I'm planning on getting around to playing The Witcher 2 pretty soon here after I have finished my exams for this year. And I've just been wondering what the pros and cons are for using either the mouse and keyboard for play or the controller. And which do you guys recommend?

I would tell you that this PC RPG is better with PC hardware on the PC but I have no reason to say that. The interface is designed for analog sticks.

Speaking as a PC gamer, I say right tool for the right job, I prefer the Controller, I don't get the fast action of the mouse, but you really don't need it.

Which do you prefer using? use that. It works with either perfectly well.

I played with the M+K just fine, tried the controller but did not like it in Witcher 2:

• Due to the mouse controlling the camera i was able to much more preciecely go after my targets, in fact all my playthrough were without ever using the lock-on feature, as an added bonus because i was not using lock-on I was able to switch targets instantly on the fly completely fluidly to whatever i wanted while still maintain pinpoint precision.
• Going through long inventory menus is always easier with the M+K this is not even debatable, it's pure time and hassle savings.

• Looting everything is easier on the controller as you only push one button, on M+K it's 2 actions.
• Character movement is of course more natural with an analog stick rather then WASD.  

I prefer a controller. The combat isn't really suited for the WASD keys. Regardless, there's no reason why you shouldn't try both out.

I used a keyboard, had no issues. I'm so inept with a controller these days though...

I thought it was far better with a controller, especially now that the Enhanced Edition has fixed a few of the issues it had before.

Gameplay is probably better with a controller, but the menu is downright painful with one.  Of course, this was before the enhanced edition was released and I've heard that it has been improved.

I have played it 2 times now with a keyboard and mouse, and Id say that navigating the interface is much easier with a mouse. But as for playing the game it very sweet with a controller

I tried it with both KB+M and a 360 controller and ended up sticking with KB+M, though I did rebind some combat functions to Mouse4 and Mouse5 for ease-of-access.

I wanted to use the controller for my second playthrough once EE came out, but then I found out that they didn't touch the gamepad support for the PC version(I'm  surprised that people don't seem to notice that), so I stuck with K+M.

@Ravenlight said:

I tried it with both KB+M and a 360 controller and ended up sticking with KB+M, though I did rebind some combat functions to Mouse4 and Mouse5 for ease-of-access.

Exactly the same as this.

@Adamsons said:

@Ravenlight said:

I tried it with both KB+M and a 360 controller and ended up sticking with KB+M, though I did rebind some combat functions to Mouse4 and Mouse5 for ease-of-access.

Exactly the same as this.

Always be M4 and M5-ing.

I prefer a controller. The combat isn't really suited for the WASD keys.

Character movement is of course more natural with an analog stick rather then WASD.  

@Tennmuerti said:

Character movement is of course more natural with an analog stick rather then WASD.  

Utter nonsense.

I preferred it on M&K but you should see which you prefer.

im not sure its about which is best, but which you prefered.

i went down the swordmasters path and i found the controller better.

but those arguing one is better than the other should just get the fuck them yourselfs

@zaglis said:

@Tennmuerti said:

Character movement is of course more natural with an analog stick rather then WASD.

Utter nonsense.

One is analog, the other digital. The analog one is a lot more precise and natural feeling. I couldn't play The Witcher 2 with the equivalent of a d-pad.

I was just playing Witcher 2 moments ago. I've switched to controller after the first hour and it's been fantastic.

3rd person games should ONLY be played with a controller.

Movement is the only thing I liked about using the controller. I tried for an hour before I went back to keyboard and mouse.

Combat and movement = Controller

inventory management = K&M

@zaglis said:

@Tennmuerti said:

Character movement is of course more natural with an analog stick rather then WASD.

Utter nonsense.

One is analog, the other digital. The analog one is a lot more precise and natural feeling. I couldn't play The Witcher 2 with the equivalent of a d-pad.

@zaglis said:

@MikkaQ said:

@zaglis said:

@Tennmuerti said:

Character movement is of course more natural with an analog stick rather then WASD.

Utter nonsense.

One is analog, the other digital. The analog one is a lot more precise and natural feeling. I couldn't play The Witcher 2 with the equivalent of a d-pad.

What the fucking hell This is the first time I have ever heard someone compare WASD to a d-pad. And I have read a lot of stupid shit.

Well, it is. They both have binary input, either on or off, and have inputs for the 4 cardinal directions. They can both recognize 8 directions though combinations of inputs. They're almost identical except that WASD uses three fingers and a d-pad uses a thumb.

@MikkaQ said:

@zaglis said:

@Tennmuerti said:

Character movement is of course more natural with an analog stick rather then WASD.

Utter nonsense.

One is analog, the other digital. The analog one is a lot more precise and natural feeling. I couldn't play The Witcher 2 with the equivalent of a d-pad.

What the fucking hell This is the first time I have ever heard someone compare WASD to a d-pad. And I have read a lot of stupid shit.

Controller.

@MikkaQ said:

@zaglis said:

@MikkaQ said:

@zaglis said:

@Tennmuerti said:

Character movement is of course more natural with an analog stick rather then WASD.

Utter nonsense.

One is analog, the other digital. The analog one is a lot more precise and natural feeling. I couldn't play The Witcher 2 with the equivalent of a d-pad.

What the fucking hell This is the first time I have ever heard someone compare WASD to a d-pad. And I have read a lot of stupid shit.

Well, it is. They both have binary input, either on or off, and have inputs for the 4 cardinal directions. They can both recognize 8 directions though combinations of inputs. They're almost identical except that WASD uses three fingers and a d-pad uses a thumb.

That's sort of a simplified way of looking at it. It's not purely 1 stick vs WASD, it's 2 sticks vs WASD and mouse (as they both work in correlation). While a stick is better than WASD a mouse is also better than a stick.

As for the game, I tried it with both back when I played it and I greatly prefered the M/K. You deal with a lot of menus and iirc not only did you have the easier time with a mouse, but I seem to remember the menus also being better streamlined.

@Ares42: Well my point was that when you have a game where aiming with the mouse isn't important (like an RPG, or action-adventure or platformer) than I'd rather take the accuracy of an analog stick, if only so I can alternate between running and walking animations more naturally. If I'm aiming and shooting, then yeah I'd much prefer a mouse.

Although I thought the menus in Witcher 2 handled really nicely with a controller, I didn't feel like I was using an interface intended only for cursors, which is refreshing in a hardcore PC RPG.

I much preferred the controller with Witcher 2, but scrolling through a long inventory list could get tedious. Just try both.

Mouse and Keyboard:

- Better camera control, better targeting

- Easier to access quick menu(Although I think it is fixed in 360 version)

-Better inventory management, general interface access

- Magic and item shortcuts

- Able to lock walk/run, Witcher 2 doesn't have analog walk movement so walking is pretty awkward with the controller.

- Quick save

- Able to pick individual loot

I'm using controller but I'm also new to pc gaming and not comfortable with keyboard and mouse for action games.

Combat is better with a controller, menus are better with the mouse/keyboard. I don't understand why they lock you out of one control method when you start using the other (did they ever change that?). So, I would say go with the controller if you're having trouble with the combat, and stick with the keyboard and mouse if the menus are driving you nuts.

Keyboard ⁊ Mouse wins. Not sure why I'd care about the binary input when I only ever push the analogue stick right up to the edge, anyway.