City of Heroes: Live Forum Archive

I still click the little power buttons in the tray

Ad Astra

By Ad Astra,
Posted on: 2009-06-03 09:47 in Player Questions

 

Posted

I'm pretty sure this isn't the optimal way to play. Actually, I know it's not. There's a lot of times I hit the "Next tray" arrow instead of the first power and likely end up dying as a result. I just can't seem to get my fingers used to reaching up to hit the 1 through 5 buttons with any kind of accuracy. For some of my most used powers, I have binds on q, e, t, g, v, and c, but those powers are usually the things I don't want in a tray, like fly and leadership pool powers, or pet summons. I just started a kheldian (yay 50 club) and I know I'll be using the q and e keys for shapeshifting binds.

What are better ways to play? Should I force myself to use the number buttons? I've heard of using the numpad, but I don't want to take my hand off the mouse.

Where to now?
Check out all my guides and fiction pieces on my blog.
The MFing Warshade | The Last Rule of Tanking | The Got Dam Mastermind
Everything Dark Armor | The Softcap
don'T attempt to read tHis mEssaGe, And believe Me, it is not a codE.

 

Posted

It's actually not that hard to move your fingers from the WASD keys to the number keys, but then again I tend to keep my hand resting on the former. I can't really think of any way to make it easier. You could use the numpad keys like you said, but then to not take your hands off your mouse you'd have to move your other hand all the way across or use the Tab key to cycle through targets

 

Posted

I still click the powers too! Nothing wrong with that.

Always remember, we were Heroes.

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
I still click the powers too! Nothing wrong with that.

[/ QUOTE ]

Same here.

Altoholic - but a Blaster at Heart!

Originally Posted by SpyralPegacyon

"You gave us a world where we could fly. I can't thank you enough for that."

 

Posted

I wish they had a lock on the trays like they do in EQ2. Would make it so much nicer for us fat fingered folks!

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I still click the powers too! Nothing wrong with that.

[/ QUOTE ]

Same here.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto.

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I still click the powers too! Nothing wrong with that.

[/ QUOTE ]

Same here.

[/ QUOTE ]

Me also

 

Posted

Do you have more than one power tray open?

I play *exclusively* with mouse and tray buttons, always have. Right now, we can open as many trays as we need, organize them wherever, and change their shape.

As an example, some of my trays, here.

I don't have an image of the one I'm using on my scrapper, but she's got a 4th tray just to the left of the main ones with all the teleport and summoning things that I don't need cluttering the main 3.

Once you get past about level 20, and if you're a vet, there just isn't enough room in one or two, so they added the ability to manage the trays differently a while back.

What's your screen resolution? Could this maybe also be helped by a better mouse or changing your mouse settings to be quicker in the game?

Please read my FEAR/Portal/HalfLife Fan Fiction!
Repurposed

 

Posted

Personally I use one of those Fang game pads and I love it. Makes the movement controls in a more intuitive place and gives you numbered keys 1-11 in a very accessable place plus many other keys that you can hookup to macros and keybinds in easy access. Plus everything is customizable and switchable based on the game being played.

 

Posted

Wow, I had no idea so many people still click.

I'm running 1024x768 and it KILLS ME. The minute I get some spare cash I am getting a widescreen LCD.

On my most complex characters, I have 2 trays open at all times. I have never found a need for more yet.

I use what I think is a clever bind for my defender.
/bind q "powexectoggleon maneuvers$$powexectoggleon tactics$$powexectoggleon hover$$powexecauto hasten"
Because a bind always executes the last power in a chain like that, it'll toggle on hover the first time I press it, tactics the next time, and maneuvers after that. This ensures that if a toggle ever drops I toggle them back on in order of importance without ever having to see them in the tray.

Mastermind uses Q, Alt+Q, and Ctrl+Q to summon, E and Alt+E to equip/upgrade. If I have flight, T is toggle fly and G is toggle hover. If I have Teleport, shift+left click teleports me, T is TP friend and team chat.

When I saw the Fang game pad a little voice inside screamed for joy. This is now on my wishlist.

Where to now?
Check out all my guides and fiction pieces on my blog.
The MFing Warshade | The Last Rule of Tanking | The Got Dam Mastermind
Everything Dark Armor | The Softcap
don'T attempt to read tHis mEssaGe, And believe Me, it is not a codE.

 

Posted

Add me to the list of people who likes to click the power buttons. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one either. Maybe it isn't the most optimal way to do it, but it's what I'm comfortable with and I seem to do just fine, so why change? Don't feel you have to force yourself to change.

I have a friend who was suprised to find I click the buttons and said I should use the number keys. But I watched him playing once and it didn't seem like he fired off his powers any faster or easier than I do. I never noticed a difference when teaming with him, either.

The only real problem I have with it is that sometimes I'm too frantic and I'll click a button while the mouse is still moving. Instead of activating a power, it'll move the button to another place in the tray. Seems very sensitive about that. But with practice I'm getting better at avoiding that.

 

Posted

Any more, I only click on trays 3 and higher. The "ancillary power trays" if you will. By that, I mean: every character has a minimum of 4 trays open from day 1. The first three in the standard 1, 2, 3 stack, 1 on the bottom.

Number keys for that row. This is composed of mostly primary powers, attacks and often used utilities (Taunt, Heal).

Alt+numbers for the second row. Usually secondary powers, armors or controls, toggles, etc.

Third row is travel. All the teleports, sprint, rest and whatever travel power.

Fourth is to the left of that stack, in the middle bottom of the screen. This is for seldom use powers, like SD, Fortune, long recharge powers, temps, whatever. Miscellaneous.

Eventually, some of my 50's get up to 5 and 6, so I have continuous access to all my temp powers, vet powers, accolades, etc.

I bind f and h for travel, f for the main, h for the sub (based on Fly/Hover).

Bind g for really frequent use powers: enemy toggles like Snow Storm, AoEs like Burn, etc.

Bind y, u and i for spawnable pets or location aoes.

I used to use macros, but I got tired of them executing late, or failing altogether. Keybinds are much more solid.

Hitting keys has massively improved my response time and ability to deal with the game. If I had to click now, I'd die a little each time

 

Posted

I play on a Saitek Cyborg Command Unit and love it, it has standard keyboard size buttons I use for powers, I secluded section of keys up top I use for insps, and a thumbstick for navigation, while fitting like a glove under your hand. (A left glove, the thumbstick is positioned making it left-hand-use only.)


10 50's To Date! Check out Titan Sentinel; it got my CoH presence synced online

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
Do you have more than one power tray open?

As an example, some of my trays, here.

[/ QUOTE ]

Here's a couple of my layouts I use...

Sonnenblume has implemented a 5th tray due to her temp powers, Day Job accolades and various props she accumulated during her rise to 50 (made it about a week ago).

Never-Moore has not needed the 5th tray just yet. He will get there though.

Generally, I use the first tray for primary attacks, second for secondaries (if the character is mostly ranged, then ranged attacks go in the first tray and melee goes in the second. Reverse that for melee characters.

The Hammer/Slammer/Blammer temp power trio usually goes in the right side of the first tray (Aim and Build Up if applicable occupy slots 9 and 10 of tray 1.

Control powers typically occupy some of try 2, and summoning and assorted miscellaneous tools go in tray 3 (that includes stuff that gets used infrequently) Heals and buffs may also go into tray 2, and will often supplant the secondary attacks. That is, if there are not many secondary attacks anyway, those will either go up to tray 3, or go into the beginning of tray 1.

Lastly, there is the Travel Tray. All travel powers (including temp powers) go there.

These aren't real hard and fast rules though. Trays 1 through 3 will always have a lot of variation depending on AT and powers (duh).

 

Posted

I like the squared-up travel tray, Willowpaw.

I'm totally adopting (ok, stealing) that set-up.

Altoholic - but a Blaster at Heart!

Originally Posted by SpyralPegacyon

"You gave us a world where we could fly. I can't thank you enough for that."

 

Posted

I click the power tray icons too.

(Sometimes, I wish there could be a Dev thumbs up button for quality posts, because you pretty much nailed it.) -- Ghost Falcon

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I still click the powers too! Nothing wrong with that.

[/ QUOTE ]

Same here.

[/ QUOTE ]

Me also

[/ QUOTE ]

I do as well, and I keep 3 trays open.

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
I still click the powers too! Nothing wrong with that.

[/ QUOTE ]

City of Heroes was my first MMO, & my favorite computer game.

R.I.P.
Chyll - Bydand - Violynce - Enyrgos - Rylle - Nephryte - Solyd - Fettyr - Hyposhock - Styrling - Beryllos - Rosyc
Horryd - Myriam - Dysquiet - Ghyr
Vanysh - Eldrytch
Inflyct - Mysron - Orphyn - Dysmay - Reapyr - - Wyldeman - Hydeous

 

Posted

I use the power trays too. The only thing use the number pad for are the binds for my triform Warshade.

 

Posted

Oh good lord dude, lol! That's... SOOO many buttons!

My own method, I usually put my snipe in the middle-top tray, because I cycle from right to left on blasters. Really the only exception is my scrapper. I put the heavy hits there, though for the scrapper with combos, obviously, I kind of try to keep hers in a reasonable order for clicking in combo.

Middle tray usually has toggles, aoe's, heals. For characters who are melee, their ranged go on the middle tray, where ranged toons melee stuff goes in that one.

Low tray usually has extras or travels, pets, and sometimes macros if I have nothing else.

Please read my FEAR/Portal/HalfLife Fan Fiction!
Repurposed

 

Posted

I still click every ability in my trays, including inspirations. I always have and probably always will. I even do so in WoW, where it's generally, shall we say, "looked down upon" to not use hotkeys/macros if you want to be "good".

I've just got really fast reflexes and reaction times. It's going to sound like I'm bragging here, but my speeds with a mouse frequently rival those who swear by hotkeys and macros. For an example, I have a 19-inch monitor and, in WoW, my mount button and my stealth button were on exact opposite ends of the UI (top right corner and bottom left corner). Before they changed the game so that you could use abilities while mounted (forcing an auto-dismount), I would click my mount button to dismount and immediately hit my stealth button to stealth. Frequently, I was too fast for the server and it would tell me that I was still mounted when I tried to hit stealth.

In Starcraft, I was able to keep up with most hotkeyers, but that really was a game that I was at a disadvantage being a primarily mouse-wielder. The only game where I stuck to the hotkey system religiously was Diablo 2, and that was out of necessity.

Main Hero : Annilixxion -- Lv50 Blaster
Main Villain : Menkaura -- Lv41 Mastermind
@Laxx
"You will bend to my will, with or without your precious sanity." --Dragon Mage

 

Posted

I used the w,a,s,d for movement and I use the numbers 1 to 6 for most attack powers. But I have 3 trays open and I do click on all the others. Like Aim and BU, or Nova or Hoarfrost or Dull Pain, powers I need to react quickly with to save myself.

The only time I use the Numpad is to switch forms on my Warshade. Thats the only time I take my hand off the mouse during normal play, unless Im reaching for my coffee

-Largo

Founder of A.G.O.N.Y. Supergroup on Victory
Member of Thought Sanctum VG on Victory
Member of St0rm Batallion SG on Guardian