Specifically, what should be on the HUD, what should be on hotkeys, and what should be left in the commands box?
Your opinions please.
--Vito
ID:265543
 Jan 25 2006, 2:35 pm
|
|
Vito Stolidus wrote:
Specifically, what should be on the HUD, what should be on hotkeys, and what should be left in the commands box? Personally, I love verbs but hate the commands box (but usually leave it in anyhow since some people seem to find it useful). HUD buttons are nice for having an obvious, eye-catching way to introduce controls to newbies, but are generally inadequate in any sort of real-time environment; giving the players a flexible way to define their own input is a must. BYOND has such a system, but unfortunately compiled-in macro scripts automatically override any user-defined macros (unless that finally got changed since I last checked), so avoid defining hotkeys for anything except the very most common functions; instead, just put in redundant verbs for as much as possible and let players assign their own macro keys (if you don't want verbs cluttering up the commands box, just hide them and document their usage elsewhere). | |
BYOND has such a system, but unfortunately compiled-in macro scripts automatically override any user-defined macros (unless that finally got changed since I last checked), Yeah which is why I don't use them :P. Would be nice if it was more of a default set of keybindings which you could change in the seeker's options menu along with saving that set specifically for that game. | |
I thought about doing an input system where its integrated into the screen rather than use BYOND's way. Been thinking about it for the past several days too, which if I try, I could have a very nifty input system. Now, I'm still trying to think about the hotkeys system for certain games.
| |
I am using a sort of 'half and half' system in TNRPG. It uses a HUD display with various things such as weapon 'stats' and has a built in menu, which can either be used with the bottom row (zxcvbnm) of the keyboard or clicked on with the mouse.
| |
I find it pretty annoying having always to swap between mouse and keyboard. I think a game with less than 8 verbs and where you don't have to use the mouse on some other ways should only use hotkeys, but if you already have to use the mouse I'd only use hotkeys for verbs you use very often.
| |
Let the player decide. Forcing players to use a rigid interface that doesn't suit them is the quickest way to lose them, no matter how cool the actual game is.
Have redundant mouse AND keyboard commands for everything, so the player can use whatever is most convenient for their playing style. It's a good idea to keep hotkeys to a minimum, so players can set them up to suit their own whims. Just make sure that there is a listing of console commands available and some basic instructions on setting macros for newbies. If you don't want verb clutter, it's easy to let players turn their command panels off. See http://www.byondscape.com/ascape.dmb/ Shadowdarke.2003-0322/#vrboff | |
~~> Unknown Person