What's the best way to play on a PC?

ColleenG · Sep 14, 2014

So with Steam offering Skyrim Legendary for 75% off, I finally bought the PC version. Primarily, I just want to learn to play on PC, pending a possible subscription to ESOL. I've never played a PC game using keyboard and mouse. ( I've always used xbox and controller.)

Boy, it's hard. Hadvar is just looking at me in amazement at my ineptitude. I can barely climb stairs.

I can't find any youtube demos of people using keyboard and mouse. Everything concentrates on the game itself.

One thing I can't seem to do at all is get to the gameplay settings or help. I can get to that menu on the left, but I can't select anything on the right side to open it up. The best I can do is get a brief flash of a highlight on the word, which quickly disappears, making it impossible to select.

Got any tips or online guides to share?

Lewsean · Sep 14, 2014

Press ESC to open up the menu.
TAB to open up the Magic - Map - Iventory - Skills screen.
Q to open up favourites.

I don't quite understand what you're asking for though?

ColleenG · Sep 14, 2014

Lewsean said:
Press ESC to open up the menu.
TAB to open up the Magic - Map - Iventory - Skills screen.
Q to open up favourites.

I don't quite understand what you're asking for though?

Well, I have my handy guide on what does what. So I don't need that. Other than specific advice on how to open up gameplay, I'm just wondering how you all go about it? Do you remember learning to do it? What can you share about how to approach it if you've never done it before?

Lewsean · Sep 14, 2014

ColleenG said:
Lewsean said:

Press ESC to open up the menu.
TAB to open up the Magic - Map - Iventory - Skills screen.
Q to open up favourites.

I don't quite understand what you're asking for though?

Click to expand...

Well, I have my handy guide on what does what. So I don't need that. Other than specific advice on how to open up gameplay, I'm just wondering how you all go about it? Do you remember learning to do it? What can you share about how to approach it if you've never done it before?

I don't think I can help mate, I've played PC games since I was 8 lol. My mouse has 7 buttons too, so a lot of key actions are bound to be easy to access, such as sprint/shout etc. What do you find easier to do on console than PC? I may be able to give you a few tips if I know what specific tasks you're struggling with, as I have played Skyrim on console.

ColleenG · Sep 14, 2014

Lewsean said:
ColleenG said:

Lewsean said:

Press ESC to open up the menu.
TAB to open up the Magic - Map - Iventory - Skills screen.
Q to open up favourites.

I don't quite understand what you're asking for though?

Click to expand...

Well, I have my handy guide on what does what. So I don't need that. Other than specific advice on how to open up gameplay, I'm just wondering how you all go about it? Do you remember learning to do it? What can you share about how to approach it if you've never done it before?

Click to expand...

I don't think I can help mate, I've played PC games since I was 8 lol. My mouse has 7 buttons too, so a lot of key actions are bound to be easy to access, such as sprint/shout etc. What do you find easier to do on console than PC? I may be able to give you a few tips if I know what specific tasks you're struggling with, as I have played Skyrim on console.

I suppose it just feels hopelessly awkward. My xbox controller is an extension of my brain. I don't think about what I'm doing at all. But I have to think about everything with keyboard and mouse. To the point where I just literally can't play the game.

khazan99 · Sep 14, 2014

Colleen have you tried using your XBox controller with your PC? I started Skyrim on XBox, then bought the PC version and found the keyboard/mouse controls foreign, so plugging my XBox controller into the USB port has worked perfectly for me.

Lewsean · Sep 14, 2014

ColleenG said:
Lewsean said:

ColleenG said:

Well, I have my handy guide on what does what. So I don't need that. Other than specific advice on how to open up gameplay, I'm just wondering how you all go about it? Do you remember learning to do it? What can you share about how to approach it if you've never done it before?

Click to expand...

I don't think I can help mate, I've played PC games since I was 8 lol. My mouse has 7 buttons too, so a lot of key actions are bound to be easy to access, such as sprint/shout etc. What do you find easier to do on console than PC? I may be able to give you a few tips if I know what specific tasks you're struggling with, as I have played Skyrim on console.

Click to expand...

I suppose it just feels hopelessly awkward. My xbox controller is an extension of my brain. I don't think about what I'm doing at all. But I have to think about everything with keyboard and mouse. To the point where I just literally can't play the game.

Hmm sorry dude, I've played FPS games for years so I'm used to the 360 walking using wasd and stuff :/ You could use your controller? If it's wired just plug it in to your USB port, if it's wireless you need to buy an adapter, only cost like £5.

ColleenG · Sep 14, 2014

khazan99 said:
Colleen have you tried using your XBox controller with your PC? I started Skyrim on XBox, then bought the PC version and found the keyboard/mouse controls foreign, so plugging my XBox controller into the USB port has worked perfectly for me.

Are you using a wireless controller? I was just looking at the instructions for doing this. Looking at my controller, I don't see a USB port.

Rhew · Sep 14, 2014

Yeah. I have an xbox controller that I plug into an usb port. I'm honestly terrible at using the keyboard and mouse to play games.

Rhew · Sep 14, 2014

If you only have wireless controllers you'll need a sensor for it. They're really cheap. My husband uses the wireless controller for a few of his games.

khazan99 · Sep 14, 2014

I have the 'standard' XBox controller with a cord, not the wireless. I plug the cord from the controller right into the USB on the face of my PC, and the Skyrim interface immediately 'sees' the controller and works just fine.

As others have noted, using a wireless controller requires an adapter, and they are available at Amazon and elsewhere:

Amazon.com link

ColleenG · Sep 14, 2014

Lewsean said:
ColleenG said:

Lewsean said:

I don't think I can help mate, I've played PC games since I was 8 lol. My mouse has 7 buttons too, so a lot of key actions are bound to be easy to access, such as sprint/shout etc. What do you find easier to do on console than PC? I may be able to give you a few tips if I know what specific tasks you're struggling with, as I have played Skyrim on console.

Click to expand...

I suppose it just feels hopelessly awkward. My xbox controller is an extension of my brain. I don't think about what I'm doing at all. But I have to think about everything with keyboard and mouse. To the point where I just literally can't play the game.

Click to expand...

Hmm sorry dude, I've played FPS games for years so I'm used to the 360 walking using wasd and stuff :/ You could use your controller? If it's wired just plug it in to your USB port, if it's wireless you need to buy an adapter, only cost like £5.

Ok, I bought the adapter on Amazon. So I'll try the controller when it arrives. I'm kinda disappointed though, I wanted to learn new skillz!!

JoeReese · Sep 14, 2014

I feel ya. I wanted to give it a fair shake, playing with keyboard and mouse too. Alas, after having to reload (or getting killed) every time I tried to kill a merchant I was trying to sell to, I gave up. I use an old, cheap, logitech usb controller. Works fine. If it doesn't, for some reason, open up your game settings and make sure the controller tab is selected.

You may or may not have to realign your triggers. For some reason, my PC with controller likes to start the game with shouts on the button and attacks on the trigger. Any time I reinstall, I have to reset that.

W'rkncacnter · Sep 15, 2014

Unfortunately, there is little you could do other than practice.

You might find re-arranging the key bindings to be somewhat helpful. Depending on what you are used to, inverting the mouse y-direction (pulling down looks up - like flying a plane) may help things feel more natural. I have to play with an inverted mouse as playing the other way renders me completely ineffective (and usually fighting while looking at the ground or the sky).

I started gaming long before First Person games existed. And the first games to use that perspective didn't use mouse-look. So I remember the newness of learning to look with the mouse while using the keyboard to move my character (mostly in Counter-Strike). As I said, it just takes practice.

You could probably dance circles around me if you handed me an Xbox controller. . .I can't stand console controls.

Daelon DuLac · Sep 15, 2014

To answer the title question.

On console. That way you never have to worry about mods, exciting happenings or anything other than vanilla.

Easy, boring and cheap.

Oh wait... maybe that's not a good thing...

Gigapact · Sep 15, 2014

ColleenG said:
Lewsean said:

Press ESC to open up the menu.
TAB to open up the Magic - Map - Iventory - Skills screen.
Q to open up favourites.

I don't quite understand what you're asking for though?

Click to expand...

Well, I have my handy guide on what does what. So I don't need that. Other than specific advice on how to open up gameplay, I'm just wondering how you all go about it? Do you remember learning to do it? What can you share about how to approach it if you've never done it before?

Yep I just got Skyrim on PC a couple months ago. Trust me, it will get WAY easier after a week or so. The best advice I can give is just keep practicing the basics. Don't do any quests. Just go through the forests and kill wolves and things, so you can get the hang of using the mouse and start memorizing certain keys. After some time, I just started remembering what keys to press and it became more of a habit so I didn't have to think about it.

A lot of problems I had was just not knowing what key to press for what I was trying to do, which led me to pressing a bunch of random buttons. But a quick google search of "Skyrim PC controls" fixed any problems I ever had.

So basically, practice makes perfect. I remember when I sold my PS2 and got a Xbox 360, I couldn't get the hang of the controller at first. It was very alien to me, but after a week, it was just like I was using a PS controller.

So at first, you'll look like you're drunk and attack people by accident because you pressed the wrong button LOL. But it'll quickly change, just keep at it! Have fun! BE VERY EXCITED FOR THE MODS!!!!!!!!!!

ColleenG · Sep 15, 2014

Daelon DuLac said:
To answer the title question.

On console. That way you never have to worry about mods, exciting happenings or anything other than vanilla.

Easy, boring and cheap.

Oh wait... maybe that's not a good thing...

Oh, thanks Daelon!! Actually I'm quite happy with Xbox but I did want to try mods, especially mods with new quests in them. Unfortunately, I visited nexus mods, and there's like (finger to cheek) 1 BILLION of them!

Rhew · Sep 16, 2014

ColleenG said:
Daelon DuLac said:

To answer the title question.

On console. That way you never have to worry about mods, exciting happenings or anything other than vanilla.

Easy, boring and cheap.

Oh wait... maybe that's not a good thing...

Click to expand...

Oh, thanks Daelon!! Actually I'm quite happy with Xbox but I did want to try mods, especially mods with new quests in them. Unfortunately, I visited nexus mods, and there's like (finger to cheek) 1 BILLION of them!

There are a lot of them but I just spent a day I didn't have a thing to do and browsed every category I was interested in. I like the smaller mods. The ones that don't change the vanilla Skyrim much. My favorites are the snow elf race, more students at the winterhold college, sabre cat follower, and dwarven spider follower

ColleenG · Sep 16, 2014

Gigapact said:
ColleenG said:

Lewsean said:

Press ESC to open up the menu.
TAB to open up the Magic - Map - Iventory - Skills screen.
Q to open up favourites.

I don't quite understand what you're asking for though?

Click to expand...

Well, I have my handy guide on what does what. So I don't need that. Other than specific advice on how to open up gameplay, I'm just wondering how you all go about it? Do you remember learning to do it? What can you share about how to approach it if you've never done it before?

Click to expand...

Yep I just got Skyrim on PC a couple months ago. Trust me, it will get WAY easier after a week or so. The best advice I can give is just keep practicing the basics. Don't do any quests. Just go through the forests and kill wolves and things, so you can get the hang of using the mouse and start memorizing certain keys. After some time, I just started remembering what keys to press and it became more of a habit so I didn't have to think about it.

A lot of problems I had was just not knowing what key to press for what I was trying to do, which led me to pressing a bunch of random buttons. But a quick google search of "Skyrim PC controls" fixed any problems I ever had.

So basically, practice makes perfect. I remember when I sold my PS2 and got a Xbox 360, I couldn't get the hang of the controller at first. It was very alien to me, but after a week, it was just like I was using a PS controller.

So at first, you'll look like you're drunk and attack people by accident because you pressed the wrong button LOL. But it'll quickly change, just keep at it! Have fun! BE VERY EXCITED FOR THE MODS!!!!!!!!!!

Gigapact, You give an old man hope! (I'm not actually an old man.)

Daelon DuLac · Sep 16, 2014

ColleenG said:
Daelon DuLac said:

To answer the title question.

On console. That way you never have to worry about mods, exciting happenings or anything other than vanilla.

Easy, boring and cheap.

Oh wait... maybe that's not a good thing...

Click to expand...

Oh, thanks Daelon!! Actually I'm quite happy with Xbox but I did want to try mods, especially mods with new quests in them. Unfortunately, I visited nexus mods, and there's like (finger to cheek) 1 BILLION of them!

While I have both the PC (had it built months ago) and the game, I am far too intimidated by all the mods and learning to play a completely different way to even try it. So far, all I use it for is NetFlix.

What's the best way to play on a PC?

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