UI and controls observations and suggestions

Started by PlateGlassArmour, September 06, 2020, 03:33:33 AM

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PlateGlassArmour

Hi. I just played the demo, and found it very fun... other than the UI/controls.
There were a few actions that I consistently did wrong due to ingrained habits from the other games I've played.

From most important to least important:

1) ESC should always open the menu and pause the game
If a hamburger menu icon is your only way to access the menu, something has gone wrong. When games have the ability to open an options menu at all, ESC is pretty universal to take you there. This should also pause the game.

2) Space should pause/unpause
Pretty much every simulation game and single player RTS follows the same convention. Space to pause. Many also use 1, 2, and 3 to control the game speed, but that depends on if unit selection is used instead. Several times, I wanted to pause the game, and flailed around the keyboard trying to pause. When split seconds count for a game that has time pressure, you don't want to be hunting for the "p" key, especially when you use the mouse as an integral part of the game controls, so your right hand probably isn't on the keyboard.

3) Right click to cancel
A common RTS and simulator staple. Right click is a context sensitive cancel. If you're building a unit, it should cancel the building. If you're selecting a unit, it should unselect it. If you're in a build menu, it should bring you one level up and/or exit the build menu. I tried to rebind cancel to right click, but found that I could not, hence point 4.

4) Allow mouse buttons as valid controls for rebinding
In any game where you keep one hand on the mouse, mouse buttons should be bindable. That way, the user's most common two or three commands or controls are readily accessible, and multi-button mice can be used.

Kharnellius

All of the above times 1000!

"Esc" not bringing up the main menu and pausing the game automatically I find to be especially egregious.