KB/mouse adapters for consoles - any that actually really work?

Hi,

Bit of a long story but basically my 8800 GTS busted on me out of warranty and I can no longer be bothered to pay for and maintain a gaming PC. I use my laptop for browsing now.

Anyway, I owned an Xbox360 a couple of years back but lost it during an acrimonious split with a partner. I used to play FPS games but hated it because aiming with the controller felt so alien. For this reason, I wasn't so sad to see it go.

A couple of years later, considering the demise of my desktop PC I am now intending to buy either an Xbox360 (probably an Elite) or a PS3, and my choice will depend on which platform has the best support for KB/mouse through 3rd party peripherals, adapters etc. I have done a bit of digging on the net and there seems to be good and bad stuff said about all of them in equal measure, and some are looking quite pricey too.

If there is no solution yet for either platform that is as near as damn the same as playing FPS on a PC, then I will not buy either and give up gaming completely (serious).

Thanks for your tips :)

Edit: sorry if this is in the wrong forum, seemed the best place.

I don't think there are any for the 360 that work well. I believe some PS3 games support USB m/kb. I'm not sure on that though.

Thanks :)

From what I've read, the PS3 USB connection only seems to support mouse/keyboard for stuff other than gaming controls. I stand to be corrected though and would like to think you are right :)

From what I can gather only UT3 actually supports kb/m in game. So you are gonna have to use emulation or a controller. IMO if you decide to try and get used to a controller go for the 360, its controller is much better than the ps3's. All shooters on the ps3 feel extra floaty to me and i'm used to using a controller.

Kb/m support from what I understand is officially supported by the ps3, but also has to be supported by the developers. Which appears something that devlopers by in large do not support judging by the lack of games. IMO you're pretty SOL.

Right now I don't think there's any sure fire solution for keyboard/mouse combo on a console for in game use. The PS3 will allow them for web use, but probably not in game.

I don't mean to offend, but I think it would be a little closed minded to say that "If I can't use a keyboard/mouse combo on a console, I just won't play games at all". That's kinda like saying "If I can't drive a Ferrari, I just won't drive". Okay, maybe not quite the same, but you get my drift. Also, why would you have to give up gaming? Don't you play other games besides FPS? If you just really, really don't want to use a console for FPS games, there are other good games out there; RPGs, racers, etc. You may not "see" yourself playing a fps on a console, but you can get the hang of a controller vs key/mouse. It can be done, I'm proof! :)

Finally, I too recommend the 360 controller over the PS3 ESPECIALLY for FPS games. Ultimately however, let the games each system offers steer you toward your purchase.
Good luck.

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Originally Posted by PowerCreep

Right now I don't think there's any sure fire solution for keyboard/mouse combo on a console for in game use. The PS3 will allow them for web use, but probably not in game.

I don't mean to offend, but I think it would be a little closed minded to say that "If I can't use a keyboard/mouse combo on a console, I just won't play games at all". That's kinda like saying "If I can't drive a Ferrari, I just won't drive". Okay, maybe not quite the same, but you get my drift. Also, why would you have to give up gaming? Don't you play other games besides FPS? If you just really, really don't want to use a console for FPS games, there are other good games out there; RPGs, racers, etc. You may not "see" yourself playing a fps on a console, but you can get the hang of a controller vs key/mouse. It can be done, I'm proof! :)

Finally, I too recommend the 360 controller over the PS3 ESPECIALLY for FPS games. Ultimately however, let the games each system offers steer you toward your purchase.
Good luck.

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Would I really give it up? Well, talk is cheap but my current situation with work, family etc is that I'm currently getting about 1-2 hours a week tops where I get the time to myself to lay back, crack the beers and do what I want (which would ideally be gaming). My first choice genre is FPS, so basically if I can't get a good experience (ie, console FPS + controller = bad experience IMO) in my precious little time, then I probably won't drop the cash. It's an agonising experience getting pwned on COD4 on XBL by some little kiddie who I would 100% blow away if using a mouse/keyboard, so I don't think I'd enjoy it.

Thanks for the advice gentlemen, I will just hold back for now I think.

http://www.xcm.cc/xcm_xfps_360.htm

http://www.xcm.cc/XFPS_3.0_Sniper.htm

If you're serious enough about it to spend the cash the xim360 is supposed to work better than the xcm xfps for fine detail controls. You're looking at $100-$200 to use keyboard and mouse with console FPS games though.

http://acidmods.com/shop/product_inf...products_id=93

Xecutor also makes one similar to the original xfps version but don't know anywhere it's actually sold.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PowerCreep

I don't mean to offend, but I think it would be a little closed minded to say that "If I can't use a keyboard/mouse combo on a console, I just won't play games at all". That's kinda like saying "If I can't drive a Ferrari, I just won't drive". Okay, maybe not quite the same, but you get my drift. Also, why would you have to give up gaming? Don't you play other games besides FPS? If you just really, really don't want to use a console for FPS games, there are other good games out there; RPGs, racers, etc. You may not "see" yourself playing a fps on a console, but you can get the hang of a controller vs key/mouse. It can be done, I'm proof! :)

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I have tried playing FPS games via console controllers and I find them ridiculous to play with. Sure, one will get better with time but I don't think that they compare favouraby at all with a keyboard and mouse combo.

In fact the ONLY games that I like a console type controller for are sports games.

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Originally Posted by Spank_Me_Hard

I have tried playing FPS games via console controllers and I find them ridiculous to play with. Sure, one will get better with time but I don't think that they compare favouraby at all with a keyboard and mouse combo.

In fact the ONLY games that I like a console type controller for are sports games.

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S'okay. Some people just don't have "it". Others do. Sorry for ya. :p

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Originally Posted by PowerCreep

S'okay. Some people just don't have "it". Others do. Sorry for ya. :p

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I'd actually like to see some head to head comparisons between two "equal" players... one using console type controller and the other using keyboard and mouse in the same game. My guess is that the keyboard and mouse would be a big advantage.

I watch my roomie play CoD Modern Warfare (both I and II) on his PS3. He's pretty good. But even his aim "bounces" around quite a bit on either side of his "target" before he manages to hit and kill it. I don't really notice it as much with somebody playing a keyboard and mouse combo.

My point was, using a controller for fps can be accomplished, and done quite well. There are some games however, that won't allow you to speed up sensitivity or only allow it to be sped up so much. Frankly, that's where the problem lies; it's not the hardware being used. You could become just as adept given equal sensitivity with a controller as you could with kb/mouse.

edit: ...just like there are some freaks out there that prefer the use of a trackball.

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Originally Posted by PowerCreep

...just like there are some freaks out there that prefer the use of a trackball.

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For first person shooters? If so, wow.

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Originally Posted by Fig

For first person shooters? If so, wow.

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Yeah, I've seen it with my own eyes. There's no lack of skills either.

I sure wouldn't want to be up against guys using KB/mouse when I'm using a controller.
+1 for the devs for not supporting it. Honestly, you get used to using the controllers. It took me a couple months when i first got my 360 to get used to it.

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Originally Posted by PowerCreep

edit: ...just like there are some freaks out there that prefer the use of a trackball.

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Yea... crazy. I was playing CS the other day with a guy who used it. He was one of the better players on that server too!

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Originally Posted by PowerCreep

Yeah, I've seen it with my own eyes. There's no lack of skills either.

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That's crazy. I wonder how their skills would have compared had they put equal effort into learning the same game with a mouse.

Unsure. They said the trackball was better for them than the mouse so I'm assuming they at least had tried.

I play most games just fine on my PS3 with the controller....except FPS gfames, which SUCK !
I'd love to use a keyboard/mouse combo for that.