Anyone have any thoughts / experience with the Wooting optical switch keyboards? I like the idea of having an optical WASD. When playing games on a keyboard, motion being a binary toggle is more jarring than when using a joystick.
I was worried about compatibility, but it seems like the Wooting can emulate a controller so it just requires the game to support simultaneous keyboard / joystick input.
I have a Wooting keyboard myself. It’s an amazing keyboard for writing, casual usage and gaming.
If you play any games using analog input, like racing games, it’s the best you can get next to a controller.
Also, the keyboard does not need any weird software running in the background, you do all settings and firmware updates on their website, without installing anything.
Yeah, I can imagine it being incredible for racing games. I guess most racing games all allow simultaneous kb/joystick?
Are there any unexpected benefits you found of the optical switch vs. the classic mechanical switches?
I guess most racing games all allow simultaneous kb/joystick?
Yes, they do. Didn’t see any specific game which does not - especially since I used a similar setup with my Steam Controller, which did keyboard, mouse and analog controller input.
It also works with non-specific analog I out games, like GTA V.
Cool, thanks for the info! I also found this handy doc that seems to be crowd-sourced compatibility with analog input!
If you are used to nice keyboard switches, the Wooting switches really don’t feel great. A cool product, but I don’t use my Wooting much now because typing feel is so crummy.
Wooting one user here, so not using those latest switches they have, and still have Flaretech ones. They are really wonderful. The build quality is extremely solid (In fact, that’s the main reason i haven’t switched to a newer Wooting model, as mine still works as new), Easy to use (Outside of profile switching, light brightness and turnoff as well as function keys) you only need to know the Mode key to just switch to analog profile. Their software is hella good and has @Nankeru@feddit.de said, you can even just configure it via the website without downloading anything, on any chromium browser (Controller API). It also has an open API for native game support integration or software integration with the keyboard (Supported by OpenRGB and Artemis to site those). It supports all three main operating systems out there, Windows, macOS and Linux-based ones. And it’s still a very customizable “branded” keyboard (Meaning, not custom-made from external parts) with everything easily removable and tons of tutorials and help from them from modding the keyswitches, keycaps, lubing, sound-tampering and all. Their team is all ears to questions and suggestions from their community. The only issue is mainly the analog part, which is more cumbersome than helpful only due to still being a niche concept and not having a lot of support, with games supports diverging (Ex. Some games would only accept controller inputs and stop everything else, some will freak out noticing “the keyboard AND the keyboard analog part” as two separate devices). But most should work, they have a list of tested games on their websites, and you could easily ask their community if such games work for them or not. Either way, the analog profile is not active all the time (But still continuously active to allow for a quick switch to it from the press of the Mode button) and it can be forcefully disabled too if needed (As well as switching to DirectXinput and Xbox controller input at your leisure).
My only experience with them is trying them out at meetups. The switches feel super nice to use though, they felt about medium weight and were incredibly smooth, even when stock. Honestly the feel gives those price-gouged “premium” pre-lubed switches a run for their money. Although there are a couple downsides, mainly the limited spring selection for spring swaps and as far as I know your only choice of plate is a steel one.
Lack of choice is a downside if you are looking to go a more custom route, but if you aren’t then it’s one of the best stock keyboards I’ve tried out!
My mechanical keyboard experience is fairly surface level so I don’t think I’d go custom yet :) That’s great to hear, though! I was thinking they were fairly expensive, but I guess that’s the price you pay for high-quality optical switches.
