I need help deciding how the controls in my game will work. I am planning on creating a third person action game where you run around a city shooting up hordes of zombies. Along the way you can buy new weapons/armour etc. I want to make the game 3D and most likely the view will be a long shot from high above the player and slightly tilted so that you can see where you are going (imagine higher and zoomed out zelda or GTA). Im not sure what the easiest style of controls for this kind of game will be as turning will need to be quick so that when swarmed from all sides you can deal to the crowd. The different styles of controls I have come up with are: 1. Up and down arrows will move the player forwards and backwards respectively and the left and right buttons will turn the player quickly. 2. Use the mouse in the same kind of style as GTA 3 so that the left and right movements of it turn the player. Up and down arrows will move player forwards and backwards. I am open to suggestions on other possible ways the controls can be made. Thanx.

I usually like WSAD (Forward Back Strafe Left / Right) + mouse (looking / turning)

The arrows usually lack having keys nearby for reloading etc

The best option is probably to have an input event system setup so that the user can customize his/her keys for themselves.

Just have dual-analog support. Or else...

Okay, thanx for the help deciding. I reckon I will go with the WASD + mouse controls system, but allow the user to change other controls like reload/jump/crouch.

Im still sceptical at how well it will work with the mouse if the view is much more zoomed out than the GTA3 view though. So I guess the only way to find out if it will work will be to actually make the game now..

Maybe you'll just need to make more obvious where the player is pointing to. A obvious "locked on" signal, mouse cursor, laser sight or tracer ammo may come in hand now.