Key bindings are weird

[Senf]

Hey I know, many players love the game and have probably gotten used to it but when I restarted the game just now, years after last checking it out, I noticed - dude the keys are weeeeiiird. Before fully launching the new version, maybe look into regular key bindings as other sandbox survivals use them? Just a suggestion, not really a critique.

[red51]

Hey, thanks for your feedback! Do you mind sharing a few examples of weird key bindings (or key bindings you would like to be changed)?

[Senf]

I am very used to activating and using things with E or left MB, opening the inventory with I, character menu with C and maps with M. I had to basically look up every single key in the settings - which is fine, maybe it is even mentioned in the tutorial which I skipped this time around, but it just doesn't feel intuitive. (Should mention, European keyboard, maybe your bindings make sense for a different keyboard? Idk)

[red51]

Hmm... I'm a bit confused... do you play the new version, or the old Java version? oO You can verify that by checking the version number in the main menu (in the lower left corner of the screen - if it's 0.8.0.2, it's the new version, otherwise it's the Java version) :)

Actually the default key binding in the new version for the inventory is Tab (which is quite common in many games). "I" was the default key binding in the old Java version (and while that key was a bit more common 10 years ago, times have definitely changed, and I agree that it isn't very common anymore nowadays) ^^

The default interaction key to interact with objects in the world is F (which is also used in many games). I know that some games use E instead, but it's probably debatable which key is more intuitive...

"Left mouse" is to use the currently equipped item (e.g. hit with a pickaxe, shoot a weapon etc)... I remember someone complained about exactly this key binding some time ago. IMHO it's the most intuitive key that could be used in a first person game... honestly I never played any first person game (which supports mouse input) where a different key was used for that oO

What do you mean with "character menu"? Or did you mean the crafting menu?

Some key inputs are a bit special though, e.g. M to open the map or K to bring up the compass etc. Maybe I played a bit too much Arma and DayZ back then (where the same keys were used) ^^ Do you have suggestions for better keys instead?
Although I want to emphasize that these keys are merely optional - the compass or map can still be equipped like any other regular item.

Other keys which might be a bit confusing are probably the building keys. The problem here is that the game provides so many building options which cannot be bound to few keys only. I'd appreciate any suggestions in this area, too :D

I'm using a German QWERTZ keyboard layout btw, but the relevant keys shouldn't be much different compared to an English QWERTY layout. Things are slightly different on a French AZERTY keyboard though, but basically that should still work ^^

[Senf]

I tried the new version that's still beta. I guess what I mean is, when I walk up to collect something or interact with the crafting table, I am very much used to E but E does - nothing I think? So I tried LMB but that didn't activate anything either. Using LMB didnt do much for me when not having a weapon equipped. Maybe it's not the game, maybe it's me lol. Yea Idk, something about the keys is weird. I can't quite put my finger on it, pun not intended. But I guess players get used to anything over time, it was just that I started it and was like ... okay apparently it's none of the keys I am used to.

[MustangMR]

If you're like me and jump from game to game to game all the time, no keybinding ever feels right. Have to rethink everything each time. There are no standards as far as I can tell. WASD is about the only thing that's pretty common, but I usually remap that to XASD as it's more comfortable to me, which is real pain when you play a game with multiple modes all of which use WASD.

[AlphaGodith]

i do agree about the interact keys being odd, it's always been E in every game i've ever played, with only rising world and i think one other recent game using F for some reason, but they're easy enough to rebind so i just did that when i installed and now i'm good.

me and my friends are also very confused about 'dismount' being 'escape' instead of control, but i don't think i've found a way to rebind that one...

[MustangMR]

The main reason E doesn't work all the time is that Q and E are often mapped together, like strafing left/right used to be Q and E, though now A and D are usually strafing. Roll right and roll left are others often mapped to to Q and E, so if you use E then you can't match that with a counter action on Q, hence F started to be used. I've also seen R used as the action button, probably when Q and E are counter actions.

Tab for inventory is one I don't see very often. Think RW is the only one I play that does.

[Bathory]

make sure you go and change the key binds to make it more comfortable for you. ive made V and B my Yscale, the arrow keys for the X and Z, left bracket instead of insert. Just little things you can do to make it easier for you!

[AlphaGodith]

Originally posted by MustangMR:

Tab for inventory is one I don't see very often. Think RW is the only one I play that does.

the only games where i've seen inventory NOT be tab are newer ones that were meant for console mainly and then ported over to pc by people that don't realize how difficult it is to hit 'i' with a hand centered on wasd, while the other hand is on the mouse, or how awkward it is to take your hand off your mouse when that's how you look around and choose where to click in menus.

[MustangMR]

I grew up in the days of full keyboard control with most keyboard keys mapped to something. 'I' is fine to me, especially when you have J for journal, M for map, L for light, etc...

[Senf]

Oops, so rebinding is possible now? Sorry then. But ESC for dismounting feels like it shouldnt be allowed :D

[♥ Deirdre ♥]

Tab key to open inventory is used in the most games I'm playing at the moment:
The Infected, Raft, Subnautica, Subnautica Below Zero, Sunkenland etc.
I use E for my inventory and V for crafting menu, objects.
Shift + arrow keys/page up/down works fine for my with building.

Originally posted by Senf:

Oops, so rebinding is possible now? Sorry then. But ESC for dismounting feels like it shouldnt be allowed :D

Re-binding has been going on all the time. :)

[AlphaGodith]

Originally posted by Senf:

Oops, so rebinding is possible now? Sorry then. But ESC for dismounting feels like it shouldnt be allowed :D

yeah, it's pretty weird XD i wonder tho if it's a sneaky way to prevent people from logging out of the game while mounted, which could maybe be buggy?

[Bathory]

i believe escape being the button to cancel or exit many things, is a good idea for a dismount as well. Holding a button for X amount of time is what im used to for getting off of things or out of vehciles.

[Luward]

Esc is the menu key; anything else is nonsense, possibly blasphemy. F is Flashlight, I is inventory, though Tab hasn't traditionally been used for much and is more convenient for righties, so makes sense as an inventory key.

Honestly, I don't ever bother with default keybindings because I always end up customizing almost everything within 5 minutes of gameplay. Not Esc though; Esc is always the menu key and anything else is nonsense, possibly blasphemy.