Amazing game, but CONTROLS NEED FIXING!

[pretspot]

Dear dev; PLEASE BREAK THE LINK BETWEEN DIRECTION & TRICKS ON KEYBOARD!
Give us separate keys so we have full control. Just like on a game-controller.

INFO:
To get the full spectrum of tricks and control, you need a CONTROLLER with at least 2 sticks (4 Axis).
- LEFT-STICK for Steering & Leaning = DIRECTION.
- RIGHT-STICK combined with LB modifier = TRICKS.

On controller these axis’s work independently from each other.
And doing a Trick without any directional input will result in a flat, clean and stabilized maneuver.
Even if you keep pressing the Trick-combo!
Works great and gives you full control, love it!

Trick example on CONTROLLER:
“Tuck No Hander” = LB + RIGHT-STICK-UP (& LEFT-STICK for DIRECTION).

ON KEYBOARD HOWEVER, … the directional steering & lean controls (= left-right-up-down arrows) are directly linked to the trick modifier (= C+ left-right-up-down arrows)!
Meaning; EVERY TRICK WILL INCORPORATE A DIRECTIONAL INPUT!

Example on KEYBOARD:
“Tuck No Hander” = C + ARROW-UP (& ARROWS for DIRECTION).
You can quickly tab the Trick-combo for a flat maneuver, but holding on to the combo for a bit longer will result in a directional change. In this case ARROW-UP = FRONTAL FLIP.

The trouble starts when you want to incorporate the “Tuck No hander” in any other direction than the FRONTAL FLIP! Changing direction after the trick is nearly impossible because you have already started a FRONTAL FLIP with ARROW-UP. Correcting direction in this phase ruins the flow, takes away speed and results in many a crash.

Best example is trying to do a BACKFLIP “Tuck no Hander” on Keyboard:
You need ARROW-DOWN for the BACKFLIP, but also C + ARROW-UP for the “Tuck No Hander” trick.
ARROW-DOWN AND (C +) ARROW-UP WILL ACTUALLY ELIMINATE EACH OTHER!
Which will result in NO trick at all!

Luckily, the BACKFLIP “Tuck no Hander” can be pulled off on KEYBOARD,
but only in 2 phases and at a considerable height!
1-First the BACKFLIP (ARROW-DOWN).
2-And at the end of the maneuver a quick tap of C + ARROW-UP.
It’s very hard to pull off and is definitely not meant to be done this way if you compare it with controller-gameplay.

On CONTROLLER the BACKFLIP “Tuck no Hander” is easy because of the separate axis’s:
The entire maneuver can be pulled off in 1 go and there are no phases.

So the lack of separate keys for direction and tricks will severely limit your flow and trickery on KEYBOARD.
And in practice you’ll be executing tricks like the Tabletop, Barspin, Tailwhip, Seatgrab only in the direction of the combo.

I have tried to rebind (up-down-left-right arrow) to other keys (hoping to unlink them),
but the modifier-keys also change for the Trick-controls because they are Linked!

So dear dev; PLEASE BREAK THE LINK BETWEEN DIRECTION & TRICKS ON KEYBOARD and give us separate keys so we have full control. Just like on a controller.

BTW, life on controller is also not perfect.
Would love to see the possibility to rebind and change controller inputs.
And having the Bunny-hop (Automated Pump-Counter pump (EXCLUSIVE to KEYBOARD (on x) also available on controller.

In its current state the 4 main inputs are a bit overwhelming:
(1) Accelerating & Braking (RIGHT-TRIGGER-DOWN & LEFT-TRIGGER-DOWN)
(2) Pumping (RIGHT-STICK UP-DOWN)
(3) Tricks (LB + RIGHT-STICK UP-DOWN-RIGHT-LEFT)
(4) Direction (LEFT_STICK UP-DOWN-RIGHT-LEFT)

Eliminating 1 of 4 by making the automated Pump available on controller would be very helpful.
But the biggest problem is of course; the LACK OF SEPARATE KEYS FOR DIRECTION AND TRICKS ON KEYBOARD. Which severely limits the trick-arsenal, control and full enjoyment for a large portion of players.

If you can fix this, you have a 10 out 10.
Love your game, and hope to see you succeed.

I played on & via KEYBOARD, LOGITECH F310 (Dual Action D- & X(box)-Input), Piranha Xtreme (Generic USB Joystick) and X360c and AntiMicroX software.
(My Steam Controller input is always disabled, which is the first thing I do with race-games : )
All devices and software functioned properly.

BTW, my F310 and Piranha also worked in DInput!
Which is pretty amazing nowadays.

Hope to test my Steering-wheel very soon.
(Or at least incorporate the pedal-set ; )

Lator,