Keyboard is terrible

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Keyboard is terrible

I'll preface this by saying it's one of the greatest games of all time.

Now that that's out of the way, the PC keyboard controls are almost unplayable, especially if you're playing on Death March.

Why do we have to hold a stance button to use heavy attacks when the controller assigns it to one button press? What's even more stupid is the fact that the default modify attack button is also the button that activates sprint, so if you want to use a heavy attack you will also be draining much needed stamina and won't be able to cast signs until it regenerates.

Considering harder difficulties REQUIRE dance-like dodging/rolling/parrying, this set up is awfully shitty.

Now I have to shell out another $50 to get a controller so I can actually play the game.
 
You could rebind your control scheme. Seriously you rarely use heavy attack and block in the game. Unless your build is specialize w/ heavy attack. You could bind heavy attack w/ right mouse button and parry/ block goes w/ middle mouse button. If you got a gaming mouse rebinding the pc controls will be ease. Personally its personal preference and subjective w/ controls of the game.
 
I got X7 mouse and i did rebind heavy attack to the thumb mouse button. Everything is fine now.
On the other hand, you gotta use left triger on gamepad to block/parry, which is just terrible as well.
 
I use heavy attack and block constantly. I play on Death March. If you're on Death March and never have to use block, I'm impressed. I'm not super far in, only level 13, but if I don't use block I will die very quickly, and heavy attack is very useful in my experience.

I've found some luck with binding the strong attack to right mouse (not using modify attack at all, I don't know why they bothered to put that in if you could use the attack directly, especially to a key that drains stamina, for f*ck's sake), parry/senses to middle mouse, and quick action item to "V"
 
I use heavy attack and block constantly. I play on Death March. If you're on Death March and never have to use block, I'm impressed. I'm not super far in, only level 13, but if I don't use block I will die very quickly, and heavy attack is very useful in my experience.

I've found some luck with binding the strong attack to right mouse, parry/senses to middle mouse, and quick action item to "V"

My build is a sign user so i rarely block due i am heavily dependent w/ signs especially quen. Also heavy attack i rarely use it except w/ certain monster like wraiths and tanky monster. Whats good w/ keyboard/ mouse you could use 3 or more signs depending on my build.
 
Yea, Snooks, you just need to put what functions you need the most on your most easily accessed mouse buttons (assuming you have more than 3).

I play DM as well, and rarely use signs, but I have block and cast sign on my 2 thumb buttons, heavy attack as button 3 (scrollwheel button), and fast attack and jump on my left and right buttons.

You might already know this, but you also don't have to use the modify button to dodge (Alt by default, I think). Just double tap the directional keys.
 
PC gamers might as well resign themselves to getting gaming mice and programmable keyboards. This issue of designing around gamepads is not going away, and in my humble opinion one of the biggest issues of modern PC ports..
 
Yea, Snooks, you just need to put what functions you need the most on your most easily accessed mouse buttons (assuming you have more than 3).

I play DM as well, and rarely use signs, but I have block and cast sign on my 2 thumb buttons, heavy attack as button 3 (scrollwheel button), and fast attack and jump on my left and right buttons.

You might already know this, but you also don't have to use the modify button to dodge (Alt by default, I think). Just double tap the directional keys.

The only sign I use is igni, since upgraded it degrades armor as well as doing some decent damage. I'll use the shield on tougher enemies like gargoyles and stuff. Never use Axii, trap's only for wraiths.

I actually didn't know that about double-tap-dodging, but you just made my life a lot easier. (not that it matters in the long run. I ordered the controller and will be using it)
 
Entirely subjective of course, but I play a pure swordsman build and uses dodge, roll and parry all the time, and I haven't had any problems playing this with mouse and keyboard, standard key settings and on DM.
 
well yes, i had to use external utility from a forum member posted here, to be able to use most of usual keys (not all however...)
the game got released in emergency anyway, after few months of extra delay...
 
well yes, i had to use external utility from a forum member posted here, to be able to use most of usual keys (not all however...)
the game got released in emergency anyway, after few months of extra delay...

What external utility? What mouse/keyboard do you use? The game works out of the box for all of my buttons of my Logitech G700s...
 
I found the default bindings very bad and the mouse/keyboard controls very poor.
The dodge/roll for instance, I need to do with keyboard hand and since keyboard also controls direction + signs, it's impractical. I ended up never using dodge once in the game just because I couldn't find a key that would be practical for me. The Witcher 1 was made for PC, this one is made for controllers, and I do feel that no keyboard binding works well. There are just too many buttons, and also a few screens (inventory, merchant) where one would actually enjoy using one's mouse the intuitive way.
 

That answers only half of my question. As I've said, it works for me just right out of the box without any external tool needed.

---------- Updated at 10:52 PM ----------

I found the default bindings very bad and the mouse/keyboard controls very poor.
The dodge/roll for instance, I need to do with keyboard hand and since keyboard also controls direction + signs, it's impractical. I ended up never using dodge once in the game just because I couldn't find a key that would be practical for me. The Witcher 1 was made for PC, this one is made for controllers, and I do feel that no keyboard binding works well. There are just too many buttons, and also a few screens (inventory, merchant) where one would actually enjoy using one's mouse the intuitive way.
What mouse do you have? I think the game controls only work well on M/K if you have a mouse with at least three thumb buttons. With my Logitech G700s it works quite nice. I have bound dodge to one of my four thumb buttons. Dodge is a central mechanic of the combat gameplay. I can't even imagine how you play without using it tbh...

I agree with your critique of the menu screens though. For a purely PC centered game they would be unnecessarily complicated and tedious to use.
 
I just changed the Witcher Senses/Parry to a thumb button of the mouse, the Dodge to another and I put the strong attack on the RMB. It's working like a charm for me.
 
Remapping has been patched into the game, so you don't need an external utility. I haven't changed any default bindings, but I know I can.
 
Remapping has been patched into the game, so you don't need an external utility. I haven't changed any default bindings, but I know I can.

Unfortunately it doesn't seem to work with some keys, for instance trying to set the comma and period keys to be left and right. Someone else posted the same issue as a bug, so it's not just me.

I struggle using the keyboard with W3 too. There is no way I could get used to using the default layout (I've never, ever used WASD for movement) and have remapped almost everything with third party software. Having a multibutton mouse helps, but not enough. Hence I never use dodge as someone else mentioned above for the same reason; I simply can't get used to a key for it that I haven't already used for something else.

Still, it hasn't stoped my getting half way through my third playthrough on DM. It does mean I occasionally get killed because of control difficulties which I find rather annoying.
 
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