Adapting numpad control scheme for laptops

Ideon · 10-30-2006 12:26 PM

Before I start, I'd like to make a note that the original numpad scheme comes from Khaiba's Mastermind Numeric Keypad Pet Controls, from the following link.

http://boards.cityofvillains.com/sho...Number=3949032

I play City of Heroes/Villains on a laptop, and as such, it's missing a numpad. So, in order to get around that, I cleared up the buttons for HOME, PAGEUP, PAGEDOWN, and END. You can do this in Options. All those buttons do is control the camera, which I do with the mouse anyway, so you have to sacrifice something. You can always reassign them to other keys, or even the following guide to other keys.

With the original scheme, it was:
numpad0 = all
numpad1 = minions (soldiers/zombie horde/genin/battle drones/thugs)
numpad2 = lieutenants (spec ops/grave knight/jounin/protector bots/enforcers)
numpad3 = boss (commando/lich/oni/assault bot/bruiser)
numpad4 = Aggressive
numpad5 = Defensive
numpad6 = Passive
numpad7 = Attack
numpad8 = Follow
numpad9 = Goto (brings up target recticle)

The laptop scheme is:
HOME = all
PAGEUP = minions (soldiers/zombie horde/genin/battle drones/thugs
PAGEDOWN = lieutenants (spec ops/grave knight/jounin/protector bots/enforcers
END = boss (commando/lich/oni/assault bot/bruiser
LSHIFT+PAGEUP = Aggressive
LSHIFT+PAGEDOWN = Defensive
LSHIFT+END = Passive
LALT+PAGEUP = Attack
LALT+PAGEDOWN = Follow
LALT+END = Goto (brings up target recticle)

As you can see, you'll be using the Home, PageUp, PageDown, and End, along with the left Shift button and the left Alt button. Sounds a bit dodgy, but anyway...

The following is adapted for thugs, but you can easily change it to other powersets, by changing the 'thu' (thugs), 'enf' (enforcers), and 'bru' (bruiser) to the other classes, which I listed above. Remember to keep it as short as possible (I used three letters for each class myself), otherwise it may go over the limit. Copy these binds after clearing out home, pageup, pagedown, and end in options.

(all)
/bind home "bind lshift+pageup petcomall agg$$bind lshift+pagedown petcomall def$$bind lshift+end petcomall pass$$bind lalt+pageup petcomall att$bind lalt+pagedown petcomall fol$$bind lalt+end petcomall goto"

(minions)
/bind pageup "bind lshift+pageup petcompow thu agg$$bind lshift+pagedown petcompow thu def$$bind lshift+end petcompow thu pass$$bind lalt+pageup petcompow thu att$bind lalt+pagedown petcompow thu fol$$bind lalt+end petcompow thu goto"

(lieutenants)
/bind pagedown "bind lshift+pageup petcompow enf agg$$bind lshift+pagedown petcompow enf def$$bind lshift+end petcompow enf pass$$bind lalt+pageup petcompow enf att$bind lalt+pagedown petcompow enf fol$$bind lalt+end petcompow enf goto"

(boss)
/bind end "bind lshift+pageup petcompow bru agg$$bind lshift+pagedown petcompow bru def$$bind lshift+end petcompow bru pass$$bind lalt+pageup petcompow bru att$bind lalt+pagedown petcompow bru fol$$bind lalt+end petcompow bru goto"

At the moment, my mastermind is only level 7, but it seems to work okay with the basic thugs, so I haven't been able to test the laptop scheme any further. If anyone would like to give it a test, feel free.

Ideon's Paragonwiki page
Member of Paragon/Rogue Knights
Arc: 60092 - Supa Rumble in the Park
"Keep living the dream, and never let any jerk tell you what to do."
-- High-Roller

Master Zaprobo · 10-30-2006 12:37 PM

Much like how I set up my "Modern Mastermind Controls" for Alt/Ctrl + QWER/ASDG/ZXC I didn't like the numpads either.

If you're hurting for space, you may want to switch to actual files, rather than single-line binds - it allows for a few more dynamics (and more detail, like making your henchmen speak at the same time too!)

Good work though - its complex stuff to get your head around! Anyone else got some control variants?

MaXimillion_Zero · 10-30-2006 12:41 PM

[ QUOTE ]

Good work though - its complex stuff to get your head around! Anyone else got some control variants?

[/ QUOTE ]Umm.. I just hit the "attack my target"-button until everything's dead, does that count?

Ideon · 10-30-2006 12:46 PM

I thought about that, but I can't wrap my head around the idea of file binds, much less altering them for the home/pageup/pagedown/end keys (as I'm using a chinese laptop keyboard, the home/pageup/pagedown/end keys are all in a vertical line to the right of the enter key).

Plus, with the speaking thing, I got a feeling they might annoy my teammates after a while. But since they got default lines anyway when accepting commands...

Ideon's Paragonwiki page
Member of Paragon/Rogue Knights
Arc: 60092 - Supa Rumble in the Park
"Keep living the dream, and never let any jerk tell you what to do."
-- High-Roller

Electro_Cute · 10-30-2006 01:43 PM

[ QUOTE ]
I thought about that, but I can't wrap my head around the idea of file binds, much less altering them for the home/pageup/pagedown/end keys (as I'm using a chinese laptop keyboard, the home/pageup/pagedown/end keys are all in a vertical line to the right of the enter key).

Plus, with the speaking thing, I got a feeling they might annoy my teammates after a while. But since they got default lines anyway when accepting commands...

[/ QUOTE ]
Other players usually don't see your pets' chat bubbles (unless the enabled the feature in the options).

Anyway thanks to everyone who is contributing in the MM room of the forum. I'm just a n00b with my MM and all these guides, binds and so on are the most useful stuff in the world.

Toxic_Torch · 10-30-2006 04:05 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Good work though - its complex stuff to get your head around! Anyone else got some control variants?

[/ QUOTE ]Umm.. I just hit the "attack my target"-button until everything's dead, does that count?

[/ QUOTE ]
Of course, it more than adequate for about 99.999% of all battles.

Nightfly · 10-31-2006 04:37 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Other players usually don't see your pets' chat bubbles (unless the enabled the feature in the options).

[/ QUOTE ]

They don't see the auto responses, but I believe they do see what you make your minions say with /petsay.

[b]@Nightfly[/b]

The_Almighty_Bob · 11-02-2006 05:44 AM

Wow, all that effort, I just put my MM control buttons in my task bar and click on them....

Cynic · 11-02-2006 04:26 PM

My laptop has a number pad

"Well, they found my diary today.
They were appropriately appalled
at the discovery of the eight victims
They're now putting it all together.
Women wrapped in silk
with one leg missing
Eight legs, one body, silk,
spider, brilliant!"

Amazing_Shnyet · 11-13-2006 12:31 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Anyone else got some control variants?

[/ QUOTE ]

I adapted my Kheldian form shifting technique, and have different trays setup with macro's on.

Then used Binds to bind 2-3 keys to certain slots on the given tray, then use M, N, B to pick minions, leuts and bosses etc.

So for example, pressing M - Z, would choose my minions, then bring up the move reticule, but pressing N - Z would choose my Leut and bring up the move reticule.

Its not too complicated, but means i get to diversify my henchman targetting and soak up more aggro.

Gets the job done

Hammerfall · 11-13-2006 09:25 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Anyone else got some control variants?

[/ QUOTE ]

I have bound pet controls grouped by type of henchman into my numpad buttons or shift+numpad buttons. Also I have the summons and upgrades in delete,home,end,PgUp and PgDn buttons.

When fighting I normally need only attack my target(1) and follow defensive(numpad0) buttons though. Sometimes goto aggressive buttons when the pathfinding bugs out. Oh and petcom_all stay defensive is in shift+numpad0. I use that to utilize the autotelport when I dont want my pets to aggro stuff on their way to me. (in pvp zones for instance)

kinjin_EU · 11-22-2006 06:01 AM

[ QUOTE ]
If you're hurting for space, you may want to switch to actual files, rather than single-line binds - it allows for a few more dynamics (and more detail, like making your henchmen speak at the same time too!)

[/ QUOTE ]

I've sent my binds into a file, and I have a couple of questions.

1. I wanted to say something as I direct my minions to attack. If I was using a bind I would use $$ to seperate the commands, however this doesn't work as I thought. Is it possible to do this in a file?

2. I wanted to have my minion to say a target's name in their speech. Again in a bind I'd use $target but this doesn't seem to work.

Any ideas?