horses

[MacSuibhne]

The thing I'm really having trouble with is controlling the horse once I get mounted.

When I run or walk I can simply hold the w key and point my mouse or the yellow dot in the direction I want to go.

But with the horse the mouse doesn't seem to work... you have to hold the w and the a (or d) key and it is so wonky. I get started in the direction I want to go and the next second I seem to be looking over my shoulder and the horse has run into a fence. And of course I get thrown and killed.

I looked at a Youtube and it all seemed so simple.

Anyone got any tips? or advice?

[MacSuibhne]

Thanks for your reply. I saw another thread about this same issue--apparently it is a problem for lots of folks--and realized that the mouse was the issue. Also that using the arrow keys instead of a and d helps.

I have tried (and failed) this a lot...I have never played any game where using the wasd keys was the only way to steer, so I am near-as-nevermind lost--way past my pay grade.

So...out of probably a dozen attempts, the only time I got close to getting away was when I ran past the stables and didn't try to distract the Cuman from Theresa.

Just for curiosity's sake (maybe desperation's sake), what happens to Theresa if I don't pull her attackers after me and just ride on by? I mean, I'm pretty sure I know and hate to contemplate it but I keep getting killed. And killed is dead.

[MacSuibhne]

PS...I know and understand the rationale for WASD and I know that he game doesn't hold your hand and I know I am just an untutored peasant and I accept and even approve of all that. But someone said, here I think, that just like in real life there are always alternative ways to achieve what you want....I'm not seeing them.

And killed isn't what I want.

[Vuyek]

somebody never played mechwarrior

[MacSuibhne]

Originally posted by Xenophobe:

I play using the steam controller on the steam link ... are you better with a controller?

Never played with a controller...ever.

Just for curiosity's sake what's the Steam link?

[lamacra]

If nothing else helps just stop holding your mouse while riding ;) YOu can smoke a cigarette, hold a beer,,,,, :)

[MacSuibhne]

Originally posted by lamacra:

If nothing else helps just stop holding your mouse while riding ;) YOu can smoke a cigarette, hold a beer,,,,, :)

Yeah, I got that from the other thread I mentioned above. haven't given it a shot but I think that will make a big difference. Whether it will get me through, I dunno. Like I said, I've never tried to steer or move without the mouse.

[MacSuibhne]

Originally posted by Xenophobe:

I play using the steam controller on the steam link ... are you better with a controller?

I did a search on "Steam Controller" and learned that it was out of production. Saw on on Amazon for $100 plus. And anywhere fro $40-$200+ on Ebay.

School me on what a controller brings by way of, well, 'controls' and 'controlling ' that a mouse can do? For instance how would it get me past this rock and hard place?

And if it would, I might look at a controller if it were cheap enough and if worse came to worse. What is a good cheap controller?

[MacSuibhne]

Originally posted by Xenophobe:

Originally posted by MacSuibhne:

Never played with a controller...ever.

Just for curiosity's sake what's the Steam link?

Valve's hardware (discontinued, but available as an app now) for streaming your pc to a tv in another room over lan/wifi. https://store.steampowered.com/app/353380/Steam_Link/

OK, above my pay grade--what good would the software do me?

[Philippe_at_bay]

The solution to your problem doesn't involve buying anything, it's conceptual.

When you're on the ground and aren't mounted on a horse, the way you look around is to move your head with your mouse pointer.

When you're mounted on a horse the way you look around is to move your head with your mouse pointer.

It's exactly the same, except that if you look to your left when you aren't mounted, you'll start moving to your left.

If you look to your left when you're mounted, the horse is still looking straight forwards. So you (and the horse) will move forward while you're looking to your left.

To move in a different direction, you have to point the horse in a different direction, and this is done with the WASD keys.

It's only really a problem if you're left-handed, and even then it shouldn't be too difficult to get used to.

When you're on horseback, always keep your left hand over the WASD keys. The third finger (or ring finger) should alwasys be over the A key, the first finger (or index finger) should always be over the D key. Your middle finger should be hovering over the W key, but sometimes you'll need to use it on the S key.

Your little finger will float in the air, and that's probably the finger you will use to hit the shift bar. Doing that will tend to pull your hand out of alignment, so that's why you should keep your first and third finger touching the A and D keys very lightly.

The key to horseback riding is to realize that you should steer your horse as little as possible. What usually happens is that you oversteer and end up stuck in a ditch. Your horse is smarter than you are, and never oversteers.

The trick is to take as many of the corners as you possibly can at a canter with the horse in control. So go flat out in a straight line under human control, but slow down to a canter and take the corners under equine control. There are a few places where you don't want to give the horse his head, and when you get to those spots you'll have to nudge him gently onto the right path. But remember, even when forced to take a turn on manual, don't oversteer.

If you've digested this and think about it, you'll realize that the key to staying in front of your pursuers is to gallop in a straight line for as long as possible, canter around the bend, and then shift back to a straight gallop at the earliest possible moment.

If you're panicking because you have Cumans breathing down your neck you'll end up in a lot of ditches, or dead, or both. Stay calm and figure out what you're doing wrong.

I've talked about this in terms of pointing with a mouse. It probably isn't any different with a trackball, but if it is, switch to a mouse. Just remember to turn off your accelerator.

When riding around on horseback, the only time you ever need to turn your head is when you're sauntering along under equine control and want to gawk at the scenery. When you're running away from Cuman horse archers and don't really know how to ride yet, turning around to stare at them will only slow you down, which is a very bad idea. Keep looking straight forward between the horse's ears. You'll live longer.

[Lieste]

You can use arrow keys as well.

[MacSuibhne]

Originally posted by Philippe_at_bay:

The solution to your problem doesn't involve buying anything, it's conceptual.

...
The key to horseback riding is to realize that you should steer your horse as little as possible. What usually happens is that you oversteer and end up stuck in a ditch. Your horse is smarter than you are, and never oversteers.

This is clear and coherent...and convincing.

Last night I was looking at cheap controllers and trying to figure out how they worked. This morning I am considering key assignments--ie. changing the run key (L shift) to capslock, If only because my little finger on the left hand doesn't like reaching. Maybe switch the default assignments fro run and toggle run. That way I can mash run (capslock)...I can't think of an instance when I would want to hold toggle run.

I think I'll go back to the save where I am just leaving the castle for Tamberg and practice running and horseback riding using WASD, until I get a better handle on it--Theresa will just have to scream. I know there's a autosave somewhere on the road to Tamberg but I'm not sure where.

But as long as I have that initial save, I can go back and practice horseback indefinitely (this for the folks like me who lament the lack of training or the time to practice in Skalitz).

I you see any problems with my key re-assignments or...? please let me know.

[mingyu]

When you start riding, use the W key. Once you are riding along a track, especially one that you have travelled before, just hold the Left Shift key down and your horse will be on autopilot; you only have to use the A or D key to turn your horse at a fork or crossroads or when riding your horse on an unfamiliar track.

If you have spurs on and you want to ride at full speed though, use the W key and double-tap the Left Shift key and hold it down; you cannot use autopilot when galloping at full speed. When galloping, you have to steer your horse using the arrow keys, and once you let go of the W key, your horse will slow down to normal speed. How long you can gallop is determined by the horse's stamina as well as your own stamina.

[mingyu]

By the way, the best horse to get is Warhorse Jenda. Even when I used the beast of burden perk to convert her to carrying more weight at the expense of speed, she still gallops faster than Pebbles did; and her stamina can take her at a gallop from Rovna to Talmberg nonstop!

[Philippe_at_bay]

I've never needed any horse other than Pebbles, and even managed to win the horse race with him.

[Seriously Unserious]

Originally posted by Philippe_at_bay:

I've never needed any horse other than Pebbles, and even managed to win the horse race with him.

That's because you've never tried Warhorse Jenda. I bought her too and Jenda's amazing. She's also steady enough that with good horsemanship, you can take on a mob from horseback. I use that tactic a lot when outnumbered in fairly open terrain to widdle them down, trot or gallop by swinging at them until I soften them up and even the odds a bit, and where Pebbles would thrown you at a whisper from an enemy, Jenda just charges them like a true Knight's mount, steady as a rock and quick as lightning.