Thursday, April 26, 2012

A list of keyboard issues for EA to fix

I would like to create a list of keyboard issues so that EA knows exactly what they have to fix. I want to emphasize that I am making this list based on my demo experience. I intend to buy a copy of the full version but not before I see that these keyboard issues are sorted out. Before I form the list, let me elaborate a bit on the reason the keyboard is so important in PC releases, talking mostly out of a personal experience.
I am 29 y.o. and I got my first PC when I was 9 y.o. Back then every game released for the PC was optimized either for keyboards or for keyboards and mice. Inevitably we had to learn how to play games using the arrow keys for movement. Yes I did buy joysticks and joypads later on, but I had gotten used to moving my gaming characters using my right hand and perform other actions using my left hand (wasd buttons). Later on, after the playstation gamepads era, I could never get used to moving my character using my left hand so I stuck with the keyboard. So it's not only an issue of cost. I do have joypads (2 to be precise) but it's only for my friends to use when we play against each other.
If a game is not playable using the keyboard it's pretty much not playable at all for me. I don't have the will nor the time to learn how to play with a joypad. And yes it's obviously not as efficient as a joypad when it comes to 360 degrees movement but it's still possible to move in more than 8 directions. So let me start with the list
LIST OF KEYBOARD ISSUES
- Inability to configure the keyboard in-game
You can't turn manual on or off and you can't change the assistance level when it comes to the cpu swapping players for you etc. There's not a lot more to tell since according to Ian EA is already working on a fix.
8-directional movement
Yes we know, we use the arrow keys but since 360 degrees have been implemented in gaming some developers have managed to emulate 360 movement using the keyboard. The best example of this would be the NBA 2k series. The way they solved it is when for example you move upwards, and then you press the right arrow button, the player doesn't turn 90 degrees, instead he rotates gradually (let's say 10 degrees per milisecond - just an amateurish estimate) for as long as you keep the right arrow button pressed. This gives you the feeling of 360 and you can move in plenty of directions. Konami also made a system that is better than 8 directions (it's basically more like 16-directional movement) but it's nowhere near as good as the NBA 2k series for the PC.
Right stick tricks
Ok let's admit it, it's impossible to emulate the right stick on a keyboard. You'd need 3 hands to play it. So it's almost impossible to perform any tricks. This makes gameplay much more dull. Instead of trying to emulate the right tick with more keys you should be able to assign those tricks to a combination of an extra button + the direction you are heading. And we should be able to configure ourselves which button we want that one to be.
Throw-ins
It's a bit weird doing throw-ins using the keyboard. You can only turn from far right to far left and nowhere in between.
If any of you have more issues with the keyboard please talk about them here and I will add them to the list.

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