Analog stick like movement in FPS games using WASD on mechanical keyboard.

[Bratman]

When I press a key down lightly on my keyboard to actuation I get one keystroke. Same if I bottom out past the actuation point. It makes no difference.

But in FPS games it does make a difference. I can strafe very very small movements by lightly tapping the keys. This doesn't make sense because it should register I pressed it only once. It's like an analog movement on an analog stick, I can walk slowly by tapping the keys slowly. If I bottom out in Counter Strike to step left/right it's a greater step than tapping lightly.

Anyone else noticed this? I tried this on Cherry Reds.

[BunnyLake]

its not registering a keystroke its registering length of time actuated

for what you are saying to make sense in a game you would have to press W for every step forward

[Bratman]

I know what you mean but I'm not holding it down for a length of time. It's one key stroke same as hitting W once. If I held W then that would repeat W making me move forward but it's just one keystroke.

[davkol]

Do you have that technology developed by Microsoft in mind? It registered pressure put on the key.

[Bratman]

No never heard of anything like that. Honestly fire up an fps game and very lightly tap left/right and you will make minute movements compared to a single bottom out.

[amzee]

No, if you hold it, it sends a continuous key down signal, I believe. Programs like Word or other text editors turn that into a repeated press. In FPS games, it makes you keep moving. So, if you bottom out, it takes longer for the stroke to complete, and it results in a longer movement.

[Bratman]

I'm not holding it. It doesn't take longer for the keystroke to complete by bottoming it, it completes once it reached the actuation point.

[amzee]

Yes, but bottoming it keeps the keystroke going from the time it hits the activation on the way down to the time it reaches it on the way back. Not bottoming out leads to a shorter time with the switch being activated.

[The_Beast]

Check this out

[FoxWolf1]

I'm not holding it. It doesn't take longer for the keystroke to complete by bottoming it, it completes once it reached the actuation point.

No. The key is "down" until the switch comes back up past the actuation point again; when you apply more force, pressing the switch against the bottom of its travel, this takes longer.

Games are not word processors, so don't make the mistake of thinking that any pressing of a key that would register as one letter when typing text, where an initial repeat delay applies, is also "just one keypress" to a game.

[Kiraaaa]

Oh man, I never considered this to be a problem until now.
I understand how this can be an issue especially when playing an FPS game like Counter Strike.
So I guess that this is just a problem with mechanical switches since they all have an actuation point midway, and then the only solution would be to use a rubber dome where the key only registers when you completely bottom out.
Unless the OP found a way around this problem? Would love to hear back from the OP if this is still a problem or if he got used to it.
Because I personally play Counter Strike too, and was considering getting a Brown or Red switch mech kb, but if this is an unavoidable issue then I will have to pass on mech kbs and stick with my rubber dome.

[An9e11]

I had the same problem when I got my first board with cherry mx red switches.
I go to a lot of LAN parties and tried out someone else's keyboard with cherry mx black switches and it totally fixed this problem for me.
I would theorize that the red switches were so light, I was always bottoming them out. But with the black switches if I tap a key, I get a very quick press that does not bottom out, but still registers the keypress. Maybe it's just cause I was so used to pressing the keys all the way down before with my rubber dome board, that I tend to press the keys harder, so on the keyboard with the red switches, they just always bottomed out.
You should try going to a LAN party. They you can just ask around and try all the best keyboards out and get a feel for what you like.

[Kiraaaa]

I had the same problem when I got my first board with cherry mx red switches.
I go to a lot of LAN parties and tried out someone else's keyboard with cherry mx black switches and it totally fixed this problem for me.
I would theorize that the red switches were so light, I was always bottoming them out. But with the black switches if I tap a key, I get a very quick press that does not bottom out, but still registers the keypress. Maybe it's just cause I was so used to pressing the keys all the way down before with my rubber dome board, that I tend to press the keys harder, so on the keyboard with the red switches, they just always bottomed out.
You should try going to a LAN party. They you can just ask around and try all the best keyboards out and get a feel for what you like.

Yea I was thinking about it and thought that Blacks would probably be a solution because of how heavy they are and so it's not as easy to bottom out like the Reds. I'm really considering sticking with rubber domes now though.. it seems like Mech switches just weren't made with gaming in mind lol. (especially with the Blues having that double tap issue)

[xmagusx]

A black switch has a stronger spring, so it will be a faster switch than a red in terms of total travel time during a bottom out and release. Amusing to think of this making a difference in a game, though.

[Kiraaaa]

A black switch has a stronger spring, so it will be a faster switch than a red in terms of total travel time during a bottom out and release. Amusing to think of this making a difference in a game, though.

I just tested out my MX Blue kb vs. my rubber dome and yea it does make a difference.
It is almost impossible to replicate the same movement as the rubber dome with the Blues. You almost always end up moving twice the distance with the Blues than with the rubber dome.
If you play a game competitively, like Counter Strike for example, then you'll understand why this is a problem and that precision in movement is crucial.
Ex. with the rubber dome I am able to peek around corners quickly by tapping the key and strafing a short distance.
But with the Blues when I do the same "tap", I end up strafing a longer distance (basically double like I mentioned before)
This is the difference between only exposing my shoulder vs. exposing half my body including my head.. which obviously leads to higher risk of getting shot/killed especially if there is a sniper watching that corner.

This could only be avoided (and I was only able to replicate the same movement as rubberdome) when/if I don't bottom out and press the key until I hear the actuation click and let go right away... being careful not to push the key any further.. but nobody plays like that realistically.

But I understand that for some (most) people, they just play video games casually and so this is a non-issue for them. Thanks to the OP for bringing this up, I never realized it to be a problem until now and trying it for myself.

[Sciurid89]

I think you want a mechanical switch with tactile feedback, such as a brown or a clear (the latter has a stiffer spring and should come up faster). That way, you can hold it down slightly (before the activation point), tap it just slightly, and it should spring right back as quick as a rubber dome (or faster!).

[Kiraaaa]

I think you want a mechanical switch with tactile feedback, such as a brown or a clear (the latter has a stiffer spring and should come up faster). That way, you can hold it down slightly (before the activation point), tap it just slightly, and it should spring right back as quick as a rubber dome (or faster!).

Yea, I always wanted to try clears since I like browns but think they're a bit too light. But it seems like clears are rare and hard to get my hands on. I still need to test with the keyboard in my basement w/ Blacks to see if I can replicate the same movement as rubber domes. Which has a heavier spring? Blacks or Clears? I know that Blacks have a 60g actuation force compared to the 50g on Blues which I kinda like.