Left Handed Friendly.

Let's talk about the issues in converting the SOW engine to handle Waterloo. Ideas, suggestions, feature requests, comments.
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anvil
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Left Handed Friendly.

Post by anvil »

If there were one change I would like to see is keyboard friendly. The older I get, the harder it is to run my mouse with my left hand and play "WSAD" with my right.
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RebBugler
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Re: Left Handed Friendly.

Post by RebBugler »

Guess I'll show my ignorance ... What's "WSAD"?

Duh, just googled it and got enlightened. All I know to say about your issue is that when I MUST use WSAD controls for movement, I use my left hand. I can't imagine controlling the mouse with my left hand. Furthermore, using the Grog toolbar eliminates the necessity of most keyboard commands.
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anvil
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Re: Left Handed Friendly.

Post by anvil »

"I can't imagine controlling the mouse with my left hand". Lol, now you understand the problems we lefties have with nearly everything that you other handed take for granted, from scissors to keyboard assignments. Most games allow programming the num pad and arrow keys for, actually, any keys on the left side and problems are solved. This great game system, from TC to now won't allow that.

I watched a vid on the latest grog toolbar, and he repeated many times how he used and preferred, I think, the Q key for speeding up the game instead of the newly added button on the toolbar. Imagine your left hand on the mouse and having to reach across the keyboard to reach that preferred key as a leftie,,,

The left shift, alt and control are used in conjunction with the mouse for movement, so it creates the same problem and can be solved by being able to program the right shift, alt, and ctrl to these functions as well.

This is about the only game I know of that you can't do this. I asked about this long ago, but don't remember the answer. If you look at the keyboard ini file(think thats what its called) you will see that it states the num pad and arrow keys are reserved. I'm just getting back into the game, so I don't know if these reserved keys have any functions in game.

So to be more to the point, I would really like to see the ability to program the num pad and arrow keys, or better yet, have the whole keyboard open to reprogramming for other keystrokes in the new game.
Biondo
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Re: Left Handed Friendly.

Post by Biondo »

Hi Anvil

Actually you can reprogram all the keys in the keyboard. CSV file.

I remember I switched the functions of the numpad with the number keys.

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anvil
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Re: Left Handed Friendly.

Post by anvil »

Biondo,

I wish that were true, but its not. At the beginning of the keyboard_csv file is a list of "not used, for designer only" keys that we mere mortal players cannot use.
Biondo
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Re: Left Handed Friendly.

Post by Biondo »

I think it refers only to the first column, "Name".

Then there are a couple of keys that you cannot use: mousewheel and mousebuttons (these aren't keyboard buttons anyway :) ) and I would add ENTER because I tried to use it in the past and it doesn't work. Probably also the CTRL function to rotate the camera cannot be changed to whatever you prefer and in this case I suggest to bind some button on your mouse (I did this with a button that I can press with my thumb) or use the central wheel

Then there's a list of special character strings and you need to write your personalized command using exactly those strings.

I suppose that becauase you're left handed, you want to have, for example, I, J, K, L, U, O for moving your character and rotate the camera, so just go in your documents folder and change the column B with your preferred keys in the keyboard.csv file. Remember to assign new keys to the commands you changed; in the previous example, U is the key to switch the HUD, so assign it a new key.

If you mess up something, you can recover the default assignement in the Work folder of the game, defaultkeys.csv

Let me know if you need help :)
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Re: Left Handed Friendly.

Post by norb »

I like this topic :) I write left handed only, but everything else I mainly use my right hand although I can switch.

We hope to make our UI more moddable. We have a bunch of great ideas down that vein.
anvil
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Re: Left Handed Friendly.

Post by anvil »

The only thing I have done right handed is golf, and haven't played that since high school!

Biondo, I appreciate what you are saying, but perhaps to understand the problem, ya gots to be one. ;)

As a right hander, nearly every game keyboard is set up so that all needeed keys are far left and easily reach'd, w,s,a,d,l alt,l ctrl,l shift, etc. The comparable keys that match that for ease, comfort, and intuitiveness for a lefty are num pad, arrow keys and right alt,rt ctrl,rt shift, etc. All of which, in this series of games are reserved keys. Sometimes, altho rarely, I have even assigned the function keys and numbers from right to left instead of left to right for very keyboard intense games.

This game series is very keyboard and mouse intense, not a bad thing, a good thing, but very awkward for lefties. No matter what, its still doable. Thus the suggestion.
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Re: Left Handed Friendly.

Post by anvil »

Biondo, Sorry to take so much time to get back to you. I hope you are right.

I did see the bit about special character strings. Got to admit, that exceeds my computer knowledge. Hope its the answer.

The primary keys for a lefty are the numb pad and the arrow keys. At least for me. I often reverse the left and rt ctrl type keys as well. Obviously games vary.

As important as the space bar and ctrl key are in this game make my point. Its a long reach even if you use the keys you listed.

I have tried just editing the keypad entries with my preferred keys with no luck. Example: "Forward,W,moveforward,,,," I substituted num 5 for "W" with no luck. perhaps its the wrong special character string?

The best way to understand the problem is to put yourself in the position of a lefty. Yup,,, put yer left hand on the mouse and ignore the strangeness for sake of argument and think heat of the moment ingame and... ;) Put your right hand on the wsad keys or those you suggested. Lol, the awkwardness you feel is the same as what I feel. Long reach totally across the keyboard! Now feel the real pain and try to keep in touch with the wsad keys and reach for the ctrl and space bar. The thumb is the obvious choice for ctrl, but it just isn't built to work very well for this. Take care as it wants to press the alt, shift, and z keys with some really strange in-game moments! And the pinkie is in good position for the space bar,,, but in the moment and trying to maintain contact with the movement keys,,, actual pain happens as you twist your wrist!. Now to compare by going back to your right hand and keys and do the same thing,and you will really see and feel the problem. Notice, for instance, that you will have no, or very little problem keeping contact with the wsad keys whilst actually using both the ctrl and space bar even all at once.

Thanks guys, for your time and suggestions.
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