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How Important Are Key Bindings vs Point & Click?


MichaelSean

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Old dog here trying to learn a new trick.

 

For as long as I've been playing MMOs, I've been a point and clicker with regards to my primary powers. However, I've seen a few things online that have lead me to the conclusion that, while this works fine for PVE, for PVP play it's less than optimal. And I'm trying to up my game.

 

Since I just started playing TOR today, I thought what better time to try and relearn the way I've traditionally played? Only trouble is I'm having a hell of a time with it. I understand the theory that, the fewer the mouse clicks, and the more one does with their keyboard, the more mobility one has. And in PVP mobility = survivability.

 

That said, I find that when I try to use the 1-8 keys for my main powers, rather than my traditional point and click method, I'm more rooted than ever because I keep having to move my left hand all over the place. With my point and click method, my left hand is freed up to keep me more in constant motion. So it's having the opposite effect of what I intended.

 

I'm sure part of it is that I need more practice but, I'm curious, are hot keys THE definitive way to PVP or is point and click with the mouse viable? Thanks.

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Once you get the hang of mouse turning its so smooth u will wonder how u ever clicked. If 7 or 8 are 2 far to get ur fingers 2 try using some keys closer, or key a game pad, my keyboard has a gamepad on the side with 42 buttons, only game i had everyone bound on was Age of Conan. If u have regular keyboard use Q,E,R,T,F,G,C,V,X,Z,SHIFT,CAPS,CTRL. You can also get a mouse with buttons.

 

Remeber best way for melee to keep on target when strafing around someone is to keep a finger on A or D at all times depending on which direction you are strafing in.

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Once you get the hang of mouse turning its so smooth u will wonder how u ever clicked. If 7 or 8 are 2 far to get ur fingers 2 try using some keys closer, or key a game pad, my keyboard has a gamepad on the side with 42 buttons, only game i had everyone bound on was Age of Conan. If u have regular keyboard use Q,E,R,T,F,G,C,V,X,Z,SHIFT,CAPS,CTRL. You can also get a mouse with buttons.

 

Remeber best way for melee to keep on target when strafing around someone is to keep a finger on A or D at all times depending on which direction you are strafing in.

 

I'm sorry, what do you mean by "mouse turning?" Are you talking about using A and D to strafe and using the mouse to circle the enemy?

 

And, I'm curious, do you shift strategies back and forth between PVE and PVP or do you strafe and turn in PVE, too?

Edited by MichaelSean
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You have to change your bindings. Any keys that you have to move your hand for, don't use. Like I can only reach to the 5 key comfortably so I don't bind anything past that, unless its something fairly arbitrary. I typically use `12345zxcvbntrfgh and have shift and ctrl alterations of them. I also have about 17+ binds I use on my mouse including shift and ctrl alterations and have several arbitrary things like buffs/mounts bound to the num pad. I typically use f1 and f2 for potions as well.

 

Then use things like yiouklm up/down/right/left arrows for things like maps/currency/friends/warzones and other panes of the sort. It takes awhile to switch from being a clicker to a binder but it pays off a ton in the end. The first 3-4 years I played wow I was a clicker but found my self to be far more efficient when I started binding everything. Now I'm at a point where I couldn't click if I wanted to.

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Old dog here trying to learn a new trick.

 

For as long as I've been playing MMOs, I've been a point and clicker with regards to my primary powers. However, I've seen a few things online that have lead me to the conclusion that, while this works fine for PVE, for PVP play it's less than optimal. And I'm trying to up my game.

 

Since I just started playing TOR today, I thought what better time to try and relearn the way I've traditionally played? Only trouble is I'm having a hell of a time with it. I understand the theory that, the fewer the mouse clicks, and the more one does with their keyboard, the more mobility one has. And in PVP mobility = survivability.

 

That said, I find that when I try to use the 1-8 keys for my main powers, rather than my traditional point and click method, I'm more rooted than ever because I keep having to move my left hand all over the place. With my point and click method, my left hand is freed up to keep me more in constant motion. So it's having the opposite effect of what I intended.

 

I'm sure part of it is that I need more practice but, I'm curious, are hot keys THE definitive way to PVP or is point and click with the mouse viable? Thanks.

 

It's not too common, but I do it the opposite to most people.

 

For my most common keys, interrupt etc, I use E, Q, R, F, C, X, Z and shift/ctrl variations and for longer cooldowns, trinkets, defensives etc, I use 1, 2, 3, 4 maybe 5, with shift variations.

 

I find the letter keys are quicker for me to strike than the number keys, and give me better mobility over my charachter.

 

The advantages to using any key bindings are reaction times. Using your mouse to click skills, it takes alot of time to move from the centre of the screen to click the button. Your latency might be 50ms, but with mouse clicking you're effectively increasing it to 300-400+ and that's if you're fast at mouse clicking. When you're trying to interrupt and play against good players using crutch skills, that doesn't cut it, you need the fastest reaction time.

 

Like anything, it takes practice. After a couple of weeks doing this, you will wonder how you ever did without it.

 

Since SWTOR is new, it's the best time to learn, since you have from 1-50 to learn just by leveling, when you get to 50 it will be second nature. The brain has to do things around 1500 times to commit it to muscle memory, then you can use them without thinking.

Edited by xBuzz
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It makes a huge difference. There are some things you simply can't do while keyboard turning or are very difficult while clicking. Position reqs are difficult very hard, you turn slower and with less precision. Ever play wow? Lot's of classes there use the "jump shot". jump, spin around in the air, hit hotkey, turn around and keep running.

 

It won't be hard to learn mouse+keybinds though. Just start out using them and as you level you'll get better.

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I'm sorry, what do you mean by "mouse turning?" Are you talking about using A and D to strafe and using the mouse to circle the enemy?

 

And, I'm curious, do you shift strategies back and forth between PVE and PVP or do you strafe and turn in PVE, too?

 

I mouse turn in everything, doing it in pve just on regular mobs helps build skill when you are starting out, but once you are used to it then u wont click again, its just natural.

 

When i say mouse turn i mean hold down either both mouse buttons and a or d, or just hold down right click and a or d for a tighter turn.

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I mouse turn in everything, doing it in pve just on regular mobs helps build skill when you are starting out, but once you are used to it then u wont click again, its just natural.

 

When i say mouse turn i mean hold down either both mouse buttons and a or d, or just hold down right click and a or d for a tighter turn.

 

Thanks! Looks like I need a little (well, more than a little) practice.

 

But when you're doing a group PVE mission, they don't mind you running around in circles?

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if you can win clicking, then who cares?

 

U wont be as good clicking as u will binding in pvp, theres no argument to the contrary.

 

I kno some ppl dont use a or d while mouse turning, and i dont kno how TOR melee is, but i come from Age of Conan where in melee you have to be good at ur direction of targeting, and in tht its necessary to use a and d when strafing with mouse.

 

Edit: i have played in beta, but i never try'd not using a and d, thts wut i mean by idk how melee is

Edited by Nathan_ss
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Thanks! Looks like I need a little (well, more than a little) practice.

 

But when you're doing a group PVE mission, they don't mind you running around in circles?

 

People don't generally care. Unless it's slowing you down alot and they're noticing.

 

If you're a tank they might say something if it's stopping you from picking up adds quickly etc.

 

Seriously though bro, just try it, commit yourself, in 2 weeks you'll have everything down perfectly!

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Holding left click to view your surroundings, and holding right click to turn your character as opposed to a or d

 

Oh ... well I've NEVER used A and D to turn. In fact, I really have traditionally never touched the A and D buttons ... just W and my mouse.

 

I'm talking more about activating powers. Clicking on them with my mouse versus using the key bindings. That's what I'm struggling with. Because I use the W for forward movement, when I take my finger off the W to press an attack button, my character stands still. That's what I meant when I said it was achieving the opposite effect of what I was intending. More rooted vs more mobile.

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Thanks! Looks like I need a little (well, more than a little) practice.

 

But when you're doing a group PVE mission, they don't mind you running around in circles?

 

Well, you don't have to run in circles. If you are in a good position you can stay there. Although in most games it is beneficial to be behind your target. I don't know if it is in this game or not.

 

Another thing to consider: your scroll wheel. You can bind functions to scroll wheel up, scroll down, and press down. Auto run bound to scroll wheel press down is pretty nice.

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Thanks! Looks like I need a little (well, more than a little) practice.

 

But when you're doing a group PVE mission, they don't mind you running around in circles?

 

You get used to it surprisingly quick. I recommend a left-hand key pad, takes getting used to but becomes very intuitive, though that is my personal preference over the keyboard.

 

As far as a difference in PvE, I am not sure what you mean by running in circles. If you want to stand still just don't run.

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Put it this way, you will not find one single professional gamer that is point & click.

 

End of discussion.

 

Sure, there are some point & clickers who do fine...but place a skilled point & clicker against a skilled keybinder and the keybinder will ALWAYS come out on top.

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Oh ... well I've NEVER used A and D to turn. In fact, I really have traditionally never touched the A and D buttons ... just W and my mouse.

 

I'm talking more about activating powers. Clicking on them with my mouse versus using the key bindings. That's what I'm struggling with. Because I use the W for forward movement, when I take my finger off the W to press an attack button, my character stands still. That's what I meant when I said it was achieving the opposite effect of what I was intending. More rooted vs more mobile.

 

Normally MMOs have A and D bound to left and right turn respectively. If you want to learn the best method, change the A and D keys to left STRAFE and right STRAFE. That is the most effective control setup. Use your mouse to turn and you can strafe using just your A and D keys.

 

In regards to stopping when activated controls. When you hold right and left click on mouse, that will make you run in most MMOs so it frees up your hand to click other abilities. Also remember you can bind all the keys around WASD (and some of those ones too if you want) to abilities.

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But when you're doing a group PVE mission, they don't mind you running around in circles?

 

 

I don't think you are understanding him really. In a typical PVE setting, the only way someone will know if you are mouse turning is if you spin around quicker than you would by keyboard turning. You wouldn't be circling your enemies or anything during a fight(unless that was an advantageous mechanic) I think he's just saying if you practice strafe/mouse movement while you are playing pve it will come more natural. If you go to http://www.taugrim.com ... that player actually made a decent guide about keybindings that may be beneficial for you.

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For PVE I don't care, but I'm tired of getting my ******** handed to me on a platter in PVP by characters who, literally, run circles around me.

 

once you get good the biggest challenge in pvp for even experienced mouse turners is switching directions quickly and making precise movements against other melee to stay at their back and make them miss combo's, even if they miss a combo for a half a sec, tht gives you tht much more of an advantage.

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take a look at this... taugrim.com guides section

 

you dont' have to do his binds exactly but you'll get the point

 

I've seen that and it's actually what lead me to the conclusion that I need to change the way I PVP. I think his point about running with your legs bound (point and click) is spot on. You can do it, but you'll never be as fast as someone who doesn't have their legs bound.

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The best way to learn is just like pulling off a bandage, do it quick.

 

Bind all your keys the proper way. Then start playing. You'll be confused at first, but as long as you don't go back to clicking you'll have the basics in a couple of days and within a couple of weeks it will be natural.

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