Graal Controls.

[Rufus]

From a player point of view (both new and old) the controls on Graal as a whole are extremely disjointed from the actual gameplay, and when you jump from server to server as much as people do, it becomes even worse. We have the global controls in the F3 options menu, which are very out of date and it only has a few basic options as you can see if you look at the first attachment. The majority of servers make use of these functions, such as movement, using A, S and D, but a lot do not.

On top of the basic functions the majority of servers obviously have their server-specific keys, such as Zodiac which has millions, and Classic that has Wave on W, Hug on H and Camera Change on C. Now on the two servers I've mentioned for example, there is no way of changing the keys that you are using, and you will only find them by exploring. On Classic there is a hidden chat command (terrible, terrible) for changing your keys, but not even the staff seem to know it. Classic is not the only server who falls victim to this, as nearly every single server has chat commands to change keys. Some servers have taken the inituative and added GUI interfaces for changing hotkeys, etc, which really annoys me. There are two pretty obvious reasons why they are a bad way of handling it:

1. Custom key settings conflict with global and graal-set key settings.
2. There should only be one area for the control of keys, both for consistency and to avoid huge confusion.

With those two reasons in mind, I've been kind of tampering with the idea of a new controls window; I've attached it below. My main idea was encorporating the global, local and Graal controls all into one control area. The blue keys represent Graal controls, the red keys represent global controls, and the green keys represent the local. I was thinking with all three key 'types' being placed into one area, there will be no conflicts like there currently are. The controls on each server would appear in the settings by default (set by the server) and the player would be able to pick and choose what they wanted on their keyboard; could make the controls different per server if they really wanted to.

I just think both visually and functionally, this might be a better way of handling the controls. I'm not a scripter though, so I don't know what might mess up in that department

[Crow]

I really like this idea. Though it would destroy quite some scripts. But I guess this can be avoided by making a new event for keychecks, just for the new configuration. I would love to see this added. Go go go Stefan!

[Inverness]

Inverness approves.

[DustyPorViva]

I'll just say this, another MMO I've played does something very similar... the major problem with it is that you usually can't see the whole keyboard on a resolution of 800x600. 800x600 isn't really a major resolution anymore, but it's a pretty standard one that should still be taken into consideration.

[Crono]

Pluffy approves.

[zokemon]

With this, add a script function:

PHP Code:

bindfunction(id, text, multi);
Adds a function to the list of bind-able keys with the given id.
  id (string) - The new button will have this unique ID.  If the ID already exists, the old button will be replaced with the new.
  text (string) - The button's name will be displayed to the user as this.
  multi (bool) - If true, the function can be applied to more then one button.

Example: bindfunction(duck, "Crouch", 0);
This would add a button to the listen of buttons that would be labeled as "Crouch". 


Might want an unbindfunction(id), too.

As well as a function call:

PHP Code:

function onBoundDown(id, text, code, key) {}
Is triggered when a key that is bound with a function created by bindfunction() is pressed.
  id (string) - The unique ID of the function.
  text (string) - The text of the button (same text you put for bindfunction()).
  code (int) - Keycode of the key pressed. (Just like onkeydown)
  key (string) - The letter of the key pressed. (Just like onkeydown) 


Would be nice also if you made a similar call for onBoundUp() as well.

With these two added, everyone can use the same key configuration window. The bindfunction() functions will mostly be called when you log onto the server, and then will be unbound when you log off.

New functions would have to show up as unassigned buttons in another windows or part of the gui. Then just drag the unassigned buttons to a key on the keyboard.

[Door]

Consistency is a really important factor to helping people understand things! This is a good idea and I'm.. almost disappointed that it hasn't been done already. What keeps me from feeling disappointed is my distinct lack of surprise.

[Crono]

They're too busy working on their silly little poker games I suppose.

[Tyhm]

I'm with Crono. Stefan doesn't care about Graal people at the moment. I wish he'd just make everything scripted so we can support the game on our own. As in, delete all the default Coded movement, display, RC, etc., delete Showstats outright, and publish a GScript version of same. He already basically deleted baddies when he went GS2, but never published the Baddy Script - I don't think he even removed the old variables to check how many of the No Clientside Baddies exist.

But that would require coming back and Handling Graal, and he might come back and look at the relative profits and decide the best way to Handle Graal is to shut it down. And even if he wound up selling Graal or publishing the serverengine, that'd just mean we'd have a bunch of codemonkeys all over the world working at cross-purposes and we'd wind up with as many distros as Linux in time...and Nobody would do this...

[cbk1994]

Originally Posted by Tyhm

RC

Please no.

[Chompy]

To bad all keyboards doesn't look the same.

Mine is like, quite different from the one in the first post.

[Crono]

Originally Posted by Chompy

To bad all keyboards doesn't look the same.

Mine is like, quite different from the one in the first post.

If you look closely at the keys rufus marked out, they are standard ones that any keyboard has.

Even the ever so popular CS/CSS don't follow the Swedish keyboards.

[DustyPorViva]

Originally Posted by Chompy

To bad all keyboards doesn't look the same.

Mine is like, quite different from the one in the first post.

If the keyboard layout is scripted(which I imagine it would have to be, since you'd need coordinates of each button), then making different layouts wouldn't be terribly hard. QWERTY is standard though, what would you expect?

[Loriel]

Originally Posted by Chompy

To bad all keyboards doesn't look the same.

Mine is like, quite different from the one in the first post.

You do not really need a graphical keyboard display, just an extendable list of assignable functions.

[Inverness]

Most games simply use the list of assignable functions which would be easiest in short term.