Why do aliens have to change weapons?

Hakujin · July 2011

Right now the system for changing weapons makes sense for marines (two hands, one weapon) but does NOT for aliens. This problem is compounded by the fact that aliens often have to use a greater number of weapons in any given engagement than marines. A simple change could make this task easy.

Right now, 4 buttons are used for weapons: mouse1, mouse2, mwheel_up, and mwheep_dn. (or substitute number keys for direct access). But mwheel_up/dn for aliens makes no sense, and would be much more efficient as direct weapon usage buttons. So my suggestion is simply this:

<b>Let us bind [any key] to the actual usage of alien weapons 3 and 4.</b>

So for example:

<u>Gorge</u>
Mouse1: spit
Mouse2: heal
Mwheel_up: drop hydra
Mwheel_dn: bile bomb

<u>Skulk</u>
Mouse1: bite
Mouse2: leap
Mwheel_up: parasite

RisingSun · July 2011

Initially i came in here thinking this was a dumb idea, but i really like it! It does make more sense from an alien perspective.

Daxed · July 2011

completely agreed. This screws over alot of noobs too. For example, forgetting you had parasite selected and going in close for a kill.

If 2 (mwheel_up) just shot the parasite, it would be alot more intuitive.

JayArc · July 2011

As I tend to use the keys 1,2,3,4 for switching while playing Gorge. This makes sense.

Kouji_San · July 2011

multi-button mouse up to mouse5? MX518 FTW :P

Cyberwarrior00785 · July 2011

hmmmmmmm interesting idea

peregrinus · July 2011

I thought this would be helpful.

BTW you missed out 'cyst' for gorge.

Hakujin · July 2011

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (peregrinus @ Jul 12 2011, 12:31 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1860093"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>BTW you missed out 'cyst' for gorge.</div>
That raises a good point -- at 5 weapons the gorge is a bit overloaded. You could just let cyst be bound to something else, but given how most people just use the healspray, I might just recommend limiting aliens to 4 weapons each and removing spit from the gorge.

sickboy · July 2011

Was about to say I totally disagree, but if it's implemented as an <i>option</i>, by all means! I certainly wouldn't use it, but if others would there's no real reason not to implement it.

Rico5559 · July 2011

Couldn't you just bind your own keys to those moves? If thats not an option I'm sure it would be easy to add to the game, that way, those of us who are used to and comfortable with weapon switches can continue to use them as is, and those who find it easier to use mousewheel or feels it adds a sense of realism with aliens not switching between their biological abilities can have it their way as well?

IeptBarakat · July 2011

Not a fan of it, I like the simplicity of 'weapon slots'.

Although bile bomb could be like a charge shot for spit.

1stToast · July 2011

Iâ€™m a big fan of flexibility for binds. With a 5 button mouse and wheel itâ€™s possible to quickly select your weapon. In HL you can bind two keys or buttons for a function. I would like the ability to bind keys or buttons so there would a set of functions for alien and a different function for marine for the same stroke. Like right click for butt stroke for marine, heal for gorge, and leap for skulk.

KuBaN · July 2011

You should avoid relying on a free-flowing WHEEL to make precision inputs whenever possible.

They're more a detriment to me than any help, so I just use 1-4 to switch.

If you really want to simplify, though:

Skulk:
LMB: Bite
RMB: Parasite
Space: Leap (standard Jump is pretty useless)
Shift: Wall-walk (More precision)

Lerk:
LMB: Spike
RMB: Spore
Space: Jump/Fly
Shift: Glide

Fade:
LMB: Swipe
RMB: Stab
Space: Dash (whenever it's implemented)
Shift: Blink
Ctrl: Crouch

Gorge:
LMB: Bile-bomb (Remove Spit)
RMB: Heal-spray
Space: Belly Slide (Why is this fatty jumping at all!?)
Shift: Cyst?
Ctrl: Hyra?

Gorge is a challenge with all of those abilities... I can't really come up with any good, intuitive solution.

Hakujin · July 2011

Some good additions to this topic. I used the mousewheel as an example since it is already on the mouse and available to everyone. But the real issue is being able to bind these ability activations to individual keys, rather than being forced to switch weapons which is time consuming and rather unnecessary. (whether these keys be the mousewheel or other keys)

Rico5559 · July 2011

A simplistic menu could be made sometime later down the line (not a major issue between now and shortly before main release) that has a page for the different setups you will come across so you could bind the functions of different aliens/marine gear set-ups to the keys you want. Something along the lines of how a battlefield game would have the controls pages for being an infrantryman/vehicle driver/pilot etc. etc.

Skie · July 2011

I disagree. On everything.

RisingSun · July 2011

What button is irrelevant. I happen to use Mouse1 to move forward (old school Doom 2 config for FPS). What i would like to see and i think the OP also is the move being able to be bound to whatever key with no need to switch. Sort of like MMO button configs.

OutlawDr · July 2011

For some things you will want it to be a different weapons slot though. For instance, hydra and cyst need to be separated from others due to the transparent pre-image that pops up. Unless you are fine with having that image pop up all the time even while in combat. I would also hate to accidentally hit the wrong button and spit out a hydra right in the middle of a fire fight....killing myself and wasting res.

<b>I agree though that a lot could be done to put more of the attacks together into single weapon slots, so we don't have so many.</b>
<ul><li>Make shift the universal movement key: sprint, blink, leap(+jump button), slide, ect. </li><li>Bite and parasite are the same weapon slot, and rmb switches between the two 'modes' (similar to the pistol). </li><li>Hydra/cysts also moved to the same weapon slot, and with rmb switching between the two. </li><li>I like idea of BB simply being a charge up form of spit.</li><li>Double tap for the quick blink (already planned) but also for a mini-leap if it were to be implemented.</li></ul>
I would leave ctrl and space as they are. Players already strongly attribute these to crouch and jump respectively, and it would be really unintuitive to make them do totally different things depending on the lifeform.

Corporal_Fortier · July 2011

Interesting idea. Not sure how I feel about it though. How would you deal with skills requiring a crosshair? Just leave it visible at all times?

dickbass · July 2011

theres nothing wrong with the way it is in the game now

McGlaspie · July 2011

While this is an interesting idea, I suspect it would serve to alienate new players. This would be a huge departure from the typical weapon slots found in hundreds of game. For this alone I think it would be a bad move if UWE did something like this. The familiarity of weapon slots is actually a good thing of new players being able to get right into the action.

ScardyBob · July 2011

+1 to op and +1 to more customizable key options.

I'd love to be able to bind all alien attacks to my mouse. You can keep the default to whatever you want but if you could make options such that they are
attack1
attack2
attack3
attack4
attack5
attack6
etc.
that would be awesome.

McGlaspie · July 2011

Customization is always a good thing. What ScardyBob proposed would be a nice compromise to what the OP suggested and still not confuse new players.

Papayas · July 2011

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Hakujin @ Jul 12 2011, 04:14 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1860077"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>Right now the system for changing weapons makes sense for marines (two hands, one weapon) but does NOT for aliens. This problem is compounded by the fact that aliens often have to use a greater number of weapons in any given engagement than marines. A simple change could make this task easy.

Right now, 4 buttons are used for weapons: mouse1, mouse2, mwheel_up, and mwheep_dn. (or substitute number keys for direct access). But mwheel_up/dn for aliens makes no sense, and would be much more efficient as direct weapon usage buttons. So my suggestion is simply this:

<b>Let us bind the mousewheel to the actual usage of alien weapons 3 and 4.</b>

So for example:

<u>Gorge</u>
Mouse1: spit
Mouse2: heal
Mwheel_up: drop hydra
Mwheel_dn: bile bomb

<u>Skulk</u>
Mouse1: bite
Mouse2: leap
Mwheel_up: parasite</div>

I would love to give this a try!
1 thing I really hate is not being able to leap when I wish to use parasite. That would solve it!

Chris0132 · July 2011

I wouldn't mind this as an option, able to bind certain attacks to keys, but it should be an option, not required. I think the standard setup would be best for default, with just the existence of commands for other attacks which players can bind themselves.

Of course it's also possible you could cut buttons just by doing things a bit smarter, for example you could cut bile bomb by making it a charged form of spit, you could cut fade weapon2 by making it automatic if you are close behind a marine.

Wilson · July 2011

I just wish you could leap with RMB in both bite and parasite mode. It doesn't make sense that you need to switch weapons to leap away. Otherwise I have no problems with changing weapons.

Taxen0 · July 2011

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (KuBaN @ Jul 12 2011, 08:29 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1860133"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>Space: Leap (standard Jump is pretty useless)</div>
Not really, good for getting up on walls etc without wasting energy.

I would do it like this, keep the current weapon select system as default, but change it around a bit.
<u>skulk</u> (not 100% on the skulk, could be bite/parasite with leap as shift.)
(attack #) m1/m2
(1) bite/leap
(2) parasite/leap

<u>gorge</u>
(1) spit/heal
(2) building/building toggle
(3) bilebomb/heal

<u>fade</u>
(1) swipe/swipe2
(Shift) blink

no idea really about the lerk as its still going through changes.

These would just be the default mapping, but everything should be mappable to whatever key you want in options.
so a parasite could be mappable to scroll up if you want, as mentioned above. (I would)

I don't thing you should have to use the scroll as default as some players have a two button mouse or touchpads.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kouji_San @ Jul 12 2011, 05:27 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1860090"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>MX518</div>
<3

ZycaR · July 2011

voting for gorge on my A4Tech x7:
<img src="http://imgur.com/JybyL.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
weap 1: L/R = split/heal
weap 2: L/R = bilebomb/heal

Shrike3O · July 2011

If placing a hydra/cyst is accomplished with a single press of a button, how are you supposed to know where exactly it's going to end up? I ninja-place those things pretty aggressively, reaching through railings, under stairs, on top of boxes I'm behind, etc, and having the "it'll end up here" visible for me is a plus.

Taxen0 · July 2011

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Shrike3O @ Jul 13 2011, 10:07 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1860308"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>If placing a hydra/cyst is accomplished with a single press of a button, how are you supposed to know where exactly it's going to end up? I ninja-place those things pretty aggressively, reaching through railings, under stairs, on top of boxes I'm behind, etc, and having the "it'll end up here" visible for me is a plus.</div>
with my way:
mouse 1 / mouse 2
place structure / toggle structure

you right click to cycle to the next building (atm it just toggles hydra or cyst, but we might get more in the future) and get the ghost structure.
then left click to place them.

if you want 1 building on 1 button I guess you can make it 1 click = ghost, the 2nd place it. or simply place it (but it will be hard to know it the cyst is connected then)

ZycaR · July 2011

I want 1 building on 1 button:
1'st click = 50% transparent ghost
2'nd click = place it

until you 2'nd click (you are in structure placement mode) you can change it:
- by simply pres another building ( it will change ghost to another structure - as 1'st click)
- or weapon key i.e. heal/split/bilebomb to use heal/weapon and ghost will be removed.

also keys of structures can be bindable, as example: "H" - hydra; "C" - cyst; ...

Why do aliens have to change weapons?

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