I thought I might post some thoughts on my Razer Naga mouse, as I’ve enjoyed using it, pretty much since I got it almost a year ago.
Razer Naga Molten
I switched to Mac from PC for a whole host of reasons early last year, but quickly found several limitations in using the Magic Mouse for WoW (Apple’s touch sensitive, BT mouse) that using different controller apps (like drivers I guess) didn’t really resolve. I also found that it was really slow across the screen when playing WoW (and 27″ is a lot of distance to cover) so I started to look around for a gaming mouse.
I can’t tell you exactly why, but I decided upon the Razer Naga. I think I was really interested in trying the extra 12 buttons. I use the number row on my keyboard for most of my combat buttons, but it was starting to get difficult to stretch across to the far right where I had put all those utility spells.
Physically I’ve found it a comfortable fit. My hands are normal size and reach around the mouse to tap the different buttons hasn’t been a problem. Perhaps much smaller hands would find it very hard.
Positives
- It’s light and easy to move around
- The speeds, and sensitivity are highly adjustable and can be set up to automatically switch for different games. Sensitivity can also be adjusted on the fly. I don’t use this but others may.
- It can detect that its in a particular game and load the previously set up profile.
- You have a lot of controls at your fingertips, and with modifiers (Shift, Alt) even more. I currently have about 19 commands I use a lot and about another 7 or 8 bound to the 12 keys on the side. Plus your normal 4 or 5 buttons and scroll wheel. And I still use my main combat rotation along the first half of the keyboards number row.
- The keypad is illuminated.
Negatives
- Biggest negative is the learning curve, but I’ll talk about that more in a moment
- if your hand is the wrong size, it may be a very awkward mouse
- the two buttons to the left of the Main button (call them buttons 4 and 5) are sort of small and awkward.
- If you’re left handed, learn right handed real fast
- can’t do the multi finger swipe controls that the Apple Magic Mouse can.
- takes a little while to get used to.
I find myself using about 20+ controls through it. Its auto switching is great as I end up using a fair bit as the default mouse when I’m not playing. Mostly as it’s lighter than the Magic Mouse. I have them both connected all the time and they sit next to each other here on the mouse pad. I will quite readily swap mouse at almost random intervals when not playing.
The Naga and the Magic Mouse coexisting
Setup and Learning.
I am sure that there are many ways to set up this mouse. I worked out a method that works for me, your mileage may vary.
First I had a rough plan before the mouse even arrived. I figured that learning a system would work better than trying to just add controls and then trying to remember which was which. Second I decided to keep my main combat rotation on the number row that I always had. 5 years of practice would be tossed aside probably with terrible results. Subsequently the Naga had to be set up to imitate the number pad, not the number row. That’s a simple switch underneath. It imitates it, it doesn’t replace it and you can still use those buttons though they will do the same actions as the Naga.
I initially tried to keep it roughly similar across all my toons, using the “system”. Even Dasal, my HPriest has her damage spells across the number row of the keyboard – I use healbot for most of her other work. It mostly works out, but the one I’ve really had to set in stone is the mounts on 9. Apart from that fixation, Mabango actually has most of her rotation on the Naga, not the keyboard. not sure how that happened.
Mab's Keybinds - The Naga buttons have the N or SN notation in the corner (top row and third row)
So with my thumb resting on the 5 key (it has a little raised bit, like the F and J on a keyboard) which is Wind Shock, Mab’s interrupt, with War Stomp under it on 8. Next to WS are my Spirit Wolves and Fire Nova. Above it are my CC – Hex, Bind Elementals and Shamanistic Rage. Below it are my Call of Ancients totem drop, and 9 is my land mount (Ghost Wolf in this case). The bottom row is Magma and Searing totems, with Healing Wave last – the 12 is easy to find in a pinch.
When I hit shift, the totems along the bottom become my elementals and healing potions, 9 becomes my normal flying mount. 7 is Totemic recall. 4 turns into Flame Shock, 1 into Bloodlust. All kinda related to the non shifted key. Remember Earth Shock, Stormstrike etc are on the keyboard.
This is sort of replicated in Dasal and Mabango, with mounts on 9, self heals on 12. It gets a little mixed up as Mabango uses the numbers 1-6 for her rotation, and Dasal’s 5 is my PW:S. but its been working all right that way.
Dasal's Keybinds
How did I do all this mapping – Well the Naga does come with a UI bar add on, but I simply assigned my Bartender bars the appropriate shortcut keys in the key bindings. Meant I had to change very little on my screen.
Summary
In repetition, I love this mouse and it has really solved all my problems with the Magic Mouse, whilst improving my access to all those handy utilities that a Utility class like a Shaman brings to a fight. I recommend putting it on a short list if you are looking for a replacement mouse.
Bad luck, some poor groups, some good opposition… The evening matches started badly as well, and I think we only won a few overall. Though those were the matches were I got a kill or two (argh this must have really stuffed the totally unimportant K/D and W/L ratios).
