Player Control
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I've just laid out a really simple 10X10 room map, and I'm going to put my character into the room. I'm curious as to how I should go about controlling my character. The map uses diamond tiles so its not as simple as up on the keypad equalling up on the screen. But I'm thinking I might still like to use the keyboard for the controls, would it work to make the controls like this
UP - North East
Right - South East
Down - South West
Left - North West
This would really just be using the controls for a square tile game and showing the game on an angle, I'm just worried that the controls won't be easy to get used to. Also if I just use the controls like you normally would then the character would be moving one way while everything else was facing another.
I know I could use the mouse for control like they do in normal RPGs and then use pathfinding, but I find that doesn't quite give you the same response times.
So what do you guys think? Keyboard Controls that are a little off? or figure something else out?
The 45-degree-off control scheme is pretty much standard, used since the ancient isometric games on the Spectrum. It'll be fine, trust me.
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Quote:Original post by Wyrframe
The 45-degree-off control scheme is pretty much standard, used since the ancient isometric games on the Spectrum. It'll be fine, trust me.
And generally does UP equal North-East or North-West?
When I'm drawing my map I'm treating The North-East corner of the screen as the top of the map area, thats why I would make the controls like that but I'm not sure which way is more standard.
I've always used up as North-East. But recently I did find a game that was North-West, but it tool me a good 5 minutes for me to stop hitting the wrong buttons...
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Well here is what I have come up with so far, I know its not a full screen shot but there is not much more to show.
Currently it will only handle small maps (10X10) it allows the player to move while being blocked by walls, and there are crates that the player can push around. I'm going to work on making it a little like Sokoban and I'm not too far from that so that is just the beginning
I need to work on making it handle large maps and having the map scroll around with the player in the center.
Currently it will only handle small maps (10X10) it allows the player to move while being blocked by walls, and there are crates that the player can push around. I'm going to work on making it a little like Sokoban and I'm not too far from that so that is just the beginning
I need to work on making it handle large maps and having the map scroll around with the player in the center.
Looking good there. I'd say that north-east makes most sense to me. That's what I've always traditionally used. Additionally, there are games that don't have keyboard movement and everything is done entirely by the mouse. I doubt that's what you want, though.
For intuitive directions of movement, always think in terms of a clock face. The starting and ending point is 12 o'clock, and directions increase in a clockwise manner. Isometric movement in only the diagonal directions would be in the order of northeast, southeast, southwest, northwest, and arrow keys would be in the order north, east, south, west, and so you simply map the isometric directions to the arrow key directions in the same order.
I remember playing some old isometric games which used A, Z, K and M. I know it may seems odd at first, and it does require two-handed control, but it can prove a little more instinctive for some.
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Quote:Original post by TANSTAAFL
For intuitive directions of movement, always think in terms of a clock face. The starting and ending point is 12 o'clock, and directions increase in a clockwise manner. Isometric movement in only the diagonal directions would be in the order of northeast, southeast, southwest, northwest, and arrow keys would be in the order north, east, south, west, and so you simply map the isometric directions to the arrow key directions in the same order.
Sorry TANSTAAFL I don't think I see what your point is. If the directions on the screen are northeast, southeast, southwest, northwest like you said and the arrows are north, east, south and west. How does that help me? are you saying that since northeast on the screen is first and north on the keyboard is first then they will likely go together? if so then great thats what I've done..
But if you mean that you should have to click north and east at the same time then I don't like that Idea
ghosted - Thanks for the suggestion, I was thing to maybe use a set of keys like s = northeast, x = southeast, z=southwest, and a = northwest, but I think its much easier to just use the normal arrowkeys.
I've actually got the game going pretty good now, and you can play a little Sokoban (you can't win) and the arrow keys are working great with up = northeast.
Hey Turt,
I'd say stick with what you have. I think it's the more common way.
Another alternative is to treat the controls as forward, reverse, left, and right (GTA2 does this). So the map direction doesn't matter. With forward you always move in the direction you are facing. Left and right change the direction you face. Reverse can either backstep or make you spin around. I tend to dislike this scheme though when the turning is slow. It always feels like you have to stop moving to turn. So it may depend on the type of game and how smoothly you can move around the world.
I'm curious to know about your development time on this. How long have you been working on it? Did you start from scratch or could you use much from the Puzzle Blocks game?
I'd say stick with what you have. I think it's the more common way.
Another alternative is to treat the controls as forward, reverse, left, and right (GTA2 does this). So the map direction doesn't matter. With forward you always move in the direction you are facing. Left and right change the direction you face. Reverse can either backstep or make you spin around. I tend to dislike this scheme though when the turning is slow. It always feels like you have to stop moving to turn. So it may depend on the type of game and how smoothly you can move around the world.
I'm curious to know about your development time on this. How long have you been working on it? Did you start from scratch or could you use much from the Puzzle Blocks game?
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