Warshade form switching and teleport binds

[MistressOhm]

So I discovered something, whilst meddling with the Badger "settitle.txt" bind file that's used to dump all your badges into chat so they can get logged.

 

You can get commands in a bind file to EXECUTE when a bind file is loaded, by prefacing the command line with $$. 

 

This is kind of a 'cheat', because when CoH loads a bind file, it assumes every line begins with the word "Bind" followed by the contents of the line.  By putting $$ at the beginning of a line, CoH interprets this as "Bind (nothing) $$ execute this command".  

 

This means instead of creating a macro to do three things (toggling off powers/changing forms, rolling power trays, and loading a new file), you can have it load a file that switches your form and rolls your tray, and then in turn loads your keybinds for that form.  

 

Here's how I manage form switching on Warshades:

 

Set up a macro (or a keybind) for each of your forms:

 

/macro Human "bind_load_file wshuman.txt"

/macro Dwarf "bind_load_file blackdwarf.txt"

/macro Nova "bind_load_file wsnova.txt"

 

What this does, is when you switch forms, the first bind file rotates your power tray and formshifts, as a command, and then loads all your keybinds in the second file.  (You could probably put the binds in the first file on subsequent lines, rather than invoking a second loadbindfile, come to think of it.) 

 

By rotating trays, you don't have to change muscle memory for firing off attacks, they're right where you expect them to be if you're a mouse-clicker, and work with the standard number keys if you're a numpad jockey or a number row maven.  This does mean that as you gain powers, you need to park them in the correct trays, preferably in the same slots so that analogous powers match.

 

WS Human : uses Tray 1  -- wshuman.txt ==> wshbind.txt

WS Dwarf: uses Tray 8 -- blackdwarf.txt==> wsdbind.txt

WS Nova: uses Tray 9 -- wsnova.txt ==> wsnbind.txt

 

The above files should be in your <COH>\Settings\Live folder, mine is C:\Games\Homecoming\Settings\Live 

 

As for movement, I have a standard teleport mapping scheme that leverages SHIFT and CTRL for normal and combat teleports, respectively (except for WASD, which I use Combat Teleport if available because it's instant and the distance is very short).  

 

For Warshades, you have two teleports and a 'teleport target' on Human form, and a Teleport on Dwarf form (there are no teleport powers on Nova form - it has an inherent Fly and that's it.)

 

Shadow Step = Black Dwarf Step = normal Teleport

Starless Step = Combat Teleport

Shadow Recall = Teleport Target

 

HUMAN:

` "powexec_location camera:max Shadow Step" 
SHIFT+` "powexec_location target Shadow Step"

CTRL+` "powexec_location target Starless Step"

 

The ` (backtick) is in the top left corner of most QWERTY keyboards.  Shifted it produces a tilde (~).   

Unshifted, it teleports along the camera view's centerpoint, forward, to the limit of the power's range OR when it hits an intervening object such as a building.

Shifted, it teleports to a selected target (ally, enemy, or npc) IF that target is in range.  Out of range, it is queued until you are in range (keep this in mind if you're running along the ground!)

Ctrl'd, it uses Starless Step (Combat Teleport) to do the same thing.  This is a much shorter range, but there is next to no animation time AND you get a small ToHit buff when you do so.  SS will go on cooldown after three 'ports.

 

SHIFT+LBUTTON "powexecname Shadow Step"
CTRL+LBUTTON "powexecname Starless Step"

 

This binds a "teleport to mouse click" when shifted or ctrl'd. Same rules as above, only if the point clicked is out of range, the port will still happen, only to the limit of the power's range.  Keep in mind that Starless Step does NOT include a phase shift or hang time, you WILL fall immediately upon 'porting if you don't select a surface to land on.

 

CTRL+TAB "powexeclocation forward:4 Shadow Recall"

 

This binds the TAB key to pull the target TO a point 4 units in front of the Warshade.  This target can be an ally, from pretty much anywhere in the zone, OR an enemy, limited to a relatively moderate distance.  NOTE: Porting allies to points in midair, off of the sides of tall buildings, is considered very rude, so don't do that, make sure that there's a safe spot to stand 4 feet in front of you.

 

SHIFT+W "powexeclocation forward:20 Starless Step"
SHIFT+A "powexeclocation left:15 Starless Step"
SHIFT+S "powexeclocation back:20 Starless Step"
SHIFT+D "powexeclocation right:15 Starless Step"

 

Note that SHIFT is used here instead of CTRL.  This is just an ergonomic decision I made.  One can use CTRL, or if you prefer to use your thumb to shift things while keeping fingers on WASD, ALT might be a good choice.  It uses SS to hop short distances forward, back or to the sides, using the WASD keys.  This is useful for getting out of burn patches, caltrops, freezing rain, or other AoE effects that hamper your movement.   Adjusting the distances is as simple as changing the numbers and reloading the bind with your form macros.

 

SHIFT+SPACE "powexeclocation up:max Shadow Step"
SHIFT+X "powexeclocation down:max Shadow Step"

CTRL+SPACE "powexeclocation up:max Starless Step$$bindloadfile wsnova.txt"

CTRL+X "powexeclocation down:max Starless Step$$bindloadfile blackdwarf.txt"

 

As above, these use the standard Up and Down movement keys to effect a 'port to the limit of range OR scenery.  Helpful if you're in the middle of Steel and can't get decent LOS to port anywhere, or you need to pop up out of a battle and reorient.  CTRL versions use Starless Step for battlefield repositioning, for example, you want to get a little height before shifting to Nova, or want to land as you shift to Dwarf.   Since Starless doesn't include a hover, binding the Nova shift into the same key as the up teleport keeps you from falling (and since shifting from Human to Dwarf breaks the hover from Shadow Step, a quick pop down as you shift also keeps you from falling too far).

 

DWARF: 

 

` "powexec_location camera:max Black Dwarf Step"
SHIFT+` "powexec_location target Black Dwarf Step"
SHIFT+LBUTTON "powexecname Black Dwarf Step"

CTRL+LBUTTON nop
CTRL+` nop

CTRL+TAB nop

SHIFT+W nop
SHIFT+A nop
SHIFT+S nop
SHIFT+D nop

SHIFT+SPACE "powexec_location up:max Black Dwarf Step"
SHIFT+X "powexec_location down:max Black Dwarf Step"

CTRL+SPACE nop

CTRL+X nop

 

As above, the same binding scheme is used, except Black Dwarf doesn't have a Shadow Recall OR a Starless Step, so those binds are turned off.

 

NOVA:

 

` nop
SHIFT+` nop
SHIFT+LBUTTON nop

CTRL+` nop
CTRL+LBUTTON nop

CTRL+TAB nop

SHIFT+W nop
SHIFT+S nop
SHIFT+A nop
SHIFT+D nop
 SHIFT+SPACE nop
SHIFT+X nop

 

Nova forms have no teleporting ability at all, so all port binds are turned off.

 

If you're a costume maven, and want to use your Warshade formshift effect to swap costumes, use:

 

cce # ccwarshade

 

Slots are numbered 0-9, 0 being the first slot.  You can bind these to keys, or make macros and put them all in a spare tray.  If you don't have a slot unlocked, invoking it does nothing; the same happens if you invoke your current slot #.

 

If you're tired of having a battlecry that's too short to fit into the ID character limit, or you want a different one for each form, you can always rebind F10 to say whatever you want.  Use $target as a placeholder in your text for the name of whatever you have targeted (will be blank if you don't have anything targeted).   Binds ARE limited to 255 characters... so don't go too crazy.

 

F10 "/l Beware, $target... I will feed on your soul. l I will consume your life essence! l I will strike terror into the hearts of your next of kin!!"

 

Which should come out to:

 

Beware, Damned... I will feed on your soul. I will consume your life essence! I will strike terror into the hearts of your next of kin!!

Edited January 6 by MistressOhm
location to park the files

[ninja surprise]

Really cool! I'm going to have to dig into this more and do some testing.

 

Also, if it you want to, you can combine teleport powers into the same bind and it'll use whichever is active for your form. It can simplify your bindfiles.

SHIFT+LBUTTON "powexecname Shadow Step$$powexecname Starless Step"

 

[Laucianna]

Very nicely detailed guide on the different ways to bind the tp! ❤️
 - Lauci x
 

[brians9824]

Where are these files saved for them to be read?  I'm going to work on this tonight but i've never loaded a bind file, but i've made macros before

[MistressOhm]

On 10/17/2023 at 11:54 AM, brians9824 said:

Where are these files saved for them to be read?  I'm going to work on this tonight but i've never loaded a bind file, but i've made macros before

 

The files should be saved in your <COH>\Settings\Live folder, mine is C:\Games\Homecoming\Settings\Live 

[Drusilia]

On 7/9/2023 at 9:56 PM, ninja surprise said:

Really cool! I'm going to have to dig into this more and do some testing.

 

Also, if it you want to, you can combine teleport powers into the same bind and it'll use whichever is active for your form. It can simplify your bindfiles.

SHIFT+LBUTTON "powexecname Shadow Step$$powexecname Starless Step"

 

This is how I was originally going to set my binds up but I ran into a weird issue.  Instead of going off of whichever power I actually had in that form, it would attempt to activate that last power, even if it wasn't accessible at the time, and leave me standing there waiting for a teleport power to activate.  And then it would just stick there.  My workaround ended up being to call a bindfile specifically for each form when switching into it, using the same macro I already had set up to change forms and switch trays.  Tp_clear just clears all my teleport binds, tp_warshade is for the human form teleports, and tp_blackdwarf has the dwarf specific one.  A bit complex to set up, but it works much better for me than gambling on it getting stuck on the one unavailable power.

 

 

If anyone is curious, my form change macros now look like this:

 

/macro_image "UmbralBlast_DarkNova" "Nova ON" "powexectoggleon Dark Nova$$gototray 8$$bindloadfile C:\Games\Homecoming\Keybinds\tp_clear.txt"

 

/macro_image "UmbralBlast_DarkNova" "Nova OFF" "powexectoggleoff Dark Nova$$gototray 9$$bindloadfile C:\Games\Homecoming\Keybinds\tp_warshade.txt"

 

/macro_image "UmbralAura_BlackDwarf" "Dwarf ON" "powexectoggleon Black Dwarf$$gototray 7$$bindloadfile C:\Games\Homecoming\Keybinds\tp_blackdwarf.txt"

 

/macro_image "UmbralAura_BlackDwarf" "Dwarf OFF" "powexectoggleoff Black Dwarf$$gototray 9$$bindloadfile C:\Games\Homecoming\Keybinds\tp_warshade.txt"

 

 

[Siber]

Prefer binds myself over macros, not enough trays to use as it is lol, but here's a few I use. Note: Because the way numpad 1 is bound, same key can be used to toggle super speed on/off.

 

 

 

numpad1 "powexec_toggleoff dark nova$$powexec_toggleoff black dwarf$$gototray 1$$powexec_name super speed"

numpad2 "gototray 9$$powexec_toggleon dark nova"

numbad3 "gototray 8$$powexec_toggleon black dwarf"

numpad4 "tell $target,$target, Inc TP$$powexec_name Shadow Recall"