QoL Request: Double-Tap Button To Place Location Powers

[Lockely]

Something I've come to really rely on and take for granted from when I play FFXIV is that, for ground (location) targeted abilities, it has an option to double press the ability button to place it at the targeted location.

 

 

This still allows you to see the targeting ring (unlike using a powexec_target macro) but ends up feeling more natural than pressing the power button and then left clicking once you get used to the change. 

It would be really nice to have this option here in CoH!

[Mystoc]

you can kinda this still and make it so if you have no target you see AoE Marker but if you do have target it will autocast like this

 

LSHIFT+LBUTTON "powexec_location cursor Combat Teleport$$powexec_location target Combat Teleport" 

 

first it checks if you have a target then if you don't it lets you place the power like normal, I know its not exactly the same as what you suggest but its better then nothing while you wait Lockely.

[Lockely]

Oh yeah, I use that bound to M4 and M5 for teleport, but I was thinking more something like my ground-placement AOEs, especially for my Control powers.  I like to visually see it even for a moment, and honestly for me it's a lot of muscle memory being different between both games as I regularly do higher end content in both. 

[UltraAlt]

22 hours ago, Lockely said:

Something I've come to really rely on and take for granted from when I play FFXIV is that, for ground (location) targeted abilities, it has an option to double press the ability button to place it at the targeted location.

 

 

This still allows you to see the targeting ring (unlike using a powexec_target macro) but ends up feeling more natural than pressing the power button and then left clicking once you get used to the change. 

It would be really nice to have this option here in CoH!

 

Players have setup macros/keybinds to set of powers at a set distance/location in front of the character this would only require a single click to set off. It sounds like what you are talking about without the extra click.

This seems to be the functionality you are looking for. You could click on the macro/keybind when you wanted to set it off at the preset location or click on the power if you want to set the activation location yourself.

 

I am confused as it seems to indicate you just want to double click a power twice to make a power go off at a pre-set target location (like in the kind of macro listed above). I don't think that the game can be programmed to do this. There is no function like that in the game at all. It seems like this would require programing of each individual location click power - but probably only one per character - to store a set distance (like in the macro mentioned above) which would go off it the power was double-clicked or possibly all click powers would be set off at that set determined location on a double-click (more likely than being able to set them up all individually by some kind of options related system). But maybe I'm not understanding what you are asking for.

 

Some characters are going to have more than one click-location-to-activate power. It would add further complication to add this functionality to each/ever power that has power click + location click activation. There are a huge number of these in-game. And even several on an individual character - example: a mastermind with /traps.

 

I think in, the meantime,  you are looking for that macro/keybind that can target a power to go off at a set distance from the character as it seems to do what you are looking for the devs to add to the game. Unfortunately, I don't use that macro/keybind. If I did, I would include it here.

 

The /command would be https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Powexec_location_(Slash_Command)

 

"/powexec_location loc power

 

Allows location targeting powers to be used without having to click.

 

Loc is a location specifier. There's several different things you can use here:

me or self - Both arguments target the power on yourself.

target - Cast on your currently selected target. If you have no target, the power is not activated.

direction:distance

Direction can either be one of six cardinal directions relative to the player: forward, back, left, right, up, down, -or- it can be a number. If it's a number, it is taken as an angle in degrees. 0 is straight in front of you, 90 is right, etc. It can also be camera, to indicate the direction the camera is facing, including elevation.

Distance is either a number in world units (feet), or the keyword max, which means to use the maximum range of the power.

cursor - Current location of the cursor. This targeting mode behaves as if the power was activated with a click at the current mouse cursor location. This will allow you to quickly activate a location-targeting power with a key without needing to click (great for teleporting). Note: Before this targeting mode was introduced, the most effective way to use Teleport was to bind it to the left mouse button. Now it's not necessary, however binding Teleport to shift+lbutton is still useful if you like clicking to activate the power (or you could bind powexec_location cursor to the left mouse button for exactly the same effect).

 

Power is the name of the power, just like what you'd use with /powexec_name. You can put quotes around the name to make it look cleaner if you want, but they are optional."

 

This is just part of the wiki page info.

 

Edited Friday at 09:35 PM by UltraAlt

[Lockely]

It's super late and I'm on mobile which means I can't really parse that wall of text, but I think you're fundamentally misunderstanding the request. For location target powers, the default behavior is that when you hit the button it places it in a ready state and provides you with the targeting reticle. At this point you can either click to fire, press the ability button a second time to cancel the ready state, or press another ability to supercede the ready state with a new ability. 

 

What I'm asking for is to be able to press the ability keybind a second time once in the ready state to mimic the same functionality as left clicking, i.e. firing off the ability.  

 

So if I have, say, Oil Slick Arrow bound to 4, I would press 4 to bring up the target circle and press 4 a second time to place the ability down, rather than the current function which is to cancel the targeting.

Other MMOs have this as an option because it ends up feeling more natural than using the mouse click, especially if you're older like I am and have some nerve damage in your wrists that cause your mouse to shake a bit when clicking. 

[UltraAlt]

6 minutes ago, Lockely said:

It's super late and I'm on mobile which means I can't really parse that wall of text

 

As able, please read it when you have time to on a device where you can go through the "wall of text".

Once done so, please reply.

[Maelwys]

7 hours ago, Lockely said:

It's super late and I'm on mobile which means I can't really parse that wall of text, but I think you're fundamentally misunderstanding the request. For location target powers, the default behavior is that when you hit the button it places it in a ready state and provides you with the targeting reticle. At this point you can either click to fire, press the ability button a second time to cancel the ready state, or press another ability to supercede the ready state with a new ability. 

 

What I'm asking for is to be able to press the ability keybind a second time once in the ready state to mimic the same functionality as left clicking, i.e. firing off the ability.  

As UltraAlt has pointed out, this functionality already exists.
However you need to set it up per-power; and use either keybinds or macros.

The trick is to set the first press of the button to both trigger the power (a regular "powexec_name POWERNAME" command) AND change the button itself so that the second time you press it it triggers a different command ("powexec_location cursor POWERNAME").

It's possible to do this with macros; but it involves changing the position of your powertray icons on the fly which is prone to bugging out.
The cleaner method is to just leave the power icon itself untouched in your power tray, and rebind the button/key to dynamically swap between multiple keybind files instead.

[bind1.txt]
KEYNAME "powexec_name POWERNAME$$bind_load_file_silent c:\coh\binds\bind2.txt"

[bind2.txt]
KEYNAME "+down$$-down$$powexec_unqueue$$bind_load_file_silent c:\coh\binds\bind3.txt"

[bind3.txt]
KEYNAME "+down$$-down$$powexec_location cursor POWERNAME$$bind_load_file_silent c:\coh\binds\bind1.txt"

The first time you hit the key, it'll simply activate the power normally. The second time you hit the key, upon pressing the key DOWN it'll cancel the original 'untargeted' power activation and then upon RELEASING the key it'll activate the power a second time targeted at wherever your mouse cursor currently is.

(The second button press is split into two "keyup/keydown" binds because things tend to break if you try to cancel a power and call it again at exactly the same time!)

The binds might occasionally get out of sync and if that annoys you, you can choose to periodically load the first bind file on the fly to "reset" it - I often do this for my more complex keybinds by appending it (e.g. "$$bind_load_file_silent c:\coh\binds\bind1.txt") to the end of my travel power or movement keys. 

 

Edited Friday at 10:37 AM by Maelwys

[Lockely]

1 hour ago, Maelwys said:

As UltraAlt has pointed out, this functionality already exists.
However you need to set it up per-power; and use either keybinds or macros.

[snip] list of macros [snip]

Yes, after I received sleep and coffee I re-read the wall of text. It is fundamentally not what I am asking, because I am asking for a global setting, of which the devs would have to build. That's the point of this specific forum category, no? 

There was a big push toward QoL changes to modernize control schemes and camera functions in Issue 27. This would fall along those same lines by offering a modern option. If I'm using hotswappable keys, this requires per power per character bind files. This is neither efficient nor desired functionality, especially considering that once you swap it you're locked in to the alternate functionality until you use it. Sometimes you press the button on accident and need to cancel, sometimes you press the button to give yourself a quick mental note on where the range fits in the space you're in and then press a different button (ESC, another power) to cancel its ready state. Neither of these would return the button back to its standby state, it would leave it in the powexec_target cursor functionality.

I appreciate the macro advice, I already understand how the macro system works and there's a reason I am posting here, in the suggestions for new features forum, and not in General or one of the various AT forums, because I am not asking for help, I am asking for a future baseline feature to bring a modern function into a 20 year old game.

[tidge]

Please re-read @UltraAlt instructions/details. I use similar macros (and sometimes binds) to do exactly what the OP ask is. I often have multiple of hem set up on characters, I don't think I've ever felt the need to have more than 3 powers set up this way.

 

One word of caution (that would work against the "global setting plz" is that some maps and geometries don't have legitimate places for placement.... even if it looks like the ground-based power should work *there*. Some are in the open world (e,g, Grim Vale, Croatoa) some are in instanced maps... base builders can construct maps that have this (annoying) feature.

 

I mention the above, because in such areas, the powers would appear to simply not work... which would be more of a headache that just about anything else power-related. 

[Lockely]

17 minutes ago, tidge said:

Please re-read @UltraAlt instructions/details. I use similar macros (and sometimes binds) to do exactly what the OP ask is. I often have multiple of hem set up on characters, I don't think I've ever felt the need to have more than 3 powers set up this way.

I have read them and described in my last post why I am posting here and not in the Dominator or AT Build Forums. My Arsenal Control Dominator has 7 powers alone this would be useful for, (Sleep Grenade, Liquid Nitrogen, Smoke Canister, Tear Gas, Teleport, Combat Teleport, Lore Pet Summon). 

 

19 minutes ago, tidge said:

One word of caution (that would work against the "global setting plz" is that some maps and geometries don't have legitimate places for placement.... even if it looks like the ground-based power should work *there*. Some are in the open world (e,g, Grim Vale, Croatoa) some are in instanced maps... base builders can construct maps that have this (annoying) feature.

 

I mention the above, because in such areas, the powers would appear to simply not work... which would be more of a headache that just about anything else power-related. 

Which is no different than left clicking and having the same thing happen already. This isn't introducing anything new on the weirdness front the ability to tap a keybind twice.

I do not understand why every post in the Suggestions & Feedback forums needs to feel like Sisyphus pushing his rock up the mountain. The devs who work on this game are incredibly competent and give us QoL Features routinely. These folks have managed to wrangle the AH code to make it function for a significantly smaller community than live, create entire new power sets from scratch, and build tools like the Pocket D Global Badge tracker and more. They're good at what they do, and have never been hesitant to tell us when requests are outside their capability with the engine or current team structure. 

[Maelwys]

29 minutes ago, Lockely said:

Sometimes you press the button on accident and need to cancel, sometimes you press the button to give yourself a quick mental note on where the range fits in the space you're in and then press a different button (ESC, another power) to cancel its ready state. Neither of these would return the button back to its standby state, it would leave it in the powexec_target cursor functionality.

That's precisely the function that a "reset" bind fulfils.

If you prefer to use the Escape key to accomplish this, for example, then you could rebind it to "powexec_unqueue$$bind_load_file_silent c:\coh\binds\reset.txt" and stick whatever your regular control setup is in "reset.txt". That way whenever you have to manually cancel by pressing the ESC key, it all gets cleanly reset to the standby state.

I acknowledge that you're asking for a wider QOL change here; and that's a fair request IMO.
Just as long as you're aware that it is possible to accomplish the same functionality currently via a (admittedly convoluted!) workaround. 

[tidge]

This function is needed for Lore pet summons? This seems dramatic.

[UltraAlt]

8 hours ago, Lockely said:

Which is no different than left clicking and having the same thing happen already. This isn't introducing anything new on the weirdness front the ability to tap a keybind twice.

 

You don't have to double-tap to make the a macro with only /powexec_location loc power in it to make the power go off.

It is a single click if you use the /powexec_location [0:30] power  format (at least I think that is how you type in the direction:distance option

 

The example on the wiki is:

/powexec_location 0:10 Caltrops (Casts Caltrops 10 feet in front of you)

 

But as @tidge indicated, sometimes it won't work due to surface irregularities. 

 

But I apologize for making a suggestion that isn't useful to you.

 

8 hours ago, Lockely said:

They're good at what they do, and have never been hesitant to tell us when requests are outside their capability with the engine or current team structure. 

 

I don't think the DEVs have ever commented on any of my suggestions.

[Lockely]

1 hour ago, UltraAlt said:

You don't have to double-tap to make the a macro with only /powexec_location loc power in it to make the power go off.

It is a single click if you use the /powexec_location [0:30] power  format (at least I think that is how you type in the direction:distance option

 

The example on the wiki is:

/powexec_location 0:10 Caltrops (Casts Caltrops 10 feet in front of you)

 

Right, I am specifically looking for the double-tap functionality however. I use /powexec_location macros for my bots and combat teleport. I would like to see the targeting circle, that's the important part, while not using left mouse. As said earlier, my wrists have gotten quite bad and tapping left-click to confirm and fire the sometimes causes my wrist to twinge and that ends up moving the placement where I do not want it. This makes it both a QoL feature and an Accessibility feature.

 

1 hour ago, UltraAlt said:

 

I don't think the DEVs have ever commented on any of my suggestions.

 

I've seen them in threads before, especially in the beta forums where folks get more attention directly, but per the GMs here the devs read every suggestion thread even if they cannot comment on all of them.

To give a demonstration, I have recorded what this looks like over in GW2, since placing fields there is very similar to playing my Arsenal Control character. Keyboard interface to show button usage. I never have to left click, but still get to see my target and can double-tap to place. The same functionality exists in FFXIV, as shown in the screenshot in the OP.
 

Maelwys has pointed out a way to replicate it in a fashion using a combination of macros and binds, but for my Arsenal Control character, it would require a minimum of 15 bind files (two per ability I wanted this on) or just as many macros, and I would have to be observant that it didn't actually break. It would also mean I can't re-arrange my hotbar ever again unless I want to rebuild them all. This is needlessly complicated for what is base functionality in many games within the genre at this point.

 

I appreciate people wanting to help, I do, but I came into this already with a decent understanding of the macro system. I use custom macros and binds, I already knew doing this was going to be needlessly complex for what ends up being a simple functionality change. The actual complexity of making it yourself, and the fact that it can bug out due to latency or game weirdness, actually supports my request that it be programmed in as a toggle option for these kinds of abilities and makes it a larger QoL change than initially proposed.