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Whenever I play a PC game with the directional keys, I can only press two buttons at a time. For instance if I am playing a shooter like R-Type, I cannot hold down the fire button while moving diagonally at the same time. The computer simply ignores the extra button press. How do I remove this limit so I can shoot while moving diagonally? This limitation seems to apply for every game. I am running Windows 7 if it makes any difference. I noticed the same problem back when I used Windows XP. |
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This is a hardware limitation of your keyboard. Unfortunately, the only solution is that you must purchase a better keyboard that does not have this limitation. To be more specific: In order to save money, keyboard manufacturers often put many keys on the same "circuit" of sorts within the wiring of the keyboard. This prevents multiple keys in the same region of the keyboard from being pressed simultaneously. Sometimes it even prevents more than 2 keys at all from across the whole keyboard being pressed at once. Often the shift, ctrl, and alt keys are not within this limitation, so you can hold shift and press 2 other keys at once and it will still work fine. Even high-end gaming keyboards often have a similar hardware limitation, although the cap is much higher so that it is unlikely to be reached during the normal course of gaming. |
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The keyboard enthusiasts forum at geekhack.org has an extensive list of keyboards tested for their N-Key-Rollover capabilities, as well as instructions on how to find the number of simultaneous keypresses a certain keyboard supports. X-key-Rollover (where X is an integer smaller than the number of physical keys) is the minimum number of keys that will register correctly under any circumstances. True N-key-Rollover (NKRO) means that all keys can be held down and register correctly. Most standard keyboards offer only 2KRO, and although it is possible that certain key combinations allow more keys to register simultaneously, this is not guaranteed, and may differ even between different revisions of the same keyboard. Here's a list of keyboards having a confirmed NKRO over a PS/2 connection or 6KRO/18KRO over USB (which is a USB limitation) from the geekhack.org forum thread (June 5th, 2012):
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If there is ever enough demand for it, simultaneous keypress support may become a standard stat available, but that is not likely. I have heard that the SteelSeries Zboard supports many (7 I think) kepresses. Another I have heard is Avant stellar. This discussion might also interest you. |
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As StrixVaria pointed out this is a hardware limitation. But you can find a keyboard like you wanted (it will cost more than you usually spend but these keyboards usually tend to last a much longer, easier to type, overall more comfortable and maybe even more healty). The feature you want is usually called as N-key Rollover and modern mechanical keyboards usually have it. . In keyboards that have N-key Rollover each key is scanned independently (These keyboards have an independent mechanical switch for each of its keys and they tend to cost more to produce), so no matter how many keys you press at the time none of them goes undetected. Check Filco keyboards from Elite Keyboards or Das Keyboard*. I prefer Filco boards but Das looks cooler :). Both of them come in two different switches (well, three for filco but avoid cherry blacks), "Cherry MX Blue" is noisy/clicky (like old IBM Model M boards), "Cherry MX Brown" is quiet. There is a little difference in the feeling but its a matter of taste. Das doesn't use the brown or blue tag, it just calls them normal and silent. Also, if you decide to go with Filco you need to get one which has "NKRO" in its name for N-key Rollover. NKRO is default for all Das keyboards. If you spend a lot of time in front of your computer (regardless of coding or gaming) I'd advise you to consider this as an investment and get a real keyboard like these :) *I registered to post this but looks like I can only add one link :/. You have to google for das keyboard. |
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I had this problem playing metroid fusion on an emulator but if you map the missle key to alt instad of s so if you are playing on an emulator just remap the key(s) |
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Get a gaming keyboard from manufacturers as: Razer, SteelSeries, Roccat, Saytek These usually support up to 10 keys pressed at once (yeah, all your fingers) and have other neat features into them like lights, audio, USB ports, nice drivers that allow macros to be created and stored. I'd recommend a SteelSeries Merc Stealth |
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In most cases a new keyboard is not necessary, if you have an integrated keyboard in low-end hardware and have recently (re)installed the OS. Some netbook (and probably cheap laptop) keyboards move some of the usual keyboard logic out of the actual hardware and into software or firmware – critically, the logic that determines which keys are pressed can be lacking in the actual hardware. If the vendor's drivers aren't installed (such as after a user reformats and reinstalls the operating system), no longer being able to chord any keys, even command keys like CTRL and ALT, can be a symptom. For example, I have a Samsung N130 Netbook, and I used to be able to use the CTRL+ALT+F5 combo to do a forced browser refresh. After a reinstall of Windows XP, I couldn't do this anymore. The problem was that this low-end netbook's design left half the brains of the keyboard out, and the remains of the brains are in Samsung's drivers. Though your particular problem – not being able to use any other keys when using two arrow keys – might be a typical hardware limitation of even stand-alone keyboards, low-end integrated keyboards missing the correct drivers can be another source of key chording problems. |
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