Struggling with keys to access all the stuff I need to use

[threepe]

Says it all in the title really, hpping that someone may be help with rather awesome flight into nostaglia

The targetting options I have installed are great, they all sit on Shift - N, then press n or b or b or n and n and more n.........

But once I've got a handle on that particular module what happens when I want to use another? Targetting is pretty cool, but I've just got myself a cloak. Awesome, never got that far in the original elite as I did not know how to spawn the mission. But, now I have a cloak how can I use it and still target anyhting!

I've seen a screen for offense and defensive modules, but that does not appear to make use of different keys (I am using the BBC keyboard overlay).

How do others handle this kind of issue?

[phkb]

The issue of getting to primable equipment via the Shift-N, then n or b, is a long standing one, but it has been mostly addressed in the latest Trunk version (ie 1.91), where you can assign keys to the mode (b) and activate (n) functions of a piece of primable equipment.

That, coupled with something like Touch Portal, which allows you to send key commands to your PC from a tablet, you can streamline your experience quite a bit.

[phkb]

I should also mention, there are two fast activation functions available in all versions of Oolite since about 1.80, which are by default set to the "0" (zero) and "Tab" keys. I normally keep Fast Target Selector on "0", and put the Cloaking device on "Tab". You can assign functions to these keys with the F4 interface screen "Manage primable equipment".

[threepe]

I will have to give that a go.

I was not aware of the Tab function that could be assigned, in my old world that was for an energy bomb, something I don't make use of and therefore never attempted to use that key.

That would help a lot as Tab and 0 are good combos to make use of offensive and defensive equipment with then Ctrl N allowing to have something else primed.

Thanks for the tips. At some point I am going to make a list of all they keys I know, as there are more out there than are listed in the initial guide, some of which are really useful

[phkb]

as there are more out there than are listed in the initial guide, some of which are really useful

Which keys aren't listed in the OoliteRS.pdf guide? I've made a copy of the latest version and plonked it here: OoliteRS.pdf. If there's anything missing I'd like to get it updated!

[arquebus]

One of the limitations of the game is the highly serialized nature of the controls. Stepping through MFDs, stepping through targets, stepping through primable equipment, stepping through primable equipment options, etc. That kind of interface control is very alien to a 21st century gamer, where we're used to at least being able to use a scroll wheel. (Those of us who are Ancients are probably able to vibe a bit better with the interface.) The option in 1.91 to have extra keys bound to certain things is an enormous leap forward, but it doesn't change the underlying UX.

This isn't really a complaint, as it would be silly to expect a UX overhaul, but it is a point of inescapable frustration. Oh for the ability to use the mouse to select an MFD, and the scroll wheel to move through options!

That would of course mean not using the mouse for ship control, but I have a joystick for that and I don't care about the rest of you.

All that said, I do reiterate my suggestion from a while back that the control scheme language inside the game should match the control scheme language in the help docs and cheat sheets. Also, right now things like the (1.9 and earlier) hotkeys for equipment are sometimes referred to as "offensive" and "defensive" hotkeys, and other times aren't described in those terms. In the latter case it therefore seems weird that the keys are on opposite ends of the keyboard, whereas when you think of it as offense/defense it makes more sense. But of course the keys aren't limited to one offense and one defense (because there's no limitation on what you can bind them to).

So it's a bit of a jumble. Not impossible to de-jumble, certainly, but not immediately grokkable.

[hiran]

One of the limitations of the game is the highly serialized nature of the controls. Stepping through MFDs, stepping through targets, stepping through primable equipment, stepping through primable equipment options, etc. That kind of interface control is very alien to a 21st century gamer, where we're used to at least being able to use a scroll wheel. (Those of us who are Ancients are probably able to vibe a bit better with the interface.) The option in 1.91 to have extra keys bound to certain things is an enormous leap forward, but it doesn't change the underlying UX.

Have you bought a flashlight lately, or used home automation gadgets? In the year 2023 and IOT world (Arduino and such) every key/every pin is costly and thus devices are created with one button only. Press once, press twice or press long is all that will be distinguished.

Sooner or later we are all back to one button keyboards and good knowledge in Morse code. I am so happy that a real smart home neither needs a button nor an app. It is smart and knows when you need the light - without you touching any button.

Having said that, I should be wondering whether a spaceship could be made smart, too.

[phkb]

Sooner or later we are all back to one button keyboards and good knowledge in Morse code.

All that said, I do reiterate my suggestion from a while back that the control scheme language inside the game should match the control scheme language in the help docs and cheat sheets.

The document I posted up-thread is from the latest 1.91 version. I've tried to eliminate the discrepancies in language when compared to 1.91, but please let me know if I've missed anything!

Also, right now things like the (1.9 and earlier) hotkeys for equipment are sometimes referred to as "offensive" and "defensive" hotkeys, and other times aren't described in those terms.

Here's something I prepared earlier: AdjustPrimableEquipmentManager.oxz. This mod (for Oolite 1.90) changes the descriptive labels of the "offensive" and "defensive" hot keys, to something a little more understandable. It won't be needed in 1.91, as I've already put the change into that version.

The other stuff - noted! I've still got to buy myself a throttle so I can look at how that can work with Oolite.

[arquebus]

Ah brilliant. I've just started using 1.91!

[phkb]

Ah brilliant. I've just started using 1.91!

Awesome!

[Switeck]

I'm using someone's personal mod of Oolite which also maps Keys [ and ] to user-chosen equipment.
This gives me 4 on-demand equipment choices and 1 I can manually change on-the-fly.

Considering what I'm doing with misjump madness, it's still not enough...

[phkb]

I'm using someone's personal mod of Oolite which also maps Keys [ and ] to user-chosen equipment.
This gives me 4 on-demand equipment choices and 1 I can manually change on-the-fly.

Considering what I'm doing with misjump madness, it's still not enough...

Any reason why you’re not using 1.91, which would give you an unlimited number of equipment keys?

[Switeck]

I am using a Oolite v1.91
"Opening log for Oolite version 1.91 (x86-64 test release) "
...just not the latest v1.91.

I've been looking in the wrong place at Manage Primable Equipment (under Ship and System Interfaces) instead of under Game Options at the start for Keyboard settings.

The v1.91 you pointed me to...runs like crap on my PC, with low framerate. My graphics card can't do the HDR modes that Oolite v1.91 tries to use it seems...

Opening log for Oolite development version 1.91.0.7562-231124-3c060f1 (x86-64 test release) under Windows 6.1.7601.24544 Service Pack 1 64-bit at 2023-11-26 00:56:41 -0600.
00:56:43.420 [rendering.opengl.version]: OpenGL renderer version: 3.3.0 ("3.3.0"). Vendor: "NVIDIA Corporation". Renderer: "GeForce GTS 250/PCIe/SSE2".

What's more, graphics such as planetary textures are horribly bugged -- super-glowing where they shouldn't be or too dark, but it doesn't even consistently do that all the time!

[phkb]

I am using a Oolite v1.91
"Opening log for Oolite version 1.91 (x86-64 test release) "
...just not the latest v1.91.

I've been looking in the wrong place at Manage Primable Equipment (under Ship and System Interfaces) instead of under Game Options at the start for Keyboard settings.

The v1.91 you pointed me to...runs like crap on my PC, with low framerate. My graphics card can't do the HDR modes that Oolite v1.91 tries to use it seems...

Opening log for Oolite development version 1.91.0.7562-231124-3c060f1 (x86-64 test release) under Windows 6.1.7601.24544 Service Pack 1 64-bit at 2023-11-26 00:56:41 -0600.
00:56:43.420 [rendering.opengl.version]: OpenGL renderer version: 3.3.0 ("3.3.0"). Vendor: "NVIDIA Corporation". Renderer: "GeForce GTS 250/PCIe/SSE2".

What's more, graphics such as planetary textures are horribly bugged -- super-glowing where they shouldn't be or too dark, but it doesn't even consistently do that all the time!

it might be worth opening a new thread to go into the details. These sort of issues are serious enough to warrant investigation.

First question: is your display HDR capable?

[phkb]

Something to try: can you put

Code: Select all

“hdr” = NO;

into your .GNUstepDefaults file, to see if that clears up the performance issues (@a_c, correct me if I’ve got the wrong setting here!)