Assign function keys to prime equipment

[Cody]

I could add a option.

Which reminds me...

[Astrobe]

I'd suggest to create a configuration screen dedicated to OXPs that can be reached in-flight.

Svengali's latest BGS kinda offers that - not in-flight, but when docked. Whether other OXPs will use it is the question.

It's Lib_Config.js in Library and, unlike the old OXPConfig, the script can be used in-flight. It would at least help to declutter the equipment list, so if there's real interest I could add a option.

That's good news!

[Bogatyr]

I still think a general-purpose, fully programmable in-flight keymap feature solves everybody's problems. And gives everybody full customization. Maximum benefit!

[Astrobe]

I still think a general-purpose, fully programmable in-flight keymap feature solves everybody's problems. And gives everybody full customization. Maximum benefit!

I've done "keyboard remapping" a long time ago in another project. I can say it can be tedious to code. But I know where you're coming from though, I'm using an AZERTY keyboard myself.

However there's this utility: http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/Keyconfig

[Bogatyr]

I still think a general-purpose, fully programmable in-flight keymap feature solves everybody's problems. And gives everybody full customization. Maximum benefit!

I've done "keyboard remapping" a long time ago in another project. I can say it can be tedious to code. But I know where you're coming from though, I'm using an AZERTY keyboard myself.

However there's this utility: http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/Keyconfig

It basically just involves looking up the keypress in a dictionary where the keypress is the dict-key and the command is the resulting dict-value. Then it's a matter of coming up with UI screens that allow one to view and edit these values. The external keymap rewriter is handy, but we additionally need to add the notion of general prime-equipment<equipID>, set-mode-equipment<equipID>, activate-equipment<equipID> commands. And it should be internal to the core so it doesn't bit-rot with new releases.

[NEANDERTHAL]

What about a tree-menu type system, like they use for chats in a lot of FPS games? Z, X, C, and V are free keys. For example, you could type Z,Z,Z, and then V to confirm and perform one operation, and then press Z,X,X and V to perform another. Maybe you could type 1-2 characters of a command and press v while incomplete to clear it. That gives you 27 different commands, all accessible in the same amount of time.

[Smivs]

--- .-.
.--- ..- ... -
..- ... .
-- --- .-. ... .
-.-. --- --. .

[kanthoney]

That's a good idea - if we use morse then we'll never run out of keys. We'd just have to learn the morse for things like "shoot", "jink left" and "target incoming missile. No, not that one, the other one."

[Diziet Sma]

I confess to being a tad disappointed to return after a year's absence, to find that Oolite still doesn't have in-game key configuration.

[Cholmondely]

It would be really good if function keys could be assigned to primable equipment, so that piece of equipment could be instantly primed with one keypress, without having to cycle through all the primable items.

Bu-u-u-ump!

More than the two would be nice. Actually, it would be very nice.

I normally could do with 3 or 4 once I have amassed a little dosh:

Defensive: Dybal's Barrel Roll
Offensive: Fast Target Selector OXP (eventually upgraded to SniperLock)
Astrogatory: ILS (to prevent premature suicide - without priming, this OXP is lethal)
Misc: Broadcast Comms

On the other hand, I never use s (turn off music while docking): if I ever needed it I'd just turn the volume down... what's the point?

I fully understand the argument that some people find that there are too many key-commands, and that it can put off new players.

I also fully understand that we have a mere 63 for the Vanilla game before purchasing extra equipment,
while the Volvo V40 has 92 (90,000 MOT'd just in the UK alone),
an airplane has zillions (32,000 registered pilots in the UK alone)
and Elite Dangerous has 90? 100? more? (and 100,000 players? 300,000 players?).

But in Oolite I can decide to add Equipment OXPs (or not), in Oolite I can decide to buy equipment (or not), and in Oolite I can decide to assign more buttons (or not).


Reference:

We currently have
63 key commands for the Standard Equipment and Game controls
12 key commands for the Optional Standard Equipment (20 or so pieces of Equipment - ignoring Beam, Military & Mining lasers etc)
8 key commands for the Optional Optional Equipment (300+ pieces of Equipment)


Notes on the above:
63 key commands ignores the effects of shift on the commodities market transactions, but adds in the missing commodity markets filter/sort commands (/ & ?) to the old OoliteRS list
8 key commands adds v.1.90's ctrl-: & ctrl-; to the old OoliteRS list

For comparison: Cars
A Ford Ka automobile has some 29 controls (pedals, switches, etc). A Volvo V40 has some 92 controls (on-board computer, cruise control etc). In each case a fair number of the controls are to do with comfort (radio/heating/air conditioning etc - I've not counted seat adjustment controls!).

For comparison: planes
As for an airplane... or a helicopter... (half an hour of pre-flight checks before take-off for a plane, an entire hour of checks for a helicopter)!
See here: https://www.wideview.it/my_cockpit.htm (simulator, but "spaced out" so one can count...)
And there is an Instrument Flying Handbook downloadable here from the FAA: https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policie ... /aviation/
Just looking at the 2 navigation communication control panels on page 2-2 (2012 edition), they have 52 controls between them!

So there are two different concerns: Reality and Gaming.

For gaming the number of controls have to be manageable to make it easier to master. But there is also the matter of immersion to consider - which involves realism and fun. To be denied individual controls for ILS (which I use a far amount), for targeting enemies but also for targeting cargo pods & escape pods, and for barrel roll seems ridiculous to say the least. And shuffling through the various primables breaks the immersion. Not being able to prime some of them also breaks the immersion. Telescope badly needs more control buttons. Etc. Etc. Etc. And as for TeaMaker! No choice of types of tea. No choice of lemon slices or milk. No choice of milk in first or last. No choice of Jersey milk or Guernsey Milk. No choice of demerara sugar or white. I could easily go on and on but poor old Araminta would roll her eyeballs. The suffering I have to endure whilst playing Oolite is unbelievable, unconscionable, unimaginable, unbearable... burble... whimper...

Oolite, the game which gives options can easily allow for this. Strict gaming to learn the ins and outs. Easier OXPs to start off with. And then more numerous key commands for when one has mastered matters and can cope with the increase in complexity.

Other references:
Standard optional equipment: http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/Oolite_Equipment
Optional optional equipment: http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/Category:Equipment

[phkb]

Bu-u-u-ump!

Once I've completed the in-game keyboard configuration project, we can look at how to do this better.

[Milo]

I added two more fast activation keys in my private build, so I'm currently playing with four. I also bound CTRL + key to trigger the mode function (equivalent to cycling to the equipment with SHIFT+N and then pressing b) instead of activate (the normal behavior of the fast activation keys).

With this, I can access all features of five primable items simultaneously; four that I've bound to fast activation keys, and a fifth that I've selected using Shift+N and can activate/mode with the 'n' and 'b' keys.

Even so, I find myself wanting more keys.

[Cholmondely]

I added two more fast activation keys in my private build, so I'm currently playing with four. I also bound CTRL + key to trigger the mode function (equivalent to cycling to the equipment with SHIFT+N and then pressing b) instead of activate (the normal behavior of the fast activation keys).

With this, I can access all features of five primable items simultaneously; four that I've bound to fast activation keys, and a fifth that I've selected using Shift+N and can activate/mode with the 'n' and 'b' keys.

Even so, I find myself wanting more keys.

What do you have linked to them?

[phkb]

Even so, I find myself wanting more keys.

Which is one of the reasons there has been resistance to adding more keys to the game in it's current form. At what point will there be "enough" fast activation keys? If we add 10, someone will inevitably ask for 12. Or 15. Or 20.

With a full, in-game keyboard config system, new pathways open up on how to handle escalating requirements without an endless merry-go-round of patches to add more keys.

[Milo]

What do you have linked to them?

I used the square bracket keys: [ and ]