controller vs. keyboard

[Lunatic_Alice]

What do you guys prefer to play with i play with an xbox one controller and do great with it.

[Mesarthim]

Keyboard. I've attempted a controller but I have become too attuned to keyboards for these games to get any real good at a controller for Touhou. Skill level drops by like a difficulty if I just up and use a controller at this point.

[Pakken11]

Keyboard. Can't really make those one-pixel dodges consistently with an analog joystick, and there's a slight more delay when changing directions 180 degrees.
Also, the joystick is on the left-side for conrollers - a big NOPE for me lol

[Cream Soda]

I prefer using a keyboard for Touhou, and I think a lot of people do, but there are some really good players using pads, I've heard.

[Romantique Tp]

Most japanese players use pads, but as far as touhou is concerned it's mostly personal preference. Pads do have a small advantage since you can do quarter circle and half circle motions faster and more accurately on them, but that shouldn't change much if you're just playing survival.

Keyboard. Can't really make those one-pixel dodges consistently with an analog joystick, and there's a slight more delay when changing directions 180 degrees.
Also, the joystick is on the left-side for conrollers - a big NOPE for me lol

You're supposed to be using the d-pad. These tiny analog sticks are very inaccurate.

[Sakurei]

They both have advantages over the other. People who claim that one is clearly superior than the other don't know what they are talking about. A pad allows for more fluid movement (e.g circle movement and generally just more advantageous for dodging), but a keyboard is more precise (e.g micro tapping, especially if you have to re stream, like on Hourai Jewel or Honest Man's Death), but that doesn't mean that you can't do precise movement on a pad or clean circular movement on a keyboard. It's just a matter of practicing those things enough.

Personally, I use a keyboard. I tried using a pad two and a half years ago, but felt like adjusting to it would take too much time for it to be worth it, so I just stuck with keyboards and I don't think I'll be switching at this point.

Pads are great for platformers though w

[Pakken11]

You're supposed to be using the d-pad. These tiny analog sticks are very inaccurate.

In which case it's still one finger. I prefer three for precise movement

Also, to the above poster - how do you mean "just generally more advantageous?" And I believe the number of situations that require tap dodges easily outweigh those that require circular movements.
I personally find digital precision to be more important than analogue fluidity - I mean, I find myself complaining about clip-deaths all the time, but never about chasing curvy bullet trajectories lolol (but then again, I never really play scoring, so *shrug*)

(By the way, talking about danmaku here. I do hear that sticks are better for fighting games, but can't say for sure since I don't really play those )

[Spotty Len]

Huh.

Am I the only one using an arcade fightstick here?

I started to play shmups with Mushihimesama Futari on a arcade cabinet at my local game center and I couldn't let it go considering how comfortable it is.

[Sakurei]

Also, to the above poster - how do you mean "just generally more advantageous?" And I believe the number of situations that require tap dodges easily outweigh those that require circular movements.

When you dodge a lot of random pattern, akin to PoFV or PoDD, you have to have fluid movement over precise movement usually, which makes the pad better for dodging random bullets patterns. Dodging attacks isn't just tapping and circles.

[pokemon123]

Keyboard for touhou. Trying to experiment with other controllers for other shmups. I feel like analogue is to imprecise but I feel like I can make faster movements but with keyboard it's more precise but the movements are awkward.

[shurcle]

Both. It mostly depends which you've had more practice with. With keyboard, it is much easier for me to make slight adjustments by tapping a direction. Its harder to stay still on d-pad and analog stick.
I've tried arcade sticks as well but only one type. It works for the most part but isn't what people recommend for shoot em ups...

[Ranko Hoshino]

I've been going gamepad with my SNES controller since I started playing Touhou a few years ago.

[shockdude]

Keyboard with remapped keys.
Arrow keys mapped to ESDF, shot/focus/bomb to JKL.
I originally used an ESDF keyboard mapping for emulators, but it works really well for Touhou and other shmups.

[SomeGuy712x]

I use the keyboard. It just feels right to me.

[pokemon123]

okay sort off topic but how does anyone actually use a d-pad(i'm using ps3 controller by the way) the movement feels really awkward, it feels like it's nearly impossible to to circles, the buttons feel bad. Can anyone tell me if it's just because the ps3 d- pad is horrible or something?

[Mеа]

The true way to tackle DDC Extra Stage

[Pakken11]

When you dodge a lot of random pattern, akin to PoFV or PoDD, you have to have fluid movement over precise movement usually, which makes the pad better for dodging random bullets patterns. Dodging attacks isn't just tapping and circles.

Well I don't really play those much either, so
Still, even with random patterns I feel precision is more important than fluidity - most of it is in the eye and the ability to read multiple trajectories at once anyway.

[Mero]

All of you are wrong.

Seriously though, it's like Sakurei said, both have immediate advantages over the other, but they can easily do the same things with enough practice.

[Silent Harmony]

okay sort off topic but how does anyone actually use a d-pad(i'm using ps3 controller by the way) the movement feels really awkward, it feels like it's nearly impossible to to circles, the buttons feel bad. Can anyone tell me if it's just because the ps3 d- pad is horrible or something?

You nailed it with that last question. The PS d-pad is notoriously bad for shmups and fighters and any such genre. If you want to use a pad I'd suggest a fightpad or an Xbox360 pad (or the closest equivalent).

To answer the topic question I use a keyboard for my PC games and a 360 pad for my console. I want to one day buy an arcade stick and use that on all my shooting games but for now I'm happy with my current setup.

[LepLep]

Although I personally agree that the PlayStation controller d-pad is pretty bad for shmups, MATSU uses one and he does some pretty cool things with it.

Anyways, I use a controller myself since I'm total poop at using the keyboard. :derp:

Edit: Nevermind, Matsu uses a PlayStation Hori Pad.

[Kasha]

I prefer keyboard instead of a controller because it's easier to control with a keyboard compared to a controller, it seems hard to control with a controller.  :V