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Anonymous's avatar
Anonymous
12 years ago

Push-to-talk key unbindable? (And other key-binding issues.)

While not so much a question, I am making this post to bring attention to the problem of certain functions not being re-mappable in the customize controls menu.

So, first off, thank you for adding push-to-talk! Unfortunately, while the devs were "scratching [their] heads to figure out how [they] missed this" they probably should've scratched their heads and thought about whether PC users would like to choose which button they use for push-to-talk. :robotwink: Having the push-to-talk key permenantly mapped to left-alt is an issue for many users.

First impressions of the game (on release day) left me with the feeling that the developers do not seem to be very familiar with PC games and therefore a lot of problems arose in this console-port. PC gamers typically use a variety of different key-binds, based on personal preference (for instance, I like to use alt to reload), so it is important for every action to be fully mappable in the case of conflicts. Disregarding personal preference, a little thing the devs might not know about Windows is that the combination of the alt key + the tab key minimizes the currently focused window. Not such a good choice for an un-mappable key if you sometimes look at the scoreboard while talking to your team. :robotembarrassed:

There are actually a few more issues regarding unbindable keys: for some reason, the 'cancel drone function' is permenantly mapped to the 'e' key. Given that I prefer to use ESDF as opposed to WASD, this is a problem; when I try to fly the cactus drone forward, it self-destructs. If I could re-bind this, hidden, 'cancel' function to another key the problem would be easily solved.

I've seen this issue addressed on other websites but I did not see a thread specifically pertaining to this problem here on the Answer HQ. If you've run across problems like this in your own matches feel free to comment so that it might get patched in the future and thank you for your time!

2 Replies

  • Anonymous's avatar
    Anonymous
    12 years ago

    Yes it should be mappable.  I actually opened the game just now and checked... I thought it was mappable but your right it isn't.  bizarre.

    http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/keytweak/

    Key Tweak can remap your keyboard if you hate Left Alt and don't use it for something else.  It's just a GUI that makes it easier to remap a key rather than digging in your registry.

    Alternatives:

    http://www.autohotkey.com/docs/KeyList.htm

    http://www.inchwest.com/mapkeyboard

    http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/goglobal/bb964665.aspx

    http://www.randyrants.com/2011/12/sharpkeys_35.html

    ------

    Port... Yeah it is.. I agree.  It's a good one IMO though.  Sure it has some issues but it's pretty solid IMO.

    As PC gamers and the consoles this generation being closer to PC architecture than ever before... Living with ports is just one of the things we have to do sadly.  I think we should be thankful that we are mostly getting all the same games as the new consoles.  Some killer exclusives aren't really there so for me there is no reason to buy a console yet or at all perhaps.

    They should have said nothing instead of claiming it wasn't a port.

    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MpIYoNoQebk/U6EFnO3XpGI/AAAAAAAACtY/Gl_21ip9mzk/s1600/gabe-newell-valve-online-marketing.png

    Don't lie to me game industry... When I was 4 watching cartoons they taught me the reasons not to lie and the consequences...  There are far far far bigger lies in the gaming market so I give them a pass here.  

    They were just proud of their game and did a darn good job at it (on all platforms).  I've played PC only games that were far less refined.. many of them in fact.

    "[...]everything has been looked at by PC gamers."

    Should have just stuck with that... as that seems completely true.

    Repeating it again though... as a whole, it's a darn fine game on PC IMO.

    ----

    ESDF... the above programs may be able to help you?  I mean sure it isn't better than doing it from in the game but it could work depending on your situation.

  • Anonymous's avatar
    Anonymous
    12 years ago

    Thanks for the response!

    Regarding installed programs, I try to keep my computer as bloat-free as possible. (I wouldn't even have this Origin spyware on my comptuer if I weren't being forced by EA if I want to play their games.) Back when there was no push-to-talk, I was a vocal critic of the idea that users should have to install a third-party-program to fix something that should be standard in any, modern, online, PC title. I still feel the same way about key-bindings. I should not have to install a program to fix something that, were this not a lazy console port, would have been standard and could easily be patched by now... if they cared more about the game and less about money, microtransactions, and product-placement.

    I realize I sound bitter but here is the deal: I love your picture that you linked because it is absolutely true. I don't like being lied to; this is a console port. While the game is very good, I don't feel like this is a very good port. The issues they had at launch make me feel that noone who cared about PC games even saw the game before release, let alone played it. No push-to-talk, no party system for friends to play together online, key-bindings that are not fully mappable, connection issues (finding you a great multiplayer session --> you have lost connection to the host please check your network [I'm getting 1GB up and down and my ports are fine... it's not me]), etc. If I had been a beta-tester I would've noticed these problems this game had at launch in the first 5 minutes of gameplay. I do not believe them when they tell me that this was developed for PC or that they had PC users check the game out.

    My biases aside, these programs do not appear to be an adequate solution. As I mentioned in the OP, I do use left-alt as my reload-key. (Currently if I try to talk to another user while in the middle of a fight, I reload. :robotsurprised🙂 Additionally, it does not solve the problem of the 'e' key being permenantly bound to some, hidden 'cancel' function, rendering the cactus-drone inoperable. (Try it yourself, bind ESDF and see what happens when you try to move with the drone... it took me forever to figure out how I was doing that wrong! 😕mileyvery-happy🙂

    Those programs may be a solution for some uses but not for me. However, I really appreciate your input, WootCandy!

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