A Question Regarding Power Controls and Disabilities

[EyeLuvBooks]

I have nerve damage and as a result my hand-to-eye coordination is abysmal on a good day which is why I play on a PC (well, that and other reasons).

 

I have found that some ATs, mainly the ones with numerous click powers like Blasters and Controllers, become difficult to control because there are so MANY buttons. My Melee characters don't usually have this issue because they tend to have mostly toggles.

 

Has anyone discovered a way to make the power bars a little less daunting? I'm not unfamiliar with keybinds for some things (I like running MMs because the minions can often be buffed with a button or two and then commanded with another one) but I know that you can't trigger two powers on Auto (or can you).

 

Thanks in advance.

[Glacier Peak]

Macros and keybinds can help alleviate some extra clicking. Targeted location based AoE powers for example can be set up to cast on target or at a certain distance. Some binds can execute more complex things when pressed multiple times. 

 

@Shenanigunner is the 3-Ring Binder of these forums and may offer more insight than I.

[EyeLuvBooks]

13 minutes ago, Glacier Peak said:

Macros and keybinds can help alleviate some extra clicking. Targeted location based AoE powers for example can be set up to cast on target or at a certain distance. Some binds can execute more complex things when pressed multiple times. 

 

@Shenanigunner is the 3-Ring Binder of these forums and may offer more insight than I.

I'll give it a look...thanks.

[Li_Sensei]

Without wanting to come across as flippant, maybe streamlining your builds to include more toggles and fewer clicks may help?  Build a blaster as ranged only, or blapper only in stead of a mix, controllers with only core functionality (common controls and major secondary powers)

 

You can use keybinds or macros to switch active trays, so, for example, if your range of motion limits you to say 1-5 on the numbers, then you could use three other reachable keys to switch primary tray to 1, 2 and 3, with, say, blasts on tray 1, click buffs like Aim, Build Up, Deflection Shield or whatever on tray 2, and debuffs or travel powers on tray 3?

 

In fact, Force Field *can* be played as a pretty hands off secondary, bubble the team every few mins, turn on Dispersion Bubble and leadership and away you go.

 

Oh, and the big suggestion I'd make is to not worry about having to play the game at +4/x8.  +0/x0 is *FINE*, if that's what you're comfortable with.  be up front with people about why you're set to that, and in my experience, people will most likely be fine with you.

 

And if they're not fine with it?  Eh, some people are idiots. <shrug>

[Shenanigunner]

36 minutes ago, EyeLuvBooks said:

Has anyone discovered a way to make the power bars a little less daunting? I'm not unfamiliar with keybinds for some things (I like running MMs because the minions can often be buffed with a button or two and then commanded with another one) but I know that you can't trigger two powers on Auto (or can you).

 

Happy to help if I can; thanks @Glacier Peak for the recommendation.

 

If you can manage keys and key combinations better than pointing with a mouse, binds will help a ton. For masterminds, I always put everything on the numpad keys and can call, buff, and direct pets in combat without ever moving my hands from the numpad on the right and movement/shift keys on the left.

 

Would that be an easier interface for you to manage? If so, I will post my MM binds here (and get them into the Guide, a section I've never quite gotten around to finishing).

 

Your case is special, but I have never quite understood why some people choose to play a high-speed version of whac-a-mole, even with macro buttons, when an easier and somewhat more intuitive option is available.

 

[TheZag]

in an extreme case its possible to have a bind load file set up for multiple abilities that all cast from the same key.  pressing the key uses the first ability and loads the bind file for the next ability at the same time.  the second bind can load a 3rd and the 3rd could load the 4th.  this can continue until the last bind loads the first.  the drawback is that you cannot change the order it uses the binds quickly or mid combat like you could by choosing abilities individually.  also getting it set up takes an amount of time and expertise and possibly some trial and error.  i spent 45ish minutes getting a bind load file to teleport to my target and then cast heal other using 1 key press.  it works but occasionally goes out of sync.  having a 'reset' bind or macro set up to restore the string to the first ability may be a good idea.

[Troo]

Using a gamepad instead of a keyboard might be helpful.

Bigger buttons for movement and ergonomic type spacing for buttons mapped to tray slots or something specific.

 

I had found using the one below and a mouse was pretty comfortable ( I didn't use all or even most of the buttons).

• Button One = Tray Slot One
• Button Two = Tray Slot Two
• and so on
• Then I had a button for cycling trays.
  • (Currently I only switch between Tray one and Tray two, everything else)

The down side was that typing in chat required having a keyboard somewhere handy.

 

 

 

 

 

[EyeLuvBooks]

3 hours ago, Troo said:

Using a gamepad instead of a keyboard might be helpful.

Bigger buttons for movement and ergonomic type spacing for buttons mapped to tray slots or something specific.

 

I had found using the one below and a mouse was pretty comfortable ( I didn't use all or even most of the buttons).

• Button One = Tray Slot One
• Button Two = Tray Slot Two
• and so on
• Then I had a button for cycling trays.
  • (Currently I only switch between Tray one and Tray two, everything else)

The down side was that typing in chat required having a keyboard somewhere handy.

 

 

 

 

 

I have a multi-button mouse but this thing looks insane! I bet it would help. Thanks for the tip!

[EyeLuvBooks]

4 hours ago, Li_Sensei said:

Without wanting to come across as flippant, maybe streamlining your builds to include more toggles and fewer clicks may help?  Build a blaster as ranged only, or blapper only in stead of a mix, controllers with only core functionality (common controls and major secondary powers)

 

You can use keybinds or macros to switch active trays, so, for example, if your range of motion limits you to say 1-5 on the numbers, then you could use three other reachable keys to switch primary tray to 1, 2 and 3, with, say, blasts on tray 1, click buffs like Aim, Build Up, Deflection Shield or whatever on tray 2, and debuffs or travel powers on tray 3?

 

In fact, Force Field *can* be played as a pretty hands off secondary, bubble the team every few mins, turn on Dispersion Bubble and leadership and away you go.

 

Oh, and the big suggestion I'd make is to not worry about having to play the game at +4/x8.  +0/x0 is *FINE*, if that's what you're comfortable with.  be up front with people about why you're set to that, and in my experience, people will most likely be fine with you.

 

And if they're not fine with it?  Eh, some people are idiots. <shrug>

I agree on all points and I've already discovered through trial and error some ways to make my life easier. I'm just salty that I didn't think of some of these when the game was on Live. I'm hoping to do a youtube series on the game but I wanted to make sure that I could PLAY with reasonable skill. I like MMs because they can skimp on personal attacks (maybe one for getting a mob's attention) and the rest is controlling the minions.

[Bill Z Bubba]

5 hours ago, EyeLuvBooks said:

I have found that some ATs, mainly the ones with numerous click powers like Blasters and Controllers, become difficult to control because there are so MANY buttons. My Melee characters don't usually have this issue because they tend to have mostly toggles.

 

I'm just glad to know I'm not the only one that leans toward the armor sets because I don't like having too many choices in tray 1.

[Shred Monkey]

For some reason, in the 90s I developed a habit of using the numpad for movement and my left hand for powers... and I never stopped doing that. I never got into 1st person shooters, and I went many years playing on a laptop without a mouse, so it's worked for me all these years.  I bring this up because with this setup, my left hand manages only attacks and powers, and my thumb jumps.  It can basically just sit in 1 spot tapping out my attack chain (for example: 432431 432431 432431 ... ) while my right hand does all the moving, targeting, and following.   I don't know if that helps you, but it helps me.

[Zhym]

Some power combinations are more click-heavy than others.  My SS/Inv tanker has spare open slots in the first power tray because most of his primary and secondary powers are toggles, leaving only the attacks—which can be fired off using the number keys.  Other sets, like /regen, are really click-intensive, and I’d leave those alone if I were you.  Blasters sometimes also tend towards lots of clicky powers, from my experience, but my DP/MA can mostly get away with one tray of attack powers and some toggles.  Others, like my ice/Ice and fire/fire blasters, have so many attack powers that I have to put things like Aim in a second tray.

 

So I’d suggest checking what power sets you like to play and whether they have a mix of attack and toggle powers that will work for you.  

[Aurora_Girl]

I use WASD to move and mouse look, so I've found Q and E to be super helpful for things like Build Up/Aim/Fade/other click things like heals. 

[Snarky]

i use a razer tarterus that has 20 hot keys and a side toggle.  then i key my trays to match a key to each of the 20.  two full trays of powers with one button hit.  

 

i run an ice/cold corruptor for most high end incarnate trials.  very powerful.  i use macros that turn each of the big location AoE powers into targeted AoE powers.  Basically i just target someone and they are the center of a very very cold day.

 

If you have a problem selecting target click on a very good blaster or lead tank in your team bar.  you are now targeted on their target.  then hit button.

 

finally this still leaves your right hand available for mouse work!

 

/macro Bliz "powexecname Blizzard$$powexec_location target Blizzard"

/macro IceS "powexecname Ice Storm$$powexec_location target Ice Storm"

This will cast on your target and if you don't have a target it will give you the normal ability to place it I would recommend putting Blizzard/Ice Storm on your bars somewhere so you can track the cooldown.

 

/macro MeBz "powexecname Blizzard$$powexec_location me Blizzard"

/macroMeIS "powexecname Ice Storm$$powexec_location me Ice Storm"

These will cast it at your location.

 

Edited January 1, 2022 by Snarky

[Bill Z Bubba]

13 hours ago, Aurora_Girl said:

I use WASD to move and mouse look, so I've found Q and E to be super helpful for things like Build Up/Aim/Fade/other click things like heals. 

 

Interesting. I still use Q and E for turning coupled with mouselook so I turn even faster.

[Aurora_Girl]

17 minutes ago, Bill Z Bubba said:

 

Interesting. I still use Q and E for turning coupled with mouselook so I turn even faster.

 

That's because...I got nothing. It was a long night.

[EyeLuvBooks]

On 12/31/2021 at 9:54 PM, Snarky said:

i use a razer tarterus that has 20 hot keys and a side toggle.  then i key my trays to match a key to each of the 20.  two full trays of powers with one button hit.  

 

i run an ice/cold corruptor for most high end incarnate trials.  very powerful.  i use macros that turn each of the big location AoE powers into targeted AoE powers.  Basically i just target someone and they are the center of a very very cold day.

 

If you have a problem selecting target click on a very good blaster or lead tank in your team bar.  you are now targeted on their target.  then hit button.

 

finally this still leaves your right hand available for mouse work!

 

/macro Bliz "powexecname Blizzard$$powexec_location target Blizzard"

/macro IceS "powexecname Ice Storm$$powexec_location target Ice Storm"

This will cast on your target and if you don't have a target it will give you the normal ability to place it I would recommend putting Blizzard/Ice Storm on your bars somewhere so you can track the cooldown.

 

/macro MeBz "powexecname Blizzard$$powexec_location me Blizzard"

/macroMeIS "powexecname Ice Storm$$powexec_location me Ice Storm"

These will cast it at your location.

 

Hey, Biff...I just happen to have a Best Buy Gift card from X-Mas! Thanks for the tip!

[Cancrusher]

@Snarky  That's the craziest looking controller that I've ever seen, man.  😁

[KaoticKarl]

On 12/31/2021 at 10:54 PM, Snarky said:

/macro Bliz "powexecname Blizzard$$powexec_location target Blizzard"

/macro IceS "powexecname Ice Storm$$powexec_location target Ice Storm"

 

/macro MeBz "powexecname Blizzard$$powexec_location me Blizzard"

/macro MeIS "powexecname Ice Storm$$powexec_location me Ice Storm"

 

 

This is only trying to save you some time typing, @Snarky, but you can execute these commands with even less:

 

/macro Bliz powexec_location target "Blizzard"

/macro MeBz powexec_location me "Blizzard"

(change up to whichever power you need to execute here - the quotes are optional, but I like them to make it look cleaner in case of edits)

 

if you want to have these for any keyboard key, switch to bind command with X integer below as whichever key you feel comfortable with. Also, I use powexec_name when no target is needed, mainly for binds as well:

/bind X powexec_location target Blizzard

/bind X powexec_name Warmth

 

You can also set these up as macros/binds to do various other things as well, such as a location a few feet in front/behind/left/right depending on numeric values and distance - great for pet summoning. 0 = degree arc around your character, so value between 0-359, and 5 = distance in feet(?) away from your central point. For example, to summon fire imps with a key press five feet directly in front of you:

/bind X powexec_location 0:5 Fire Imps

 

Lots of good info on this from the HC Wiki: https://hcwiki.cityofheroes.dev/wiki/Powexec_location_(Slash_Command)

 

On 1/1/2022 at 10:41 AM, Aurora_Girl said:

 

That's because...I got nothing. It was a long night.

 

Don't worry @Aurora_Girl, I'm right there with you. I will bind the same keys as necessary across several different heroes. I use:

Q for my heal-clickies, such as Warmth, Heal Other, Dull Pain, et al;

E for Aim, build up, target toggles like Darkest Night;

Z for most of my ground target attacks (Blizzard, Savage Leap, etc.);

X for anything similar or debuffs like Tar Patch.

 

Makes it much easier to click those quickly in case of "ish hits the fan" moments no matter the toon I'm on, rather than try to hunt a click in the power trays. I also set up C as my de-target in the key listing, so I don't fire off a 'flares-oops' when running up to the next group, and accidentally pull the alpha strike with my squishy defender. 😄

[Snarky]

Thanks. Thise were given to me.  They create a power button for putting in my trays.  My trays (2 of them at least) are hotkeyed to my 20 key razer tarterus.  So i can drop the things wherever.  I may put them on my side mouse buttons though.  Prob not i have a thousand projects for the new year lol.  Ut always love new ideas thanks

[EyeLuvBooks]

My main reason for even worrying about all of this is because when I'm on a team, I want to carry my weight. Sure, I'm probably not the most DPS or the best control or whatever, but if I'm on a team and I'm not contributing SOMETHING then I feel like I'm getting a free ride. That's fine sometimes but mostly not, for me anyway.

 

Also, I LIKE having choices and having lots of powers gives me that...but sometimes too much of a good thing is bad. I have found myself building most of my Blasters with one ST Melee attack (even though some have 2-3 without going to the Pools) for those occasions when one of the minions gets too nosey. I often set up this power on automatic so I don't have to worry about triggering it...when the bad guy comes into range it just goes off. I also try to standardize my power trays (Aim and Build Up always go in the same two spots, etc) to build muscle memory. Altitis doesn't help but it is what it is.

 

On the plus side, I do a LOT of typing so the Razer keyboard featured above might be just the thing for me. I'll have to give it a look-see.

 

Thanks for the input everyone.

[biostem]

If there's a particular attack chain or sequence of powers you find yourself using, you can have it where the desired power is in the 1st slot, and click 1 activates the power then switches to the next power tray.  You can also bind a command to either clicking the scroll wheel or both left and right button simultaneously, (called "mousechord" in game).  You can also do something like creating a macro that targets the nearest enemy and fires off an attack, or even target a particular teammate and attack their target via the assist system, (perhaps mention this in team chat and they can advise which particular teammate would be best to work with in this regard). 

[Shenanigunner]

On 12/31/2021 at 4:49 PM, Zhym said:

Some power combinations are more click-heavy than others.

 

Just gotta throw in that toggle-heavy alts can be greatly aided by movement-auto key binds. None of my alts have to remember to bring up shields, buffs, invis, etc.

 

They can be a little tricky to set up, especially the first time, but not using them is just leaving Inf on the table.

 

A trick I have come to use is bind E for forward motion with NO power activations. It's useful when you want to move around a social gathering, base, etc. without bringing up all your annoying bubbles and woo-woo noises and such. I implemented it for an alt with auto-steath so I could get a fussy hostage out of a map...

 

You can also use another bind or macro to toggle the auto-powers feature off so that you can move around the zones etc. without being prepped for battle. Just remember to turn it back on... 😄

 

 

Edited January 7, 2022 by Shenanigunner