What do you feel about the WASD movement system?

I use a controller for all my games except point and click adventures, It works well with LOTRO and GW2 and it worked well with the SOTA release 1, makes movement and fighting a much better and more natural experience.

 

It would make the most sense to me to be able to have the best control of movement with using both hands, but being able to effectively and easily use one hand when needed, especially with the proposed combat system. Most MMO's that i've played have been this way.

The following system is what has been my favorite setup of all MMO's i've played, though I can't remember which game(s) I used it in.

W - run forward
S - step backwards (not turn and run backwards to the camera)
A and D - rotate towards the left or right (not an instant flip and immediately running in that direction)
E and Q - strafe/sidestep left or right
Space - jump

All keys rebindable of course.

For the mouse:

Holding right button and moving mouse - lets you move the camera around without your avatar changing direction.

Holding right and left mouse button together - avatar turns to face the direction that the camera is facing and walks forward

Holding RMB and LMB together and moving mouse around - avatar walks, turning in the direction the mouse is moved, with camera locked in behind the avatar as long as both are held together.

Left mouse button by itself is saved for selecting things, combat, etc.

This system works best if the camera has a certain degree of 'stickiness'. For example if running forward, after 5 or 10 steps the camera should slide around behind you to line up with the direction you are moving. This lets you look around you with the RMB while you are moving, but simply letting go of the RMB will let the camera stickiness take over and set your view back behind you where it should be. This is a lot more natural feeling and means you don't have to constantly be holding the RMB down and moving the mouse a bunch just to keep your view lined up properly with your character (the non-stickiness of this demo gave my hand cramps lol).


Now how this plays out is that it gives you a few options of movement, which flow pretty naturally together based on your situation.

Regular walking around, exploring, etc, I would typically be holding the W key to run and using the A and D keys to turn. While running I would be looking around at my surroundings using the RMB and mouse movement.

If, while looking around I want to quickly change direction to move towards what i'm looking at, I simply click the LMB (while still holding RMB) to have my character 'snap' to that direction, and continue running forward using W.

If, while moving, I need to use a hotkey or hotkeys on the keyboard, I can simply hold the RMB and LMB to keep running, steering myself with mouse movement.

If while moving, I need to click something, for example in combat, I simply use W to keep running and steer myself with A and D.

The end result of all of this is that you can effectively and easily control your character with either hand, mouse or keyboard, on thier own.
However the most effective movement will be achieved by using two hands, looking around with the mouse, moving and strafing with the keyboard for example.

It adds a bit more strategy and tactics to combat as well, without having to make things more 'twitchy'. Placement of hotkeys will be important. Getting better at moving and steering with just the mouse will mean you can use more hotkeys with less sacrifice of maneuverability, or be able to move your fingers to more hotkeys further from your 'base' movement position without as big a disruption in your movement.

Likewise, being better with the keyboard side frees up your mouse for more clicking. Or you can have maximum effectiveness of movement using both hands but its harder to coordinate clicks and keys, things like that. It's just an extra subtle layer of give and take when it comes to combat skill, and its a layer that just flows naturally from a proper movement and camera setup.

 

I've gotten use to it. I've played mechwarrior online and you use "w" and "s' for throttle. Of course mouse movement moves the camera which I do like.

 

To me this was the one thing WoW did perfectly. The movement and camera controls worked flawlessly for me. It spoiled me for all other uses/configurations. But no matter what they end up with I'm sure I'll adapt.

 

I'd like the currect WASD key setting in combination with the mouse. But of course, i am pretty sure they should offer configurable keys in the preferences for gamers which have another gaming style.

P.S: Mouse hold right-click and S turns your Avatar and he runs backward, instead towards yourself

 

Yeargh, I just noticed from Sinclair's post that S results in an about face move, not backing up. I don't like that at all.

 

This post gives the movement I am used to I found it hard to adapt to the one used in game. Will anything be changed ? I really had no problems at all but really dislike the movement

 

Yea I got a controller working pretty good now.
Using it for the mouse is a bit tough but I can still manage.
btw
What controller are you using?

 

I never tried 'S'. "Backpedaling" is generally considered bad form over turn and run or zig zag strafe due to the fact that it's slower movement. Many people just rebind it. But it really depends on the game. Some have 'ss' as a viable dodge. In some games you might get extra defensive bonuses, advantages to a fighting withdrawal, negate penalties for getting hit in the back, etc.

Again, very difficult to discuss movement and combat independently.

 

I would prefer uo type controls or maybe lineage II. But I think the controls should be completely custom so we can choose between mouse style or wasd or something different. Also I would love it if they made it so we can optionally make it more uo style for typing so we don't have to press enter and have other keys for the bag and paperdoll. that way its easier to type and not accidentally pop up windows. But definitely make everything customizable in the options so we can all have the controls we want.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

 

I can go along with this. There does seem to be quite a range of preferences in movement styles. Unfortunately, I'm not sure just how flexible the movement system is in the engine we're using, so I don;t know if they can put in several different types of control schemes. However, if possible, the more choice we are given, the more people will be able to find the settings that work best for them.

To be fair, a lot of the issue comes down to "What control scheme am I used to?" and that seems to be where each poster is coming from. After spending quite a bit of time ingame, I am getting more used to the current control scheme, so it's not as bad as it seemed at first.

 

I don't like the movement system at all. I use a left handed mouse, so reaching over the keyboard with my right hand to move plus right clicking and swiveling the mouse to change the camera angle is beyond awkward. I didn't even get to really "test' the R1 because it was so frustrating to move and change the camera angle. Why can't we use a traditional arrow keys (on the right side of the keyboard) to move AND change the angle where the camera just follows the direction you are facing in game automatically? No need for mouse at all? And of course provide key remapping so WASD still works too for the right handed majority.

I hate to say it because I had such high hopes for this game, but if this is not changed, I won't play the game because it's too frustrating and I play for pleasure, not frustration. Yes I know it's pre-alpha and I get that, just stating the importance of this changing between now and release.

 

Here's my xpadder tutorial for controller (xbox) on LOTRO as many buttons as you wish.
for the mouse look to 11 minutes in jondavies. And 4 minutes in.

 

Not too concerned about the movement system since they'll eventually put in key/mouse rebinding and customization.

 

Yeah that's what I figure but I think they should at least add in uo style mouse controls if not I'm sure they'll be various other options.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

 

Personally I like using the right mouse to look around, I just wish that holding BOTH mouse buttons would allow me to move around. That way I can hold my coffee and move at the same time! ;-)

 

Kind of hilarious that devs voted on this topic, and not just for the top "love it" item only.

 

I'm using the spaceorb


no easy task setting it up - yes I had some help

 

The controls were a little clunky (agreed on the camera mouse click needs some change, please), but it was manageable. I'd like the option to change keybinds, since I'm used to strafing and turning with other keys.

 

I actually don't mind having to hold down the right mouse button to rotate the camera.
What I found clumsy was the extremely low and unmodifiable mouse sensitivity: I had to move the mouse 6 or 7 times just to rotate the camera 180 degrees - which results in quit some wrist pain after a couple hours of playing.
If I could right click and move the mouse just once from one side of my mousepad to the other in order to do at least a 270 degrees rotation, that would be perfect.