Is it possible to use multiple keyboards?
Is it possible to plug in a USB keyboard into my laptop and get two people to use the two keyboards to control two separate players or does the input from keyboards all combine?
I'm asking in reference to Overcooked, but I imagine the answer would be the same for a lot of local co-op games.
Best Answer
Yes, you can use two keyboards for two players, provided that each player's key mappings don't overlap with each other, otherwise there would be problems.
The same can be said for other local multiplayer games, co-op or not.
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What can I do with two keyboards?
Here are three things that you can do after connecting multiple mice or keyboards to your Windows PC.How do I add a second keyboard?
Add a keyboardSelect the Start > Settings > Time & language > Language & region. Select the language that has the keyboard you want, then select Options. Select Add a keyboard and choose the keyboard you want to add.2 Keyboards On One PC
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Answer 2
Games (typically) will only see a single keyboard, as presented by the system. Therefore, you cannot use multiple keyboards with the same bindings.
In most (but not all) cases, keyboard events are handled and mixed by the operating system, not by the game. Unless the game has direct hardware read support (some do), the OS supports it, and are built to support this multi-keyboard infrastructure, the game will only ever see the single "keyboard."
Answer 3
Just adding on to the above answers, you can map the original keys to new keys using key mapping apps like Sharpkeys for example. As long as the keys don't overlap, each player can play on his/her own "entire" keyboard, instead of having to play on one side of the keyboard even though he has the "entire" keyboard to himself.
For example player 1's mapping can be mapped to
move -> WASD
pick up -> backspace
action -> enter
sprint -> ]
Player 2's mapping can be mapped to
move -> up,down,left,right
pick up -> z
action -> x
sprint -> c
Just remember to turn off the Sharpkey mapping after you are done. Hope this helps someone.
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