Is Using Mouse and Keyboard Against Xbox 360 Players Cheating?

Can the age old question of whether using mouse and keyboard against pad players be answered? Could using a mouse and keyboard adapter be considered cheating in violation of the terms of use on Xbox 360?

[reynod]

Go ask Microsoft lol, why did they cancel plans for cross gameplay between PC and 360 users?

In their testing the best of the best control pad gamers got thrashed against average PC gamers using Mouse Kb. now if control Pad users are given handicap assist(aim assist), then they will be able to put up a fight.

[Pandamobile]

Even with aim assist, they'd still get massacred.

[captain-obvious]

Mouse and Keyboard controls = superiority

[Redgehammer]

I moved from KB/M to 360 controller with a great deal of reservation, but now I would never want to go back. I believe if you are good with the mouse, you can become good with the sticks.

[BattleAxe]

I use a 360 controller for all my gaming unless the game supports Direct Input or KB/M, then I just play using my KB/M. I recently bought the GTA pack on Steam, and I'm playing through GTA3 using a KB/M, and it works really well surprisingly enough. I find the more i get used to the KB/M, the more I seem to have no preference between which controls i use.

[fatalred alarm]

I don't know who they tested against, but i got no problem taking on pc players on games like homefront call of duty etc with my new xbox360 gamepad...

A skilled pad player is WAY better than the avarage keyboard user.

[Si-Fly]

What a ridiculous comment. The point is that a "skilled" pad user will get owned by a "skilled" keyboard and mouse user.

[fatalred alarm]

Will they? i'm simply stating an avarage pc gamer wouldn't have a chance against a skilled gamepad user..( which they implied above)
, also i prefer the way vehicles control on a gamepad.

[MaxXAttaxX]

He said skilled vs average.

Besides I find it easier to turn 180 degrees with a controller, especially in third person games.

[peowpeow]

I tend to use high sensitivity with gamepad. I find some gamepad users are very skilled (I love to watch halo sniper montages, some are amazing).
I do great with gamepad but I must admit It's a different story without aim assist :(

I miss games like RTCW / Wolf:ET, Quake, UT because they relied on pure aiming and tracking, but now iron sights, spray&pray + twitch reaction has become the norm for fps'

[Si-Fly]

@Nathan and Fatalred : What is the point in comparing a Skilled vs Average player?! If you prefer a pad that's fine, I prefer a pad too but I'm under no illusions that a mouse and keyboard offers a distinct advantage.

[RedSky]

Someone tell this guy to google Shadowrun.

[fatalred alarm]

Sci-fly, AGAIN i'm responsive to the claim avarage pc gamers trash skilled pad players, i'm also in no illusion keyboard and mouse offer better aim.

[RumbleFish]

I think everybody should be free to use the device of choice.
I play GT5 with wheel. Nobody would call it cheating to drive with wheel against other players who drive with pad.
For shooters there should be different servers for those who want to play with m&t and for those who want to play with pad.

[macky301]

For shooters definitely,..(but then again it is a bit surreal, that I can turn 360 degrees in 0.05 sec)

For just about every genre else,.. controllers have advantage, at least in comfort (except RTS(which is really dumb concept for console controller, unless it is -quest for booty simplified (maybe with move there could be some complexity in console RTS))

[OrganicMachine]

the only thing controllers have is pressure sensitive buttons.. for now.

other than that, mouse and keyboard can do everything and more.

comfort is preference, I'm comfortable using the mouse and keyboard with any game in any genre in any perspective. be 3rd person shooters/ FPS/ RTS/ whatever...

[stevenhiggster]

I personally play more on PC than console nowadays, and one thing I just recently noticed was missing (took me a while, I know) was force feedback. I hadn't really thought about it before, but now that I have, I really miss it. So game pads definitely have the upper hand over m&k there, and analogue buttons like you said.

[Perjoss]

the other thing pad have over M/K setup is the analog movement. I'm not sure if this can help at all in multiplayer but i really do prefer it for single player. Playing a good single player campaign with a pad is a lot more cinematic then the jitteryness of mouse aiming (unless you use very low mouse sensitivity) and digital 'on/off' keyboard movement.

[LunaticBrandon]

Yeah but a game like Black Ops it doesn't matter. When I borrowed it to try it out I literally didn't have to aim as long as I started shooting .01 seconds before the other player.

[Masterchef2007]

I believe so. Because while you can play a game well with a controller it will never be as accurate as a mouse.

[stragomccloud]

Seriously though! Why can't I plug in a mouse and keyboard into my Xbox or PS3 for games?????? Soooo lame!!

[Aussiegamer]

You can plug in a keyboard and mouse for ps3. That eagle eye thing converts it for ya all. Yeah it might cost ya $40 but you get the desired affect your looking for.

[stragomccloud]

I've heard it doesn't quite respond the same way though.

[MaxXAttaxX]

Yes it does.

[bozebo]

It will only work nicely if the game has been programmed to take in mouse input.

You can't emulate a controller thumbstick from mouse co-ord inputs, that is what some of the fuss about console ports to PC is about (because they emulate a controller from the mouse input which totally breaks it. bioshock, mass effect and bulletstorm in particular)

Anybody who says it works fine in a game which only has controller input programmed (so, 99.9% of console games) is a complete idiot. Anybody used to a mouse will not get proper tracking with it. It's probably worse than a controller too. (super high sense thumbsticks are actually really good for aiming)

[kornbeaner]

You can plug M&KB for UT3, they even have filters so you can decide what group you want to play with. I think it should be standard for all console FPS games to have a M&KB option, that would actually make want to play console FPS games.

[perfectCarbonara]

They bought an Xbox so they have already been cheated.

IMO

[Perjoss]

at least the online service is working perfectly.

[perfectCarbonara]

At least I have an additional 50 dollars a year to spend on stuff that really matters.

[Perjoss]

thats a giant pile of cash right there, dont spend it all at once bro.

[HarryB]

I have the maxshooter for the ps3 and I even have videos of myself playing cod blackops while using the maxshooter. And I like it. The only problem is the ps3 can't take like the dpi of a razor mouse. But I fucking annhilate the shit out of all opponents, its just crazy what I can do with a FN FAL and semi automatic weapons. And in case I have the famas or any other weapon you will get dominated.

I run around using the flame thrower and cross bow and thanks to aim assist which is like an aimbot its an extra plus lol. I kid you not.

I also have it for the xbox,and its pretty much the same. Now not all games react like in cod black ops or mw2, killzone plays just like a regular fps game. Basically any fps game plays good with the maxshooter except blackops, it can not take a mouse and keyboard it wasn't designed for it.

[CaulkSlap]

Yeah I'd say it's cheating. Everyone having the same control handicap is the only thing that makes console shooters even vaguely competitive. A mouse is just undeniably more accurate.

[Firstkn1ghT]

Killing with a keyboard/mouse is easy. A lot easier to target with precise accuracy with your wrist than your thumbs. I wouldn't say cheating but I would say it's an unfair advantage.

[Genki]

It's not cheating and it isn't an unfair advantage. An advantage, yes, unfair, no.

If it's available to one, then it's available to all, and if that's the sole reason why one is losing, then either fix the issue or perish. Hate to say it, but competition, and that includes gaming, is about survival of the fittest. If you're not using the optimal tool for the job, then that's your own fault. Don't like using a M/KB? Tough.

I never hear this nonsense brought up when talking racing wheels and fight sticks.

[CBaoth]

1) Does Microsoft manufacture or officially license K/M support to a 3rd party for the X360?

2) Does Microsoft consider using an external, unlicensed K/M adapter a violation of the terms of use?

3) To even utilize K/M support on the X360, does one need to use a software hack or an unauthorized peripheral?

Do I even have to differentiate between racing wheels/fight sticks and unlicensed peripherals? Please tell me you're not that dense? Is the peripheral sold alongside the hardware in Walmarts and Gamestops?

Jesus Christ people if it creates an unleveled playing field, and not everyone is privy to its access let alone existence, then it's CHEATING. Why on Earth would you even use it in the 1st place? So you can own the noobs and feel good about yourself? And if you hate the gamepad why are you even playing a FPS on a console in the 2nd place? When I drag my carcass over to my PC buddies' houses I have no qualms using a K/M even though I get owned a bit before acclimating myself.

[Genki]

You're argument doesn't address the matter at hand, which is irrespective of contractual obligations and licensing.

First of all if you read the blog post, which is doubtful as has become commonplace here on N4G, you would see that Microsoft's reply was that it wasn't a violation of the terms of use and therefore not cheating in that regard, making your first point moot.

Back to the matter at hand...A controller is simply a device allowing you to interface with your game. Calling what is simply a more precise and effective tool cheating is just silly, officially licensed or not. I wonder if you would feel the same if a peripheral that gave a disadvantage to the user was what was in question. Somehow I doubt it.

On to your second point...creating a level playing field is neither here nor there, as that is wholly dependent on the individuals level of skill with whatever device they're using. Some people aren't very good with KB/M anyway. Too bad for them. Fact of the matter is a gamer has the choice to use the best tool for the job, irrespective of what the competitors are using. You really don't have an argument here, and it seems as though your quarrel with KB/M is one of a personal nature rather than objectivity.

[RedDeadLB]

You people can argue all you want, but the fact is it all depends on the player's preference. I am skilled with a pad as well as with a mouse and keyboard. But the fact is, I aim better with a mouse, but move my character and perform actions faster and more responsively on an analog stick. It's a fact, the mouse is a very good gaming accessory, but the keyboard is just a clusterfuck when it comes to controls. Accessories like the Frag FX for PS3 is what I consider perfect. Mouse + analog stick.

[nevin1]

KB and mouse is not realistic of a person's shooting/aiming skills.

[Si-Fly]

Yeah your right, using a pair of tiny analogue sticks is much more like shooting a real gun.

[nevin1]

lol, I knew someone would say that.

[byeGollum]

I'd rather get massacred all day, I will not game with a keyboard and mouse.. it's just preference.

[madara0sama]

FPS is best played on PC with mouse-keyboard for superior control. Everything else is balanced between the two except for fighting games which is best on console with a controller/stick. IMO