Talk to the Team: Default Key-bindings
Hello everyone,
In an effort to provide an easier transition for new players entering Istaria from other MMO's, we've recently been reviewing the default key-bindings. Bearing this in mind, the following are proposed changes to the specified defaults.
Code:
|Action |Original Binding |New Binding |
|-------------------------------------|------------------|-----------------|
Run Modifier EQUALS INSERT
Jump Q SPACEBAR
Crouch X CNTRL
Step Left LEFT BRACKET Q
Step Right RIGHT BRACKET E
Sit Z X
Attack TAB SLASH
Gather BACKSPACE Y
Select Group Member 1 F1 F2
Select Group Member 2 F2 F3
Select Group Member 3 F3 F4
Select Group Member 4 F4 F5
Select Group Member 5 F5 F6
Select Group Member 6 F6 F7
Select Group Member 7 F7 F8
Select Group Member 8 F8 F9
Select Self F9 F1
Select Nearest Enemy F10 BACKSPACE
Cycle Nearest Enemy F11 TAB
Camera Zoom In KEYPAD_ADD KEYPAD_9
Camera Zoom Out KEYPAD_SUBTRACT KEYPAD_7
Mouse Look From UI Hold MOUSE_MIDDLE MOUSE_RIGHT
Free Look Around Character Hold TILDE MOUSE_LEFT UI
Lock Camera Position L BACKSLASH
Group Window G O
Equipment Window E B
Chat Window H N
Spell Window B J
Formula Window F H
Quest Window CNTRL_Q L
Launch Window TAB ESCAPE
Toggle Interface NONE ALT_Z
Assist Target NONE F
A couple points worth noting:
- Right-clicking would serve a dual purpose as both the pop-up window modifier and the "Mouse Look" hold
- Left-clicking would be redesigned to perform "Free Look Around Character" when interacting with the UI, while retaining its original functions
I would like to emphasize that the purpose of the changes is to conform to a more universal setting, providing familiarity for new players already accustomed to other MMO key-bindings; they are not intended to be an "ideal setup" by any personal standard.
That being said, feedback on these proposed changes would greatly appreciated!
Re: Talk to the Team: Default Key-bindings
I love most of these changes ! The few that I think may cause some issues are the window assignments eg; Group,Equipment,Chat etc. Most players of any MMO are used to having some kind of association between the keybinds and the use eg; a letter in the name of the window. In my opinion these are better served with the original letter designation and a modifier such as Shift or Ctrl.
just my 2cp though.
Re: Talk to the Team: Default Key-bindings
Whatever new keybinding chart may be implemented for the desired ease for players new to Istaria but are accustomed to alternative key bindings, I hope that there may be a way for the present client base to "switch to" the current Istaria key binding chart and not need to edit a "new standard" chart manually.
Knossos
Re: Talk to the Team: Default Key-bindings
I have to say those look immensely more comfortable.
I always wondered why 'cycle nearest enemy' was anything but tab or why the quest log wasn't "L" in the first place but that's just an old gamer talking where these are now 'universal defaults' ;)
The new function for the left click sounds like it would make playing (read: stuffed in a group of mobs) easier, but I'd have to use it for a bit first. It may be entirely awkward because I'm still using left click for targeting and some of my ui, who knows?
I think 'chat window' and 'formula' should be switched. I'm not sure what the logic there was as I'm not sure if H or N stands for anything, in which case, just leave that one as it's old keybind and have formula be the N.
Everything else looks awesome to me.
Re: Talk to the Team: Default Key-bindings
If implemented, will this change our preferences or will this be the control set for newly generated preference files?
I wouldn't want to have to set all my controls back to what they were.
Re: Talk to the Team: Default Key-bindings
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Knossos
Whatever new keybinding chart may be implemented for the desired ease for players new to Istaria but are accustomed to alternative key bindings, I hope that there may be a way for the present client base to "switch to" the current Istaria key binding chart and not need to edit a "new standard" chart manually.
Knossos
I second this! I'd like to see an option of "use original default keybindings" as well as "use current default keybindings". I assume customized settings would not be undone if the new defaults are implemented, is that correct?
Re: Talk to the Team: Default Key-bindings
Quote:
Originally Posted by
GlindorOcculus
If implemented, will this change our preferences or will this be the control set for newly generated preference files?
I wouldn't want to have to set all my controls back to what they were.
If I'm understanding what is said here correctly, I agree. I have my characters set up in a way that I'm comfortable with, and would not like to have to go through them all just to return to previous set up.
That said, we can change our key bindings fairly easy, so why do a total revamp on everyone? Maybe add something in the tutorial about setting up the keybindings for new players, make it easier for them to figure it out?
Re: Talk to the Team: Default Key-bindings
I quite like the new keybindings idea. It certainly seems more comfortable than stretching your fingers all the way across the keyboards left and right trying to click things. (Even though I use Q to fly down and space to fly up...)
Also, to everyone who is worried about keybindings being reset: The way your characters keys are set up are saved in your preferences. I highly doubt they'd be reset. There's actually a file in all of your character's preference folder called "ClientPrefs_Controls". If there wasn't some way of saving it client-side, they'd be reset every time you'd log in. :P
Re: Talk to the Team: Default Key-bindings
Note that each character has its own ClientPrefs_Controls.def file. Thus a file for each alt.
Knossos
Re: Talk to the Team: Default Key-bindings
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Racktor
Also, to everyone who is worried about keybindings being reset: The way your characters keys are set up are saved in your preferences. I highly doubt they'd be reset. There's actually a file in all of your character's preference folder called "ClientPrefs_Controls". If there wasn't some way of saving it client-side, they'd be reset every time you'd log in. :P
Yes I know about that, but I was wondering if this change would automatically reset everyone's control scheme to the new default. I doubt it, but just wanted to make sure.
Re: Talk to the Team: Default Key-bindings
This post is sort of stream-of-consciousness-y, sorry. xD
Spacebar for jump is what it always should have been.
Launch window on escape is perfect.
CTRL for crouch (also descending while flying) is pretty good. Better than X, in any case, and definitely the key I associate with crouching.
The strafe keys (Q, E) look good.
The sit, select self, select group members, assist target, and toggle interface keys are more consistant with other games, and some make more logical sense, so these are fine.
Cycle nearest enemy on TAB is also what I'd expect if coming from other games.
Quest window on L is good, but I'm not sure I see the logic for the equipment, chat, spell, or formula windows. I associate B with "bags" in other games, so for it to bring up my equipment window seems counterintuitive. I say leave that on E. I cannot actually recall ever opening another chat window on any other game, so I can't really say N is any better than H, but at least H shares a letter with "chat." Not sure what the basis for J for spells is either; I'd rather see it left on B because I associate that with "spellbook" in Istaria. Don't see the reasoning for changing F for "formulas" either, and I don't think I play any games where H is the crafting key. Logical keybinds are much easier to remember.
I don't like slash for attack. You have to move your hand all the way across the keyboard and off WASD in order to hit that. Not something I'd want to be doing in the heat of battle. I think what I'm used to for this is T, but Istaria uses that for trading. Perhaps swap slash for gathering's Y?
What is the new Stop Action? It was the previous user of spacebar, no?
I am hopeful but concerned about the new functions for right- and left-click. I have tried to attach right-click to mouse look in the past, and it suddenly became impossible to get right-click menus. Left-click was not allowed to be rebound at all when I tried. Are we to understand that there is new functionality being put into these bindings, rather than simply a swapping of binds here? That's what it sounds like, but it is a little unclear.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Knossos
Note that each character has its own ClientPrefs_Controls.def file. Thus a file for each alt.
Knossos
This only really matters if your key binds differ between characters. If all characters use the same keybinds, the same ClientPrefs_Controls.def can be copied into every character's folder.
I doubt a reset as well (at least an intentional one), but I'd probably back my ClientPrefs_Controls.def file up if/when this change went live, just in case.
Re: Talk to the Team: Default Key-bindings
Most of those changes in the OP are what I already did to my key bindings already.
It just makes more sense, as these have become standard in most MMORPGs, or very close to.
Always thought some of the default bindings were just plain weird compared to anything else.
Awesome idea.
Re: Talk to the Team: Default Key-bindings
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Vehon
- Right-clicking would serve a dual purpose as both the pop-up window modifier and the "Mouse Look" hold
- Left-clicking would be redesigned to perform "Free Look Around Character" when interacting with the UI, while retaining its original functions
PLEASE DO THIS PLEASE DO THIS PLEASE DO THIS I WILL ENJOY PLAYING SO MUCH MORE IF YOU DO THIS PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE.
Looking over the proposed key redesigns, everything looks good! Shuffling the defaults to "industry standard" sounds like a great plan to me, as I've never enjoyed having to spend excessive amounts of time re-binding things to be the same as what every other game uses. Two thumbs up for this idea!
But no seriously, if you can get the mouse buttons working the way they do in every other game I've played in the last decade, I will sing your praises until my dying days. My hatred for the current mouse scheme-- rebound, even, as best I could do without hacking files or something-- is still so bad it kills my desire to play.
Re: Talk to the Team: Default Key-bindings
So long as there is a way for me to keep my customized key bindings in the process, and/or a way to use the original keybindings, then yes, do this.
Re: Talk to the Team: Default Key-bindings
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Vehon
- Right-clicking would serve a dual purpose as both the pop-up window modifier and the "Mouse Look" hold
- Left-clicking would be redesigned to perform "Free Look Around Character" when interacting with the UI, while retaining its original functions
Now that I noticed Thickle quoted this, I was wondering if this would be optional like all other keybinds? (I.E. in the keybindings window where you can disable it).
Re: Talk to the Team: Default Key-bindings
Does nobody else think that having the default Autorun button as "numlock" is a problem? I would love to see that changed.
Re: Talk to the Team: Default Key-bindings
I knew about the character prefs being stored on my comp, including the keybindings. I'm just comfortable with how the set up is now, having only ever played the mmo Eden Eternal, I really only know Istarias setup. So for me, changing the key bindings would be a similar thing to go through that Thickle does when I make a new alt. I see it'll probably be a majority vote anyway, isn't everything? so perhaps I'd be best just making a copy of the bindings before the new ones are used.
And autorun can be changed to any key, doesn't need to be numlock, though a new default would be nice.
Re: Talk to the Team: Default Key-bindings
They mostly look good. If you guys could add the "target last target" to a bindable key as well, that'd be great. The changes to mouse buttons will be most welcome too :)
Re: Talk to the Team: Default Key-bindings
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Freelancer
Does nobody else think that having the default Autorun button as "numlock" is a problem? I would love to see that changed.
Given that some keyboards no longer even have that button, it would probably be a good idea to change that default.
Re: Talk to the Team: Default Key-bindings
I'm comfortable with the current default key bindings. Think i only inverted Q/Space and right/middle mouse buttons or something like that.
As long the new defaults will not override my current keys it is OK as well.