[disc] Using the right keyset or how to make a game playable all over the world

Hi folks,

long time since I started a thread, but I felt I want to hear some more opinions on this matter ...

For my current game (Westbank) I use 6 keys. 3 for shooting, 2 for moving and one for reloading. (Although you could play it with mouse, too, you'll still need moving and reloading.)

So the current default keyset looks like this (it can be changed by the player, of course):
a, s, d for shooting left, center and right
space for reloading
cursor left/right for moving to the left/right

My first bet was to use y, x, c as they were in the lower row of the keyboard ... but hey it's a German one ... and I know that english keyboards have y and z swapped. (And I really hate it when games use x and y for firing.)

So I decided to go with a, s, d - ignoring the fact there is the DVORAK layout - I just had a look at an image of a DVORAK keyboard and surprise, surprise the first three keys on the second row are: a, o, e ... (one of three keys isn't that bad, is it?)

So what do you do? Prefer? Ever thought about it (especially those x, y heads)?

nGFX

Being a Dvorak user, I appreciate that you're thinking about it, but really, tailor your controls only to QWERTY, and international QWERTY variants.

ASD sounds like a good option.

I always think it's best to add a setup section, so your players can set their own keys, as pesronally, for unknown reasons, I just cant used AWSD for player control, dunt aks why, I dont know...

chris error

ASD sucks - I'm on an azerty keyboard.
What I tend to do when I need to use WASD-like controls is support both WASD and ZQSD. But that harly covers all keyboards.

As a QWERTY user, I would use W instead of S for centre fire, since S is normally for backwards in a AWSD setup.

The problem is, the more keys you have, the higher chance that the user has one of the keys in a hard to use/unusable position. At 6 keys, I would definitely make it configurable.

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Originally Posted by chriserrorplain

I always think it's best to add a setup section

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Originally Posted by nGFX

the current default keyset looks like this (it can be changed by the player, of course):

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And I though I wrote something about the fact that you can change the keyset ... must have missed it ;)

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Originally Posted by UnknownGuy

As a QWERTY user, I would use W instead of S for centre fire, since S is normally for backwards in a AWSD setup.

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Though, I just tried it and I must admit that it is not very confortable (for me) basically Westbank is a button bashing game so you spend most of the time pressing one of the three shooting buttons and only move left or right after you've finished the current section of the level. (That's why I've chosen cursor left/right to move to the next section, as I thought that would be pretty straight forward)

I also thought about using 1, 2, 3 ... though it's all the way up the keyboard ...

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Originally Posted by Fall_X

is support both WASD and ZQSD

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ARGH! I usually use Q for Quit (and P for pause) ... oh damn it - never thought about that ...

nGFX

Change letter keys to SHIFT(or CTRL)+ARROW keys. Shift+left arrow shoots left, shift+up arrow shoots center, shift+right arrow shoots right and down arrow reloads. Unless your game requires moving and shooting same time.

I toyed with the idea to use shift/control combinations, but aiming at very casual players it proved to be to complicated (tested it with my girlfriend ...)

nGFX

So it becomes the problem of choosing right girlfriend :)

FGHT, these are same on QWERTY and AZERTY (french one at least) ^^

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Originally Posted by tonypa

So it becomes the problem of choosing right girlfriend :)

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I doubt she will like it :)

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Originally Posted by fil_razorback

FGHT, these are same on QWERTY and AZERTY (french one at least)

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unusual, but a good guess. I think I'll try these.

nGFX

CURSOR KEYS are pretty universal. You can't go wrong with those, even if it might annoy you that they are on the right side of the keyboard.

(Remember, Wolfenstein and Doom were played with the cursor keys. So why coudn't your Flash game be as well?)

He mentioned that, the cursor keys are for movement, then he has three shooting directions also.

Heck, really you should use ASD, and have it customisable, it's the only way to be sure.

Once again, I have choked on my own brain fog. Sorry about that.

I dare say maybe the customizability shoudl be "mandatory" the first time a person plays. ?

4,5,6 on the keypad?

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Originally Posted by mbenney

4,5,6 on the keypad?

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laptops? :rolleyes:

laptops can have numpads.. anyway..why not the nuber keys not on the keypad.. 123?

That's a good point, numbers are pretty solid.

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Originally Posted by Fall_X

laptops? :rolleyes:

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good point :)

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Originally Posted by iopred

That's a good point, numbers are pretty solid.

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What if they dont have "Num Lock" on?

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Originally Posted by tonypa

What if they dont have "Num Lock" on?

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The numbers on the left of the keyboard, not the numpad.

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Originally Posted by iopred

The numbers on the left of the keyboard, not the numpad.

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I am not sure about those, while they are on same place in every keyboard, they are still too far away to be used constantly. Its one thing to press 1 to change weapon after 15 minutes, but it would be uncomfortable to use them for constant fire.

Thanks, I've made my final decission to keep FGH for the momemt, simply because you can change the keys you want to use and you could even play with mouse.

Not to mention that the keyset will be stored in a shared object so you don't have to set it up again if you play from the same computer (and if you don't allow SOs, well, that isn't my problem then)

Anyway, though my post wasn't directly related to westbank (in the first place, it was more of an example), it might be usefull to keep that in mind for keyboard driven games or games that use a lot of keys ...

nGFX