Can you change the controls to WASD? :: Europa Universalis IV General Discussions

Store Page

Europa Universalis IV

All Discussions Screenshots Artwork Broadcasts Videos Workshop News Guides Reviews

Europa Universalis IV > General Discussions > Topic Details

Thravid

May 10, 2015 @ 9:27am

Can you change the controls to WASD?

Seriously. I would do anything, edit some files, reinstall game, anything, I just want WASD. Imagine how easier it is to have WASD. You can click on the space bar with your thumb, use your right mouse for diplomacy. 10X easier.

< >

Showing 1-13 of 13 comments

Gans im Ernst has Europa Universalis IV

May 10, 2015 @ 10:19am

Mansen

May 10, 2015 @ 10:51am

Originally posted by Malaria-Ebola:
No

Yes - Keybindings file.

Thravid

May 10, 2015 @ 11:49am

Ok where do I find this file and what do I change exactly? THANK YOU

Terranical has Europa Universalis IV

Dec 3, 2023 @ 8:23pm

Originally posted by Thravid:
Ok where do I find this file and what do I change exactly? THANK YOU

WHERE IS THE FILE???

grotaclas

Dec 4, 2023 @ 4:20am

Originally posted by Terranical:
Originally posted by Thravid:
Ok where do I find this file and what do I change exactly? THANK YOU
WHERE IS THE FILE???

There is no file where you can change the map scrolling buttons to WASD(the keys for most buttons can be changed in Documents/Paradox Interactive/Europa Universalis IV/shortcuts.txt and with the ingame shortcut tool). You would need an external program to remap the keys.

Triple G

Dec 4, 2023 @ 8:39am

It´s also beyond me, why this isn´t an option, or why the arrow keys are default, and not wasd - this and the UI thingy. This is the only game i place my keyboard differently, only to reach the arrow keys conveniently, as using the mouse to scroll the map is more inconvenient and less precise - which also means i use no other hotkey except for pause - to give orders and click stuff with the mouse, simply because they´re so far away, and the space bar is so big that i can´t miss it, while this is the only game i have to move my arm for to reach it.... And scrolling the map is probably my most used input - and whenever i come back to the game i see myself using wasd, but instead of having the map moved - some map mode changed, or no idea what these keys are used for...

Usually in a game with many hotkeys - You´d want to place them somewhere, where You can reach many without moving the arm. Usually the WASD area, which mostly work blind, as any game does it that way - no matter if it´s a shooter or a RTS. Using the arrow keys is for maneuvering through excel, not for gaming since the invention of the mouse. Also nice 8 year old thread, sad that they didn´t address it tbh...

Totally Innocent Chatbot has Europa Universalis IV

Dec 4, 2023 @ 8:09pm

Originally posted by Triple G:
Usually in a game with many hotkeys - You´d want to place them somewhere, where You can reach many without moving the arm. Usually the WASD area, which mostly work blind, as any game does it that way - no matter if it´s a shooter or a RTS.

The game does do that, though. There already are plenty of hotkeys, and the big reason why WASD doesn't work for map navigation is because they're already bound to other things. Even the arrow keys are more of an "emergency backup" than anything - the main methods of moving around are edge scroll, middle mouse click and drag, or even just clicking on the minimap.

Triple G

Dec 5, 2023 @ 4:41am

Originally posted by Totally Innocent Chatbot:
There already are plenty of hotkeys, and the big reason why WASD doesn't work for map navigation is because they're already bound to other things.

The big reason why it doesn´t work for map navigation is, because they have chosen to not allowing to customize the key bindings for it, which is also the single reason for it - while not assigning these keys, but instead the arrow keys to navigating the map is usually the second option, but it´s definitely worse, as You can reach many more keys from WASD than from the arrow key. Which is the big reason other games use them for it, so You can click many buttons, without moving the hand.

And instead of having the mouse at some edge of the screen, You could actually click on something in the middle of the screen. I guess it´s about movement economy or something. Convenience. Arm and mental health. These kind of things, but then again You need to click enter like 2 billion times, when You have finished building the courthouse upgrade in every single province in one turn. And if You build something without pausing the game - the notifications pop up every day - or however fast You clicked on every province, because there´s no build it everywhere button.

So in that department the game isn´t doing very well, there´s lots of room for improvement for basic stuff. But as said, that could also have been addressed like 8 years ago. So it´s never gonna happen i guess, and it doesn´t hold me back playing the game - while it´s nonetheless a bit annoying at times. I mainly just wanted to say it.

Edge scroll, to then always move the mouse back into the middle of the screen, or back and forth till You have the "right" view on the map is a bit outdated...