How and when did WASD + mouse look control scheme actually start?

[Ray2097]

Marathon (Mac) was the first game to use freelook, Terminator: Future Shock was the first on PC.

But I clearly remember doom, duke nukem and other early fps days, everybody used keyboard controls. Page up/page down for looking up/down, wow. Even if mouse was there as an option, we didn't use WASD controls because we had no idea.

Movement on cursor keys was deeply in our blood so using mouse + those keys weren't that practical, because you couldn't use other keys easily while playing like that.

I remember first person games looking very intriguing and advanced, but with very "bad" controls to me as a kid compared to classic 2D games.

Quake 1 is often mentioned as a mouselook game (and it was), but default controls were like on doom. Quake 2 too. Even enabling mouse look wouldn't give you an idea of WASD.

Now I hear stories from quake 1 era when some famous players used it and spread the word.

Half-life was maybe the first to use WASD + mouse as default.

How did we get there?

 

[SOAREVERSOR]

Quake 1, because you could hit the number keys to quickly swap weapons and bind the others around WASD.

 

[Nobu]

Sounds about right. I'm pretty sure Dark Forces had wasd controls, and I think Ice & Fire did too.

 

[Armenius]

I started using WASD in Quake 1. It wasn't the default, but it made sense given the multitude of other controls in the game. I don't know when it became the accepted default for FPS games.

 

[Drexion]

There was a time everyone's brain had to be re-wired to accept "left hand move + right hand look around".

"The game's control setup is its most terrifying element. The left analog stick moves you forward, back, and strafes right and left, while the right analog stick turns you and can be used to look up and down."
Source: Alien Resurrection review, from about 21 years ago.

 

[Dan_D]

Sounds about right. I'm pretty sure Dark Forces had wasd controls, and I think Ice & Fire did too.

Dark Forces II Jedi Knight did have mouse look. However, as I recall it was inverted from the standard controls. Up is down and down is up, etc. That being said, I'm almost positive that game came out after Quake I. However, neither game would have been the first to do it. Descent I was.

 

[Absalom]

Descent I had lousy mouse controls, and the Y-axis was inverted with little knowledge back then about how to correct that. 99% of players used a joystick, only weirdos used the mouse (and most of them seem to use trackballs anyway).

Duke Nukem 3D had mouse support, but it was lousy also. Effectively X-axis only.

It doesn't matter who was technically first, Quake I was the first to do it right. Because everyone was clueless how things should be, it was one of those "Aha!" defining moments.

 

[Nobu]

So I did a bit of looking, and Dark Forces (the first one) did (or could) use wasd and mouse look, and was released in 95 (according to wikipedia, anyway, a year or so before quake). Dunno if it was inverted or not, though.

 

[Dan_D]

So I did a bit of looking, and Dark Forces (the first one) did (or could) use wasd and mouse look, and was released in 95 (according to wikipedia, anyway, a year or so before quake). Dunno if it was inverted or not, though.

It absolutely is by default. I remember that distinctly when I fired it up about a decade after I last played it. I don't recall if it can be changed or not though. I actually never finished that replay because I couldn't figure out how to do that, so I don't think you can.

 

[Nobu]

It absolutely is by default. I remember that distinctly when I fired it up about a decade after I last played it. I don't recall if it can be changed or not though. I actually never finished that replay because I couldn't figure out how to do that, so I don't think you can.

Yeah, I think I remember I just used the keyboard when I played way back when, or keyboard+joystick. I know I had to use the joy with tie fighter–kb/mouse was way too confusing/clumsy on that game, although using just the kb was almost acceptable.

 

[Brackle]

From what I remember quake1/quake2 era?

 

[LurkerLito]

IIRC the first WASD + Mouse game was wolfenstein3d. It didn't have look up/down but only left and right. But I remember someone telling my to try it back then when all I used was the keyboard alone. It felt so weird but once it clicked, it made it impossible to go back to keyboard only.

 

[termite]

Quake made it popular for sure.

But I recall an adventure/platformer game on the Amiga that used wasd and mouse, which would have been mid '80s. Dark Fortress or something. I cannot seem to find it.

Edit: Dark Castle

• W - Up (Climb ladder/Stairs/Rope upwards)
• S - Down (Climb Ladder/Stairs/Rope downwards. Hold with Space for Low Jump)
• A - Left (Walk left, Up/Down Stairs with W/S keys. On hanging rope, turn/dismount to left. Hold with Space for Long Jump)
• D - Right (Walk right, Up/Down Stairs with W/S keys. On hanging rope, turn/dismount to right. Hold with Space for Long Jump)
• Q - Action (Use switch/Pick up item/Hold for Shield, once it is found)
• E - Duck (Duck)
• Spacebar - Jump (When used with A/D keys, Long Jump. When used with S key, Low Jump. When swinging on rope, let go.)
• Mouse - Aim (Aim arm for rocks)
• Mouse Click - Throw rock (in direction of aiming)
• Tab - Pause (press any button other than Tab to resume action)

 

[Domingo]

I never got the memo and still rock the arrow keys.

 

[defaultluser]

Quake was the first game to rock mouse-look properly

The rest of the standard button locations kept changing for several years.

I continue to move the keyboard over when I play an FPS (so I can use the arrow keys); I can't find WASD reliably when they are surrounded by so much chaff.

 

[Armenius]

There was a time everyone's brain had to be re-wired to accept "left hand move + right hand look around".

View attachment 370215

"The game's control setup is its most terrifying element. The left analog stick moves you forward, back, and strafes right and left, while the right analog stick turns you and can be used to look up and down."
Source: Alien Resurrection review, from about 21 years ago.

This is just a game journo being a game journo. I took to proper dual stick control immediately because it felt so natural.

Descent I had lousy mouse controls, and the Y-axis was inverted with little knowledge back then about how to correct that. 99% of players used a joystick, only weirdos used the mouse (and most of them seem to use trackballs anyway).

Duke Nukem 3D had mouse support, but it was lousy also. Effectively X-axis only.

It doesn't matter who was technically first, Quake I was the first to do it right. Because everyone was clueless how things should be, it was one of those "Aha!" defining moments.

You people who use non-inverted Y-axis are the weirdos, especially considering how popular flight sims were back then.

 

[elvn]

Hard to remember that far back but anything that allowed remap, sometimes via .cfg edit , was better ergonomically being farther over on the left side of the keyboard and right under weapon swap like quake 1. Quake1 and 2 also had mods for thngs like grappling hook that benefitted from a keymap cluster instead of using arrow keys.

According to wiki:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrow_keys#WASD_keys

Primarily, WASD is used to account for the fact that the arrow keys are not ergonomic to use in conjunction with a right-handed mouse. During the early days of gaming, this was not a problem as the mouse was not utilised; the arrow keys controlled both movement ↑↓ as well as looking around ←→, with strafing done through the use of modifier keys (usually Alt + ←→). However, the introduction of mouselook, a system that allowed the ability to use the mouse to look around both vertically and horizontally, enabled the player to perform techniques such as smooth circle strafing, which, although possible with the keyboard, was difficult to perform and resulted in jagged movement. Since the mouse was now used for looking, the ← and → keys for looking would be redundant and thus were altered to become strafe keys.

..

The style was popularized in competitive play in Quake and subsequently QuakeWorld, notably by professional gamer Dennis Fong, where the advantages of WASD and mouselook were recognised over a purely keyboard-based control system.[5] In the same year that Castle Wolfenstein was released, 1981, the game Wizardry used the AWD keys for movement in a 3D dungeon. Both the programmers of Castle Wolfenstein and Wizardry were users of the earlier PLATO system where the game Moria used the AWD keys.[6]

..

Another advantage of WASD is that it allows the user to use the left hand thumb to press the space bar (often the jump command) and the left hand little finger to press the Ctrl or ⇧ Shift keys (often the crouch and/or sprint commands), as opposed to the arrow keys which lack other keys in proximity to press. Ctrl and ⇧ Shift were chosen partly because they are larger keys and thus easier to hit, but primarily because in older systems the computer could only recognise a couple of alphanumeric key presses, a limitation circumvented by the use of modifier keys. In later games, the usage of the E key to interact with items or open up the inventory was also popularized due to its location next to the WASD keys, allowing players to reach it quickly.

..
[

Dark Castle (1986) may be the first game to use WASD keys and mouse for control.[7] Half-Life (1998) was one of the first games to use WASD by default.[5] After being popularized by first-person shooters, WASD became more common in other computer game genres as well. Many of the games that have adopted this layout use a first-person or over-the-shoulder third-person perspective. Some games that use overhead camera views also use WASD to move the camera, such as some city-building games and economic simulation games.

============================================
https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/fbism/what_was_the_first_game_to_use_wasd/
============================================

Some other ones mentioned in those links:

ESDF, DCAS, IJKL, AX, HJKL, SDF-SPACE, ASD-SPACE, WQSE, QAOP, ESDX, WAXD

==================================

I definitely played the original Wolfenstein with arrow keys. I played doom and hexen etc. Personally way back Doom2 and Duke Nukem deathmatch days (on ISDN) I adopted an E - C - A- F control scheme with S and D in the middle for sidestepping and notably I used V to crouch since duke nukem was one of the first FPS I played that ever had crouching. It seemed better to me with my thumb half tucked under. I was very used to tucking thumb under from doing runs playing electric piano/rock organ so that configuration is very comfortable to me.

So it was E (north) - C (south) - A(Turn Left) - F (Turn Right) .. S (sidestep Left) .. D (sidestep Right). V = crouch toggle , X = Reload.

Many modern games don't map turn and sidestep separately so I just clone those keys to do the same thing now in games where that is the case: F and S, A and D.

I played wow for the first 4 - 5 years of it's existence and developed all kinds of key and mod key arrays outside of the movement keys, using a G13 gameboard at the time that had a joystick nipple HAT switch you could slap N-S-E-W to mount/dismount, open inventory or character panels, world map, etc + mod keys on those directionals opening up 3 more sets. It also had two big buttons at the base I'd use for some things + mod keys. Other than that I basically cloned the left side+ of my keyboard to the G13

Now, I still use E- C - A - F with the S and D strafe keys often cloned to A and F but I now use a multi button mouse and have cloned the jump key to the mouse now. It makes it a lot easier to move around without pressing as many keys at once on the left hand, especially arcrobatics combining moving in reverse. I use the mouse to pan and move what I am looking at a lot but I buffer that with the movement keys or vice versa dynamically. I definitely invert the Y axis like flight sims as was said. I used to play a lot of descent and a few other flight oriented games with a gravis firebird but even for shooters it always made more sense to me.

I play souls-like games with a ms gamepad now. Dark souls games, Jedi:Fallen Order, Nioh 1 and 2,, and Darksiders3 most recently. I played witcher 3 and shadow of mordor/war, dishonored 1&2, etc.. with mouse + keyboard though. I have assassin' creed odyssey and Fenyx to play next and I'll prob play those with mouse+keyboard and gamepad respectively.

 

[Armenius]

I have been playing with ESDF more these days as default key bindings seem to be using keys like T, Z, V and B more and more.

 

[thebufenator]

I have been playing with ESDF more these days as default key bindings seem to be using keys like T, Z, V and B more and more.

Same, but mainly because I like having more keys for my pinky to reach

 

[Ray2097]

Thanks for the replies guys.

It feels surreal that after all those years we still use something so simple and yet so powerful.

WASD + mouse really opened the door for new gaming experiences.

 

[gamerk2]

Thing is, I missed the Quake phase of PC gaming, so I never transitioned to WSAD. Still using arrow keys, using mice with extra side buttons to make up for the relative lack of keys nearby.

 

[CrimsonKnight13]

Thing is, I missed the Quake phase of PC gaming, so I never transitioned to WSAD. Still using arrow keys, using mice with extra side buttons to make up for the relative lack of keys nearby.

I could never get used to the clutter of keys around WASD, so I kept to the arrow keys & multi-buttoned mice since I learned how to game on a PC (25ish years). Not sure if my preference is due to having mostly proficient ambidexterity or if my brain is just wired this way.

 

[SeymourGore]

I used my old DooM movement setup (arrow keys + numpad) up until Starsiege: Tribes.

It was the complexity of Tribes that finally convinced me to learn WASD and I did this by playing through Half-Life using it. After getting comfortable with WASD, I kicked myself for awhile, as it's much better than the old DooM arrowkeys.

 

[Ray2097]

I could never get used to the clutter of keys around WASD, so I kept to the arrow keys & multi-buttoned mice since I learned how to game on a PC (25ish years). Not sure if my preference is due to having mostly proficient ambidexterity or if my brain is just wired this way.

I use WASD, but I hate using everything around it. ALT and CTRL too. And I hate blindly changing weapons on number keys, I never learned that

 

[Nobu]

I use WASD, but I hate using everything around it. ALT and CTRL too. And I hate blindly changing weapons on number keys, I never learned that

Scroll-wheel for weapons, and sometimes I like using the cluster on the right instead of wasd, ijkl or uhjk, one of them.

 

[Axman]

I never got the memo and still rock the arrow keys.

What are you, a leftie?

 

[SeymourGore]

What are you, a leftie?

I used to push my keyboard far to the left on my desk to make the arrow keys work. Another reason I prefer WASD.

 

[sharknice]

This is just a game journo being a game journo. I took to proper dual stick control immediately because it felt so natural.

You people who use non-inverted Y-axis are the weirdos, especially considering how popular flight sims were back then.

Yep, in 1999 nearly every FPS on the Dreamcast used the 4 buttons to move/strafe and the analog stick to look by default, and there were games on the N64 before that at least had the option to play that way. Then when controllers actually had a joystick for each thumb it switched to just using one for look and one for movement.


The first game I played with WASD/mouse was Dark Castle on Macintosh, and it was really weird at first, but after playing a bit it I got used to it and it just felt way better, and yeah it wasn't an FPS.

I remember playing a variety of different FPS that at least had wasd/mouse look options, or had weird shit like inverted always on, but I think Half-Life was the first one that had it 100% normal as the default, which was refreshing because normally you had to mess around in the settings to get something good. An interesting one that came out a few months before Half-Life was Vigilance. It had wasd and mouse look, but you had to hold right click to fully mouse look, otherwise it just moved the crosshairs, similar to goldeneye on N64.

 

[MavericK]

I used to push my keyboard far to the left on my desk to make the arrow keys work. Another reason I prefer WASD.

I also did this for a really long time.

You people who use non-inverted Y-axis are the weirdos, especially considering how popular flight sims were back then.

To this day I cannot use a non-inverted Y axis on a thumbstick. It must have been the standard for a long time, maybe a better question is when did that actually change to non-inverted being standard? It seems to be in most games these days.

 

[sharknice]

I also did this for a really long time.

To this day I cannot use a non-inverted Y axis on a thumbstick. It must have been the standard for a long time, maybe a better question is when did that actually change to non-inverted being standard? It seems to be in most games these days.

It was almost never inverted by default ever since joystick look was a thing. It makes no sense in an FPS, it was only an option because people were used to flight controls.

 

[DoubleTap]

I also did this for a really long time.

To this day I cannot use a non-inverted Y axis on a thumbstick. It must have been the standard for a long time, maybe a better question is when did that actually change to non-inverted being standard? It seems to be in most games these days.

I play FPS with an inverted mouse because my first fps game were flight sims (in the 80s)

I never thought it mattered, but I think having to push forward to compensate for recoil is much harder than pulling backwards and I've done it too long to switch.

I played Doom/Doom2 with pure KB, but it was Quake 1 that got us all on mouse - we tried KB alone at first, but Doom wasn't true 3D where as with Quake, you had to be able to aim vertically to have a chance.

 

[Armenius]

It was almost never inverted by default ever since joystick look was a thing. It makes no sense in an FPS, it was only an option because people were used to flight controls.

I don't remember non-inverted being the default for mouse/joystick look until the early 2000s. First game I remember playing where it was default was Metroid Prime.

I don't see how it doesn't make sense in a FPS.

 

[Domingo]

What are you, a leftie?

Nope, I just don't like having WASD in the middle of a pile of other keys. It just feels un-natural to me. The arrows are broken off by themselves (along with DEL, END, INS, etc.) and it feels more "intentional" than just something people settled for. Plus, there's a pile of functions right there via the number pad. I just slide my keyboard to the left.

 

[SeymourGore]

I don't remember non-inverted being the default for mouse/joystick look until the early 2000s. First game I remember playing where it was default was Metroid Prime.

I don't see how it doesn't make sense in a FPS.
View attachment 370932

That's a pretty good diagram and helps the inverted scheme make sense to those who don't use it.

With me, the mouse to me is not the head of a character, but my own eyes. So if I want to 'look up', I'm moving the mouse up like I would control my own eyes in RL.

 

[Armenius]

That's a pretty good diagram and helps the inverted scheme make sense to those who don't use it.

With me, the mouse to me is not the head of a character, but my own eyes. So if I want to 'look up', I'm moving the mouse up like I would control my own eyes in RL.

Well then this will throw a potato into your tailpipe. The eye muscles work the same way. You would pull back to look up and push forward to look down.

 

[SeymourGore]

Well then this will throw a potato into your tailpipe. The eye muscles work the same way. You would pull back to look up and push forward to look down.

Keep your logic and science to yourself! I'll rely on my 'feels'.

 

[sharknice]

I don't remember non-inverted being the default for mouse/joystick look until the early 2000s. First game I remember playing where it was default was Metroid Prime.

I don't see how it doesn't make sense in a FPS.
View attachment 370932

If you're going by that logic then your left-right would also be inverted. THAT is why it makes no sense.

 

[Armenius]

If you're going by that logic then your left-right would also be inverted. THAT is why it makes no sense.

 

[elvn]

I don't remember non-inverted being the default for mouse/joystick look until the early 2000s. First game I remember playing where it was default was Metroid Prime.

I don't see how it doesn't make sense in a FPS.
View attachment 370932

Wish I could upvote this more.

Also this by patent:

 

[elvn]

If you're going by that logic then your left-right would also be inverted. THAT is why it makes no sense.

If you look at it like a dot on the bottom and a dot on the top of a middle-mouse trackball then what you said would make sense. Then if you chose to have the system register the bottom dot, moving the ball up would move the dot down. If you chose to have the system register the top dot, then moving the ball up would move the dot up. Then, as you said, if you chose to have the system register the bottom dot, moving right would move the dot left.

However from another standpoint - you are still directing your middle finger left for looking left and right for looking right even when looking at it as if it were a hand on a head.

That's a pretty good diagram and helps the inverted scheme make sense to those who don't use it.

With me, the mouse to me is not the head of a character, but my own eyes. So if I want to 'look up', I'm moving the mouse up like I would control my own eyes in RL.

It depends how far you are looking up IRL, eventually you move your head tilting it backward. Or tilt it forward to look down.


It is also more like a flight stick and games like descent were around and popular back then. I used inverted Y-axis on that with mouse before I got a serial port flight stick and then used inverted on that too obviously.

Also, some games actually have flying (or controlling a turret, drone, etc) portions within the game where the game swaps to flight stick inverted Y axis mode automatically so it could be easier to just keep it that way globally on those. It would feel odd to fly, operate drones, turrets etc in games without inverted to me even if it were an option.

Incidentally, I used to play with an old school microsoft (and later logitech) thumb-ball mouse at one point - and with great accuracy once configured properly. I always inverted the Y-axis in game on those as well but I never swapped the X. However I bet I could get used to swapping the X-axiswith enough practice if I really wanted to.