FPS : What about firing with Left Trigger ??

[Dick Maverick]

Hey guys,


Since one month now,im working to make fps very playable on steam controller and i love doing this. I spend more time binding for a game than actually playing the game. I spent 40 hours on Wolfenstein the new order to finish my first binding for the steam controller. And this is when, i think, ive discovered one big problem and its solution with this kind of games.

The big advice is the following : I really think we should learn to fire with left trigger and not with the right one like we re used to do it on xbox controller.
The first reason is that the thumb is much more movable on steam controller than on xbox controller ; which means that aiming action already required a lot of attention of the right hand. To give this hand some air, it already should be logical to bind now only easy actions on the other fingers of this hand. And asking to the forefinger of the same hand to repetitively press fire, isnt one of them. Actually, firing with left trigger becomes even more obvious when you re looking at your thumb and your forefinger trying to do the both actions in the same time...They actually cant. They're not working together but one after the other...Which is cause by the required speed of those two actions but also by the uncomfortable proximity of two fingers which need to move a lot. The worst example it is when you're aiming on the right side : the thumb is going inside its own hand, against the forefinger and it is limiting its mobility even before it starts firing. (I mean, you can even do the test without the controller : make some moves with your thumb against your forefinger and make also this one move fast, it is not working very well...)

Of course it will be weird to fire with left trigger, but after 3 weeks of doing it, it seems pretty natural to me. I invite you to try my binding for Wolfenstein the new order and to give me your feedback. (Check for the " A lot in a little" binding by Dic k Maverick)

I also worked a lot with one logic in mind : The fingers which are the most comfortably installed must be the ones which are doing the more demanding/repetitive actions. In Wolfenstein for example firing, looting, reloading, sprinting, using should be activated by the forefingers on the analog triggers. That's also why i 've think a lot about compatible actions, to put them on a same key. That's also; i think, the key of an ergonomic binding.

Ive almost finished my binding for Left 4 Dead 2 which gave me another idea. Mode shifting could also be activated by a common press, not a permanent one. Especially for games like Left 4 Dead 2 where there are two differents gameplay : survivors and infected which doesn't work in the same way. It will be nice to be able to change all the binding, or at least a part of it by simply press a button we dont need to hold to keep the change activated.


Thank you all for your time and i hope my english has been understandble... :)

[•]

Dude, I'm using left trigger to fire since I got configuration utility for my xbox controller. Yes, you're right. You should probably create a guide, don't you think? And get a designer job in gamedev in the future :) Keep your mind open. Cheers.

[elzorro]

Im a left trigger user too, ist much better for the trackpad camera

[Tom]

Been using left trigger for months. I highly recommend it. Once you get used to it, it's much much more natural than right trigger. Also, in this way you don't have to rely as much on the gyro.

[Dick Maverick]

Creating a guide will be great but i cant stay too long sit on a chair because an recent issue with my back- This is one of the reason ive wanted a steam controller : to play supine in my couch, which is less painful for me- So i dont use keyboard a lot, and writing with steam controller is still too slow for big work like this one-But thank you for your support consona ;)
Anyway,im glad to see u guys feeling the same about left trigger-Have u published a binding for a fps i could try ? I could use some idea for aiming also, im still not decide about what is the best to aim quickly and precisely- And i also dont like to rely too much on the gyro (usually i desactivate it)and this is indeed why left trigger is important to me-

PS : Do u know where the dot is on the virtual keyboard ?:D

[•]

I haven't uploaded any config I can be proud of, and also it's a subject to change since new updates can make it unusable, so I suspend to upload anything public yet. I can upload my Warframe config special for you, if you play it. That config is the most confident to me.

[Dick Maverick]

Good to know this is updates which are making binding unusable sometime, iwasnt sure about it--One week ago i couldnt fire with my left trigger even though it was written in my binding--Thank for the info

PS : Sorry, i dont know warframe

[Grumble X2]

I found this in a google search, and I think it's worth resurrecting seven years later now for Steam Deck users. Since the Deck's trackpads are even lower and more sensitive to thumb movement, both intentional and unintentional, this holds even more true.

This is especially true when doing any sort of hold-click-and-drag action, whether you're trying to drag-drop an item from one corner of the screen to the other, or holding auto-fire while trying to track a fast-moving target. Trigger dampening won't help you here, it actually makes the problem worse.

To corroborate this, there are three other areas where this technique is used:

- osu! players click with the keyboard hand to avoid affecting their aiming hand, allowing it to move as fast and accurately as possible.

- Many stringed instruments like guitar, violin, etc. are played with two hands for good reason. It allows both hands to each independently be more effective and expressive, which ironically allows them to work better in coordination with each other. Even one-handed guitarists don't play with one hand; they use their other arm to pick/strum.

- Even though conventional stick players fire with Right Trigger, they actually refine their aim with their left movement/strafing stick, to keep their aim level, allow rotational aim assist to kick in, and make it easier to move/adjust while shooting.