Remapping keys: My custom bindings for FPS games

[chargio]

For 12 years now, I have NEVER played any First person shooter game using the default key bindings. I never liked to use the WASD keys for movement, mainly because I felt like I'd have a hard time using my pinky/thumb for the vast number of buttons around WASD. So here was my solution, that I have stuck with for years, with great success.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4nf8dfCpQw

Here I show myself playing TI with my customized layout, and a smaller window showing my hands IRL and how they setup. Here are my keys:

Left click - Move forward
Right click - Move Backwards
, - Strife left
. - Strife right
M - duck
N - roll
B - jump
V - sprint
(space) - action
(alt) - Melee
Middle click - Shoot
Scroll up/down - change weapons
Mouse 4 - Reload
Mouse 5 - unused (Change rate of fire in some games)
G - Peek left
H - peek right
J - heal teammates
K - change granade type
L - teamspeak chat
; - Radial commands
' - teamchat
(Enter) public chat
U - Voice chat
/ - turn on flashlight
C - throw granade

My left pinky rests on the V, and works the C key
My ring finger rests on B, and works the G, and H key.
Middle finger on the N and/or M key, and works the J key
Index finger rests between , and . and works the K, L, ; and / keys
Thumb rests between (Space) and (Alt) only.

Right hand index and middle finger work all three: Left click, middle click, and right click. I alternate between these buttons naturally without thinking of it.
Right hand thumb works the side mouse keys.

I truly believe I have an advantage in doing this. I am able to move diagonally, and still have four fingers available on my left hand to input controls. With the default WASD system, moving diagonally takes 2 fingers away from your left hand, limiting how many other buttons your fingers have access to.

I know this is extreme, but I'd advise everyone to think about their key bindings, and make changes to them to fit your playing style, even if they are small changes.

[MightyOCD]

freak

[sleep paralysis bobcat]

I use:
4 - forward
S - back
W - left
T - right
6 - reload
2 - heal
G - roll
B - use
N - voice
Mouse1 - shoot
Mouse2 - bash
Mouse4 - melee weapon
Mouse5 - grenade throw
V - grenade switch
Scroll Up - rifle
Scroll Down - pistol
Mouse6 - special weapon
Mouse9 - custom 2 round burst double click macro

[chargio]

xD so much love

[IMEI]

Originally posted by MightyOCD:

freak

This.

[omega]

my keybinds from 1995 up until like... 2003 were something liek this:

a = forward
z = back
x = jump
space = use
ctrl = shoot
mouse1 = strafe left
mouse2 = strafe right

since i started fps before wasd was mainstream, i came up with my own system, rooted in descent. (hence the a/z for forward/back)

i was forced to learn wasd by my ex with c&c renegade, because she wouldn't let me touch keybinds on her computer haah.

[Tornado[Bengel]]

Originally posted by *E^ chargio:

I truly believe I have an advantage in doing this. I am able to move diagonally, and still have four fingers available on my left hand to input controls. With the default WASD system, moving diagonally takes 2 fingers away from your left hand, limiting how many other buttons your fingers have access to.

Do you need thous four free finger to do something? Now that i think about it i would also use another setup IF i had no thumb buttons on my mouse. I have 2, 3 would be better for TI, but it's ok. I would bind the grenade selection or "use" on it.

Are straving + meeleing or shooting + jumping a problem for you?
If not everything is fine.

Originally posted by omega:

i was forced to learn wasd by my ex with c&c renegade, because she wouldn't let me touch keybinds on her computer haah.

xD

I always use the wasd setup.

Except the defaults i have this key bindings in TI:

MOUSE3 = Throw Grenade
MOUSE4 = Cycle between Secondary and Primary Weapon
MOUSE5 = heal / command dog

Originally posted by NIRSNog | HELLCAT 1:

Mouse9 - custom 2 round burst double click macro

Which mouse do you use?

[sleep paralysis bobcat]

Logitech G700, although I've been considering moving to a Cyborg RAT. This massive mouse... isn't big enough. XD

[Tornado[Bengel]]

Originally posted by NIRSNog | HELLCAT 1:

Logitech G700, although I've been considering moving to a Cyborg RAT. This massive mouse... isn't big enough. XD

I have the old RAT9 Wireless somewhere. I thought about visiting the german headquater and giving back the mouse. Through a closed window.
Overall the RAT9 is solid and highly adjustable, but there are 3 big problems of the steel carrier plate version:
1) The batteries last for like half an hour max, after the first month. The quality of the batteries is bad and the energy consumption of the mouse high (batteries are 2 x 440mah LiPo each).
2) The inertia. It is a problem in games, where you do extreme acceleration and deceleration in order to aim fast and precise. Even without any extra weight the mouse is very very heavy.
3) The round glide pad around the laser is the most ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ annoying failure of development i have ever seen on a mouse. A short hair or a plastic chip from the glide pad itself (!!) can tower in the laser beam -> malfunction. That happened often until i removed the pad and Mad Catz did the same.
I also saw plastic carrier plate versions in the shop. Maybe worth a closer look.

Why a 2 shot burst and not a 4 - 5 shot burst?

[chargio]

Originally posted by GER-TITornadoBengel:

Are straving + meeleing or shooting + jumping a problem for you?
If not everything is fine.

I suppose my problem with defaults is using my pinky on the left shift, or Ctrl key. Running + strifing + jumping/melee would give me a problem, but that's just me. Maybe I don't have any "advantage" with my key setup, but it certainly felt more comfortable from day 1, with an old shooter game. Not knocking anyone who uses defaults, and I know players who use defaults that can kick my ass =P

[sleep paralysis bobcat]

Originally posted by GER-TITornadoBengel:

Originally posted by NIRSNog | HELLCAT 1:

Logitech G700, although I've been considering moving to a Cyborg RAT. This massive mouse... isn't big enough. XD

I have the old RAT9 Wireless somewhere. I thought about visiting the german headquater and giving back the mouse. Through a closed window.
Overall the RAT9 is solid and highly adjustable, but there are 3 big problems of the steel carrier plate version:
1) The batteries last for like half an hour max, after the first month. The quality of the batteries is bad and the energy consumption of the mouse high (batteries are 2 x 440mah LiPo each).
2) The inertia. It is a problem in games, where you do extreme acceleration and deceleration in order to aim fast and precise. Even without any extra weight the mouse is very very heavy.
3) The round glide pad around the laser is the most ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ annoying failure of development i have ever seen on a mouse. A short hair or a plastic chip from the glide pad itself (!!) can tower in the laser beam -> malfunction. That happened often until i removed the pad and Mad Catz did the same.
I also saw plastic carrier plate versions in the shop. Maybe worth a closer look.

Why a 2 shot burst and not a 4 - 5 shot burst?

I'll get a wired version, because all wireless gaming mice I've seen have Issue 1.
I don't mind heavy mice, I've modified my current one to have higher weight.
As far as 3, that's a fairly easy mod.

I use a two shot burst because it can be pulsed fast, but also will land both rounds on the same spot if I decide I don't need to fire too many shots. It also usually works in most games. Three round burst and more has the issue of that third round being usually above the target.

[Tornado[Bengel]]

Originally posted by *E^ chargio:

Originally posted by GER-TITornadoBengel:

Are straving + meeleing or shooting + jumping a problem for you?
If not everything is fine.

I suppose my problem with defaults is using my pinky on the left shift, or Ctrl key. Running + strifing + jumping/melee would give me a problem, but that's just me. Maybe I don't have any "advantage" with my key setup, but it certainly felt more comfortable from day 1, with an old shooter game. Not knocking anyone who uses defaults, and I know players who use defaults that can kick my ass =P

I used to have jump on mousewheel_up and a direct knife attack on a thumb button, but that was cs. I am ok with the cs defaults and i always use them in any shooter game if possible. I would have picked "E" for "use" and "Q" for "voice chat", if there were no car maps where i need to climb out the windows.
That is pretty much everything i need. Your setup may not be an advantage over other players with defaults, but it's an advantage for you compared to the usage of the default setup, so it's good.

Originally posted by NIRSNog | HELLCAT 1:

I'll get a wired version, because all wireless gaming mice I've seen have Issue 1.

I should have done the same, but i thought for that money the hardware is good.
I used a Logitech MX510 the last years, some weeks ago i upgraded to an MX518 :D. Awesome mouse, grade quality.

[IMEI]

My keybinds

unbindall
bind "0" "+mouse_menu_radio_open"
bind "1" "slot1"
bind "2" "slot2"
bind "3" "slot3"
bind "4" "slot4"
bind "5" "slot5"
bind "a" "+moveleft"
bind "c" "act_flashlight"
bind "d" "+moveright"
bind "e" "+leanright"
bind "f" "+use"
bind "g" "+grenadeswap"
bind "h" "act_goggles"
bind "q" "+leanleft"
bind "r" "+tactic"
bind "s" "+back"
bind "w" "+forward"
bind "x" "+roll"
bind "z" "+mouse_menu_radio"
bind "'" "messagemode2"
bind "ENTER" "messagemode"
bind "SPACE" "+jump"
bind "TAB" "+showscores"
bind "CAPSLOCK" "+sprint"
bind "ESCAPE" "cancelselect"
bind "PAUSE" "pause"
bind "SHIFT" "+duck"
bind "CTRL" "+voicerecord"
bind "F2" "changeequipment"
bind "F3" "voicecontrol"
bind "F4" "changeteam"
bind "F5" "jpeg"
bind "F6" "screenshot"
bind "F7" "vote yes"
bind "F8" "vote no"
bind "MOUSE1" "+attack"
bind "MOUSE2" "+attack2"
bind "MOUSE4" "+reload"
bind "MOUSE5" "+grenade"
bind "MWHEELUP" "invnext"
bind "MWHEELDOWN" "invprev"

[chargio]

Omega's is interesting for sure. I have one thing in common with your old setup, we both use our mouse1 and 2 for movement; both hands are involved.

Nogg, that's pretty creative. I tried your setup out a bit, and I still like your setup more than defaults. My fingers are spread out comfortably, not too bunched up. I'm going to look into setting up a 2 burst macro, that's a damn good idea.

Speaking of mouse's, That Mx518 is very much like my G400s. I really like these designs, but I'd like just 1-2 extra thumb buttons. I concidered the Rat9 before and stayed away because... it looked too complex. But after what Tornado said, I definately won't buy that one.

[K I N G S P I K E Y]

BETTER BINDINGS FOR ANY FPS WITH A MULTIPLE-ABILITY SYSTEM

I mainly play overwatch now, and i switched to these bindings so i can use abilities more effectively and without having to let go of the movement keys at any time.

MOVEMENT
move forward: T
Backpedal: G
Strafe Left:F
Strafe Right: H
Jump: Space
Crouch: Right Alt

ABILITIES
Reload: Y
Weapon Switch: Scroll Wheel or S
Ability 1: X
Ability 2: C
Ability 3: Left Alt
Melee: D or Mouse 5 (D if you want to combo melee with an ability, M5 if you want to do extra damage but have no ammo left)

These keys are all accesible with the pinky, and unlike the standard key bindings keep you away from accidentally pressing the Windows key or Alt-Tab.

MISC AND COMMUNICATIONS
I need healing: J
Ultimate Ability Status: U
Acknowledge: K
Hello: 7
Emote Menu: 8
Spray Menu: O
Voice Line Menu: 9
Comms Menu: Mouse 4

Voice Chat: Middle Mouse Button or Comma
Hero Select Screen: L
Scoreboard: A


This covers pretty much everything important while leaving easily accessible keys free for other stuff. Here are keys that are unbinded but easily accesible:

R
E
Z

As well as all the other keys above the space bar, like V, B, N, M but i avoided using these in my setup because they are really awkward anyway. I focused on making sure that you don't have to take your fingers off the movement keys to use important stuff; i.e. all your abilities, melee, Crouch, Jump are all pressed with the pinky or thumb.