What moves you?

[Uncle Yuan]

How do you have your movement controls and so forth set up?  I've been experimenting a little trying to see if I could make the mouse-click movement work a little better.  My main problem with it is that it moves my keyed movement back to my left hand, which is not only my non-dominant hand, but also has never been used for more coordinated actions in the game like movement.

My standard setting is to use my right hand on the number pad to move (set up essentially the same as the default keys simply lifted to the number pad).  I also use the "+" key as target near, the "-" key as follow and the "/" key as auto run.  My left hand is on the main key board where I activate my core powers (#1-10 based on their position in the main tray) or binds on the alpha keys for toggles.  Left is also for Jump and target next (as defaults).  The only time I use the mouse is for Inspirations, clicking glowies or rarely for new powers in the alt trays that I haven't binded yet (or use so infrequently that it's not worth the bother, like summoning my Stoney).

The only real advantage this set-up has (as I see it) is that I'm used to it.  Since I've been using target near and follow when playing my scrapper, things go a lot more smoothly with this system, but I wonder if there isn't still a better way.  I've also never dared play a Defender since I'm not sure how I'd make binds for team member selection fit into my system.


So what do you use?

[MyndVizion]

I keep with a setup that's close to the original defaults.  While I am right handed, I do all of the movement with my left hand.

W = forward
Q = strafe left
E = strafe right
A = turn left
D = turn right
S = backwards

I don't really play using the mouse all that much. I configure my number pad to activate my powers, with ctrl+numpad or alt+numpad selecting different powers on varying toolbars.  This gives me the ability to have 30 selectable abilities/powers always at my fingertips.  As a healer I select players with shift+numpad.  I only use the mouse to fix the camera angle.  This way my fingers only have to move very little when moving or using powers.  In addition, my fingers know which key combinations select which powers, so I don't have to look at the toolbars and I know exactly which powers I'm selecting.  Even if my camera angle gets hosed, I can still do what I need to do until I can rotate the camera.  While some people activate powers with the number keys across the top of the keyboard, I run into problems if I'm moving and activating a power/ability. With my setup I can move as need be and activate powers with the minimal of motion.

Of course this works with my playstyle as I'm more of a twitch gamer.

In addition I had to remap the R key (run forward). Having it as R has caused me to accidentally hit it forcing me to run into a mob and wiping.  So my run forward is always Page Up.  It's out of the way and something I'm only using in relaxed situations - like traveling to a mish.

[MikeB7]

I'm a mouse guy.  I play using the right mouse button to move forward and use the arrow keys to slide right and left (or go backward).  Then my pinky reaches over to the right control button to jump and the right shift key to target the nearest enemy.  I go all clicky on the power buttons in the tray.

[Uncle Yuan]

Mike - what camera POV do you use when you mouse move and how do you change your facing?  I've been trying to use mouse move a little more, but these two issues are the ones that are causing me problems.

[MikeB7]

My mouse controls the left and right facing and the mouse wheel controls the zoom of the camera.

[Flying_Infant]

*pulls 2 cents out of his pocket*


I have my setup to cater mostly to keyboard.

I have the;
up and down arrow keys for, of course, foward and backwards
left and right arrow keys for strafing left and right
the shift key next to the arrow keys for turning left
the 1 on the numpad for turning right
the 2 on the numpad for sprint (which I always put in the 3rd power tray)
right control for target nearest friend
the ` key for the target nearest enemy, along with the left-side mouse button (yay for 5 button mouse!)
right-side mouse button mainly for travel powers

king of a strange configuration, but i've found that works good with me, it puts all my movement I use at easy access.

[BlueBard]

My mouse controls the left and right facing and the mouse wheel controls the zoom of the camera.

I find my zoom level going out of whack at odd times.  Sometimes I'll slip into "first-person" perspective and have to hit the 'b' key to move the camera back.  Sometimes I'll find myself at an extreme zoom and frantically cranking on the mouse wheel to move the camera to something reasonable.

Mind you, I'm not touching the wheel otherwise.  The zoom just fluctuates unpredictably at times.  Could be my mouse/driver.  Anyone else see anything similar?

[El Condor]

I find my zoom level going out of whack at odd times.  Sometimes I'll slip into "first-person" perspective and have to hit the 'b' key to move the camera back.  Sometimes I'll find myself at an extreme zoom and frantically cranking on the mouse wheel to move the camera to something reasonable.

Mind you, I'm not touching the wheel otherwise.  The zoom just fluctuates unpredictably at times.  Could be my mouse/driver.  Anyone else see anything similar?

It could be a result of where you are "standing".  If you back into a corner or against a wall, the camera will zoom to first-person because there is no room for the "camera" to make space behind you.

As for movement, I use the default letter keys plus the mouse.  WASD is for forward and lateral, and I find using the right-mouse button for rotation more intuitive than Q&E.  Mouse-wheel is for camera, and mouse thumb-button is an instant "target enemy near".  I left-tab when I want to cycle targets, and the number row is for powers, baby!

EC

[Tortuga]

As for movement, I use the default letter keys plus the mouse.  WASD is for forward and lateral, and I find using the right-mouse button for rotation more intuitive than Q&E.  Mouse-wheel is for camera, and mouse thumb-button is an instant "target enemy near".  I left-tab when I want to cycle targets, and the number row is for powers, baby!

EC

That's what I use too -- which is pretty much the default settings.  The biggest flaw with this setup (number row for powers) is that any power in the #7-0 slots are not easily accessible.  So I put powers in there that I rarely use (Rest, Sprint, Travel power, etc).  It forces me to use my mouse a lot for power tray 2 and 3.  I've often thought of using the Number Lock on the right for powers, but that's too far from the WASD movement keys, F (for Follow) and Tab (for next target) which I use often during a fight.  So I end up using my Number Lock for emotes/binds.

[Midnight]

WASD - Movement along the x and y axis.
Space - Jump/Up
Tab - Target Nearest Enemy
Number Row (w/chord keys) - Tray Powers
Q - Fly (If applicable)
E - Hover (If applicable)
F - Follow
R - Run
G - Recall Friend w/Warning Bind (If applicable)
Mouse (w/Button 2 Depressed) - Mouselook
Mouse Button 1 + Shift - Teleport (If applicable)

I always use mouselook, Q and E are too slow, and always use WASD. The other stuff sometimes changes.

[Uncle Yuan]

I always use mouselook, Q and E are too slow, and always use WASD. The other stuff sometimes changes.

Turn rate is adjustable under options, although you can make it so ffast you get rather dizzy . . .

[Camma]

Im with T and El Conderoso.  Pretty much the default setup.  Because i use the right mouse button to steer i typically bind my powers to the number pad.  That for me is crucial to keeping up an attack chain.  1, 2, and 3 are almost always the main blast powers, 5 is often a signature power or control power along with 8.  Depending on the charcter i use 4, 6, 7, and 9 for toggles or click debuffs.  Then the plus sign and number pad enter are heals or self buffs.  And on some toons i use zero and the Delete key on the number pad too.  An easy example is Khira my main villain, Ice/Cold Corruptor:

1 - Ice Bolt
2 - Ice Blast
3 - Bitter Ice Blast

4 - Infrigidate (def debuff)
5 - Freeze Ray (hold)
6 - Benumb (super happy fun debuff)

7 - Snow Storm on
8 - Aim
9 - Snow Storm off
+ - Aid Self
Enter(numpad) - Heat Loss
numpad zero/Insert - target next teammate and Ice Shield
decimal/delete - glacial shield (i only need to switch targets on one shield)

This way i am free to move about and chat with my left hand and steer with the mouse with my right and then when its time to fight the right hand only has to jump to the number pad and the left hand can keep tabing and moving without worrying about the number row on the top of the keyboard.

[MikeB7]

 :doh:  OMG, I was totally wrong.  Hey, I'm really sick with the flu, ok?

Holding my right mouse button down is the camera free look.  I hold the button down and move the mouse to look around or face a certain direction.  The arrow keys are for movement.  Bah!

[Verfall]

I used the standard WASD for movement. On characters with a heal, Q is binded for the heal. Lshift is my travel power toggler. For powers I actually do all my power selection with the mouse. I click each on seperately, and rarely if ever use the keyboard in battle besides to move and jump.

Probably why I like tanks, very little to do once you get your pattern down.

[Ephemeris]

-I use the standard WASD plus the Q, E and/or mouse for strafing.
-Tab is targetting
-LShift is teleport trigger or toggle between flight and hover
-Tray 1, slots 1-5 are my most used powers, particularly single target damage, holds, heals and buffs.  These are usually accessed via the keys but sometimes with mouse.
-Tray 2, slots 1 and 2 are additional buffs or heals and are accessed via alt+1 and alt+2 or the mouse.
-In rare cases (my ice/cold corruptor), my buffs and ST attacks don't all fit in slots 1-5.  I've macro'd slot 5 to switch the bottom tray between a buffing and damage/debuff tray.
-The remainder of tray 1 are my lesser used attacks and tray 2 are my AoE's access by clicking with the mouse
-Tray 3 is all my toggles and self buffs accessed via the mouse

[gdaybloke]

The only change I generally make from the default setting is to targetting - I  change it so left-tab is target nearest rather than target next.

Aside from that, the only 'common' binds I tend to set up are
g = greeting (Hello, $target!)
h= hate (Die, $target) - which I primarilly use to notify when i've seen a specific mob

and for masterminds, I bind up the keypad - 1,2,3 for my grunts, 4,5,6 for my lieuts, 7,8,9 for my boss.

[Alaric]

I use the default keys for movement, and the number keys for commonly-used combat powers- other powers I use the mouse for. For targetting my nearest foe, I usually just hit an attack power- unless I've reciently been interacting with something non-attackable, it will automatically target my nearest foe without attacking. Otherwise, I generally use the mouse to select a target- admittadly, this can occasionally cause some problems.

I almost never do any keybinding- only a couple of my characters have keybinds set up, and only one has extensive, useful keybinds.

[BlueBard]

I've taken to using the number pad mostly for emotes.  Sometimes I play on the laptop and using the 'number keys' is awkward at best.

[Stopman]

I have pretty much the default setup, like Tort, Middy, El Condor, etc. but I do use it a bit differently.

AWD Space is for Right-Foward-Left-Jump gross movement.

The fine movement is usually handled by the default mouse setup, though I have button4 ("Back mouse button") set for jump ("+Up") and button5 ("Forward mouse button") set for ("+Down"). So I can also get around independently with the mouse only.

Control+Lbutton is TP self, but if no tp power, then for my stalker, for instance, I set it for Caltrops, or just Fly activate.
Control+button4 is Hover activate. That way, I can also tp or fly around or just regular run/jump/SJ with Control and the mouse.

Or what I usually do is hold down W to control forward movement and Control plus mouse. Long distance travel across a zone I have Control+R to set autorun.

Targeting is the standard Tab for enemy_next, but I also have the Tilde key set for enemy_near. F is the standard follow key (for melee toons).
That way, I have #1-5 close by for attacks, 6 is usually some attack modifier like Focus, 8-9 is usually the higher tier powers and 0 usually is the Panic Button power like Elude, Kuji-In Retsu, Rad Infection, etc usually reserved for the tough foes or big groups of them.

I have disabled the default N, C, P, T, R so I don't accidently hit those. I have made C the target friend_next key.

END key is my max camera distance key. The current max is 400 I think.

The Number Pad, which is usually not used unless I have my hand off the mouse, I have set 0-4 for costume slots, 5 is sgmode, 7-9 is usually to set toggles for the toon.

For example, my warshade has three forms, and each form has a custom power tray for their respective powers, so Numpad 7 switches to the Humanform powertray, set the autopower to Hasten, turn off both Nova and Dwarf forms (if on), and also activates the toggles: Super Speed, Prestige Power Quick, Shadow Cloak, Gravity Shield, Penumbral Shield, Twilight Shield and Nebulous Form. Numpad 8 will switch powertrays to the Nova powers, turn off dwarf form (if on), turn on Nova form. And Numpad 9 will switch powertrays to the Dwarf form one, turn off Nova form (if on), turn on Dwarf form, and set autopower to Dwarf antagonize.

So with each time I press that particular key, it turns on that particular toggle power, in the above orders.

Or another example is my stalker that uses alot of Endurance in combat, despite 5 slotting Stamina, has two toggle setups:
1. Travel (Numpad 7): Sprint, Super Jump, Acrobatics, Hide, Ninja Reflexes, Danger Sense
2. Combat (Numpad 8): Combat Jumping, Acrobatics, Hide, Ninja Relfexes, Danger Sense
It takes me 6 presses of Numpad 7 to toggle up for travel, from no toggles on, but only one press of Numpad 8 to switch over to combat mode


A smart thing to do is to set up a default bind file with your preferences and customize it according to the toon. And use that load bind file command to load up your custom setup with each new toon. For example, you make a toon called MadMaxx. So you make a file called MadMaxx.txt in your C:\binds directory. Base that file off a file called favorite.txt that has all your favorite movement binds. Make sure MadMaxx.txt has the line:

Code Select Expand

CTRL+L "bind_load_file C:\binds\MadMaxx.txt"
Then in-game, logged in as MadMaxx, type /bind_load_file C:\binds\MadMaxx.txt

And you're all set. So, any changes you want to make to your setup for MadMaxx, you edit the MadMaxx.txt file and in-game, type Control+L and they load up!