PROPOSAL: New default key mapping

[string]

QUOTE (girlyboy @ Jan 2 2010, 06:17 PM) This is correct. WASD are all mapped to sidethrusters -- W up, S down, A left, and D right.

I need to change my keymap around... I don't even remember what most of the keys do anymore, I am so used to it. It's some nightmarish mesh of default and the Wiki setup. But it'd be nice to change it to something sensible.

What would be really nice is a program that can edit inputmap1.mdl in a more user-friendly way. Like, with less scrolling and easier-to-find everything. Too bad I am not a programmer.

Oh, I get it: as in upside and downside! Sometimes being over literate shows the latter. Sheesh!

[juckto]

QUOTE (juckto @ Nov 19 2009, 12:26 PM) Fixing the default controls is easy.

Fixing the training missions so that the narrator's voice matches, not so much.

[fwiffo]

my keymappings for sidethrusting are slightly different.. w/s is up/down for me and capslock/f is fwd/backwards thrust.

i found that this particular configuration allowed me to press various thrusters at the same time, like backthrust + down + left while still having the option to boost...

it took a little while to get used to w/s not being fwd/back (since i come from fps genre too) but once you visualize the monitor as a 2 dimensional plane and your wasd keys just move on that plane, then everything else falls neatly in place.

[Jimen]

Well, preferred keymappings depend heavily on what kind of game history you're coming from. I'm pretty in tune with the flightsimmy 3D space movement, using throttle to control my speed, so I map up/down/left/right to WASD, Q and E for rolling, made F the backthrust key, and forward is probably going to end up somewhere near there once I figure out which key can best be redone...honestly, I think the hardest part of doing keymappings is that the keymap config window is so damn long that it's almost impossible to look through it and figure out which keys are free and which keys are bound to stuff that isn't worth keeping around. There's always a few keys I'd like to move around but it's enough of a pain that (like forward thrust) I usually just go without them.

It'd be great if, when you try to map a key that's already mapped to something else, it'd at least tell you which key it's mapped to without you having to cancel it and go through the whole list looking for it. But hey, probably a code change, meaning someone would have to actually go in and do it. The ideal would probably be something that can generate a graphical representation of one's keymap, similar to what's on the wiki, but it doesn't seem like a particularly interesting or compelling coding project. Maybe I'll do it, but most likely not, since I've forgotten quite a bit from the actually useful languages and $#@! Java.

IMO the most practical way to handle keymapping is to put a few widely used keymap styles up on the site or wiki and let people choose according to preference and how they approach the game, then customize them through experience (or switch to another common layout if the one they picked first doesn't work out so well).

[ShadowFox_]

tiger/ academy mappings...

[One-Man-Bucket]

My keymapping is superior to your WASD crap! Let me tell you why.

By moving the 4 sidethrust keys one step to the right you get an additional row of keys to bind to handy commands!
ESDF - thrusters
A - backwards!
WR - speed
Z - reload
G - drop mines
SHIFT+WR - roll
Space - boost

then a bunch of misc targeting stuff bound to various keys and combinations. Don't be a sucker, utilize your pinky finger!

[lexaal]

left hand:

i have waxd for thrusting up left down right.
s for boosting
q / e forward/ backward thrusting
z(de:y) / c drop prox / counter
rt for rolling
fgvb for targeting nearest, ripcording reloading and autopilot.

Basicaly my left hand can control most important stuff.

Right hand: beer mouse.
y(de:z) to : target enemy stuff
h to idk(de: ö-uml) target the same friendly stuff.

[Imago]

the new default key mapping change should have been introduced with R5 and the direct input changes. I remember making an artwork file commit to SVN but it seems that never updated in the installer.

[Dracus_Prime]

QUOTE (Jimen @ Jan 3 2010, 01:57 AM) Well, preferred keymappings depend heavily on what kind of game history you're coming from. I'm pretty in tune with the flightsimmy 3D space movement, using throttle to control my speed, so I map up/down/left/right to WASD, Q and E for rolling, made F the backthrust key, and forward is probably going to end up somewhere near there once I figure out which key can best be redone...honestly, I think the hardest part of doing keymappings is that the keymap config window is so damn long that it's almost impossible to look through it and figure out which keys are free and which keys are bound to stuff that isn't worth keeping around. There's always a few keys I'd like to move around but it's enough of a pain that (like forward thrust) I usually just go without them.

It'd be great if, when you try to map a key that's already mapped to something else, it'd at least tell you which key it's mapped to without you having to cancel it and go through the whole list looking for it. But hey, probably a code change, meaning someone would have to actually go in and do it. The ideal would probably be something that can generate a graphical representation of one's keymap, similar to what's on the wiki, but it doesn't seem like a particularly interesting or compelling coding project. Maybe I'll do it, but most likely not, since I've forgotten quite a bit from the actually useful languages and $#@! Java.

IMO the most practical way to handle keymapping is to put a few widely used keymap styles up on the site or wiki and let people choose according to preference and how they approach the game, then customize them through experience (or switch to another common layout if the one they picked first doesn't work out so well).

100% agreement, I think this ought to be done. One keymapping type that I had not seen suggested on any thread was for laptop keyboards. I believe that I have one almost worked out, the only thing left to figure out (something I have been working on for over a week) is getting a semi-logical keyconfig for the target toggle. idk, I mostly just use: Target Base, Target Center, Target Friendly, Target enemy, but I know some vet will throw a hissy fit if I were to suggest a keymapping that only utilized those 4 target toggles. I'll make a fancy keymap diagram like the one in afs after I work those out and post it.

I think my keymapping is sort of unique because I have my mouse buttons set to roll left, right, wheel up=engine+, wheel down=engine-, and pressing the wheel= backwards thrust. For the rest of my thrusters I have 'a' and 'd' as my right hand left thrust, 'w' and 'x' as my up and down thrust, and 's' as my forward thrust. I have to say imho this is an extremely intuitive control layout as it allows me to simultaneously, for instance, thrust forward, thrust left, roll left, and change course direction. My example was what I call a rolling dive maneuver much like you see contemporary fighter jets do in formation at air shows. I have actually used this maneuver to to successfully dodge dumbfires when I was out of counters (if only I could aim half as well as I can evade XD).

This key config puts all your major dog fighting keys in one place for your left hand and allows me to always keep my right hand on the mouse where the basic flight controls are located. I can keep my left ring, middle and index fingers at home on the 'a-s-d' keys while my thumb can hover over the spacebar in preparation to fire. Thus, my pinkie is free to select the tilde for vc, tab for boost, ctrl for missiles, 'q' where I designated my virtual mouse toggle to quickly select for pm's and manual selection, or 'z' where I designated my toggle inventory key as I had changed the 's' key to forward thrusters. It is quite comfortable and for most intense situations it is easy to manage, if you ever are feeling adventurous and would like to try it out please do and tell me what you think as I am anxious to hear your critiques and suggestions.

[lexaal]

My keymap is used on a laptop, and your keymap is.... unique.