Mouse Control Method pretty Good!

Thu Mar 13, 2003 5:04 pm by Gary Bolton

Like most here I very disapointed when I heard they were going away from the Joystick control method. And using the Mouse instead. Well after playing the game now for 4 days solid. I must say it is accually pretty good.

I say this because I can see exactly why they went this way. There are so many Icons and buttons to click in the game. That it would be a nightmare using the Keyboard all the time to access all these in-game features. Using the mouse only option makes it all very easy indeed, and adds to the enjoyment of the game. Meaning there is no need to have to remember any Keyboard Keys. Total control of the game is at you fingertips now using the Mouse only.

The only thing I would say I miss though is the "Rudder Option" that my MS Sidewinder brought into the Starlancer game by Twisting the Joystck.

Edited by - Gary Bolton on 13-03-2003 18:05:57

Thu Mar 13, 2003 5:49 pm by Rikaelus

I agree. This game keeps making me want to go back and play WC3+ again, but now I'm too use to the mouse-- plus my joystick sucks. Plus I think the mouse fits better with the whole neuronet thing. A mouse is less... involving... then a joystick and controlling your ship with your brain would be very uninvolving. The mouse seems a step closer to that than the joystick. Now all I need is one of those voice programs and I'll be even closer.

Thu Mar 13, 2003 6:28 pm by kip2082

I still think of the whole sytem as a "flying spreadsheet" (no, i can't take credit for that qt little phrase, I saw it posted here some time ago and I thought it was VERY apt.).

Anyway, the Mouse does the job and certainly makes the game more accessible to a wider audience. I still think it would be wiser for DA, and technically I cannot see WHY it couldn't be done but... they should have left in an option to use the Joys**** with the mouse for the players that DID have access to a Joys****. Then there wouldn't be so many people (like me) whinning about it

Kip.

*The mind is always faster than the bullet.

Thu Mar 13, 2003 10:22 pm by RoomTemp

This game has one of the worst thought out interfaces I've ever seen. Even for a mouse controlled game. But even then its still fun to play until your wrist starts to ache. So keep on tunneling for those carpal's!

Thu Mar 13, 2003 10:40 pm by Wizard

<sarcastic alert>Why didn't you mention X2 </sarcastic alert>

Thu Mar 13, 2003 11:09 pm by aerundel

RoomTemp, are your hands screwed on backwards or something? Everyone else is saying the mouse interface is too EASY, and now you're saying it's a pain? What exactly is poorly though out about the interface? I mean, any discomfort playing this game would equal the amount you'd have playing any FPS. Or do you not play any?

Try sitting up a little higher/lower and making sure your elbow is level with the table when you play. A joystick actually puts more stress on your wrist/arm than a mouse does (especially when you have a tight spring and/or force feedback)...

Fri Mar 14, 2003 6:54 pm by sights0d

My only complaint is that it is difficult to perform certain actions in combat, since you practically have to stop mouseflight in order to use the menus (unless you know the commands) which isn't very realistic. I'd rather have a mouse and joystick. Heck, I'd rather have a touch screen... (unlikely).

Fri Mar 14, 2003 6:55 pm by GnatB

I have to agree with roomtemp.

Actually trying to control functions on the ship while engaged in combat using the mouse (which also controls the ship) is, quite simply, moronic. You either end up flying in a a straight line, or an uncontrolled nosedive. Unfortunately, much of the combat functionality is *only* accessibly through the HUD GUI. (Subsystem targetting, for instance)

So yes, I would argue that the mouse based control scheme was quite poorly thought out.

Fri Mar 14, 2003 7:12 pm by aerundel

I wouldn't exactly blame that on the mouse. I mean, you could have the same problem with using a joystick because the thing is that they didn't make hotkey functions for subsystem cycling. But that's an obvious problem that doesn't really make a difference in the gameplay (shoot shoot shoot =P).

Now that I'm thinking about the lower left menu, I'm thinking that they could've put a lot more keys to toggle between the subcategories and lists in it. But then I'm ALSO thinking that if they did that, it would be ridiculously easy, but at the same time tedious, since you'd have to select things in sequential order if you used hotkeys. The thing with the mouse is that you can just scroll down the lists and click on the INTERESTING parts without having to hotkey through the BORING ones (excess floating bats and bots, for instance).

The only thing this doesn't really work with is the aforementioned subsystem screen, since the targeted ship flips around during combat and it's hard to target stuff. It's incredibly easy though if you're stalking cargo freighters, which leads me to believe this is the true function of this game's subsystem targeting design.

Anyway, I don't have a problem with flying in a straight line, OR a loop if mouseflight is still on (it IS a kind of evasive movement =P). It might actually be that way on purpose, to make you think about what you're going to do before doing it. That is, is it SAFE to be messing with the menus or should you keep fighting until a better situation rolls around? It IS your brain doing this stuff (neuronet) - we can only multi-task so well

Other than that menu, which I've just stated my opinion on, I can't think of any other "poor" interface areas, since everything else has hotkeys.
Edited by - Aerundel on 14-03-2003 19:25:07

Edited by - Aerundel on 14-03-2003 19:28:17

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