Now... personally? I'm a full-size keyboard kinda person, and a big part of the reason for that is that I like playing older computer games, and a lot of them VERY MUCH benefit from availability of the keypad. Sure, a lot of keypad-less options have ways to simulate the function... but it isn't the same, and always feels awkward to me.
I'd be interested in knowing if other folks like or dislike the pad, though, because more and more I see 10-keyless keyboards pushed hard, and I don't get it. /1
At the same time, I'd love to make my own computer games eventually, and one of the ones I've got in mind is a simple(ish) tactical RPG designed to look and feel like it could run on an 8-bit system from the mid-80s.
To go along with that, I was planning on giving it a control scheme oriented toward a keypad (but duplicated over onto the other side of the keyboard, so num/=2, 5=S, etc.)
But I really want to know how many folks this would cause more annoyance than interest in the end result. /2
@GuerillaGrue Keyboard is inadequate if the keys can’t be reprogrammed. In some cases/games, they can be especially if using a gaming device such as Razer Nostromo my preferred input. I also use a Razer gaming mouse with 12 buttons on the side. Keep in mind I am old school, Controllers suck for accuracy and lack the number of inputs that my setup has. Usually if flying a plane, go with a joystick, but Starfield’s mouse steering works quite well in ship to ship combat.
@GuerillaGrue Muscle memory after a short while keys are memorized. For the 12 button gaming mouse, I have a cheat sheet, but even then after a while muscle memory takes over. :)
@GuerillaGrue My Nostromo has no number pad. 😀
@Huntn00 I had a Nostromo for a little while, about 13 years ago. I thought it was neat... but I honestly found it if anything harder to get used to than just using a regular keyboard.
Part of that, though, is that even in games I've played for years I regularly double-check my visual reference on what buttons are what (controller or keyboard,) which is a LOT harder to do with the Nostromo since the names on the buttons =/= anything the game will tell you they are.
Also, the thumb pad was odd.