Mapping Movement Keys

For the longest time the only MMO I ever played was this one. Then maybe 2 or so years ago I tried a few others. One of the things that threw me off was the movement keys. In this game the default keys are:

Forward = W
Back = S
Strafe Left = A
Strafe Right = D
Turn Left = Q
Turn Right = E

But in a few other MMO's, and Google searching to make sure I was right, they are:

Forward = W
Back = S
Strafe Left = Q
Strafe Right = E
Turn Left = A
Turn Right = D

It's not a big deal. Changing the keys is simple. But just for curiosity's sake, when you play this game do you keep the mapping by default, or do you change the movement keys (specifically the strafing and turning)? Or maybe you use the arrow keys?

I personally use the default lettered keys. I'm right handed so it's natural to use my right for the mouse and left to move. I actually don't use the Q and E keys that much but it happens, I tend to right click my mouse and move to turn my character. But A and D are used quite a bit. The combat in this game is quite dynamic and it just feels natural. It's like an FPS and my finger assignments work as such. My middle finger is on W and S, ring is on A and the index on D. My fingers can also quickly be used on Q and E if need be.

I would love to see a discussion why other MMORPGs have Q and E for strafing, and A and D for turning by default. But I don't think it would appropriate for this board. It probably isn't appropriate for the comic culture board either. But if I am wrong please discuss away.

edit:fixed a spelling error.

I keep WASD for strafing and QE for turning, but never really use QE, as I use mouselook for heading.

I remap Tab to target nearest, and T and Y to target previous/next.

I came here from Planetside and single player games, so the standard FPS layout was what I knew and was comfortable with, so I never questioned it.

As to why other MMO's use QWES for strafing and AD for turning, maybe it's a holdover from older MMO's, but other than that little bit of speculation, I don't know.

I haven't used the keyboard to turn since over 10 years ago, so I stick to WASD.

Quote:

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 keep AD for strafing, and because City has been my main game for so many years, if another game (single, multi, or MMO) does it differently, I re-bind it to match. If I cannot change keybinds (there are very few games that don't let you do that), I typically don't last very long in that game since movement is arguably the most important part of a game.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dispari I don't know why Dink thinks she's not as sexy as Jay was. In 5 posts she's already upstaged his entire career.

Personally, whether strafing is necessary for combat or not, I find it necessary for basic locomotion. Nothing hurts me more than a game which forces me to walk into a corner without being able to see what's around it until I turn around only after the fact. Granted, few games have done that in recent years, but it sucked enough back in the day to still make me hate it even now.

Quote:

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.

WASD for moving/strafing and QE for leaning/turning is standard mapping scheme for shooters, so I always use that. Are there really that many other MMOs using WQSE? That seems rather unconvenient. You'd have to move the middle finger back in an uncomfortable way to move backwards, rather than naturally extend it to go forward with the usual WASD.

I've remapped my arrow-keys to do the movement. I rarely use "strafe" -- I find it an unnatural way to move. I also don't use the mouse to point my camera, unless I'm holding down the key that holds my character's orientation still; page-up, I believe. I don't find it comfortable to the mouse for pointing my character as holding it for any length of time can be painful. I also prefer to use my primary hand for controlling movement, hence I don't use the WASD keys for that, and have them remapped to do other things.

I recently tried another superhero MMO whose name I won't mention, and found it terrible as a play experience. The key binding options were very limited, and after discussing alternatives in that game's forums, I learned there was no way to avoid using the mouse to turn the camera; nor was there any way to have my character face any direction but north without using the mouse. I have to add that their user community was not particularly helpful to new players.

I consider it one of City of Heroes great strengths -- so many keys and controls can be remapped that even if one isn't from the generation who learned to play games with game-controllers and FPS mouse looking, one can still find a combination that makes controlling one's character comfortable and sustainable.

I can never understand why people use the WSAD instead of having forward be D, back be C, turn right be F, turn left be S and then have strafe be A and G like I use. This gives you a more central position on the keyboard so that you can branch out from the center for other controls as needed. Plus all your normal movement is on the homerow where your fingers naturally are anyway.

The WSAD pattern gets you cramped up in the upper left corner of the keyboard.

And based on a Defender keybinding guide where you use the numberpad to easily and quickly choose teammates to heal, I started using the numberpad for all my attack powers. Again, it's easy to reach and you can easily set it up to handle all your power needs.

If a game supports it I always bind A and D to strafe and Q and E to rotate so I can still navigate while running if I take my hand off the mouse.

But A and D to rotate? ewwwwww.

I honestly never even gave a second thought to CoH's default movement keybinds. To me, w/s move forward/back, a/d move left/right, mouse turns/looks, it has always been that way in everything ever anywhere, and shall always be. When I sit down at a computer my fingers automatically go to wasd until I actually start typing. If a game didn't let me reassign movement to wasd I think I'd probably go nuts.

Autorun (R) for most forward movement, occassionally both mousebuttons instead, depending on what I'm doing. Arrow Keys when more precision is required. I usually stick abilities on QWETY. T/Y typically being Shield buffs or CM/CM clones. QWE typically being pets, incarnate abilities, or vet rewards.

You are all doing it wrong! wrong! wrong! GAH!

j/k - heh - figured I'd note for those with malfunctioning snark detectors

I am a true oddball. I hate using the mouse, and therefore minimize my use of it. I hate ASDW, too.

I use the numpad for movement, leaving my left hand free for power activations (1-6, and several letters below that binded depending on character).

Numpad
1 Strafe one way
2 backwards
3 camera tilt one way
4 turn left
5 reset camera to default
6 turn right
7 strafe other way
8 forward
9 camera tilt other way

space jump
z down (for flight)

f target nearest
g target next

It works extremely well for me, and I barely have to use the mouse.

Feel free to discuss your keymaps, but please keep it related to City of Heroes.

Personally, my hands naturally land on WASD after so many years, so the default is optimal for me. I have also never used the Q and E keys to turn; just mouselook.

I use the numpad to move as well, albeit a tad differently:

8 forward
2 backwards
4 turn left
6 turn right
7 strafe left
9 strafe right
0 jump
. down (for flight)
/ follow target
* auto-run

I got it from a certain 11th game of a series before I came here 7 years ago. I use my left hand though, which can sometimes make my wrist sore from awkward positioning. Right hand on the mouse.

Forward - Up Arrow
Backward - Down Arrow
Turn Left - Left Arrow
Turn Right - Right Arrow
Strafe Left/Right - A/S
Down (Flight) - D

I hardly ever strafe. Right Handed movement and left hand is Ring 2, Middle 3 and Index Finger 4 for attacks. Left Pinky for Tabbing targets and Left Index for X (Target Nearest). When I'm settled into a fight, right hand takes over 6-0 and has Bind Key/Numpad Duty.

If I could learn a different way I would use it. I tried to learn to use my Naga for movement/fighting but can't handle the wild divergence of what I see vs where I actually end up when moving. Fell like I'm gonn ahave a siezure from all the spinning while trying to just run forward 10 feet. WASD for moving... left hand is not that coordinated, especially after my heavy dyslexia factors in.