Non-Mouse Interface

Get an alternate interface than the mouse

from Elemental Forums

I intend to play elemental by plugging my netbook in my TV. Everything work great so far: I have the cables and the cooling pad. The only problem so far is the mouse.

I looked for handheld trackball. The problem is that there is really few models and they are not available in stores. So I need to order online and cannot test them before buying. I bought recently the fish hand held trackball and it sucks. Most of the time when I spin the ball, there is no reaction at all even if it is a laser mouse. So I was thinking of looking for another handheld trackball.

Now what if Elemental could have other interface, like the keyboard or the joystick. Personally, I would implement a keyboard only interface and I would use the JoyKey emulator to map the joystick on the keyboard. So that there will only be a need to create a keyboard interface that could be useable with a joystick as well is there is not too much keys used.

Still, you might say that it is impossible to do? Well, there is an old Koei game called PTO 2 that was converted from mouse to gamepad when it got ported on SNES. The concept was simple:

There was various interface to communicate with:

A-The menu at the top of the screen

B- The map where you could move a cursor

C- The list of fleets and units you could view.

When you push a certain button, you switched between each of these interface. So for example, at the beginning you were in the menu. If you wanted to see the units, to push the button and it switch to the unit list. Then if yo push the same button again, it switched to the map and another time it switched back to the menu.

Once you get used to it, it's not so hard to use. Try PTO 2 if you want to test it for real.

What Do you think?

Else, do you think it could be achieved with modding?

5,440 views 7 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

Good idea, I love my wired mouse though but there should be some options included for people that don't or can't use a mouse to play the game. Not sure about the modding yet, should know more about that on Thursday when the new build is out :grin: !  Hope, hope!!

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

Windows already has this function built into it in at least xp/vista/win 7

To go out of there way to make this functionality in the game would in my opinion be more trouble than its worth.

For vista/win 7 go to control panel > ease of access center > "make the keyboard easier to use" > "Control mouse with the keyboard"

For xp: Control panel > accessibility options > Mouse tab > use mouse keys

Hopefully this helps you.

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Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

For xp: Control panel > accessibility options > Mouse tab > use mouse keys

Yep, maybe that could be useful for playing other games. Still, it would be more optimal to have an interface designed to work with the keyboard/joystick. If would allow to send in commands faster.

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

I don't understand - why can't you use a regular optical mouse?

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Chehalden, reply 2
Windows already has this function built into it in at least xp/vista/win 7

To go out of there way to make this functionality in the game would in my opinion be more trouble than its worth.

For vista/win 7 go to control panel > ease of access center > "make the keyboard easier to use" > "Control mouse with the keyboard"

For xp: Control panel > accessibility options > Mouse tab > use mouse keys

Hopefully this helps you.
End of Chehalden's quote

I'm still hoping to see the Keyboard tab reappear in Options and to see the Num Pad unit movement work like it does in GC2. The Windows workaround just changes the input overhead rather than reducing it the way good built-in keyboard support does.

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

I don't understand - why can't you use a regular optical mouse?

If I am sitting on my couch, I have no table to move the mouse on. I tried using a plate on my legs but it really works bad. So my idea was to use an handheld trackball so that I can let my hand rest on my legs or on the sofa and still be able to use the mouse.

Another thing I thought of doing is to use a regular trackball (which might be of better quality) and place it on my legs hoping that it is comfortable.

This is why if they could be a keyboard/joystick interface, I would use an USB game pad to play instead. Since the game also offer list of strings instead of making the user type some sentences, it would reduce the amount of times you need to type something in.

By thinking about it, there might not be that many button required. You need at least

- 1 button to accept

- 1 button to cancel

- 1 button to switch mode (explained in the original post)

- The D-pad to move around the menu or the map (still need a cursor to see where you are)

- L button: Could have various functions a) Zoom button: Hold L and use the DPAD up/down to zoom in zoom out, OR b] cycle through cities interface (jump from a city to another).

- R button: Could have various fuctions a) Camera Button: Hold R and use the DPAD to change the camera angle, OR b] cycle through cities interface (jump from a city to another).

- Help button: Display information about the selected command, terrain, etc.

This is the basics. Else I would need to see the interface in detail.

Still, would in be possible to change the interface through Modding? I imagine yes since you could create a new game by simply modding.

Reply #7 from Elemental Forums Top

I made some tests lately with age of wonders 2 and the JoyToKey emulator. It seem to run pretty OK. It's not the best thing possible but it is playable.

I think the solution is to have the most shortcut key possible so that I could map any button to any key.

Here is an example of situation that would require additional short cut keys.

If there is a dialog box with a yes/no question, it could be interesting to shortcut Y and N key for yes no. The reason why is that I can trigger multiple keys with the same button.

For example, I could say that button A will left click and push button Y. Now, during the game if I push the Y key, it should do nothing so that I could continue to use button A for left clicking. Then when a dialog appear, if I push A, it will left click and also accept by pushing the Y key.

The only drawback of using an emulator is that you cannot display the buttons to push on the screen. So you have to remember their functionality.

 

So if modding is required, adding shortcut keys might be the easiest solution unless the modding does not allow it.