Default Keyboard Controls

I'd move jump to spacebar (most common key for jumping) and fire to ctrl (then all keys are reachable by one hand, having the other free for mouse stuff if required)

G is really awkward to reach when your fingers are on WASD. I'd suggest moving it to F, or using Q and E for your frequent actions ( like reload and grenades )

If the user can set his/her own preferences easily - e.g., at game startup - it's as good as anything. Except - don't use shift for anything. In Windows, when shift is held down for a while, it thinks you want to turn on Filter Keys.

As an aside, ensure the preferences setup supports the use of the numpad, arrow keys, etc. I personally hate WASD.

If the user can set his/her own preferences easily - e.g., at game startup - it's as good as anything. Except - don't use shift for anything. In Windows, when shift is held down for a while, it thinks you want to turn on Filter Keys.

Also, pressing shift 5 times is the shortcut for turning on Sticky Keys.

If the user can set his/her own preferences easily - e.g., at game startup - it's as good as anything. Except - don't use shift for anything. In Windows, when shift is held down for a while, it thinks you want to turn on Filter Keys.

Also, pressing shift 5 times is the shortcut for turning on Sticky Keys.

The bane of my existance!!!!

I'd recomend going with whatever the default seems to be. Go play COD and battlefield and use their controls. Also having the ability to map the keys is always best because all players have different preferences.

Thank you !

Yes, I forgot about filter keys / sticky keys :)

I agree with what has been said above. Most games that need 4 directions use WASD, and then QERFZXC and SpaceBar do other things. But in every game engine(or code base I created) I either created or found a viable solution for custom player inputs. It is one of my biggest concerns because of how much it effects the game. The player is totally dependent on the input, as it is how the player controls the game(duh right?) so I would say it is quite a big deal. Heck, I even tend to allow them to use the shift key if they want to. It is a nice convenient key to use with the pinky when combined with WASD, and many game players know about the sticky keys, etc... and turn them off in order to be able to use the shift key properly, including me. But I wouldn't make it the default key for anything.

As said, those are the defaults and make them configurable.

Something to note is that most keyboards will not work with particular combinations due to the way they are manufactured. If there are electrical traces detect changes in current, and sometimes have problems when three keys are pressed at once.

WASD is given special priority on certain gaming keyboards, where you can press and hold several and once and they're all detected, but not on others. The common name for it is "Key Ghosting" or "Rollover". Basically if you are holding A and W, cheaper keyboards probably won't simultaneously detect Q or S. Common failure combos are WAQ, WAS, WSD, WR+LShift, LShift+W+Space, and so on.

Laptops are one of the worst offenders at crappy modern keyboard combinations, but they have become consumer's favorite devices.

So be kind to people who have terrible keyboards, and allow them to re-assign all the keys to whatever they want.

I'd move jump to spacebar (most common key for jumping) and fire to ctrl (then all keys are reachable by one hand, having the other free for mouse stuff if required)

If there is a possibility of mouse usage, fire belongs there. If not, it belongs on Enter or Return.

If both hands are expected to be on the keyboard:
WASD = Move.
E or R = Reload (nothing prevents you from having 2 buttons do the same thing).
Q or F = Grenade.
Space = Jump.
Enter = Fire.
Shift or Ctrl = Crouch.


Now you just have to figure out the buttons for jetpacks, grappling hooks, crouch, stealth attack, taunt, dodge-roll,
barrel-roll, wall-jump, upper-cut, fireball, power-slide, and time-reverse.

L. Spiro