Action Control Concessions for the RSI/Laptop touchpad crowd

[doctorfrog]

I still don't have too firmly in my head how the action portions for TLF will control (and it feels like they are still in flux anyway), but I was wondering if there's room for input from a skinny dude like me with RSI who has to limit play of games that use the mouse. I tend to sparingly use the mouse and rely on a trackpad when I can, and I especially love games with good keyboard controls. Arcen games are particularly good at delivering on that second bit, giving plenty of options, most of them customizable.

As a rule of thumb, I have to avoid games that rely on 1) a lot of mouse movement, 2) lots of clicking, and 3) holding down keys or buttons for extended periods of time.

In general, the first can be partly addressed by having good keyboard mappings, and lots of 'em, and the ability to pause the game in real time, or slow it down. TLF seems to offer this already, and keyboard mappings have always been absolutely numerous for Arcen games.

The second issue of ARPG-style "clickyness" is a tricky one, sometimes it is fixable by having the clicking be a toggle, but often you need a quick-click, which isn't practical when your "click" is a toggle. Sometimes it isn't fixable by anything less than having a player character/ship being able to fire on its own when in range, as I describe below. And sometimes it's just not fixable without fundamentally changing the game.

The third issue is similarly made more accessible by

Now, for a few examples of what sometimes works for me, and what doesn't.

Good Example 1: Weird Worlds: Return to Infinite Space
To take a similarly-looking type of game that isn't too rough on the old carpal tunnel, look at Weird Worlds' combat (http://www.infinitespacegames.com/weirdworlds/). This is easy to play with minimal mouse, because you can hit SPACE at any time to pause the action. You then use the mouse or touchpad to designate a target or direction for a given ship, hit SPACE, and let the action unfold. Much like AI War, ships in WW are capable of taking opportunity shots, and combat is mostly a game of positioning and tactics, and it's quite satisfying.

But WW could be even better. For example, if I could hit TAB to go through a list of available targets, and press ENTER to select a target, or set aggression 'stances' for the ships, etc., that would make it even more accessible, while also offering advanced controls that a hardcore player would appreciate. (For Bionic Dues, the ability to TAB and ENTER to select targets would be super great and I really must submit a Mantis on that.)

Good Example 2: Starshatter
To give a good example of a tactical spaceship game that does this in 3D, take a look at the freeware game Starshatter. Ostensibly, it is a space flight and combat sim similar to Freespace, but as you gain rank, you have the opportunity to helm larger ships like frigates and destroyers. These are lumbering giants that are controlled much more differently. For the most part, you manage your sensor profile and give movement orders, and your turrets select targets of opportunity on their own, though you still decide whether and what they will be firing, and you still have torpedo controls. Movement is handled by giving a direction of thrust in 3D space, using the arrow keys, which change course along X and Y axes. You then determine thrust. Your powerful missile tubes are under direct control, and only fire from the front, and your turret gunners handle your broadsides. It's enough to offer some interesting tactical decisions on its own, but then you also determine your sensor profile. In short, you can cast a wider net, but show up 'hotter' on the enemy's radar as well. Sometimes it's advantageous to have a shorter firing range, and be less visible to the enemy.

Note that all of this control is possible with a minimum of mouse usage, a maximum of mouse usage if you'd rather have that, or even with a joystick. It's very versatile.

This is illustrated (poorly) by the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbQQTsijYiY

Bad Example 1
Now for an example of a game I had to give up on: Teleglitch. Yes, Teleglitch is nothing like TLF, but hear me out a sec. Teleglitch requires two things that are anathema to someone with RSI, or someone with a touchpad: 1) It's clicky as hell. 2) For a lot of the shooting, you have to hold down the right mouse button to "aim." This will send my right forearm straight to Numbsville after a few minutes.

Granted, there's no way to "fix" this without changing Teleglitch into something unrecognizable, because it is a frantic action game. I do not expect Teleglitch to meet me halfway, it's simply a game I can't play. TLF, though, does not sound like a frantic action game, so I really hope that there will be room for some concessions, and, just as importantly, they can be easily and cheaply adapted to The Last Federation.

Sometimes You Just Work Around It
For some games, a lot of mouse movement is unavoidable. When I play a game like AI War, for instance, I have to pause a lot and take pretty frequent breaks. I can accept this, because the nature of AI War is that you simply have to use the mouse a bunch, and it's honestly just such a good game, that I'm ok with playing it in short bursts. (I'm not real happy with having to hold down 'T' to get the map overly, though, and occasionally will bring up returning the minimap, even in a limited form, because that would help me out a lot, but hey, it's still a good game!)

Note, though, that the game has to be pretty darn good for me to still play it this way!

Sometimes It's Worth the Extra Effort
In conclusion, I'd like to also say that sometimes (not always) making your game more accessible to those with limited range of movement, or who are latched to a laptop, can be appreciated by the greater pool of players. Good accessibility and good control schemes are often just good. Something that reduces frustration or increases pleasure in a more constrained player can also have a positive effect on the typical player.

I guess I'll have more constructive stuff to say once I learn more about the game

[Cinth]

I don't know much about the games you used as an example, but I'll give you what insights I can from combat.

You can mouse move (right click).  You can keyboard move (WASD, how I do it). 
You use the mouse to move the cursor to aim and left click to fire.  You can pause with space.

In theory, you should be able to control combat with a track ball and pause. I just checked key binds and didn't see a key bind for firing your main weapon.  Though even my laptop touchpad has left/right click buttons.  I'm pretty sure it will work, just not sure how comfortable it would be.  Hope that helps. 

[keith.lamothe]

I do most of my testing on a keyboard with a touchpad, no mouse, and it works great for me

The WASD controls are basically a toggle during combat: if you press W not only will you go straight north, but you will keep going that direction until you give a movement order some other way.

I would like to have a key for toggling on/off a "just keep shooting the main gun(s) at the mouse cursor, don't make me hold down the left mouse button to do it" behavior, though.

[Cinth]

I would like to have a key for toggling on/off a "just keep shooting the main gun(s) at the mouse cursor, don't make me hold down the left mouse button to do it" behavior, though.

Picard would say, "Make it so."

[doctorfrog]

This sounds promising I look forward to getting my talons on the pedals of that Hydral ship.