Question Programable Macro Keys (Keyboard), do you ever use them?

[mainer]

This could possibly be posted in the General Gaming heading, but it felt more relevant to me to be posted in the Gaming Accessories section, as it really just relates to the macro keys on a keyboard.

It seems like every gaming keyboard has macro keys these days, but I've never actually taken the time to learn how to use them. That's just laziness on my part though, not taking the time to learn, as I have all the information at hand to program the macro keys (6 on my Corsair K95 Platinum).

Do any of you take the time to program those macro keys? And if you do, does it actually help with certain functions within a game, or is it not worth the effort? Is it game specific, so that only certain games allow it, or is it something that can be done for any game? It seems like they could be quite handy, especially if you could combine a set of "moves or actions" to a single key.

 

[Brian Boru]

I have a Roccat Isku KB which is a few years old now—that's it in the link, it was $50-60 at the time. There are 5 extra keys on left, another bunch of media keys up top, and 25 of the normal keys on the left can be called into use by using another activator key—I use Caps Lock which I otherwise disable.

Top left in the pic you can see a blue light + 4 unlit slots with P1-P5 written under them. Those are 5 Profile slots, so you can have 5 different sets of key assignments if you wish—eg one default for Windows, and 4 more for different games.

This is an option worth checking out for people who find the 20-button MMO mice don't really work for them.

Do any of you take the time to program those macro keys?

I did for one game—probably Crysis, or maybe a Far Cry—but didn't bother afterwards. Nowadays I only use the default Windows profile, which is a big help day-to-day in my work—altho I've since mostly transitioned to TypeItIn as I prefer the visual interface on my 2nd monitor. I only use 8 of the programmable KB keys daily now.

Btw my KB came with a bunch of ~20 presets for games of the time, so your Corsair should have a raft of same ready for you.

does it actually help with certain functions

I never did anything complicated in the game, so it didn't help me much. I imagine it could help a lot when there are complex multi-key maneuvers to pull off.

However, it was a big help to me in my work, and still is a nice help. One-key presses for multiple daily actions is nice.

Is it game specific

No. It only works on KB, doesn't matter what you're using KB for—KB doesn't know where its keypresses are going.
Of course, a particular game or dev or cloud operation may look for such automation in order to ban it in multiplayer.

 

[mjs warlord]

Brian you said

"Of course, a particular game or dev or cloud operation may look for such automation in order to ban it in multiplayer. "

And Brian thats the reason why i have never used macros , i used warframe for 7 years and they used to post that macro uses may get banned because their systems would not be able to tell the difference between a hacker and fast moving macro set ups. I have seen other games devs post this type of comment as well.

 

[DXCHASE]

No i do not use macros at all mainly because when i have set them up before i A. forget that i set them and B. would have problems keeping them (and this has happened with most of my keyboards/mice).

And Brian thats the reason why i have never used macros , i used warframe for 7 years and they used to post that macro uses may get banned because their systems would not be able to tell the difference between a hacker and fast moving macro set ups. I have seen other games devs post this type of comment as well.

I can vouche for this. Bungie has had to actually change M/KB loadouts in Destiny 2 because people macro and broke how characters were able to run/walk/shoot due to macros. Also, people use macros in that game to be able to boost their levels really high and not actively play. So bungie has tried to cut down on macros but i couldnt say if people have been banned too much for it becasue i never used them or never came up with people ive talked to who use them.