I have been gaming one handed for 19 or so years now on consoles, but the Wii and PC are a bit harder for me. I have CP in my left hand and can't use it. What I do is grasp the left handle with it, and let my right hand do the rest. Lay your right hand across the controller fingers pointed to the left.

Pointer: Dpad/Left stick/Select
Middle Finger: Left bumper/triggers
Thumb: Face buttons/Right Stick/Start
Pinky/Ring: Right bumper/Triggers

It sounds bizarre, but it's really nearly effective. Only problems I've had are with the Dreamcast really. That and Wii/PC, but those aren't standard controllers.

PC:
I can play mouse only games, or games where I can leave my hand off the mouse for a bit and peck at the keyboard. But heavy action games I have to use a controller. This isn't an issue except that PC games do not all support controllers, and controller emulation can be a spotty substitute.

I have seen some one handed keyboards for MMOs and such that have all the keys at your fingertips, and that works well but leaves me mouseless. I've seen a few two piece controllers that have a mouse and the other half is like half of a console controller, but I can't use my left hand for any movement/presses. I saw the claw and it looks really good, but it's left handed and not a mouse.

is there some type of mouse/keyboard hybrid that has
A ) many configurable buttons on/near, attached to it like the claw or one handed MMO keypads
B ) a "nub" for WASD movement?

That way, I could have access to a number of buttons hotkeys, mouse AND keyboard movement.


Wii:
Here I have similar issues, but replacing the mouse with the Wiimote and nunchuck with the keyboard. I briefly contacted Ben heck and a member of his forum that is was an engineering student and I had devised of a controller mod that I think would work.

By gutting the nunchuck, the buttons and analogue stick could be moved into the wiimote itself (custom casing to add it to the side of the wiimote). The accelerometers could stay as I could still move it around with my left hand, just no button presses. I never had it commissioned for lack of funds, but the idea seems sound. I haven't played the wii much at all, but maybe I'll see about this and get started.

I am in the same situation almost exactly, except that for me, its worse - my right arm and hand is the one affected by CP, meaning that not only are PC games (particularly FPSes) sometimes made difficult, if not impossible to play well (unless one has time to switch between the keyboard and mouse in cover, or have time to aim) but gamepads are completely the wrong way around, for me. Thats why I haven't ever been into console games.

And yes, the Claw is the best thing I've seen, but its no mouse, and - like most things - designed for right handed players (who'd use it in their left hand instead of the keyboard).

Yeah, that would be a big problem. Maybe you could get a controller mod that swaps all the positions. I think my method would only work for rightys, your fingers would be "backwards" even if the positions were swapped. Couldn't imagine it being very effective or comfortable. If you figure anything out let me know. I really want to play PC FPS's, but I get destroyed online lol.

Sure. I find I can play a shooter, but I find I can move, *or* aim/shoot. I was able to play Call of Duty 4's campaign, and quite a bit of Mass Effect and Call of Duty 1, too.

Also, I find this affects me in RTSes like Starcraft, too, as unless I can pause and take my time, it gets so frantic that can't keep up, no matter what my opponent does.

You're right about the keys. It's a literally physical problem. I *can* play with a game pad, but it hurts quite a bit over time, and I'm still awkward and slightly slower than others.

Yeah I have those exact same problems. In starcraft I pretty much just played UMS money maps. So you should be able to play "cover shooters" rather well? You always stop to shoot in them: Gears of War, Resident Evil 4, 5 (no cover but you stop and shoot) etc. And maybe Deadspace if you're careful. I have yet to play it, but The Witcher has a mouse only configuration (like Diablo I think). A lot of RPGs are like that, I played WoW for about 3 months without problems.

UMS money maps? What are they? And yes. Anything where the action pauses/can be paused or where the gameplay is about running to cover, preferably short distances (Can't really turn myself in motion.) Even in those games, I'm pretty bad online.

Some games can have a good enough design that they give you less plates to juggle (so to speak) while remaining the same unpausable design, as in, for example, Dawn of War where your forces have enough AI and strength to try to stay alive, and often merely flee if defeated.

MMOs are mostly fine, with auto targeting of spells and abilities, and auto-attack. I did have some grief in an epic WoW quest where you had to defeat, single-handed, four boss monsters, with no help from anyone. I found it way too tough, and practically impossible, as the strategy to defeat those bosses was strafing (running away while firing, usually sideways, while turning to face the target using the mouse) - something I have massive trouble with.

How about a switch interface (little USB box with jacks for several switches) and a set of switches or something that could replace the WASD movement?

I have used the Switch Interface Pro (www.donjohnston.com/products/access_solu...ace_pro_5/index.html) a lot at work, and it's very user friendly. It has five 1/8" (3.5mm) jacks for switches.

I know that other switch interfaces have been mentioned around here, which have more jacks (12?), or may be cheaper. Does anyone else want to provide some info on other options?

There is a huge variety of switches (big or small buttons, levers, wobble switches, bite, blink, muscle twitch, etc.) out there, and they all use those same 1/8" jacks. You could mount a few buttons around your head, or maybe hit them with your hand/arm/elbow... or feet if you can.

Kit uses a fantastic contraption that has four lever switches attached to a cutting board around a plastic bottle cap. You could use something like that, or maybe modify it to use the lid of a jar, so you could rest your hand in it and move your arm. (I can't seem to find the video that shows it right now.)

Some switch interfaces also have a 9-pin d-sub connector (the same thing as old Atari joysticks). With that, you can use a large joystick that you could control with large movements of your hand/arm/elbow, or maybe a small joystick with your chin or mouth.


If you can get movement of a joystick or similar device in four directions, or a way to use four switches, you could get control of WASD movement.

That looks cool, though getting it to work simultaneously with a mouse, so you could use both, is a problem. Like, in my case I can use the WASD/Arrow keys 100% fine... as long as I dont need to use the mouse or Numpad keys as well. *Or* I can use the mouse 100% fine, but not type while doing so. I'm effectively one-handed. If I *absolutely* had to I could use my right hand to press a key or two, but its weak and very tense, so I'd need a little warning.

Use Map Settings. They're custom maps with user made rules (non starcraft conventions). Money maps make resource gathering a second thought (either given to you or gathered from killing enemies rather than mining). There's less to micromanage that way.

I know nothing about switches, so any more info someone has on those would be appreciated. I'm the same way as David, not sure how feasible that would be with still needing to switch between that and the mouse. Although that would be more customizable than most keyboards. What I really would like is a OLED keyboard with customizable keyboard layout/macro keys. Not sure how expensive those are these days, heh.

For movement, I wonder if an arcade stick would work in place of WASD, and good hand on the mouse. I was never very good playing beat em ups and such, especially if jump was up, and my wrist/arm movement can be a bit stiff. The stick would have to stay in place though, or I might just move the whole thing. Could get that hand to be more active if nothing else.

Using the "bad" hand can hurt after a while, I've found, and its slower, in any case, than the "good" one.

What about this Saitek controller?

www.saitekusa.com/prod/cyborgcommand.htm

Any use?

Almost looks perfect. The big issue I see is, although it is for right handers, the analogue is on the left, and I can't tell if it can be moved to the other side, only rotated. And if that were set to the mouse, I'm not sure how well it could be moved with the ring finger or pinky. If it was on the other side it might work. I also found this, it looks similar, but has a scrollwheel and instead of a stick it's a dpad.

reviews.cnet.com/game-controllers/belkin...9.html?tag=mncol;txt

My big concern with things like that is if the nub is used for the mouse aim, it seems to me that a controller analogue would work better accuracy wise, but still far behind a mouse. In that case it'd be better to stick to controllers. I would prefer a right sided nub, dpad or regular keys the side or top to take the place of WASD while still using mouse movement (either a trackball or moving the mouse itself), but I haven't found anything quite like that. I can only ever find old trackball mice)

Like this: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005NIMJ/ref...0FYNC4QX08YRVYCM8GHM

Something like the Saitek could work best if it also had mouse buttons, or at least macros, and some type of more genuine mouse movement
A] a trackball mouse on the right side to use for the mouse with the thumb and WASD on top for movement + other keys on top and side (would be hard to move and use traditional mouse buttons though)
or preferably
B] the whole thing moves as a mouse, with keyboard buttons somehow a part of the unit, (WASD/analogue nub/dpad on the side for the thumb, hotkeys and macros on side and top)

(sorry if that sounds confusing. I'm getting confused myself actually, hah)


I haven't looked into that but I don't believe any of those custom keyboard units include such a thing, nor do mice.

...

Actually, hold that thought, I did find this. David, what do you think?

www.getimba.com/index.html
Here's some more details, the link title is a bit racey though, haha.
gizmodo.com/5340891/razer-naga-mmo-gamin...had-sex-with-a-phone

It's a bit pricey though, $80. 12 hotkey buttons on the side, 5 more traditional mouse buttons on top. Looks like it's built for MMOs, so movement looks to be delegated to either regular WASD still or standard mouse clicks. Which would work fine except on WASD only games. I doubt mapping WASD to 8456 on the mouse would work well, but could help out with hotkeys/and macros regardless. It would be perfect if it had some type of nub or dpad for WASD above the numberpad on the side. In theory anyway, almost just like my prefered B] scenario. All it's missing is WASD.

When I upgrade my PC (still rockin a single core Athlon64 3400+, 1.5GB ram, sigh) I might try something like that mouse along with an arcade stick, assuming my left hand doesn't get too fatigued. This post is officially too long now.
*post*

It'd be perfect... if we were right handed. Otherwise, as always, it just doesn't quite work. The buttons are too awkward to press with the left hand - the pinky finger could maybe reach the two buttons on the left mouse button, but I doubt it could reach the buttons on the left side.

Oh yeah, I forgot that your CP is opposite mine. Maybe they'll make one for lefties.

Hi Skyhopper,
sorry for the late reply.
Have you seen the Sandio O2 gaming mouse?

www.sandiotech.com/sandio_product.php


There are comprehensive reviews of this bit of kit on this site.

It lets you use the mouse as normal and have up to 16 seperate definable keystrokes which are used with the 3 hat joysticks on the mouse. There is also 2 side buttons on the left hand side of the mouse in an ideal position to be used by the thumb on a right hand.

I only have the use of my right hand and bought one of these for my birthday in February.

Since then I have completed the following games on Normal settings after redefining the key settings on the mouse and using the 3 joystick hats:

Half-life2
Half-life2 Episode 1
Half-life2 Episode 2
Crysis
Crysis Warhead
Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare.

All of these done by creating and saving a profile for each game.

Before getting the Sandio mouse I struggled with an intellimouse with limited capability but since getting it, it has allowed me to play so many games.
Needless to say, I wouldn't be without one now and I can't recommend it highly enough.

Only thing I was wondering about the o2 gaming mouse, it looks like it was made for right hand use, can anyone confirm if this is the case, like the posters above I can only use my left hand. There are some great devices out there but why are they always made to be used with the right hand. Sometimes it feels to me as a disabled gamer I am doubley disabled as I lost my right arm not my left:(

By the way anyone have a good email adress for razor maybe i should hassle them to bring out a left handed version of the Naga?

www.xkeys.com/xkeys/xkswi.php


this has 12 jacks on it and is fully customizable. And you can make 10 searches yourself for under $50 for use with your feet etc. You could do all this for under $200.

Rip,
I'd say the Sandio O2 isnt specifically for right handed players only.

Looked at from behind, it is very symmetrical with the left and right sided hats both in the same place.

The only difference between both sides is the addition of two small side buttons that act as Mouse3 and Mouse4 (not programmable) on the left hand side which is in an ideal place for us righties to use with our thumb.

The only difference is the addition of these 2 side buttons, when I simulate using them on the opposite side to my thumb, I find I'd feel more comfortable using my 4th finger so I think with a bit of patience it would be useable for lefties - it took me a short while to get used to it anyway.

Banco

Thanks for the reply, I ended up buying a Razer Lachesis as it has buttons on both sides and is ambidextrous. Still struggling to get used to the small size of the side buttons compared to my old Intelimouse but I think once I get used to it, it will be far better for gaming.

Rip

Forgot all about this post. That Sandio O2 looks just about perfect for me!

I also found this
warmouse.com/

18 Buttons (!) and a joystick. Although that many buttons might be cumbersome in comparison to the Sandio's customizable joysticks. I've got some research to do.

When I was playing WoW I considered a Nostromo which looks like it might help a lefty or a Logitech G13. While finding links for this I also saw the Saltek which I think someone mentioned.
Honestly, I never invested in either and I do have use of both hands. They're both a hot mess and I wanted to have to move less and still be able to zoom in and out and play.
Lisa

My friend still swears by the razer naga: store.razerzone.com/store/razerusa/en_US/pd/productID.169418900 used it while my left hand was out, and I could play most games quite well. My good old diamondback 3G did quite ok too, I could never go back to less than 7 button mice.

i play on the 360 and ps3 and wii and sometimes the pc..I have trouble with tring to aim in shooters I wish there was a controller to use on handed,

I recently started using Windows Speech Recognition for some games (Starcraft 2 mainly). I can say the hotkey letter and it will trigger it.. And with the Vocola addon you can tie them to phrases. You could do the same with Dragon and say2play but this is free though this takes a bit of Do it yourself scripting. It should work well for any action not repeated a lot. I also started using a one handed keyboard layout.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dvorak_Simplified_...#One-handed_versions

Takes awhile to get used to but so far I'm liking it.

Hi all,
I am an employee at Sixense Entertainment and we are responsible for the development of the Razer Hydra, motion controllers for the PC.

I recently broke my wrist and couldn't play games on my PC. I thought it'd be interesting to make a one handed configuration for an FPS. I was in the middle of playing Rage, so I made one for it. Luckily, I broke my left wrist so I could still use my dominant hand. I ended up using a mode where the right controllers orientation controls the view and WSAD was mapped to the right analog stick. This config was more than interesting, it was very playable.

I thought this might interest a few people here.
www.sixense.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=1096