Sunday, September 24, 2017

Configurable controls

I do not use WASD. I have not used it since 2000 unless I was forced to do so. I use ESDF with A as jump. I adopted this control scheme while playing the original Unreal Tournament. I simply found that my hands did not hit the space bar as easy as it should.

Having different controls than what most games have by default can sometimes be a problem. Several games I have given up on because it was too difficult to change the controls. Some games (like one of the early Battlefield games if I remember correct) required all controls to be bound and it would not help you in any way. Other games like Dead Rising 2 required you to open a configuration file and knowing some special values.

I understand that it is hard. I have configurable controls in Block Attack and it required much work to get working considered how basic it is. Some games have a launcher where you can change it. This is the case for games like Witcher II and House Party. For House Party the controls there are not many keys to bind so it works alright. But for games like Witcher II the though "bad console port" is something that keeps going though your head as you play it.

The reason for me to be bringing this up now is that I recently played Wolfenstein: The new order. This is a great game, no doubt about it. However for me it had two major flaws. The first flaw was the overuse of the Depth of Field effect. The second one was the underwater level. During the game you are given an underwater vehicle and have to use it to get around. To enter and exit the vehicle you press the "Use" button, in my case "R". The text also showed "To exit the vehicle press R". But unfortunately for me, the forward button "E" was also hard coded to "exit vehicle". For me this was long level where exiting the vehicle involved: Pressing E, go to Options, change the forward key, leave options. Entering the vehicle invoiced: Pressing R, go to Options, change forward key, leave options, remember the new key. It was a horrible experience and while playing I kept fearing that it would be a recurring theme. Luckily the segment was not that long and it did not ruin the entire game. Still, it would have been one of my choices if I had made Great Games Nearly Ruined by One Terrible Level.

Another day I might write about my dislike for cinematic effects used during gameplay. But again: Wolfenstein: The new order is a good game.

1 comment:

  1. Loved it. I use A-TERF for movement-jump, personally. never met anyone else who uses A to jump! so naturally I love u. <3 _ < 3

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