Hard Light Productions Forums
General FreeSpace => FreeSpace Discussion => Topic started by: BlueFlames on June 21, 2007, 11:47:16 pm
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I'm looking to set up a keyboard-only control configuration for FS2.
A little background: The last time I went on vacation, I installed Descent II on my ****ty, old Gateway laptop. I rather surprised myself with how easy it actually was to ditch the joystick in favor of keyboard-only, after more years of play than I care to admit to. That same summer also marked the death of that laptop's keyboard. It finally had the courtesy of putting itself out of my misery, which made it pretty easy to rationalize the purchase of a new laptop. It's no gaming rig, but it's easily got enough graphics processing power to run retail FS2.
Problem is, the controls for Descent II don't even compare to what's necessary to fight effectively in FS2. Without posting that enormously ugly D2 config, it centered around WADS and exploiting the fact that the cursor keys on the old laptop were right next to a few other keys (Control, Shift, and End). While the new keyboard's cursor keys are located around a similar number of keys, I'm not sure that's necessarily enough. That led me immediately onto the path of WADS + JILK, or something similar, but it starts to get complicated when both sets of flight controls have other critical functions competing.
Translating my usual number-pad controls, but the right-hand side of my keyboard needs to pick up all of the functions I would usually place on a joystick. That's a lot of competing, very oft-used functions.... Two keys for maneuvering on each of three axes (pitch, yaw, and roll), and then you get into weapons, both firing and selection.
To clarify, yes, this will be a mouse-less configuration.
Blah, blah, blah, external mouse, blah, blah, USB peripheral, blah, blah.
Shuddap. I'm not looking for product recommendations.
Anyway, I'm just seeking some guidance, regarding where to go from the starting point of my D2.
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The only way I've ever gotten a workable Laptop KB-only config is by re-mapping most of the KB, sacrificing things like "Cycle Primaries Backwards".
On the other hand, I play fine with just my laptop KB and the built-in mouse (Thinkpad Trackpoint) without any loss of functionality, which makes it easy to play on the go.
EDIT: However, If your laptop has a full-sized KB, it's a whole different story.
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Actually, the new laptop is an IBM Thinkpad X60, so your note about the trackpoint mouse intrigues me. I rather discounted its usefulness for gaming wholesale. Seems like providing the constant pressure that maneuvering requires is a good way to snap one's index finger off at the bottom knuckle, but I might need to reconsider its utility as a mini-joystick....
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Actually, the new laptop is an IBM Thinkpad X60, so your note about the trackpoint mouse intrigues me. I rather discounted its usefulness for gaming wholesale. Seems like providing the constant pressure that maneuvering requires is a good way to snap one's index finger off at the bottom knuckle, but I might need to reconsider its utility as a mini-joystick....
It works surprisingly well once you get the sensitivity to your liking.
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On the other hand, I play fine with just my laptop KB and the built-in mouse (Thinkpad Trackpoint) without any loss of functionality, which makes it easy to play on the go.
good, somebody in my situation! where did you put the Spin (?)(=rotation on nose-tail axis) button?
Actually, the new laptop is an IBM Thinkpad X60, so your note about the trackpoint mouse intrigues me. I rather discounted its usefulness for gaming wholesale. Seems like providing the constant pressure that maneuvering requires is a good way to snap one's index finger off at the bottom knuckle, but I might need to reconsider its utility as a mini-joystick....
:nod: :nod:
and, after some time, the poor button looses its sensitivity (and don't know how to repair it)
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good, somebody in my situation! where did you put the Spin (?)(=rotation on nose-tail axis) button?
I never use the default bindings for [ and ], so I put it there, as my hand's already there for full speed and full stop.
:nod: :nod:
and, after some time, the poor button looses its sensitivity (and don't know how to repair it)
I know you can buy replacements (http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=VLAR-443LTU) for the rubber part. I've only used the classic and the soft dome, but the soft rim looks interesting. 6 heads for $10 doesn't sound too bad.
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Whats wrong with the default config? I played throught the FS1 demo all the way to SCP Derelict and WC Saga prologue on original KB config and i've got no complaints at all :)
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Laptops don't have numpads.
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I use a mouse and keyboard, but my keyboard mapping does not include the numpad.