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LT on an XBOX Controller

Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2018 7:54 pm
by Hyperion
At the PAX Demos, Players were handed XBOX controllers and allowed to play demos of a narrow slice of LT. What I'm wondering is how we could get as much functionality out of a controller as possible.

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Here are the mappings of a few different games
Spoiler:      SHOW
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My thinking is that we might be able to squeeze more utility from the controller by creating different modes that the player can cycle through, with the mappings being tied to the current mode. So for example a Combat Mode may have X open an orders panel, which shows you any outstanding orders from your superiors, and also the ability to quickly issue orders to different units. While in Research Mode, the X button opens the list of currently active and available research projects, and in Economic mode, X opens the local market panel.

I haven't really used a console controller in a while, but I know that many people enjoy them, and I think it's worth discussing how to tackle it as a UI issue, since there will need to be a lot of functionality stuffed into it.

Re: LT on an XBOX Controller

Posted: Thu Feb 08, 2018 10:13 pm
by BFett
I have a 6 button gamepad which I used to play X-wing Alliance (along with some keyboard commands). Some useful features to consider are:

Flight Combat Mode:
Increase/Decrease throttle
Fire active weapon group(s)
Cycle active weapon group(s)
Select nearest enemy
Fire counter measures
Adjust Shield/Weapon power
Adjust Shields (Forward, Aft, port <-, starboard ->)

Flight Non-combat:
Pickup/Drop container
Toggle Scanner
Toggle Map
Toggle Modes (Combat/Non) ?
Contextual buttons (such as if near a station to dock)


Thoughts?

Re: LT on an XBOX Controller

Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2018 10:37 am
by Talvieno
Hyperion wrote:
Thu Feb 08, 2018 7:54 pm
My thinking is that we might be able to squeeze more utility from the controller by creating different modes that the player can cycle through, with the mappings being tied to the current mode.
This is a pretty neat idea, and I think Josh would love it. :D I don't use controllers enough to have any specific suggestions, though... but I'm wondering how to make it very clear which mode the controller is currently in. I'm guessing it would have to be something on the HUD.

Re: LT on an XBOX Controller

Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2018 7:20 pm
by Hyperion
I've given this a little more thought, and I came up with some potential modes and mappings which could be applied to Vanilla gameplay, and offer a template for other mods, since presumably modders will want their XBC interfaces to be as intuitive as possible

A - Primary Action
B - Secondary Action
X - Previous Target/selection (Tap) / Toggle Reticle (Long tap)
Y - Next Target/selection (Tap) / Radial menu (Hold)

D-pad
Up (^) - Menu Up
Down (v) - Menu Down
Left (<) - Menu Back
Right (>) - Menu Select

LB - Previous Mode (Double Tap) / Alternate Function #1 for Combos (Hold)
RB - Next Mode (Double Tap) / Alternate Function #2 for Combos (Hold)
LT -
RT -

Combos
LB + RB : Shows current mode (Tap) / Display current mapping (Hold both)
LB + LT - Copy Selection
LB + RT - Paste Selection
LT + RT - Display list of all available modes
Some Modes and an incomplete list of possible bindings

Combat Mode - For the heat of battle
LT - Fire Primary Weapon
RT - Fire Secondary Weapon
LB + X - Order attack/GoTo target
LB + Y - Radial Menu for orders
LB + ^/v - Hard Pitch change
LB + </> - Hard Roll change
RB + A + ^ : Overcharge Weapons / RB + A + v : Divert Power From Weapons / RB + A + > : Max Power weapons
RB + B + ^ : Overcharge Thrusters / "" / ""
RB + X + ^ : Overcharge Shields / "" / ""

Strategy Mode - For organizing units
A - Select/deselect unit/group / LB + A + Right Stick : Select/deselect all units in area / RB + A - Select all units of same type in system
B - Issue order / LB + B : Create new Order / RB + B View Orders
X - Save/Delete Rally Point (point of interest) / LB + X + < - Previous point of interest / LB + X > - Next point of interest / RB + X - Create Patrol
Y - Toggle between 3D and List/map


Economic Mode - For interfacing with the markets & being a trader
A - Open market, Buy/Sell / LB + A - Buy/Sell multiple / RB + A - Buy/Sell all
B - Open Contract board / LB + B - Create new Contract / RB + B - View contracts
X - Current Ship/Station inventory / LB + X - inventory for all assets in system / RB + X - Universal Inventory
Y - Select Trade Route / LB + Y Create Trade Route

Mining Mode - For gathering and prospecting
??? Stuff to do with prospecting, controlling drones, controlling outposts,

Research Mode - For doing SCIENCE!!!!
??? Stuff to do with blueprints and research

Industrial Mode - For manufacturing
??? Stuff to do with blueprints and manufacturing

Custom Mode - User defined functions and mappings


These are honestly just suggestions to give the gist of what each mode would do and are clearly not an exhaustive list, The specific functions and mappings would need thorough playtesting. However once a good template is established, Other mods could use the template for whatever functions and features they add.

Re: LT on an XBOX Controller

Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2018 8:31 am
by Mistycica
I'll drop my E:D bindings here for consideration, because I think they work rather well for a game that requires a good few keys. Far from ideal though :D
Spoiler:      SHOW
In flight:

Back: focus chat window
Start: game menu
RT: throttle up
RB: throttle down
LS: pitch+yaw
RS: roll
LS click: boost
RS click: toggle RS to function as head view
LT+LS: pitch+roll
LT+RS: vertical+lateral thrust
LB+RT: toggle FSD
LB+RB: togger Supercruise
X: weapon 1
Y: weapon 2
B: back/cancel
A+X: lock target in front
A+Y: select next system in route
LB+X: cycle weapon groups
LB+A: toggle landing gear
LB+Y: toggle cargo scoop
LB+B: drop speed to zero
D-pad: system energy management
LB+Dright: focus right panel
LB+Dleft: focus left panel
LB+Ddown: focus bottom panel

I think all behavior in other contexts (menus etc) is basically default.
There's probably going to be fewer bindings for flight in LT? A lot of E:D's is just a niche mess, like landing gears not autodeploying, and having two FTL modes, and having to snap between UI panels. It might free up just enough keys to make that 'mode' trick work, I do like the idea of that one.

Re: LT on an XBOX Controller

Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2018 9:15 am
by Cornflakes_91
Mistycica wrote:
Sat Feb 10, 2018 8:31 am
and having two FTL modes
which work off the same button anyway :V
Mistycica wrote:
Sat Feb 10, 2018 8:31 am
and having to snap between UI panels
which enables basically unlimited UI panels off a few buttons.
i have one extra button to get to all the UI panels (which modifies my power allocation buttons to panel snap buttons)

otherwise you'd have to have a button for every single panel or click through some menu with at least one extra button press

Re: LT on an XBOX Controller

Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2018 4:35 am
by Mistycica
Cornflakes_91 wrote:
Sat Feb 10, 2018 9:15 am
which work off the same button anyway :V
But you don't want them to work off the same button, since the whole thing just goes "target obscured" when there's a stellar body between you and your target system, which happens very often when taking off a planet, and semi-often around stations.

The panels are fine I guess, though it's a bit of a bother that my panel snap modifier being LB, it always pops the panel subtab one to the left when I use it. It could just not do that, that would be fine.

Re: LT on an XBOX Controller

Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2018 5:26 am
by Cornflakes_91
Mistycica wrote:
Sun Feb 11, 2018 4:35 am
But you don't want them to work off the same button, since the whole thing just goes "target obscured" when there's a stellar body between you and your target system, which happens very often when taking off a planet, and semi-often around stations.
didnt run into that during two days of intensive flying around, i dont have horizons tho.
Mistycica wrote:
Sun Feb 11, 2018 4:35 am
The panels are fine I guess, though it's a bit of a bother that my panel snap modifier being LB, it always pops the panel subtab one to the left when I use it. It could just not do that, that would be fine.
that is a you-problem, though :V
(a me-problem is that the game randomly decides that it wants to switch headlook mode on whichs directional controls overlap with my energy controls)

Re: LT on an XBOX Controller

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2018 1:34 pm
by Philip Coutts
I think Elite Dangerous does a pretty good job on both xbox and PS4 controllers, not saying it's perfect but it definitely shows it can be done. I'm hoping I can play LT with my HOTAS set up but time will tell I guess.

Re: LT on an XBOX Controller

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2018 4:00 pm
by N810
or.... :think:
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Re: LT on an XBOX Controller

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2018 5:52 pm
by Cornflakes_91
N810 wrote:
Wed Feb 14, 2018 4:00 pm
or.... :think:
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Because its so different from xbox/playstation controllers? :V

Re: LT on an XBOX Controller

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2018 6:15 pm
by N810
Because it a better controller for games designed to use a mouse. :think: