play it with the numpad. No, actually, it's more like if you had to move right and jump with one controller, and move left and run/attack with another.

The best part about it? You can't change the controls! There is a Controls button in the Settings menu, but all it does is tell you "This is keyboard. Use to play game." What kinda "settings" are THAT? Oh, and this is awesome: There is a way, but it involves changing some .ini file. How is anyone gonna try that?

Oh, and of course the advertising when you start the game. "First one to say keyboards are better gets shot in the face"!? You can also just say "My opinion is fact, and only i can have an opinion, so get a gamepad, you worthless waste of matter".

Why not make it so that you have to have plugged in 20 different controllers for it to start? Or how about 20 entirely new ones each time you want to play the game? How about 20,000 gamepads to unlock the next world? How about all that, AND hiding a paragraph in the terms and conditions which says that you'll be sentenced to death if you ever use a keyboard again?

[Mates1500]

Wait, what? I simply abandoned the keyboard after the first 2 minutes, I use my 2 year old Logitech Rumblepad 2 having no problems at all.
What the hell man, everyone should get a controller for a PC sooner or later anyway, there are simply games that play better with a controller, and even though the game does not benefit from the analog input itself, the analog stick simply feels much more precise than silly arrow keys. I don't see a reason to not buy a controller, a solid one costs about 25-35€, and it's a one time purchase (unlike CPU, GPU or other hardware for example) - the controller lasts you forever, unless you forcibly break it.

How would you bind the keys? Space is a nobrainer for jump, 99% of the games do that. You want to bind sprint to alt, or what? That would be just derp, the keyboard scheme is good as it is, and the tip at the beginning is a simple true fact.

Btw, I just tried doing the first boss, mind that I'm only a bit experienced player of SMB (beat the whole light world except for the bonus zone, only 21% of the dark world so far), I forgot most of what the chainsaw scheme was there, it took me like 6 or 7 deaths to beat it on a controller and therefore finally memorizing the chainsaw scheme, and I died only 3 times using the keyboard afterwards even though I strongly dislike it to control this game in the later levels.
I still don't understand what's your problem of the Shift and Spacebar keys, they are pretty close to each other, I personally use my pinky for shift and thumb for spacebar, who would do something else?

[NukeHP]

While I could understand being, to put it lightly, unimpressed with the keyboard control options, I would also suggest maintaining a sense of humor with those opening "gamepad > keyboard" statements. Those guys seem to like adding in little quips like that at the player just for fun, and they've always seemed frivolous to me. I would also point out that I have seen, albeit rarely, several instances of fairly skilled players saying they prefer or at the very least were able to get used to the keyboard controls.

[Iron Cretin]

Customization of keyboard controls would be very nice. I get horribly annoyed at seeing that gamepad ♥♥♥♥ at the beginning of the game, too. I just want to play not sit and stare at an unnecessary plug for (x-box) controllers.

Doesn't kill my appreciation of the game, but, given the homages and clear passion for gaming that this two-man team has, it does surprise me everytime I boot up the game to see that bothersome screen.

[Kuhaa]

Position your thumb to the left side of spacebar. Problem solved. I don't see how pressing Shift and Space simultaniously is a problem unless you've got really small hands. I never used a controller pad yet managed to beat the game just fine. I found, and still find, the message about controllers a bit annoying (especially when the game doesn't even have controller support on Mac) but I took it more as a challenge.

[StraightFlame]

Messaggio originale di Mates1500:

How would you bind the keys? Space is a nobrainer for jump, 99% of the games do that. You want to bind sprint to alt, or what? That would be just derp, the keyboard scheme is good as it is,

Erm, in most 2D platformers i know Z is jump and X is run/attack. Those are right next to each other, like the jump and run buttons should be instead of spread out 4 spaces apart.

Messaggio originale di Mates1500:

I still don't understand what's your problem of the Shift and Spacebar keys, they are pretty close to each other, I personally use my pinky for shift and thumb for spacebar, who would do something else?

They're about as close to each other as X is to the left bumper on an XBox controller. Again, while they could also make them two keys that are right next to each other.

[swozzy]

So far, agree to some of the post. Sure, Space and Shift is 4 keys apart, but you can control Meat Boy's movements with the right hand, and Space/Shift with left hand. Sure your pinky will start hurting after 5 hours of gameplay, but I managed to get pretty far with it so far.
One good thing about having a controller? Getting Brownie.

[zhunGamerTTV (人^▽')～]

I have my small finger on Shift and my thumb on Space, and the right hand on the arrow keys.
I've had no problems so far, thus I have absolutely no idea why you'd need a controller for this game...

[swozzy]

Messaggio originale di Zhuinden:

I've had no problems so far, thus I have absolutely no idea why you'd need a controller for this game...

To unlock Brownie, like I said earlier.
Other than that, I agree.

[dart193]

Some keyboards (and my too) dont accept more than 2-3 key presses at once. That way, it is impossible to perform jump while running left, as left+space+any other key are not registered properly. This is not meat boy problem, it is how keyboards are made. GAMEpad is designed specially for games, and this game IS better with gamepad, it DONT have to be x-box controller. While plugging it in and out may sometime annoy, gamepad is better. Plus ALL buttons are so close together and made for 2 hands, so you can hold them all with no problems.

[StraightFlame]

Messaggio originale di dart193:

This is not meat boy problem, it is how keyboards are made.

Erm... it is "meat boy problem" because they chose the most awkward keys possible for you to press at the same time. On a keyboard, there are more than 64 (no reference intended) instances where two keys of the same size are closer to each other than any buttons on any gamepad in existence (the D-pad counting as one), yet they chose Shift and Space, which, in addition to the loading screens with arguments a YouTube troll might use, made me believe that they had a deal with the gamepad companies to sell more gamepads.

And the "two hands thing"; you can't argue that that isn't the case with a keyboard.

[zhunGamerTTV (人^▽')～]

You forgot to read the part about the 3-key limitation. Luckily, my keyboard supports THESE specific keys. But yeah, not everyone will go out to buy a Razer merely to override the 3-key limit.

[dart193]

StraightFlame, it is NOT meat boy problem, because if i try to hold these keys in Windows, PC Speaker starts to beep, telling that too much keys are pressed. Same happens for any game. This is really known problem, i am happy that you dont run in it.

About shift + space - what crappy keyboard you use? Space and shift are no more than 2 keys apart. If keyboard dont have FN button, then they are 1 key apart. At least that is with my keyboards. Or wait... do you use RIGHT shift? You can use left shift if you used right one, that will end your sufferings.

About why shift and space - shift and space are for run and jump in every game i have seen. Z and X are much rarer because these are mostly in oldschool games.

About such propaganda of gamepad usage - anyway better than black screen while waiting game to load. Plus those messages are funny (at least in Russian: "First who will say that keyboard is better than gamepad will be smashed by keyboard in the face.")

[Llasiguri]

R-elax dud! You will learn to use T keyboard! I know that it is maybe something saaad, but, im at the Hell with no problem and keyboard!
P.D: The "advertisement" at the start is while the game loads!
P.D 2: You REQUIRE a gamepad to play as brownie :c

[DireSquidGuy]

I wouldn't say this is "propaganda" when it simply DOES feel more natural/comfortable to play this game with a game controller than it does with a keyboard. I've tried both.

Ironically, Rochard plays better with the keyboard than it does with the controller.

[Hell Sister]

I'm sorry, but this complaint makes no sense to me at all. So someone created a Game for Gamepad use? You knew this before purchasing the game. It even says so on the Retail Box. This is like complaining how a Piano Solo is hard to play on the Drums.