Introduction
Hello! In this guide, I will try to teach how to play on a keyboard optimally. I myself have started playing melee playing on a keyboard and have been for 1 and a half years. This is my first guide so please tell me of anything I could do better on.
Before we get to the meat of the topic, let's clear up some common misconceptions about keyboard play.
FAQ
Won't doing tilts and walks be difficult?
Nope. You can do them very easily on a keyboard.
Isn't it more difficult to do anything on a keyboard?
This really depends on your background. If you are used to playing on a gamecube controller for years, then it would probably be harder to learn how to play on a keyboard. But if you are someone like myself who came from pc gaming, then learning the fundamentals on a keyboard is actually really easy. Either way, once you learn how to, doing stuff on a keyboard can be easier then playing on a controller.
What about angles?
You can do angles on a keyboard (Including shield drop angles). Though the maximum amount as far as I can tell that you can do at once is 12. I will be covering this topic more later on.
Can you go to tournaments on a keyboard?
Well... yes and no. If the tournament you are going to has a dolphin set up, then I imagine you probably could play on a keyboard. But in most tournaments that use a normal gamecube and physical melee disk, you may not be able to.
Setup
For the setup, you can really use whatever layout you feel comfortable with. But the one I use personally, is this one :
https://imgur.com/Be4WGFb
I'm going to breakdown my setup and why I use it.
WASD - I'm used to having my left hand on these keys at all times so might as well make them my control stick to make it comfortable for myself.
I , K - I use these next together as L and R so that I can more easily take advantage of the keyboards modifier button and have access to 2 different wavedash lengths at all times. (More on this later)
P , O - I have A and B right next to each other like the gamecube controller does. B in the front and A behind.
L , / - I don't use both X and Y so I put / to the side and I don't use it very much. But I use X in combination with tap jump.
U - Put the Z buton inbetween my attacking buttons and movement so that I don't have to go out of my way to use grab or light shield.
YGHJ - This is my c stick. When configuring my controls, I used to have them as my arrow keys until I realized how much of a pain it was to move my hand to it. So I decided to move it closer inbetween my attacking buttons and movement like my grab.
M , N - R and L analogs for light shielding.
I - Modifier.
Angles/Modifiers
To do angles on a keyboard besides the standard 8, you need to use the modifier button. It essentialy works like the b0xx where you press multiple buttons at once to create an angle. I use I as my modifier button. Since I also made it my left trigger, I can do max length wavedashes without pressing more buttons then neccesary.
https://imgur.com/a/f0GgXMk
As you can see here, I also have U as a secondary button. This is so I can shied drop while lightshielding. If you want secondary buttons for anything in your setup, right click on the button you want. Then, in the text box in the configure control, put a | inbetween the 2 letters you want to setup for it. Example: Secondary button for the A button : P | M
Then BOTH P and M would work as the A button. I have the input range set to 500 for no paticular reason.
Shield Dropping
To shield drop on a keyboard, you will want to right click on what you have configured for down and set the range on it to 85. This makes it so that whenever you are shielding, if you press down and hold the modifier button at the same time, it will do a shield drop.
https://imgur.com/GrnjF1i
Firefox angles / Max range wavedashes
For max range wavedashes, you will want to set A and D ranges to 196.
https://imgur.com/a/a7ToY79
This way, pressing the modifier button and wavedashing at the same time gives you the furthest wavedash length. It IS harder to wavedash this way, so I would reccomend mixing between your L and R buttons. I have my L trigger for max length wavedashes and R trigger for standard length wavedashes.
For firefox angles, while in the up B animation, hold the modifier button while going in the direction you want to for an angled up B. Here is an example. https://thumbs.gfycat.com/ScalyWiltedElver-size_restricted.gif
Walking / Tilts
To walk on a keyboard, what I do is do an input and HOLD the control stick button up. Then while holding it, move left or right to walk. This might sound bad, but it really isn't. Doing this, you can walk out of aerials, wavedashing, jabs, airdodges, etc. Here is an example. https://thumbs.gfycat.com/BraveDiligentHorseshoecrab-size_restricted.gif
Another way you can walk is to instead hold forward after an input. Both ways work.
This is the same for tilts. Do an input, and hold forward to do an ftilt. You can also hold downwards or upwards to angle the tilt. Again, this may sound bad, but in practice, it isn't. Here is an example.
https://thumbs.gfycat.com/InbornNauticalCicada-size_restricted.gif
For uptilts, you want to hold up on the control stick after doing an input and press a to do an uptilt. Its harder to do things like wavedash - uptilt, but it is possible. Here is an example. https://thumbs.gfycat.com/CoolCriminalIndri-size_restricted.gif
Light Shielding
To light shield, do an input and hold whatever you have configured to the Z button. This includes just holding Z after a grab. Here is an example. https://thumbs.gfycat.com/PleasantNimbleAntelopegroundsquirrel-size_restricted.gif
Another way to light shield is to set buttons for R and L analogs. Set the range for the analogs to ~20 and holding them will light shield. https://imgur.com/soCSPrR
Closing Thoughts
Once you get used to playing melee on a keyboard, you can do really crazy stuff on it. While playing on it optimally does require more APM then on a gamecube controller, (using 2 trigger buttons and mix of tap jump + x/y button) it is easier on your hands because of the keyboards ergonomic design. Once again, this is my first guide so please tell me about anything I can improve on.
Hello! In this guide, I will try to teach how to play on a keyboard optimally. I myself have started playing melee playing on a keyboard and have been for 1 and a half years. This is my first guide so please tell me of anything I could do better on.
Before we get to the meat of the topic, let's clear up some common misconceptions about keyboard play.
FAQ
Won't doing tilts and walks be difficult?
Nope. You can do them very easily on a keyboard.
Isn't it more difficult to do anything on a keyboard?
This really depends on your background. If you are used to playing on a gamecube controller for years, then it would probably be harder to learn how to play on a keyboard. But if you are someone like myself who came from pc gaming, then learning the fundamentals on a keyboard is actually really easy. Either way, once you learn how to, doing stuff on a keyboard can be easier then playing on a controller.
What about angles?
You can do angles on a keyboard (Including shield drop angles). Though the maximum amount as far as I can tell that you can do at once is 12. I will be covering this topic more later on.
Can you go to tournaments on a keyboard?
Well... yes and no. If the tournament you are going to has a dolphin set up, then I imagine you probably could play on a keyboard. But in most tournaments that use a normal gamecube and physical melee disk, you may not be able to.
Setup
For the setup, you can really use whatever layout you feel comfortable with. But the one I use personally, is this one :
https://imgur.com/Be4WGFb
I'm going to breakdown my setup and why I use it.
WASD - I'm used to having my left hand on these keys at all times so might as well make them my control stick to make it comfortable for myself.
I , K - I use these next together as L and R so that I can more easily take advantage of the keyboards modifier button and have access to 2 different wavedash lengths at all times. (More on this later)
P , O - I have A and B right next to each other like the gamecube controller does. B in the front and A behind.
L , / - I don't use both X and Y so I put / to the side and I don't use it very much. But I use X in combination with tap jump.
U - Put the Z buton inbetween my attacking buttons and movement so that I don't have to go out of my way to use grab or light shield.
YGHJ - This is my c stick. When configuring my controls, I used to have them as my arrow keys until I realized how much of a pain it was to move my hand to it. So I decided to move it closer inbetween my attacking buttons and movement like my grab.
M , N - R and L analogs for light shielding.
I - Modifier.
Angles/Modifiers
To do angles on a keyboard besides the standard 8, you need to use the modifier button. It essentialy works like the b0xx where you press multiple buttons at once to create an angle. I use I as my modifier button. Since I also made it my left trigger, I can do max length wavedashes without pressing more buttons then neccesary.
https://imgur.com/a/f0GgXMk
As you can see here, I also have U as a secondary button. This is so I can shied drop while lightshielding. If you want secondary buttons for anything in your setup, right click on the button you want. Then, in the text box in the configure control, put a | inbetween the 2 letters you want to setup for it. Example: Secondary button for the A button : P | M
Then BOTH P and M would work as the A button. I have the input range set to 500 for no paticular reason.
Shield Dropping
To shield drop on a keyboard, you will want to right click on what you have configured for down and set the range on it to 85. This makes it so that whenever you are shielding, if you press down and hold the modifier button at the same time, it will do a shield drop.
https://imgur.com/GrnjF1i
Firefox angles / Max range wavedashes
For max range wavedashes, you will want to set A and D ranges to 196.
https://imgur.com/a/a7ToY79
This way, pressing the modifier button and wavedashing at the same time gives you the furthest wavedash length. It IS harder to wavedash this way, so I would reccomend mixing between your L and R buttons. I have my L trigger for max length wavedashes and R trigger for standard length wavedashes.
For firefox angles, while in the up B animation, hold the modifier button while going in the direction you want to for an angled up B. Here is an example. https://thumbs.gfycat.com/ScalyWiltedElver-size_restricted.gif
Walking / Tilts
To walk on a keyboard, what I do is do an input and HOLD the control stick button up. Then while holding it, move left or right to walk. This might sound bad, but it really isn't. Doing this, you can walk out of aerials, wavedashing, jabs, airdodges, etc. Here is an example. https://thumbs.gfycat.com/BraveDiligentHorseshoecrab-size_restricted.gif
Another way you can walk is to instead hold forward after an input. Both ways work.
This is the same for tilts. Do an input, and hold forward to do an ftilt. You can also hold downwards or upwards to angle the tilt. Again, this may sound bad, but in practice, it isn't. Here is an example.
https://thumbs.gfycat.com/InbornNauticalCicada-size_restricted.gif
For uptilts, you want to hold up on the control stick after doing an input and press a to do an uptilt. Its harder to do things like wavedash - uptilt, but it is possible. Here is an example. https://thumbs.gfycat.com/CoolCriminalIndri-size_restricted.gif
Light Shielding
To light shield, do an input and hold whatever you have configured to the Z button. This includes just holding Z after a grab. Here is an example. https://thumbs.gfycat.com/PleasantNimbleAntelopegroundsquirrel-size_restricted.gif
Another way to light shield is to set buttons for R and L analogs. Set the range for the analogs to ~20 and holding them will light shield. https://imgur.com/soCSPrR
Closing Thoughts
Once you get used to playing melee on a keyboard, you can do really crazy stuff on it. While playing on it optimally does require more APM then on a gamecube controller, (using 2 trigger buttons and mix of tap jump + x/y button) it is easier on your hands because of the keyboards ergonomic design. Once again, this is my first guide so please tell me about anything I can improve on.
- Applicable Games
- Melee