Constantly looking at quickbars

[Bearded_Assassin]

Hi all,

 

I've only been playing a couple of weeks, but one of the things I've noticed is that I'm missing out a bit on the pretty combat animations because most of the time I'm looking down at the quickbar waiting for when I've got enough force/focus/whatever for a particular attack, waiting for the current attack to finish and cooldowns. Is there any way I can mess about with the HUD so it's less jarring or have I got to live with it? I mean, I've played WoW but I don't recall watching the quickbar as much I don't think.

[Rhysling]

Hi all,

 

I've only been playing a couple of weeks, but one of the things I've noticed is that I'm missing out a bit on the pretty combat animations because most of the time I'm looking down at the quickbar waiting for when I've got enough force/focus/whatever for a particular attack, waiting for the current attack to finish and cooldowns. Is there any way I can mess about with the HUD so it's less jarring or have I got to live with it? I mean, I've played WoW but I don't recall watching the quickbar as much I don't think.

 

Well you could move the quick-bars around. Maybe closer to center if you need it. Play around with the UI editor and see if you can create something you are comfortable with.

[Codek]

You should eventually start to formulate a pattern of the global cool down of abilities and the motion of your eyes. Basically you will learn to flash your eyes to the hot bars and get a snap shot of what is on and off cooldowns and then make a snap decision (usually you already have it in mind before hand) on what to use next. By the time the ability is triggered, your eyes should already be located towards something else on the screen for the next 1.5 seconds. repeat...

 

Further you will grow more into a pattern with what order and when you use your abilities to the point where you no longer have to look at the bar at all. Simple peripheral vision can give you all the information you need at this point.

 

I don't know of any easy fix that will help you out, just a matter of training yourself to not look at it so frequently.

Edited June 15, 2012 by Codek

[ZenMorph]

Hi all,

 

I've only been playing a couple of weeks, but one of the things I've noticed is that I'm missing out a bit on the pretty combat animations because most of the time I'm looking down at the quickbar waiting for when I've got enough force/focus/whatever for a particular attack, waiting for the current attack to finish and cooldowns. Is there any way I can mess about with the HUD so it's less jarring or have I got to live with it? I mean, I've played WoW but I don't recall watching the quickbar as much I don't think.

 

Actually, I experienced that problem to a lesser degree in WoW. The solution there was to install an addon (Power Auras). Like the above poster said, maybe tinker with the UI. It may help to move the quick bars closer to center of screen and then fade them so they're not too intrusive. Just enough to let you know when an ability is off cooldown.

[Primarch_PWnD]

I had this problem when I first started playing as well. I ended up buying myself a mouse with a million buttons on it. This way, you don't need to be making a hundred small mouse movements a minute just to cycle through your rotation of abilities, because you can bind ALL of the quickslots to your mouse, and can actually watch the game while you're playing it. Now, I only have to glance down quickly every now and then to check on cooldowns, and my mouse is 100% free to move the camera around WHILE i'm clicking it fire off abilities.

 

People tend toward the Naga: Razor as their MMO gaming mouse.

 

I'll tell you, I definately became a better playing after getting used to playing with the mouse, for that reason, I can watch and play at the same time.

Edited June 15, 2012 by Primarch_PWnD

[DarthVenizen]

I had this problem when I first started playing as well. I ended up buying myself a mouse with a million buttons on it. This way, you don't need to be making a hundred small mouse movements a minute just to cycle through your rotation of abilities, and can actually watch the game while you're playing it.

 

People tend toward the Naga: Razor as their MMO gaming mouse.

 

I'll tell you, I definately became a better playing after getting used to playing with the mouse, for that reason, I can watch and play at the same time.

 

or u can just.... keybind buttons so you're not a clicker...

[Jenzali]

Move your character's energy bar near the center of your screen, and make a separate quickbar for cooldown, condition, or resource constrained abilities. These should all be keybound of course, but move that quickbar near the middle of your screen

[Temeluchus]

or u can just.... keybind buttons so you're not a clicker...

 

Well, you knew that clicking comment was coming, but it got here quicker than I thought.

[Primarch_PWnD]

or u can just.... keybind buttons so you're not a clicker...

 

you could JUST do that, which also tends to give people mobility problems....it's not as easy as it sounds to be moving around in combat, pressing w, then q, then a, then s, then w again, all the while trying the shift+r, shift+f, ctrl+f, shift+g....

 

JUST getting the mouse, makes life easier

Edited June 15, 2012 by Primarch_PWnD

[sumuji]

or u can just.... keybind buttons so you're not a clicker...

 

Unless you can hit all of the keys blindfolded with 100% accuracy it would still defeat the purpose. And playing a really really simple class.

Edited June 15, 2012 by sumuji

[Codek]

you could JUST do that, which also tends to give people mobility problems....it's not as easy as it sounds to be moving around in combat, pressing w, then q, then a, then s, then w again, all the while trying the shift+r, shift+f, ctrl+f, shift+g....

 

JUST getting the mouse, makes life easier

 

I'd suggest moving around with the mouse, just requires a strafe left and strafe right button on top of the default settings on the mouse.

[DarthVenizen]

Well, you knew that clicking comment was coming, but it got here quicker than I thought.

 

hehe

[DarthVenizen]

you could JUST do that, which also tends to give people mobility problems....it's not as easy as it sounds to be moving around in combat, pressing w, then q, then a, then s, then w again, all the while trying the shift+r, shift+f, ctrl+f, shift+g....

 

JUST getting the mouse, makes life easier

 

dn't get me wrong i have a naga epic, as well as a razer nostromo,

 

it does make life easier but the mouse i only use for like 4 buttons while the nostromo is still my predominantly used item, hell i used to be one of those people originally who just kept everything 1-12 and used that lol

[DarthVenizen]

Unless you can hit all of the keys blindfolded with 100% accuracy it would still defeat the purpose. And playing a really really simple class.

 

clicking creates mobility problems, it's much more efficient to be a keybinder, and if you don't actually know the layout and button spread of your keyboard then wth i mean it's not hard to figure out where the buttons are and memorize which ones you hit...

[Aharx]

dn't get me wrong i have a naga epic, as well as a razer nostromo,

 

it does make life easier but the mouse i only use for like 4 buttons while the nostromo is still my predominantly used item, hell i used to be one of those people originally who just kept everything 1-12 and used that lol

 

Personal preference I guess. I've been playing MMOs for about 12 years now. I still am one of those who use 1-12(- +). It's how I've always done it and it work fine for me. I also use a R.A.T.9 mouse. It doesn't have that many extra buttons on it, but a few. I much prefer the 1-12 methods and then just re-using those. So I'll have 1-12, and then CTRL+ 1-12, SHIFT + 1-12, etc. etc.

[DarthVenizen]

Personal preference I guess. I've been playing MMOs for about 12 years now. I still am one of those who use 1-12(- +). It's how I've always done it and it work fine for me. I also use a R.A.T.9 mouse. It doesn't have that many extra buttons on it, but a few. I much prefer the 1-12 methods and then just re-using those. So I'll have 1-12, and then CTRL+ 1-12, SHIFT + 1-12, etc. etc.

 

yea i used to do that like i said, it just got sort of awkward for me as i don't necessarily have the hand length to hit - & = accurately enough lol xD

[peterjohndevries]

yea i used to do that like i said, it just got sort of awkward for me as i don't necessarily have the hand length to hit - & = accurately enough lol xD

 

exactly. I use mouse only for movement/rotation and CC break. I use the gaming keypad with a handrest and 14 keybindings in my left so the keys are all nicely at my fingers (row of 5, row of 5, row of 4, + next foe/next ally from thrumb)

 

Is this not very normal to use the mouse left/right 100% for movement/rotation instead of wasd?

[Stonedsoul]

Unless you can hit all of the keys blindfolded with 100% accuracy it would still defeat the purpose. And playing a really really simple class.

 

Em.... I don't mean to be an ***, but most online players can hit them keys with 100% accuracy in their sleep. If you are still looking at your keyboard when you type, you are doing something horribly wrong...

Edited June 15, 2012 by Stonedsoul

[GnatB]

Get a g-13 or other programmable device. So when you press a key it tries to do 2 things. Fire the high resource cost/long cooldown ability that does loads of damage, or a low cost/no cooldown ability.

 

Keeps you from having to pay as much attention to the quickbars amd more attention to what's actually going around. May not give the "optimal" damage rotation, but at least you get to see what's actually happening instead of playing "whack-a-mole" with your keybinds.

 

(Note: Less useful for trooper/smuggler and mirrors due to the way their resources work., way useful for knights and their mirrors)

 

(and p.s. I'm fully willing to say I would LOVE it if we could script buttons. When I push this button, if energy > 75%, if X is available do X. If Y is available and target is stunned do Y. If energy < 50% if Z is available do Z. Otherwise do A. Note: Not anywhere NEAR full automization. Still only does 1 ability when you press a key. And, of course, different scripts on different keys. One key would do the best threat builder available. Another key would do the best AoE available. A third key would do the best defensive ability available, one key would do the best heal available, etc.)

 

But then again, I enjoy doing AI work, and feel PvP is fairly pointless in a RPG like this since it's almost all based on character stats anyways, and I'm not overly fond of the design of conditional abilities. I feel they frequently should just be modifiers on normal abilities. (i.e. the abilities everybody gets that does more damage to stunned/immobalized weak/standard enemies (and most people don't even upgrade/put on their bars) should just be a modifier to your regular attack so it does more damage under those conditions.) And, of course, a lot (all?) of the procs that affect other abilities should be far more obvious to the user than another buff icon amongst 10 others.

[Temeluchus]

Em.... I don't mean to be an ***, but most online players can hit them keys with 100% accuracy in their sleep. If you are still looking at your keyboard when you type, you are doing something horribly wrong...

 

In that case what would you recommend for me? I have severe nerve damage in my left arm from an injury suffered in the USMC. The arm currently has limited mobility and range and I am right handed. Pressing the WASD keys to move or binding a few abilities there is doable but is about the extent of what I can deal with before I begin to suffer a lot of pain and fatigue in the arm.

 

I've tried keybinding to the right side and using the mouse with the left but that causes even more fatigue in the left arm. Nothing has worked as of yet and I remain a dirty clicker, a dirty clicker who still does quite well as a Mara and PT in PvE and PvP,mind you.

 

I'm open to suggestions that will help me improve, other than "quit playing MMOs".

[Your_dominus]

or u can just.... keybind buttons so you're not a clicker...

What?

mapping abilities to the mouse is keybinding, as much as keybinding abilites to keyboard strokes. Clicking= mouse clicking your action bars.

Don't be a jerk.

Edited June 15, 2012 by Your_dominus

[Thekze]

Hey there,

 

I would strongly recommend the use of keyboard binds into your gameplay. Key Binding means to associate a skill in your quickbar to a keyboard button.

 

Start by binding a skill to the letter Q. You just need one now, when you feel comfortable using it, try binding E for example. And go like this.

 

On my keyboard, I have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 - Q, E, F, G, X, V, Shift + F, Shift + Q, Shift-E to my quickbar, all on different skills. I also have 4 skills binded on my mouse buttons.

 

How to bind keys: Go in options, click on the key bindings tab, go in Quickbar

 

From there, check out the available keys on the right. Find the following buttons in the list:

 

Quickbar 1

Quickbar 2 (bottom quickbar)

Quickbar 3 (left quickbar)

Quickbar 4 (right quickbar)

 

By binding keys, it will be easier for you to play the game. Remember, bind the first one and get used to it before binding a second one. At some point, you will learn by heart which skill is on which button and you will look less at your quickbars.

 

Enjoy

[Rebornlos]

Im a clicker and I dont care if people say crap about it. You play your way ill play mine. As for the OP, my wife bought me a Razor Naga that has 12 buttons on my right hand thumb. Helps alot by having you only click longer cd/temp buffs/first aid etc on side bars.

 

This game has a 1.5 second global and is not so fast paced that you absolutely have to keybind everything. Other than that I can just tell you that as with all things in life, the more you do it the more youll get used to the internal cds in your head and resource management gets better the longer you stick with it.

 

Dont listen to others that try to shame you into playing the way they do. We each have different physical and mental capabilities that help/hinder us individually. The human mind is amazing and since this isnt a twitch reliant game you will adjust just fine by finding your own style. Gl and as I said investing in a good mouse does make a difference imo. If nothing else it gives you more options for less than $100 and should last you years. Semper Fi.

Edited June 15, 2012 by Rebornlos
Stupid Ipad keyboard

[Your_dominus]

Im a clicker and I dont care if people say crap about it. You play your way ill play mine. As for the OP, my wife bought me a Razor Naga that has 12 buttons on my right hand thumb. Helps alot by having you only click longer cd/temp buffs/first aid etc on side bars.

 

Ok, Again.....clicking is when you mouse click your action bar.

There is nothing wrong with keymapping abilities to mouse clicks.

Edited June 15, 2012 by Your_dominus

[BrewMike]

In that case what would you recommend for me? I have severe nerve damage in my left arm from an injury suffered in the USMC. The arm currently has limited mobility and range and I am right handed. Pressing the WASD keys to move or binding a few abilities there is doable but is about the extent of what I can deal with before I begin to suffer a lot of pain and fatigue in the arm.

 

I've tried keybinding to the right side and using the mouse with the left but that causes even more fatigue in the left arm. Nothing has worked as of yet and I remain a dirty clicker, a dirty clicker who still does quite well as a Mara and PT in PvE and PvP,mind you.

 

I'm open to suggestions that will help me improve, other than "quit playing MMOs".

 

First of all, I want thank you for your service. Have you considered using your feet? You could try using a foot mouse like this http://www.fentek-ind.com/footime.htm or maybe just foot pedals to emulate the shift/ctrl/alt keys. I don't have any experience with foot controls, but think they might be useful for you. Heck, they could be useful to anyone, freeing up the mouse hand.