ADVANCED BIND GUIDE v1.1

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I hope I do not come off as redundant or arrogant. This is mererly my observation on how binds and code strings in general seem to work.

[/ QUOTE ] Combining ideas to explain stuff is not arrogant, and is only slightly redundant. I welcome this post and would love to see it slightly condensed into one of the bind guides.

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I have run against a serious problem, however, in that I cannot seem to make a bind that makes two types of henchmen do... Anything. Even if I string two /comsay_pow commands, they are still executed in successions, not simultaniously. This is most telling with the /petsay goto command, as it will only play the last "goto" command and issue it for the last-mentioned henchman type in the bind.

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I'd imagine that the "goto" Action would be the only one you'd have issues with. A command like "petcompow thug goto$$petcompow brus goto" would be like activating two powers, the second one interrupting the first. The other Actions and Stances *should* behave themselves and not interrupt each other. "petcompow thug def fol$$petcompow brus att agg" should execute normally.

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The most serious problem I'm running against is what I like to call the "layers of quotes." If I make a bind that issues several commands in succession, those commands HAVE to be simple. If I make them longer, I need to use "quotes within quotes, and that is compiled incorrectly. So if I make a bind that rebinds a few keys, I can only rebind those keys to a single command.
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Is there any way to get around this, be it using bind files or macros?

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The safest way to rebind keys that have multiple commands associated with them is done using Bindfiles. I highly recommend adapting the numpad guides to suit your needs.

Have you tried City Binder? He last updated it July '06, and the Mastermind section is quite comprehensive. Download Here.
Someday I'll learn to use the UltraBinds section to create new Mastermind Controls, amongst others.

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Combining ideas to explain stuff is not arrogant, and is only slightly redundant. I welcome this post and would love to see it slightly condensed into one of the bind guides.

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Thank you for understanding

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The safest way to rebind keys that have multiple commands associated with them is done using Bindfiles. I highly recommend adapting the numpad guides to suit your needs.

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I have an inherent hatred of bind files and all things out-of-game that I need to edit manually. It's not that I can't use them, I just don't find it appropriate. Hence why my Mastermind binds are just a series of really, really long binds

Actally, I did adapt the Numpad Guide to the way I like to write binds all the way back in Beta. I basically took everything it did and crammed it into a single text bind, rather than a series of bind files. However, by switching from bind files to direct binds, I robbed myself of the ability to use more complex binds.

Just to illustrate, here is a bind I use to set up 6 buttons to command only my Soldiers on a Mercenaries/Traps Mastermind. All buttons used are as I use them:

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/bind alt+q "bind t petcom_name sol attack$$bind g petcom_name sol follow$$bind b petcom_name sol goto$$bind y petcom_name sol aggressive$$bind h petco_name sol defensive$$bind n petcom_name sol passive

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What that does is, when I press Alt+Q, it binds T, G, B, Y, H and N to issue the orders of Attack, Follow, Go To, Aggressive, Defensive and Passive, respectively, to only my Soldiers henchmen. I have similar binds on Alt+W and Alt+E, to command my Spec-Ops and Commando, as well as a bind for all and a bind for just the one I have selected bound to Alt+A and Alt+S, respectively.

What that allows me to do is command my henchmen at a very basic level, as well as to command them in parts as I see fit. I gotta tell ya, it's pretty funny to see people's reactions when a Mastermind sets up a Poison gas trap, arranges their henchmen behind a corner, then pulls with a (1)Spec-Ops who fires and immediately runs around the corner It's pretty easy for a Traps Mastermind to just stand in one place and constantly command their hencmen. They don't have a lot else to actually do in a battle.

But with the Advent of Serum and the arrival of the Commando, it is becoming necessery for me to pull out both the Soldiers and Spec-Ops and leave only the commando, buffed up on a Serum, to hold up that big boss or some such. To that event, I felt I needed a bind to control both the Soldiers and Spec-Ops. Without a consistent Go To command, I don't think it is feasible, and I'll just have to micromanage them in part.

I have come up with a couple of ideas, however. One was to put numerical identifiers on all my henchmen's names. So my soldeirs would have "12" in their name, my henchmen "23" and the Commando a "13." That should, in theory, allow me to use /petcom_name 1 to command, say, the Soldiers and Commando. The sheer ugliness of those numbers, however, has prevented me from trying it.

The other thing I have considered is using Macros instead of bind files. A bind CAN activate a macro by using the /powexec_tray command and specifying the slot. That way, I can stick a bunch of Macros on tray 10 and use those in place of bind files. Unlike bind files, Macros are accessible and changible from in-game, plus they seem more "fair" to the engine. However, I've not tried that on a larger scale, either, as it would take a lot of planning and STILL wouldn't solve my "goto" command.

I suppose micromanagement is, at present, my most acceptable course of action. I still wish I could be able to streamline it a bit, though.

Oh, and:

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Have you tried City Binder? He last updated it July '06, and the Mastermind section is quite comprehensive. Download Here.
Someday I'll learn to use the UltraBinds section to create new Mastermind Controls, amongst others.

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I tried using that, but it doesn't seem to have what I want. It has a lot of looping and conditional binds, but what I want just isn't doable under the current engine. It also seems to cater to people who like more versitile controls over their characters, whereas I'm the kind of person who wants to have the basic controls. With them, I can micromanage any combination that I might be faced with.

I'm mostly looking for an easier way to redefine keys on demand, more so than having keys themselves do different things based on different conditions. Still, though, that program makes binds I couldn't even dream of I'll have fun reverse-engeneering some of them to find out what makes them tick.

*edit* Turns out Code does not have word wrapping, so I broke the forum for a second there

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Originally Posted by Arcanaville Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.

I was about to say what Konoko said, until I ready his repsonse. Sounds like quite a puzzle you have there! If you find a solution, please let us know what you discover. Sorry for not helping more.

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I was about to say what Konoko said, until I ready his repsonse. Sounds like quite a puzzle you have there! If you find a solution, please let us know what you discover. Sorry for not helping more.

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Don't worry about it

It's a monkey that's been on my back ever since I started trying to work with Mastermind binds, and it doesn't seem like it's going away. The ways I can fix this each have their drawbacks, that's the problem. Using bind files (or macros) will still not let the goto command work, and renaming my henchmen is just plain ugly (and they can't be named the same thing). I suppose I could take the Malta model and name them Toop Alpha-1-2, Troop Beta-1-2 and so forth. But what if I make a Zombie mastermind? I need a consistent system.

Unfortunately, I feel the solution here is not to fix the binds, but to fix me A very real option is that I don't do anything about it. That will work, but it dumps more work and micromanagement on my hands. If I can handle it, I suppose it's good, too, but that remains to be seen.

You have my word, though. If I find a way to solve this, I will surely post it here. The binds you have in this thread and the way you're using the commands is simply boggling to my basic approach to bind-writing I like it. It lest me learn new things and how the system works.

Oh, one thing that occurs to me - is there any way to get /petcom to execute for a list of henchmen, be it by name or type? That would solve my problem, but it does not appear to be possible.

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Originally Posted by Arcanaville Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.

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It's a monkey that's been on my back ever since I started trying to work with Mastermind binds, and it doesn't seem like it's going away. The ways I can fix this each have their drawbacks, that's the problem. Using bind files (or macros) will still not let the goto command work, and renaming my henchmen is just plain ugly (and they can't be named the same thing). I suppose I could take the Malta model and name them Toop Alpha-1-2, Troop Beta-1-2 and so forth. But what if I make a Zombie mastermind? I need a consistent system.

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I got kinda lucky with my first Ninja MM, I named them after semi-generic Japanese first names. Tenchi, Keichi, Keitaro for the minions, Kakashi for the luet (never got above 20). So /petcomname e def fol would tell all the minions to def/fol, or /petcomname ei for just two of them. or /petcomname K for 2 of the minions and 1 of the leuts. I didn't get high enough to require the micromanagment that those options would warrant... wait... what?

Anyways, try modifying their names to have something in common, but still look 'random'.

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Oh, one thing that occurs to me - is there any way to get /petcom to execute for a list of henchmen, be it by name or type? That would solve my problem, but it does not appear to be possible.

[/ QUOTE ] I dunno. Try renaming one pet ONE and the other MARCH and typing /petcomname one march stay

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I dunno. Try renaming one pet ONE and the other MARCH and typing /petcomname one march stay

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Hmm... Won't that give me an error in the number of argumens? Meaning, won't that be read as two arguments? Might want to try putting them in brackets...

I will try that. Thanks!

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Originally Posted by Arcanaville Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.

I am starting to experiment with some powexecauto binds and am searching for ways to restore Auto-Hasten semi-automatically.
My problem is that two powexecauto Hasten commands in a row will turn Hasten on auto and then take it off auto.

I'd love to /bind w "+forward$$powexecauto hasten" and have forward movement restore Hasten to auto but I find myself shutting auto off as much as I turn it on.

Is there a way to force auto onto Hasten like a toggleon and not have a subsequent keypress shut it back off?

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If all else fails go back and read the guide some more.

Would /bind w"+forward$$powexecauto brawl$$powexecauto hasten" work?

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I am starting to experiment with some powexecauto binds and am searching for ways to restore Auto-Hasten semi-automatically.
My problem is that two powexecauto Hasten commands in a row will turn Hasten on auto and then take it off auto.

I'd love to /bind w "+forward$$powexecauto hasten" and have forward movement restore Hasten to auto but I find myself shutting auto off as much as I turn it on.

Is there a way to force auto onto Hasten like a toggleon and not have a subsequent keypress shut it back off?

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No. PowexecAUTO is a toggle, so the first press will turn it on, and the second press will turn it off. And there is no such command that I'm aware of as Powexec_Auto_ToggleOn.

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EDIT:
If all else fails go back and read the guide some more.

Would /bind w"+forward$$powexecauto brawl$$powexecauto hasten" work?

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No. All that would do is alternately switch between putting brawl and hasten on auto with each key press.

Edit: > I'M WRONG! Having two powexec_auto commands in the same bind will cause only the first (far right) power in the bind to be on auto fire, and will prevent the bind from turning auto fire off with that bind. Sheesh! I need to read my own guide! For more info, look at the "Using Powexec_auto" section of my bind guide. Your bind should work:

/bind w "+forward$$powexecauto brawl$$powexecauto hasten"

Let me know if that did work for you.



Personally, however, with Hasten's longish recharge, I now prefer to keep hasten off of auto so I can hit it right before I engage in battle... it lasts longer then and I'm assured that it will be up for the next battle. Putting it on auto sometimes causes timing probs for me. Anyway, good luck!

Great guide.....Very helpful

Here is a smaller, easier bind maker. It is sorta like the CityBind maker, but i started it 10 months ago before i knew cityBinds existed. It can do the same functions, you can save and edit your current key binds, or make new ones.. It is being improved on right now, it is not final...

Gold Fury Jr Bind Maker

please try, and let me know what you think..

thanks

Wish I could edit my previous post on this subject.

Yeah, I8 altered the bind rountine a little... again... so the +/- prefixes now generate an "unknown command' error if used by themselves. "+ " and "- " no longer work smoothly, so binds such as the following need to be revised:

/bind <key> "+ $$powexec_name sprint"

Here's the workaround:

Instead of "+ $$" use "+down$$-down$$"
And instead of "- $$" use "+down$$-down$$"

So the above bind would be revised to:

/bind <key> "+down$$-down$$powexec_name sprint"

Yes, it means a lot more characters added to the bind, but there's not much else we can do at the moment. The "+down$$-down" method has always worked, so there's no threat of it being messed up in future updates. Oh, FYI, the reason you put "-down" right after the "+down" is to prevent any downward movement when activating the bind.

Hope this helps.

P.S. For your ease of mind, I already posted this problem in the Developer's official Bug report thread.

Gold Fury Jr Bind Maker

Fixed the link.