Gaming Keypads Are Awesome!

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My youngest brother is a BestBuy employee, and gets stuff at cost, so most of our Christmas presents were tech oriented. My gift was a Razer Nostromo Gaming Keypad. These things are awesome, and I can't believe I've never owned one. I'm actually considering breaking out Diablo 2 again, as I can now readily switch between skills with ease.

I've already configured it for Baldur's Gate (you can't believe how much time you spend between actions until you greatly reduce it). I also think it will greatly help once I eventually pick up Skyrim (although that will be a new configuration, but you can save several at a time). This handy little device completely obviates the need for a keyboard while gaming.

 

Don't I know it. I don't have a separate gaming keypad, but I do have a special gaming section on my keyboard. I've got the Steelseries Merc Stealth and the gaming area is great, especially for shooters where lots of keybinds can be used for separate weapons (back in the day, when you could still carry more than 2 or 3 weapons). The ergonomics are great too.

Unfortunately, they had to sacrifice the numpad to make space for it on the keyboard. It's still there, but you need to switch between the arrows, home, end, page up and page down and the numerical keys with num lock all the time if you want to use it. So instead of a separate gaming keypad, I bought a separate numpad.

I love the gaming part, though, and would certainly try very hard to find it again should I ever need to replace this keyboard.

 

I use razer keyboards and mice for years. The tech level of razer is high. Be sure to check out new firmware and drivers on their site.

I got a Blackwidow ultimate for x-mas.

 

It wouldn't be very clever for a game like SC2, where you need to use about 20 hotkey bindings because mouse-clicking is just too slow.

 

Well, the one Aldeth got doesn't have too many buttons (I think I looked at this one as well when I was picking my current keyboard and dismissed it specifically because of this), but at least the ergonomics should be a lot better than that of a normal keyboard. Mine, on the other hand has easy access to 26 buttons, not counting the Ctrl, Shift, Alt, Tab and Caps Lock. Also, it has the F5, F9 and printscreen buttons handily close by.

I don't think it has the macro programmable buttons that for instance the Logitech G15 has (and quite possibly Merlanni's Razer), but I never really use those anyway. They're apparently quite useful for Starcraft, though. Also considered a bit unsporting, I believe.

 

Well, mine has 22 programmable buttons, and while I will concede 26 is more, it's not that much more.

They are considered very BM in SC2 multiplayer.

 

I had it stuck in my head somehow that there were only 16 buttons on it. Do you use that analogue stick also? And if so, for what purposes?

BM = bad manners?
And while we're at it, SC2 = Supreme Commander 2?

 

There are 15 actual keys on it, labelled (appropriately enough) 1-15. There is an analog stick, which can be used as one would typically expect, but the up-down-left-right can also be programmed to quick actions (19). There are 2 other buttons on the side that can be programmed (21), and the scroll wheel can be clicked and set to a function (22).

BM does mean bad manners.
SC2 = Starcraft 2.