Suggestion: Expert Controls Option (for Gamepad)

[Entropie]

Hiho duck game community,

as a duck game veteran (1300+ h on the clock) I get sometimes asked how a player can improve their gameplay. Usually my first question is "How do your key rebinds look like?".

Why is this question so important?
Because the default rebinds the game gives you are far from optimal and will hinder your gamplay significantly on higher skill levels.
After you are 200h into the game it is very frustrating to switch the control scheme therefore, having to reaquire a bunch of muscle memory.

The major problems of the default controls on gamepad (I assume an xbone controller for the sake of my explanation) are:

- Your right thumb is responsible for 3 different actions (Y: pickup/throw, X: shoot, A: jump) which hinders your ability to perform these actions simultaneously.
- In order to float you have to hold the jump button (A) down, which can be particularly awkward if you have to perform other actions.
- Similarly, in order to strafe you have to hold LB down. This also leads to an awkward grip on the controller.

Let's say, for example, that you have to float over a gap whilst catching a gun, shooting the gun immediately and throwing the gun back, all while strafing because you are actually jumping away from the opponent. Such a motion is extremely hard to perform fluently on default key bindings.

Now this may sound like an extremely specific scenario, but it is just the most extreme example. Even when considering simpler motions (for example, jump to a ledge and grab an item on top of the ledge or you just constant strafing) you will take a disadvantage.

The good news is: all these problems can get fixed by two simple rebinds:
- Map jump to RT
- Map strafe to LT

Now your thumb only controls pickup/throw (Y) and shoot (X) which works nicely since it is a fluent motion to pick a gun up and shooting it immediately.
Your right index finger is responsible for jumping (RT). Holding the jump button down in order to float can be done without changing grip since it is a trigger button (you also don't have to exalt as much constant force to keep it held down).
Jumping (RT) and then ragdolling (RB) for more height can be combined easily by using the index finger as well.
It is a similar story for the strafe button, which also can be held down without much strain.

The only disadvantages I could come up with are that:
- Having jump on RT may not be considered standard when comparing with other platformers.
- Mashing RT to get out of a net is a bit harder to do.
But the benefits heavily outweigth those two points.

My Suggestion:
I do understand if you may not want to have these remaps to be the only default setting so that people can just pick the game up and play it without referring to the key bindings first.
Thus I suggest introducing an option to toggle the keybinding to an "expert mode" which changes the defaults in the above manner whilest making sure that players are aware of this option and its ramifications when they pick up the game.

My hope would be that such an option would reduce the entrance barrier that new players face when going into online play and also benefit the overall skill level in the long term.

Kind regards,

Entropie

[White_ Ink]

Interesting concept. Ive already changed strafe to LT but due to my LB wearing out . Im almost fully aquainted with it and am pleased not to be adjusting my grip. However moving jump seems crazy to me for completing angles. Ill have to give it a try though.

[robocop6005-galfhilus1]

please accept me

[Entropie]

@White: With some practice it is no problem timing jumps/floats with the trigger (for the purpose of upward diagonals).
And for downward diagonals the remap actually helps since it is easier to do everything while floating.

@galfhilus: Don't take it personally, but I'm not accepting requests without some kind of reason.

[White_ Ink]

I use double tapping for my down angles but if you insist it helps. Ill try a few hours with it. Im always open for optimalization.

[Entropie]

The advantage would pretty much be that, if you are already floating, you do not need the double tab at all. Though in cases where you are not floating (usually when doing the diagonal close to the ground) you can double tab with the trigger as well.

Of course, the main advantage of the jump remap is streamlining movement in multitasking heavy situations and just basic comfort.

I had something like 200h in the game when I switched to this scheme and it was definitely worth it ^^

[Giampiero]

The real beautiful thing about the Steam Controller is that you can fully customize it as you would like. And just like you, I've grown annoyed with some bindings after a certain amount of hours :-) what I did was something a little different: RT to fire, LT to grab. Also, I'm using the two back paddles as strafe and slide. Works like a wonder, it's very easy on the hands and it's pretty streamlined.
And the point is, the latest Steam update provides full customization for XInput controller, the same one as the Steam Controller. So if Landon won't update the general controller scheme to provide this improvements, I'm more than sure that the community will work on them as soon as possible, as much as there's people dedicated as you!