Get The Right Tool For The Job

Are you read to become a real player? Newfangled gaming keyboards from Wolfking have the keys you need to put all the important stuff within your immediate grasp, so you don't have to jump around your keyboard any more. The same goes for the kinds of keyboard contortions sometimes blamed for tendonitis among gamers - - these, too, can become a thing of the past. Using a special keyboard or keypad, all the keys you might need for first- or third-person games are situated right under your left hand, where your fingers can get to them quickly. This leaves your right hand free to move the mouse, of course.

Gentlemen, start your buttons. Ready? Set? Go!

These input devices shouldn't be confused with console gaming pads like those you might use with an Xbox 360 or Sony PS2. These gaming keyboards feature keypads that include only those keys you actually use while playing. This includes combinations like A + D for side-to-side movement, or W + S for forward and backward motion. Sure, you might notice that the arrow keys can serve the same purpose. But how can you use this key arrangment to look around a corner, as in Splinter Cell, without catching a bullet? That's where the Q + E keys come into play, in close proximity to other movement keys on a conventional keyboard. Those who play only occasionally may not use these keys at all, or might have to jump across the keyboard to get at them, thereby losing valuable time and firing opportunities. A better player takes a quick look, then starts firing away. This presents a better playing experience, and gives you an edge over your opponents.

Typical keyboard layout for a shoot-em-up game