Options and key mappings

This guide explains how to backup your setting files and share them between different computers and shows my preferred game options and key mappings.

Abstract

This guide explains how to backup your setting files and share them between different computers and shows my preferred game options and key mappings.

Your setting files

By default, you can find your saves and setting files in this folder:

Windows:

• C:\Users\$env:USERNAME\AppData\LocalLow\Freehold Games\CavesOfQud

Mac (As mentioned by Buttering Sundays):

• /Users/[YourName]/Library/Application Support/unity.Freehold Games.CavesOfQud

Linux:

• Unknown yet.

Game options are saved in a JSON file:

• PlayerOptions.json

Key mappings are saved in an XML file, and its name depends on your computer username:

• $env:USERNAME.Keymap.xml

Usernames in the folder path and the key mapping filename must be the same, otherwise CoQ might not load the mappings you want. So don't forget to check the XML filename and change it if necessary when you transfer setting files from one computer to another.

Game options

The long list of options seems scary at first, and to be honest, even after over seventy hours of game-play, some of them still look like Greek to me. But fear not, my friend. Default options are good enough for you to start the adventure. After ten hours, either you will get to know all the options that matter to you, or you will quit and never again play CoQ.

I have only tweaked a small part of options.

Automation:

• [ON] disassemble scrap

Autoget:

• [OFF] take corpses

Prompts:

• [ON] ask before moving to the world map

User Interface:

• [ON] show detailed weapon penetration and damage in name
  
• [ON] show the number of items in each inventory category
  
• [ON] map directions to keypad

Turn on the last option only if you know what you are doing. If you map "HJKLYUBN" to move around in the map, this option allows you to use "J/K" to move cursor down/up in a page and "H/L" to collapse/expand category. The downside is, however, you can no longer type a "movement key"(let's say, h) to auto-select the line beginning with the same alphabet, which might be "h) long sword" in your Inventory page.

Debug:

• [ON/OFF] disable permanent death

I would suggest disabling permanent death if:

• You are new to the game;
  
• You want to learn the story by finishing all quests at least once;
  
• You are writing a review;
  
• You are debugging;
  
• You are testing some cool character build.

When you can safely raise more than five characters to level ten, it is time to turn the disable option off and prepare to die. I think Ms. Fall-from-Grace would agree on this. Death is not your enemy. Immortality is.

Key mappings

Quick note: use "-/+" to collapse/open all the categories. These keys do not appear in mapping page but they are mentioned by the developer in Steam community.

Unlike options, I have re-mapped almost all keys following three rules:

• One. As a Vim ninja, I seldom move my fingers out of the core section of a keyboard. (And HHKB is my favorite shuriken.)
  
• Two. Similar pages or actions, such as Inventory and Equipment, fire and throw, are mapped to neighboring keys.
  
• Three. "QWERT" and "12345" are kept for binding with skills.

Key mappings not mentioned below are deleted.

Movement:

• Northwest: Y
  
• North: K, [NumPad8]
  
• Northeast: U
  
• West: H
  
• East: L
  
• Southwest: B
  
• South: J, [NumPad2]
  
• Southeast: N
  
• UP/Down: ,/.
  
• Walk: '
  
• Auto-explore: O

Map two keys to move north/south. Without mapping number keys, you cannot use "K/J" to move cursor up/down in dialogue page as long as "map directions to keypad" is on.

Combat:

• Attack targets on the same level: [Ctrl] + [movement key]
  
• Attack up/down: </>
  
• Fire: F
  
• Throw: D
  
• Reload: [Ctrl] + F

Actions:

• Get/Get from nearby: G/[Ctrl] + G
  
• Look: ;
  
• Search: [Ctrl] + ;
  
• Wait: Z
  
• Wait 20: [Shift] + Z
  
• Wait a number of turns: [Ctrl] + Z
  
• Rest until healed: `
  
• Rest until morning: ~
  
• Use: [Space]
  
• Open: [Ctrl] + O
  
• Talk: P
  
• Use Ability: V

System:

• System Menu: [Escape]

Status:

• Inventory: A
  
• Equipment: S
  
• Skills & Powers: C
  
• Character Sheet: X
  
• Quests: I
  
• Factions: [Ctrl] + I
  
• Tinkering: [Ctrl] + A
  
• Message History: M

Debug:

• Wish: [F4]
  
• Give 1000 XP: [F10]

[Kanyenke]

On the steam deck its on:

/home/deck/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/Caves of Qud/CoQ_Data/StreamingAssets/Base/

[buena]

On linux (Xubuntu 16.04), the location of the settings files is

~/.config/unity3d/Freehold Games/CavesOfQud/

that is

/home/<username>/.config/unity3d/Freehold Games/CavesOfQud/

for me at least.

[Sir, this is a bakery]

No problem, thanks for the guide!

[bozar]

Review updated. Thank you.

[Sir, this is a bakery]

"By default, you can find your saves and setting files in this folder"

On Windows.

For Mac it's here: /Users/[YourName]/Library/Application Support/unity.Freehold Games.CavesOfQud

I had trouble tracking this down, so worth including in the guide IMO. I'm not sure about the Linux location, hopefully someone will chime in.