Why such uncomfortable controls ?

[ZohH]

I'm used to twin stick controls since too many time, I can't at all use a pad.
I though I could configure controls with keyboard and mouse but the result is barely better.

Why this choice of such unintuitive controls ?

[ZohH]

Seriously that's absolutely unplayable. This is like writing with your wrong hand.

[desrtfox071]

This is not a twin stick shooter. It's a modernization and enhancement of Asteroids type controls. Hence the "drift" in the name.

[Chimeric]

I get this question often, and it's an understandable perspective, especially with the current popularity of twin-stick shooters. But their ubiquity is a big part of why I wanted to do something different. Nova Drift is a "retro-evolution" of a 1970s - 1980s arcade mechanic I felt deserved more exploration. Forgoing twin-stick controls is core to the design and the titular "Drift" mechanic. Players must learn to set themselves in motion in anticipation of enemy actions, retaliating while drifting in low friction. The result is sort of a graceful fluidity which provides something very different than most twin-sticks and bullet hells, which lean more toward lightning-fast twitch reactions. It also means that positioning and facing matter, which allows for unique abilities that the game leverages, such as ramming enemies head-on, burning enemies with your thrusters, or building around a front-facing shield barrier.

While this design decision does cause some friction from new players, a large number of players have also told me they're grateful for the unique choice. In the end, I made the game that I wanted to exist, not the game that was popular.

That said, the game has an alternate control scheme, Directional, where the stick designates the target direction the ship should rotate to face, rather than the default clockwise or counter-clockwise steering. If you're having trouble with the default controls on Gamepad, please try switching to Directional, or give the mouse controls a try (These work by default.)

[ZeroAffex]

I set the game up to play like another old school shooter I've sank 5-10k hours in over 20+ years (Subspace Continuum) and have found the game is quite enjoyable this way.

Movement is arrow keys ie. Arrow key up - Move up
Thrust = Left Shift
Weapon fire 1 =Left Control (depending on your kb, Left ALT might be more comfortable)

and that's basically it.

Space bar is upgrade, use number keys for drones/constructs, R for rerolls. when you play, use left hand's middle finger for thrust, thumb for firing and your right hand to steer your ship. you'll be able to play the game purely using a keyboard and your aim/control should be rather precise. definitely recommend it. I am a controller gal but this games controller settings are a bit weird to me so I try to play using kb when I can. Best of luck!

[ZohH]

Originally posted by Chimeric:

I get this question often, and it's an understandable perspective, especially with the current popularity of twin-stick shooters. But their ubiquity is a big part of why I wanted to do something different. Nova Drift is a "retro-evolution" of a 1970s - 1980s arcade mechanic I felt deserved more exploration. Forgoing twin-stick controls is core to the design and the titular "Drift" mechanic. Players must learn to set themselves in motion in anticipation of enemy actions, retaliating while drifting in low friction. The result is sort of a graceful fluidity which provides something very different than most twin-sticks and bullet hells, which lean more toward lightning-fast twitch reactions. It also means that positioning and facing matter, which allows for unique abilities that the game leverages, such as ramming enemies head-on, burning enemies with your thrusters, or building around a front-facing shield barrier.

While this design decision does cause some friction from new players, a large number of players have also told me they're grateful for the unique choice. In the end, I made the game that I wanted to exist, not the game that was popular.

That said, the game has an alternate control scheme, Directional, where the stick designates the target direction the ship should rotate to face, rather than the default clockwise or counter-clockwise steering. If you're having trouble with the default controls on Gamepad, please try switching to Directional, or give the mouse controls a try (These work by default.)

Thanks for the answer, that actually makes a lot of sense when you say it :)
I managed to get a little used to the controls with Keyboard and mouse.
The game's really good by the way !

[ZohH]

Originally posted by ZeroAffex:

I set the game up to play like another old school shooter I've sank 5-10k hours in over 20+ years (Subspace Continuum) and have found the game is quite enjoyable this way.

Movement is arrow keys ie. Arrow key up - Move up
Thrust = Left Shift
Weapon fire 1 =Left Control (depending on your kb, Left ALT might be more comfortable)

and that's basically it.

Space bar is upgrade, use number keys for drones/constructs, R for rerolls. when you play, use left hand's middle finger for thrust, thumb for firing and your right hand to steer your ship. you'll be able to play the game purely using a keyboard and your aim/control should be rather precise. definitely recommend it. I am a controller gal but this games controller settings are a bit weird to me so I try to play using kb when I can. Best of luck!

I'm a leftie so this doesn't apply to me at all ! I play with arrows and numeric keypad, but thanks for trying to help.

[K0sM]

Or you can just play the game and get used to it. I'm super left handed, love twin stick shooters, but have not a single problem with the controls. try drifting, it's in the title.

[Chimeric]

Great to hear it! Actually the WASD controls preset is one handed, and its the left hand.

[Uriel]

Hold on a sec. That game popped up on my radar yesterday so I thought I'd investigate a bit and it's definetely interesting in its concept, but... What exactly ARE the controls ?

From what I gther, default control system is something used for rotation, something used for thrust, and shooting. That's right ?

Being a "Delta V - Rings of Saturn" player, I could get used real fast to that sort of control schemle, although I'd need much faster reaction than in the aforementionned game I guess.

The question is important, because, well, call it getting old if you will, but when a control scheme is too "exotic", I find myself no longer able to deal with it. There are some games I dropped entirely or refunded when able because of their terrible, terrible control schemes and inability to rebind keys.

The Evochron series, for all its qualities, is unplayablefor me because they only recognize qwerty layout, and you have no mean to check in the options what function ins actually bound to what key if you don't use a qwerty keyoard, unless you keep a picture of it at hand. A tad bit annoying when you pick up the game again after a while and need to remember what does what. There is also this game whose name I forgot, very interesting concept, but you needed to move forward / backward and rotate with the keyboard ("tank controls" if you will), shoot with the mouse click, but the mouse would only be used in the menus, and controls could NOT be rebinded. Basicaly, clic the mouse to shoot in front of your character, deal with it.

So, sorry for the long post, but this is an important question for me. Of course, I could just buy the game and refund if controls are bad for me, but I'd rather make purchase final if I may :)

[Memorizzi]

man I really wish this game had normal controls, I would probably spend hundreds of hours..but as it is I gett sooo super annoyed after 10 minutes that I stop playing. Absolutely HAAAAAAAAATE the controls. It makes the game from a 10 to a 4 sorry but its the truth. At least give us the option to change it in options to normal controls.

[Bozobub]

Twinstick controls would make the game much easier than intended. This is easy to see, if you use the Nova Drift Tweaks mod, or the smaller "Ship Legs" mod, to use the "twinsitck" cheat mode.

Tl;dr? You're not going to see twinstick controlsf or ND, outside of a cheat session.

[desrtfox071]

Originally posted by Uriel:

Hold on a sec. That game popped up on my radar yesterday so I thought I'd investigate a bit and it's definetely interesting in its concept, but... What exactly ARE the controls ?

From what I gther, default control system is something used for rotation, something used for thrust, and shooting. That's right ?

Being a "Delta V - Rings of Saturn" player, I could get used real fast to that sort of control schemle, although I'd need much faster reaction than in the aforementionned game I guess.

The question is important, because, well, call it getting old if you will, but when a control scheme is too "exotic", I find myself no longer able to deal with it. There are some games I dropped entirely or refunded when able because of their terrible, terrible control schemes and inability to rebind keys.

The Evochron series, for all its qualities, is unplayablefor me because they only recognize qwerty layout, and you have no mean to check in the options what function ins actually bound to what key if you don't use a qwerty keyoard, unless you keep a picture of it at hand. A tad bit annoying when you pick up the game again after a while and need to remember what does what. There is also this game whose name I forgot, very interesting concept, but you needed to move forward / backward and rotate with the keyboard ("tank controls" if you will), shoot with the mouse click, but the mouse would only be used in the menus, and controls could NOT be rebinded. Basicaly, clic the mouse to shoot in front of your character, deal with it.

So, sorry for the long post, but this is an important question for me. Of course, I could just buy the game and refund if controls are bad for me, but I'd rather make purchase final if I may :)

Originally posted by Memorizzi:

man I really wish this game had normal controls, I would probably spend hundreds of hours..but as it is I gett sooo super annoyed after 10 minutes that I stop playing. Absolutely HAAAAAAAAATE the controls. It makes the game from a 10 to a 4 sorry but its the truth. At least give us the option to change it in options to normal controls.

The game does have normal controls, it just isn't a twin stick shooter. If you want a twin stick shooter, look elsewhere.

The controls are:
1)There is a thrust key/button (this can be an analog axis)
2)Turn left/right (this can follow the mouse pointer, or be "digital", i.e one button for left, one for right, or can follow a controller direction)
3)A shoot button.

There are other controls as well, like aux. deployments, and some things from upgrades. Basically, it controls exactly like Asteroids or any "drift" game derived from an Asteroids model.

[Uriel]

Originally posted by desrtfox071:

The controls are:
1)There is a thrust key/button (this can be an analog axis)
2)Turn left/right (this can follow the mouse pointer, or be "digital", i.e one button for left, one for right, or can follow a controller direction)
3)A shoot button.

There are other controls as well, like aux. deployments, and some things from upgrades. Basically, it controls exactly like Asteroids or any "drift" game derived from an Asteroids model.

Thank you very much :D

So basically, for exemple, turn left / right with a stick, A to thrust, X to shoot, the rest for auxiliaries, or Q/D for rotation, shift for thrust, space to shoot, the whole keyboard for auxiliaries. Gotcha.

You didn't mention a reverse thrust, so I assume that like any good space game, your engine is your brake too. Sounds good !

[desrtfox071]

Originally posted by Uriel:

Originally posted by desrtfox071:

The controls are:
1)There is a thrust key/button (this can be an analog axis)
2)Turn left/right (this can follow the mouse pointer, or be "digital", i.e one button for left, one for right, or can follow a controller direction)
3)A shoot button.

There are other controls as well, like aux. deployments, and some things from upgrades. Basically, it controls exactly like Asteroids or any "drift" game derived from an Asteroids model.

Thank you very much :D

So basically, for exemple, turn left / right with a stick, A to thrust, X to shoot, the rest for auxiliaries, or Q/D for rotation, shift for thrust, space to shoot, the whole keyboard for auxiliaries. Gotcha.

You didn't mention a reverse thrust, so I assume that like any good space game, your engine is your brake too. Sounds good !

Yes, your engine is also your brake. There are upgrades that give a bit more functionality, like a forward facing brake, so you don't always have to turn your ship 180 degrees to brake, etc. You have it correct.

[Uriel]

Thank you very much for those details, please have this "extra helpful" award, it's not much but it's much deserved :)