Suggestions for Mouse and Keyboard

[ushas]

Opening a new thread for all things mouse & keyboard related.

As keyboard support is dear to me, I will try to add some feedback for that and the mission interface.
This post's attachment is a mockup with suggestions for keyboard support and possible key bindings. Though of course it would be great to have it configurable if possible.

The thinking is if the gameplay is also possible with the least clicking. So for example F1-F4 (or up to F12 if having temp. party members) center party members and a key 'n' cycle through enemies as they are ordered in the queue (by initiative)? And if during my turn an enemy is centered this way, simple confirmation key like 'Enter' would fire the current attack mode against that enemy, etc.

When using a shotgun it actually switches between move & cone similarly as between move & throw, so I would propose to have it under the same button position and the same key binding in case it isn't. 

The rest is probably obvious from the picture.

Keyboard suggestions when in targeting interface:
- arrow keys to select body parts? Up - head, Down - torso, Left - arms, Right - Legs
- or numerical keyboard?   8 - head, 5 - torso, 4/6 - arms, 1-3 - legs
- 'Enter' key to confirm the action
- 'End' key to cancel the action?

[Daithi]

Thanks ushas. Keybinding is something I'm going to look at, hopefully do it all in one shot, so it will be useful to have everything in one thread. Couple of other things I need to look at:

1. selecting dialogue responses with the number keys.

Thanks for the ideas and drawing it out. I'll do my best on improving keyboard support. The suggestion I'm least sure about is targetting enemies using F keys - the whole system for triggering animation, IK, enemy information and executing actions is linked to raycasting to the mouse position, rather than what the camera is centred on, and as it stands it's fairly complex. I'll certainly do some work on this front, though.

[ushas]

1. selecting dialogue responses with the number keys.

That would be useful indeed, thanks! Additionally, something like 'Enter' for continue in case there were no responses to select?

The suggestion I'm least sure about is targetting enemies using F keys - the whole system for triggering animation, IK, enemy information and executing actions is linked to raycasting to the mouse position, rather than what the camera is centred on, and as it stands it's fairly complex.

Yeah, for sure it's more complex than I'm naively thinking. The proposed default bindings are also just initial pitch. In a hindsight, I would probably change on hand switching items from 'h' to something like 'x' or 'z', and for action confirmation use 'Space' instead of 'Enter', etc...
 
Just two points, leaving it on your consideration of course:

• The idea was to use F1-F12 for player's units. Or perhaps more suitable are numbers 1-0 under those F keys for it's closer at hand. And '~' button for the current active unit. For enemy units I thought about something like the next enemy key to cycle between them, for example I've seen 'n' or 'Tab' keys used for that. But anything may work, eg. F keys for party and numbers for enemies, or 'n' for next enemy and 'Tab' for next ally, etc. The next enemy / ally functionality has this possibility that it can be sorted by various means, by initiative or by distance from the active character, if more desirable.
  
  
• What I meant originally by key binded centering / targeting  was to trigger both - camera on character centering  as well as the mouse position centering. So it shows a tooltip and blink the portrait in the queue naturally because the mouse would be moved there too. It's not so great. It's possible that others will dislike that the mouse was moved away from the original position, while for me it seems to lower redundant mouse traveling time.
  
  So what if there are separate keys for mouse targeting / centering and camera centering? For example, what if we use the stuff from the previous point, eg. say numbers 1-0 for choosing allies and 'n' key for the next enemy, let's call those altogether "character keys"; and additionally we will use something like 'Alt' key. Then there are two options:
   
  • Character keys would work as camera centering thing, like when I click on portrait on top. But it can be followed by this additional 'Alt' key, which will order the mouse to point at the center of the screen, thus possibly at any character there.
    n -> Alt -> Enter / click (center next enemy -> target the center of screen by mouse -> attack).
    
    
  • Or let's flip the sides. Meaning those character keys would work as mouse targeting this time, so pressing '2' would move mouse pointer at position of the second party member in the queue, if he is out of screen then it scrolls till gets him there, otherwise camera doesn't move. Then this additional 'Alt' key can order the camera to center on the mouse position.
    n -> Enter / click (target next enemy -> attack).
  
  I favor the second one, because it would make gameplay more effective and you can use center on mouse order freely. But regardless it can be also combined. Meaning pressing 'Alt + character key' together would center camera & mouse on character at the same time.
  
  Other examples:
  x -> (Alt+)1 -> Enter (switch to trauma kit on hand and heal first/current character)
  Alt+n -> m -> Enter (target and center next enemy, chang mode and attacked)
  

Yeah, I bet you are happy me piling up stuff. Hehe.

[Daithi]

Thanks for the extra detail. I'll do my best with KB support - will add anything that's fairly simple and weigh up the rest.

[ushas]

Thanks a lot, Daithi! Anything would be great.

And sorry for the Great Wall of Text.

[Daithi]

No worries. I haven't looked at it yet, but I think most of the shortcuts you pointed out in your rather useful image should be easy. I'm trying to push on the last few major features now, but as soon as I get a bit of breathing space, I'll tackle keyboard support.

[Daithi]

Remember to add keys for overwatch and delay turn.

[JarvisFall]

No worries. I haven't looked at it yet, most of the shortcuts you pointed out in your rather useful image should be easy. I'm trying to push on the muscle building with amazing supplements in the last few major features now, but as soon as I get a bit of breathing space, I'll tackle keyboard support.

Thanks Daithi for the hard work and updates.

[Daithi]

Hi JarvisFall! Welcome to the forums. You're welcome - I've just finished up improving the K&M support.

[ushas]

Awesome! I promise to treat any keyboard issues with the utmost delicacy.

[ushas]

Transfer items dialog
Seems the only way to cancel a multiple items transfer is indeed either go out of screen and back or move the slider to 0 and then push the "Transfer" button. Neither is exactly swift to do. In case it's possible to catch keys while the transfer dialog is on screen, some suggestions:
a) Esc key first only canceling the dialog without going out of inv. screen.
b) Enter key to confirm the transfer action (an equivalent to the "Transfer" button).
c) Arrows (or camera left/right keybinds) to move the slider would be also neat if feasible.


Key bindings for allies
Sometimes you want to cycle through your team regardless if they are within next 5 positions in the queue. Depends on the playstyle, in my case being able to directly center an ally is very handy, esp. when their portrait isn't on top to click on. Actually being able to use shortcuts to center on not queue-visible units may add a functionality next to clicking.

Additionally, when you're selecting your party members perhaps won't be bad when it's not so wildly changeable as when it's sorted by current initiative? So you get reasonably used to who is under which key...

An example:
F1-F4: For selecting in battle allies (maybe by how they are sorted in the party roster?)
~ or Enter: To cycle through the queue of all units by initiative
(guessing it needs some time period to reset back to 1. Would like it but dunno if worth if it's too much hassle to implement)

Or alternatively, what about something like this for allies:
F1: Sam
F2: Ray
F3: Elena
F4: Emilia
F5: Arkadi
...
In other words a key directly bound to a specific ally and we can rebind them as wish. During a mission it would be applicable only for those who are present, but perhaps we can also use it at home and then it switches char/inv/perk/injury screens to that ally? (wildly guessing as the home interface remembers who was selected between its screens, maybe it's even possible to do in the background, eg. at the shop).

But anything else supplying similar functionalities to this or that extent will do.


PS: Looks like a bot attack or so.

[Daithi]

Thanks for suggestions. Will do something with exiting the transfer dialogue, and have a look at adding keys to change quantity. As for selecting allies with F keys, will see how the idea stacks up against other potential uses for time, closer to the end of development.

[ushas]

Yeah, I just post suggestions when have some time and comes on mind. Neither is selecting allies crucial for me. Having some highlight all functionality would be by far more important, for example, but I believe that was already mentioned.


Targeting
Suggestion: shortcuts for individual body parts.
For streamlining targeting in those moments when you already know what you're doing and don't need to consult targeting interface. 

For example:
Shift + w + right click -> head
Shift + a + right click -> hands
Shift + s + right click -> torso
Shift + d + right click -> legs

or

Arrow Up + right click -> head
Arrow Left + right click -> hands
Arrow Down + right click -> torso
Arrow Right + right click -> legs

[Daithi]

This could be a good time saver for the player. Will keep it in mind!