What is best method to use key shortcuts for combat bar?

Since several releases my mouse works terribly with my dynamic combat bar. I have to drag glyphs carefully and slowly to stack them, or they drop. I often have to click on a glyph more than once to get it to work.

Using shortcut keys to stack and fire glyphs is both quick and reliable, but using my left hand for w-a-s-d movement, then removing my hand from those keys to type numbers is really awkward, and I often put my fingers back on the wrong keys afterwards. I'm sure there's a better way. How do others do this? Use the right hand for typing the numbers? Would a gaming pad help? Or should I just invest in a new gaming mouse and hope that fixes my mouse problem?

 

Sunshine, how are you ^^ personally I use the "R" key as default, but remapped to a thumb button on my mouse. (which has 6 programmable side buttons) then I unmapped and use QERTF as my 67890.(Q=6 E=7 and so on). We will use R as default as that is how it is set. when you see 2 or more icons that can be stacked. Click r then press the number 1 & 4 for instance, that will stack them.. if you have 3 same thing "R" 1 & 4 and "R" again 1 & 7 (or E if you remaped it). what you just did was stack glyph 1 and 4 into glyph 1 and then stack 1 (which was a 2 stack) 7 into hotkey 1 (which is now a 3 stack). Hope this is somewhat clear, as I'm totally fuzzy right now!!!

 

I use the Razor Chroma Orbweaver and love it. I used the Nostromo for years and never had an issue but wanted the extra row of keys. Between my Logitech G600 mouse and the Orbweaver, I never touch my keyboard accept to use chat.

 

This is just the kind of tip I was hoping for. I do know how the stacking works using R, it is just the taking my left hand from the direction keys that was the problem. I don't know if I can get used to typing the numbers 1-5 blindly using this method because my hand is not in the usual typing position when I use w-a-s-d (my ring finger is on the A, and not my little finger), but I can give it a try.

 

I have been wondering about using a gamepad. I was hoping not to have to spend extra money on hardware, but if all other methods fail me, it may be the way to go. I only wish someone I knew had one so I could try it out beforehand. If I get a gamepad, I will probably be posting again asking for tips on how to use it

 

I use the older Belkin n52te which is similar to what Mekong posted earlier. Mine is a little different , has less keys but a d-pad built in which can be used for mapping as well. Personally i don't play games without it, its that good. I was upset when i saw they had discontinued for some reason a few years ago but happy now i seen Mekong's post that others are doing similar. Get one as everything becomes second nature to your finger tips, and its easy to do what Mordakai suggests and easier that a programmable mouse, i have one but hate it as its to easy to press keys when moving and getting the right one is a lottery.. Best thing i ever bought for gaming.

 

There are so many different tools and methods out there not one person will really be able to tell you what will work for you, you have Keyboards, Mice (mine has 8 buttons on it), Notromos, track balls . . . . On and on.

You will be better suited to research all these and how they work then decide which one might better suit you, do oyu have Carple tunnel, arthritis . . . .

Logitech G13 Keyboards, Belkin Nostromos, Razer Mice all have multiple keys that can be directly linked to macros and even perform complex actions with one button.

 

http://www.voiceattack.com/ is also a useful tool. I use it with voice commands e.g. for combos to not have to put my fingers off of the wasd keys and the mouse.
All you need is a headset/mic. No addional hardware needed.

 

I use to use the Logitech G13 gamepad and the Logitech M600 mouse, I recently upgraded them to a Corsair Strafe RGB Keyboard and the Corsair Scimitar mouse and love the change. I use to rarely use my keyboard when using the G13 but found I type more playing SotA. Since SotA only uses 10 keys from the hotbar and my mouse has 12 buttons on the side, I have R bound the the number 12 on my gaming mouse, makes it easier than using the keyboard to hit R in a hurry.

 

I've been playing so long using WASD that using the r+1+2 method is practically second nature and doesn't negatively effect my movement though I am considering returning to a gaming mouse when the game reaches the final wipe.

 

Logitech G13 game pad for the win. There are so many ways you can set stuff up and a lot you can do with it. I have a macro that says "Hello, my name is Haz" and one for "Help". I have a small joystick to move around quickly while in battle. I have macros that will hit "R" then 1 then 2 and then 2 again. If you setup your deck properly to work with this then that macro combines key 1 with 2 and then fires it off.

 

I ordered a game pad (the first one recommended here, which was the Razor). I'll see if it works better for me and report back. Thanks everyone!

 

Looks very nice. I like the adjustability aspect their video shows. Looking forward to your opinion.

 

Gamepad for controlling SOTA??? Hmmmm..... *ponders this evening session*

 

The best method for me is to remap Q,E,F,X and Caps.
I don't use Q and E to turn anyway and those two keys are right there.
F and X I end up spamming because I'm all fumble fingered, might as well have them be offensive powers instead of Friends list or whatever.
Auto Attack is rebound to Caps. Makes me scream in chat all the time but worth it to not have to reach for T.

 

I have the keys remapped to º12qerf34t (note that º in spanish is right next to 1). The layout is because i've assigned my standard attacks to qerf so my attention is mostly focused on the center of the combat bar; i keep the numbers unassigned so stackable stuff pops in there (controlled with peripheral vision). the extremes are for buffs, having assigned air's embrace to º and dodge to t.

Even when i don't use it much, i discard glyphs with ctrl + the assigned key. I also have assigned as an alternate way of moving wasd with the ctrl modifier so i don't stop moving when i need to discard something. I use free attack (useful while waiting for glyphs to come up).

to combine/stack glyphs i use v... i used alt for a while but instruments took that away for me I must say that if glyph stacking were a modifier assigned to shift i'd be the happiest man in the world.

 

I said I'd post a status report after receiving my Razer gamepad, so here goes.

It is a Razer Orbweaver Chroma and it looks like this:

Summary:
Unless I am able to find a better way to use it, it is not worth the money I spent on it. Aside from any problems I have adjusting to it, it negatively interferes with keyboard use. When I click in the chat window with the mouse, spaces are suddenly added either before or in the middle of the first word I type.

Further tips are very welcome!!

Long version with details about key mapping:

The keys 8, 12, 13, and 14 are mapped to WASD by default, and I left it that way because key 13 has a bump on it that helps you find the right finger placement without looking.

I mapped the top thumb button to double-click, and it works on the OS level, but within SotA it is interpreted as a single click. So my hopes of reducing the pain caused by endless series of double-clicks, especially during crafting, were dashed. But at least I can click with both hands, so some of the pain in the mouse hand can be avoided (or re-directed to the left hand ).

I mapped TAB to key 11 so I don't have to twist my hand to reach the TAB key with my litttle finger as I do on the keyboard.

The main reason I got the pad was to be able to use it to fire off spells from my dynamic deck more quickly with keyboard shortcuts rather than use the mouse to stack and click on glyphs. I mapped the thumb button of my mouse to R (to use for stacking glyphs). So now where to map the glyph numbers on the game pad? I discovered that I have the same problem with the game pad as I do with the keyboard - I can't type the numbers blindly. So my first instinct was to map the numbers to the keys with those numbers on them. Right now, the top row is mapped to numbers 1-5. Keys 6-7 are mapped to numbers 6 and 7. Key 8 is already taken (W), so numbers 8, 9, and 0 are mapped to keys 9, 10 and 15.

I only had a little time before yesterday's hangout try it out, but the first attempt was not very promising. Because I had to look first at the numbers of the dynamic glyphs that were appearing in the combat bar and then look back at the game pad to find those numbers, then remove my hand from the wasd keys to reach those numbers (yes, I have small hands), I spent even less time looking at the screen than I usually do when using the mouse to stack and fire off glyphs.

I may try a static deck. That would at least let me memorize what key to hit for which glyph. I will report back...

 

It takes time for the buttons to become 2nd nature. Hang in there they will. The chat spaces I believe may be an in game bug. Just started happening to me today in the game for the first time after the patch. I spoke to a couple other players that was happening to and they don't use orbweaver. Give it some more time. I'm confident you'll adapt. Oh and you can use the round thumb button for movement. I personally don't though.

 

Hi Kara,

If you're left handed, its really easy. Left hand controls the mouse. I use the number pad keys for your hot-bar and the forward-backward arrows to move. Left arrow is target next and right arrow is jump. I've used this configuration for so many years, its natural for me.

 

I am not left handed, but I will give it a try. If it works, I have a spare game pad that I don't need