What are some common default control mappings for fps/rpg?

its time to decide on the default control mappings for Caveman:

http://www.gamedev.net/blog/1730/entry-2258672-caveman-v30-general-desciption/

its a rpg/person sim with 1st person and 3rd person views.

So i'm planning on WASD and mouse, obviously, but beyond that, i'm finding few conventions for control assignments.

here are the basic controls in the game with the current default assignments (originally heavily influenced by Oblivion):

I can only speak from the gamer's perspective, so I hope this will be helpful.

Regardless of the amount of jumping, I'd rather have jump on Space and interact in E, for 2 reasons:

1) Space being jump is in sooo many games that it's basically embedded into gamer's subconscious, and changing that will just throw everyone off balance

2) E is basically under the finger and more... preferred for that usage (again, vast amount of other games have influenced this).

Other than the control assignment you wrote, on the keyboard... there isn't actually any. Reason for that I believe is the button location - you have WASD buttons, standardized in almost every 3D game for movement, under your ring, middle and index finger, easily accessible Q, E, R, F, V, C, X and Y with those same fingers, pretty big Space button under thumb, and two bigger buttons - L Shift and L Ctrl - under little finger.

Sure, you can move that setup to the, for example, RDFG for movement but that will only confuse everyone.

Before (iirc about 10 years ago), common movement setup was arrow buttons (and now in the games which don't require many buttons) because arrows... well... symbolize movement. However, there aren't any other buttons set up near them so hand has to jump on the alphanumeric part of the keyboard for other buttons. Only button that's conveniently placed is the R Ctrl for little finger.

However, there is one other setup that I have on my mind... I don't know how the left handed people use PC, but probably having left-handed setup based on numeric part of keyboard (8456 for movement, 0 for jump, 7 for interact, 9 for autorun etc.) would be at least appreciated.

Just a personal opinion. Can't the camera be made to follow the player like in classic settings in gta where you don't need a mouse as it automatically changes itself.
Z - sprint
Lctrl - attack
E - run
W - walk forward (i prefer the arrow keys for movement)

classic gtas are top down not first or third person so you dont need to look around. With no look around in first person you have doom where everything is the same level which would be just bizarre nowadays.

Just a personal opinion. Can't the camera be made to follow the player like in classic settings in gta where you don't need a mouse as it automatically changes itself.
Z - sprint
Lctrl - attack
E - run
W - walk forward (i prefer the arrow keys for movement)

classic gtas are top down not first or third person so you dont need to look around. With no look around in first person you have doom where everything is the same level which would be just bizarre nowadays.

Just a personal opinion. Can't the camera be made to follow the player like in classic settings in gta where you don't need a mouse as it automatically changes itself.
Z - sprint
Lctrl - attack
E - run
W - walk forward (i prefer the arrow keys for movement)

classic gtas are top down not first or third person so you dont need to look around. With no look around in first person you have doom where everything is the same level which would be just bizarre nowadays.

it's not top down (if it was, i wouldn't play it). In the options menu, there is standard and classic. If you choose standard, you have to use the mouse to view things but if it's classic, the view changes and you don't need a mouse.

Oh you are talking about a classic setting. I thought you meant the settings of classic GTA. I still dont understand how that works. How could you possible aim?? Is that tied to keys or something??

Just a personal opinion. Can't the camera be made to follow the player like in classic settings in gta where you don't need a mouse as it automatically changes itself.
Z - sprint
Lctrl - attack
E - run
W - walk forward (i prefer the arrow keys for movement)

classic gtas are top down not first or third person so you dont need to look around. With no look around in first person you have doom where everything is the same level which would be just bizarre nowadays.

it's not top down (if it was, i wouldn't play it). In the options menu, there is standard and classic. If you choose standard, you have to use the mouse to view things but if it's classic, the view changes and you don't need a mouse.

Oh you are talking about a classic setting. I thought you meant the settings of classic GTA. I still dont understand how that works. How could you possible aim?? Is that tied to keys or something??

I must be missing something or you are giving a bad explanation but that sounds terrible. And way slower than just moving a mouse to look. So you cant turn and walk at the same time?? Or pressing A is turn left which means no strafe?? Unless what you are talking about is basically twin sticks but with keys?? That might make sense.

I must be missing something or you are giving a bad explanation but that sounds terrible. And way slower than just moving a mouse to look. So you cant turn and walk at the same time?? Or pressing A is turn left which means no strafe?? Unless what you are talking about is basically twin sticks but with keys?? That might make sense.