PC Control Improvements!

[Sent]

FFXI PC Control Improvements

Seeing as other MMORPGs have done it better, I feel Square should be able to make some easy changes to the configuration of the PC FFXI so that it is much much easier to play with a keyboard. This is only what I feel is most efficient and I’m sure others have suggested the same.

Most of my qualms revolve around the lack of a fixed 3rd person view mode and I suggest Square add one.

MOVEMENT:

Rotation: First off turning your character should not just make the character face or run in that direction but physically rotate your character. As it stands your character faces the direction you push. There are 4 directions in 3rd person view. Forward, Right, Down, and Left just like a controller, but you should be able to turn to any degree! Square should change this so you only move forward with the <forward> button and the turn buttons make it so that your character rotates. Example: So if I stood still and hit <left> my character would just spin to the left until I stopped. 360 degrees of motion.

Backwards: Your character should not turn around when you hit backwards, but in fact…walk backwards. The animation is there, you walk backwards if you lock onto a target.

Strafing: You should be able to strafe in 3rd person. Period. You should either be able to bind it to buttons or strafe while holding SHIFT like you do in first person. The animation is there, you can strafe in 3rd person when you are locked onto a target.

SHORTCUT BAR:

The current shortcut bar system is…well…not good. All shortcut commands should be bound directly to numbers 0-9. You should not have to hit CTRL + <number> to use them. Currently 0-9 is bound to nothing so this is quite possible. I suggest having CTRL + <number> instead change which layout you want to use instead of hitting CTRL + SHIFT + <number> to perform the same action.

The shortcut bar should be visible by default (as if you were holding CTRL or ALT) and you should be able to bind a button to show/hide the bar. For example hitting Y to toggle shortcut bar.

MOUSE:

Mouse Sensitivity: There should be an option to change this. Everyone has a different preference for mouse speed.

Mouse Look: This should be added, what more can I say. Hold down the right mouse button to activate mouse look. So when I move the mouse I move (rotate to the right). Currently if you hold the right mouse button you can move the camera only. This should be changed to if I hit CTRL + Right Mouse Button I can move the camera. In 1st person view mode this should also control the entire visual range so the person can look all around.

CAMERA:

The camera MUST BE independent of your movements and should be locked 3rd person fixed mode (the new one I suggest) should not move back behind you unless you hit Num 5. While you autorun the camera becomes independent of your movements! This is what I mean; the only thing is that it will move back to the default position if you left go of the camera directional key. The camera should stay in place until you move it or set it back to default.

While you character is facing the camera your controls should not suddenly reverse so that hitting left now makes you go right; hence if your character is facing the camera (running towards you), hitting the <turn left> button should make the character turn to HIS OR HER left. Not the other way around.

Camera Rotation Speed:
This should be customizable. I believe this can already be done if you use a gamepad. Right now I personally find the camera rotation too slow. Probably twice as fast as it is now would be good for me. Making it customizable would be good for all.

Controlling the Camera:

Toggle 1st / 3rd person view = V

All Camera controls with Num Lock ON

Rotate camera clockwise: Numpad_4
Rotate camera counter-clockwise: Numpad_6
Move camera upwards: Numpad_8
Move camera downwards: Numpad_2
Default camera position: Numpad_5 (What the Home key does now)
Zoom in: Num +
Zoom out: Num –


TARGETING:

TAB: Should target only HOSTILE targets and not friendly people/PCs. This will get rid a lot of unnecessary use. F8 is a little far and it doesn’t cycle, only picks the nearest NPC.

CTRL + TAB: Cycle Target friendly/PC.

Chat Window:

The chat window should have a scroll bar next to it so you can scroll it up or down without hitting enter to target the chat window and then hitting it again is a little weird.

Another solution would be to be able to bind the maximization of the chat window to a button (See keyboard map).

Targeting in general: I’m not sure if this is possible but the area that targets can be clicked is messed up. I can stand directly in front of an auction stand and click all over it and it wouldn’t work. If the mouse is to be useful the targeting areas must be increased, tweaked, something.

KEYBOARD MAP/BINDINGS LIST:

I have attached a keyboard map of what the FFXI controls could look like by default. The majority of the buttons should be customizable. Please see key map picture to better understand.

User Definable:
Even keys that aren’t used should be able to be mapped and any default should be able to be switched to another key.

Forward: W
Backwards (Not turnaround): S
Turn Left (Not face left): A
Turn Right (Not face right): D
Strafe Left: ?
Strafe Right: ?

Menu Up: Up
Menu Down: Down
Menu Left: Left
Menu Right: Right

Attack Target: Q
Check Target: C
Run/Walk Toggle: BACKSPACE
Heal (Crouch) / Lock On: X or H

Toggle Shortcut Bar: Y
Toggle Inventory: I
Toggle Equipment: U
Toggle Status: O
Map: P
Job Abilities: J
Weapon Skills: K
Magic List: L

Region Info: B
Position: N
Menu: M or Numpad /
Action Command Menu Z
(Even with no target): Z
Select Window: , (comma)
Viewmode (1st/3rd person) V
Expand Chat Window: Tilde (~)

Fixed/Not definable:

Autorun toggle: Numpad_0
Cancel: ESC
Enter Message/Open Input Window: Enter
Confirm: Spacebar

Target Self/Last: F1
Target 2nd team member: F2
Target 3rd team member: F3
Target 4th team member: F4
Target 5th team member: F5

Next hostile: TAB
Prev hostile: Shift + TAB
Next friendly: Ctrl + TAB
Prev friendly: Ctrl + Shift + TAB

Camera keys in 3rd person

Camera left: Numpad_4
Camera right: Numpad_6
Camera up: Numpad_2
Camera down: Numpad_8
Zoom in: Numpad_ADD (+)
Zoom out: Numpad_SUB (-)
Default Camera Position: Numpad_5 (Same as Home key)

Toolbar

Use item on bar 0-9
Change layer Ctrl + 0-9



OTHER ISSUES:

Square should uncap the frame rate or increase it for PC users. I know many computers can handle far above 30 fps in FFXI and it will only make the game better, no harm done.

Also I dont know if they can do this easily but PC players should be allowed to choose their own font size, I personally find the chat font a little large, but that's just me.

-Sent

[Rekiem]

That post is a masterpeice. Pretty much everything I've read in it is good stuff and I know alot of people would aggree with it. If you really want this to change, you should E-mail it to SquareSoft. I doubt they read this board and a nice suggestion like this need to be shown to them.

[Sent]

Yeah, I know I am new to this game but I like it. Before I take it directly to Square I just want to know what the community thinks .

-Sent

[Sent]

Anyone with any comments at all?

-Sent

[Pupstah]

Those seem like some pretty good ideas

The ones I really want are the movement changes.

[Anom]

The only thing I think people would have a problem with is the character movement one. A lot of people who havent played games like Resident Evil where Up = walk and Right/Left = change direction may have a bit o' trouble for the first little while. Kinda like watching a little kid play with a remote controlled car and crashing it into walls, furniture, the dog....

If there were an option to do it that way or the original way, it'd be pretty nice tho^^.

[Koyasha]

Much of that sounds like a good idea, that I would have originally liked before I started playing, but camera suggestions and such concern me. I use a controller now. As long as it is an option, and won't affect my controls whatsoever unless I choose for it to, I fully support it. Make sure that when you do suggest it, ye mention that it should be an option, not completely replacing what we have now. Some of us have gotten used to it already.

[KaworuNagisa]

Heh..

Controller is all you need... The game is so much better and more efficient to play =)

Nice post? Sure.. Necessary? Not a chance.

[Tnekmeister]

Alltho I'm starting to like the controls in FFxi, I'd like the chance of customizing the controls the way one want... Looking at the suggestion above and it's very "Anarchy-Online(ish)" wich I like since I came from AO to FF...

1 thing I really miss is a "press right MB freelook"...

[Nyanya]

Nyanya really likes the 'cycle through enemies' option. I can't count how often I've tried to attack a party member.

<locks on people walking by and starts throwing pieces of paper at them>

[Synbios]

Originally posted by KaworuNagisa
Heh..

Controller is all you need... The game is so much better and more efficient to play =)

Nice post? Sure.. Necessary? Not a chance.

Yea, spend 10 bucks for a PS > PC convertor and you play the game the way it's meant to be played. Heh.

[Sent]

Yeah these controls arent meant to mess with controller setup since people seem to like it.

Well coming from other MMORPGs I know how well a keyboard can work, I'm just trying to get change to help improve, no analog controller for me just yet.

-Sent

[Sent]

Originally posted by Anom
The only thing I think people would have a problem with is the character movement one. A lot of people who havent played games like Resident Evil where Up = walk and Right/Left = change direction may have a bit o' trouble for the first little while. Kinda like watching a little kid play with a remote controlled car and crashing it into walls, furniture, the dog....

If there were an option to do it that way or the original way, it'd be pretty nice tho^^.

I think with Resident Evil what you don't have is a locked 3rd person camera behind your character. If the camera were locked rotating your character wouldn't be too confusing since you are always facing forwards. I dont know about anyone else but if you've tried to face someone in 3rd person in FFXI while there are at a 45 degree angle to you, you cant without running forward or backwards no matter if they are 2 feet from you. In 1st person mode however when you hit "turn left" or "turn right" your character rotates, so I definately know it is possible in terms of movements.

-Sent

[Vulgarvox]

Nicely constructed post -Sent,

After my limited time with the controls I reckon they are definately usable, to the point I'm getting used to them
however almost all my niggles would be addressed by your post.

I think such a radical overhaul of the implemented system would be unlikely any time soon & it would almost
certainly never happen if it interferred with the majorities favoured controls, but you never know.

One thing I can already see as being a great boon would be the multiple, filterable chat windows.
Having all your party pull calls, cure messages, ws announces in one place would be a perfect addition to the UI I feel.
After fighting in the presence of merely 2 other players the amount of battle spam is simply overwhelming
:spin:

[Kutch]

Amen!
Well written, well said - give us the ability to choose more, especially the controls. It makes sense that since we have a PC, we have a whole range of options for controls available to us.