Ah I see. I can definitely see why someone wouldn't use KB+M on a PS3/4 input lag is butts and even if it wasn't present playing with a KB+M 6ft+ away from the monitor is imo really janky. Had no idea KB+M worked on console though. Good to know.
I'll preface this by saying I don't think I am to much of a pc master race user as I've been playing both PC and Console all of my life lol. So i don't think I'm tooooo biased though I very likely am.
I can see why you prefer controller over KB+M especially in the movement scenarios. That's mostly because you try to move like your using a controller instead of a keyboard and that's where the disconnect is for you.
Movement: By miles this is the biggest thing that's better with a controller. I notice that using KB+M, pressing S does a kind of slow back-off thing. When I hold in down on the controller (S should have the same function imo), my character immediately turns and runs. With KB+M you have to physically turn the character with the mouse and run. I got used to it on PC, but it's just miles faster with a controller and it makes dodging AoE a lot easier.
The S thing. That's called backpedalling and is a mechanic/punishment that has been in MMO's for years now. In WoW for instance you get laughed at if your caught back pedaling in a Raid. (Once got a straggler kicked from an achievement run on ICC/Lich King for back pedaling to much
)
I can see why someone would prefer a controller over KB+M in the scenario of the quick turn, But setting up a macro to S could quickly remedy this. But its actually not necessary once you get used to KB+M movement because hitting S isn't really the first thing that comes to mind when wanting to maneuver away or backwards.
For instance I play most MMO's with out WASD. I only use Strafe left and right and the mouse for movement and fly around the fights and maps like a bat out of hell lol. This is also a pretty regular movement style for a lot of MMO (and some shooters to!) If you get used to playing like that , or just using the mouse in general you will be able to control the camera just as well and fast as a "turn direction" macro, or just use said macro in addition to as well its kind of inconsequential.
Targeting: By miles better with KB+M. There's no other way about it. With a mouse you can just click on whatever you need. With a controller it's not as bad as it might seem, but it is a little clunky. Basically X targets the thing closest to you, circle to "un-target", left and right d-pad to cycle, up and down d-pad to cycle amongst party. The only class this badly affects is the healers. Cycling is never going to be as good as pointing and clicking.
This is kind of a disappointment. I kind of thought that this might be the reason the controller might be preferred I'd assumed the target cycling was different/better on controller. Coming from other PC games the target cycling with just tab in FF14 is really really bad and not nearly robust enough. There is no reason that hitting Tab wont target the monster that is exactly 5feet away from my face, instead it targets that one monster 30 ft in the back that hasn't even entered the battle. WTF! lol
Sure I can click it but damn it I want tabbing to be better! lol
Rotation: The cross hotbar for controller is a lot more visual, in the sense that you just look at it and know what button to press. I realise numbering the Keyboard hotbars makes it super simple (1-= etc.) but I found myself mis-hitting quite a lot (meaning to hit 3 and hitting 4 or any other combination of fuck-ups) and into the bargain it was nearly impossible for me to hit the normal amount of buttons required for my super cooldown combo when compared to doing it on the controller. A mechanical keyboard might fix this (because it recognises a higher number of simultaneous inputs), but having set up my Keyboard hotbars in such a way that it was the simplest possible, I still got moves/ CD's and combos off a lot faster with the controller than on KB+M. This is because the hotbar system for keyboard doesn't have visual customisation that I can get used to. Having to hold CTRL/whatever+number is like... taking a massive risk if you have to move quickly since you're sacrificing WASD to use a move on the second hotbar. The benefit of the controller in this context is that you can fire off like 10 moves at once while you're still moving. I thought mapping a second hotbar to numpad might fix this feeling for me, but it didn't. Being able to cycle between hotbars (which you can do) but still physically able to see both (which you can't) may also fix this, but the game doesn't have an option for it.
I think this goes back to you wanting to move with a keyboard like your on a controller. In order to use a KB+M you have to drop the old habits of console gaming and you will see the differences start to add up.
I play Bard and Im NEVER standing still. When I play Ninja I also am not standing still and pulling off all of the Rogue+Ninja combos in the right flank positions (front, flank, back).
If you aren't comfortable using Ctrl/Shift+Num for alternate spells on the bar than don't use it. For instance for most of my classes I use 1-6+QWER for my main spells and interrupts on 7 and beyond and menu functions were rebound to Shift+Their original key to ensure I don't "fat finger" a menu open mid fight lol.
I have one friend who uses RDFG instead of WASD and everything west of that and the 4 key are bound to his bars. He says it's amazing though I dont quite believe him lol.
My point is though sit down for 10 minutes and find a comfy set up beyond the default bindings. There is no reason you shouldn't be able to get your spells off while moving (well except for interrupting due to movement xD).
About not fat fingering (hitting 3 instead of 4) it comes with time and it will happen here and there. But its not so bad I guess controllers legit have that over KB+M fosho.
Before you turn your nose up at the controller for the game, give it a go. What you need to remember is that SE have gone to great lengths to have a very robust controller system for the game due to the PS release, so it's nowhere near as limiting as you might think.
I'll give it a try sometime. It's just some of the hoops that controller players have to go through that are either KB+M defaults or can easily bound and macro'd ...I have a hard time wrapping my head around how it can be more convenient than just using the tried and true KB+M
edit:
I have to agree with Satsu.
The fact that there is even valid discussion and debate over viability of controller and KBAM on a MMORPG that was converted to console says A LOT. Phenomenal work on SE's part really.
edit:
Also stealing KBAM.
edit:
To clarify when I say the hoops controller players have to jump through. I could be misinformed possibly? I've see console/controller players on the subreddit go over the macros they use for when playing the controller and a lot of is stuff that I wouldn't have to macro on KBAM at all.
