Propose better default settings (mainly keys)

Discussions related to the BloodsPilot clients
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Angeba
Posts: 88
Joined: Sun Feb 06, 2011 11:23 pm

Propose better default settings (mainly keys)

Post by Angeba »

Testing the clients with the default config is always a horror for me. I can't do any
successful play with the default keys.
How about discussing our working (key) setups, so that we perhaps come up with defaults
which suit more players. It will not be possible to satisfy everyone, but the defaults
should suit the majority, mainly the newbies. Advanced players can always customize their
settings.
Perhaps we should provide several configs, to suit different tastes. Personally I use
two configs, depending on which map I want to play. One config is a compromise setup,
which supports most functions, except warnings (to save keys). I use it on maps where
items are important. The other config is specific for bloods-like maps. All the functions
which are important for bloods are optimally accessible there (for my taste).
I choose the config via a `export XPILOTRC=~/.xpilotrc_{bloods,items}' command before
starting the client. This is kludgy however. A better way would be to provide a
command line option `-configfile <file>' to the clients.

I can not state often enough how nice it would be to have an easy to use key configuration
function in the client. Kps had it mostly working in the X11 client. Which problems prevented
you from finishing it?
Virus
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Sep 19, 2011 1:27 am

Re: Propose better default settings (mainly keys)

Post by Virus »

If it is of interest to anyone i grab ball with '2' swap scale with '3' drop ball with '4' and warnings on 'F1' through 'F5'. But I only play bloods, not item maps.
Angeba
Posts: 88
Joined: Sun Feb 06, 2011 11:23 pm

Re: Propose better default settings (mainly keys)

Post by Angeba »

Sure, your setup is interesting to me. Would also like to get some insight what other players use.
Not only to maybe improve my own setup, but also to create better defaults.

Your setup suggests that you swap scalefactor regularly!? I find a lower sf useful when going low speed, like fighting to defend the own base, or being in the other base for attack. With higher speed, a bigger sf helps to
navigate better. This was the basic idea for SpeedZoom, which automates this process.

I have thrust on keyboard, only fire bullet/laser on left mousebutton, torpedo on middle and cover message on right mousebutton.
s=ball connector/drop bomb, d=drop ball/detonate bomb, f=thrust. The bloods config does not have drop bomb on connector key too, because that would also drop the initial shield when grabbing a ball, which is sometimes nice to be done shielded.
Warnings: Ball=Control_L, Safe=a, Cover=right mousebutton, Pop=y (below `a' on german keyboard).
Locking: Closest=q, next closest=Tab, Next=page up, Prev=page down.
Items: Heatseeker=r (I trigger this with the thrust finger `f'; helps to avoid the heats homing into myself), smart=e, cloak=t, deflector=f, shield=space, phasing=Control_L.
Shift_L is a general defence key, which does: phasing, hyperjump, release tank, shield, ecm and more.

That's the main stuff. Perhaps I'll post my sanitized configs here some other day.

Regarding thrust on keyboard, I never liked to have thrust also on a mousebutton. I feel that it stresses the mouse hand much more when using thrust on mouse. My idea was that my strongest fingers should be the index ones, so I use them for the most often used functions: thrust on keyboard and fireshot on mouse.

I guess that this approach has the disadvantage, that I always need both hands to fly. So I can't use the whole keyboard for functions, because my index finger needs to remain on thrust (mostly). Still I prefer it, and I think I have found a quite good setup to use most stuff also on item maps.
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