Let's use the mouse scroll button!

[Hormalakh]

I've made a thread about how hotkeys are the best things everand how P:E would just suck without a good hotkey functionality (and well-organized UI to match it). Check out the signature!

 

But now, it's time to hit the mouse. Most mice have two buttons and a scroll button in the middle. Unless you're a macbook. Then you've got some crazy....off topic. So, let's see how we can use the mouse scroll button to best effect!

 

1- Scrolling up and down quickly switches between party members.

2- Scrolling up and down allows you to move through the inventory screens.

3- Scrolling up and down allows you to switch through dialogue options.

 

 

Any other effective ways we can use the mouse scroll button? Some scroll buttons also have a third button (inside the scroll button! I can hear the *oooohs* now.) How can we use that one?

[rjshae]

Well hopefully we'll have limited zoom on the main view and we can use the mouse wheel for that.

[Kaz]

While we're on the subject, being able to define groups RTS style would be nice. I always used a cloaked scout in front with a thief detecting traps following close behind. Being able to make a custom selection group would be pretty sweet.

[Water Rabbit]

While we're on the subject, being able to define groups RTS style would be nice. I always used a cloaked scout in front with a thief detecting traps following close behind. Being able to make a custom selection group would be pretty sweet.

 

Even just some sort of party formations ala Baldur's Gate would be refreshing.

 

I have been playing Civ 5 quite a bit recently and it is really hard on the scroll wheel -- so much so that my finger is starting to get sore. Be careful what you wish for when adding more functionality to the scroll wheel.

[Hormalakh]

While we're on the subject, being able to define groups RTS style would be nice. I always used a cloaked scout in front with a thief detecting traps following close behind. Being able to make a custom selection group would be pretty sweet.

 

Even just some sort of party formations ala Baldur's Gate would be refreshing.

 

I have been playing Civ 5 quite a bit recently and it is really hard on the scroll wheel -- so much so that my finger is starting to get sore. Be careful what you wish for when adding more functionality to the scroll wheel.

 

good point.

[Kaz]

While we're on the subject, being able to define groups RTS style would be nice. I always used a cloaked scout in front with a thief detecting traps following close behind. Being able to make a custom selection group would be pretty sweet.

 

Even just some sort of party formations ala Baldur's Gate would be refreshing.

 

I have been playing Civ 5 quite a bit recently and it is really hard on the scroll wheel -- so much so that my finger is starting to get sore. Be careful what you wish for when adding more functionality to the scroll wheel.

 

Party formations are confirmed.

[Firedorn]

Mouse wheel is a boon for click interface applications/games. Let's make it useful. I can always put band-aids on my fingertips to protect 'em.

 

I like some of the ideas posted:

 

1) Dialogue choices

2) Scrolling between character's inventories

3) Zoom in/out of main display, map details, etc

4) Flip pages through journal/quest logs (if flipping pages is how the intended functionality is)

[ogrezilla]

I will be very disappointed if an isometric party based game released in 2014 doesn't have full hotkey and mouse button functionality; including but not limited to party grouping hotkeys. I also want an RTS style minimap for the map and movement controls they allow but others have seemed to be against that. But yes, no reason the different buttons and keys shouldn't all be utilized. The mouse wheel switching between characters on the different menus seems like a good use to me. If zooming is enabled I would expect the basic use for the wheel outside of menus would be to control the zoom.

Edited November 28, 2012 by ogrezilla

[Aoyagi]

I'd prefer if you could set up the wheel to whatever you wanted to. Separate controls for party control, inventory menu, dialogue, and so on.

[jezz555]

I play computer games on a laptop typically, which has a track-pad and no mouse-wheel. It's not an ideal setup either way, but whenever games have a mouse-wheel controlled action I have to change it or just never use it.

[HansKrSG]

I play computer games on a laptop typically, which has a track-pad and no mouse-wheel. It's not an ideal setup either way, but whenever games have a mouse-wheel controlled action I have to change it or just never use it.

 

I reccomend connecting a real computer mouse to the laptop, instead of using the trackpad. If you live in Norway I'll send you one. Using the trackpad is a real pain.

[Cluas]

Mouse wheel for zoom (and scrolling in the menus) - Then I'm happy

[Hormalakh]

Yeah I do think that the scroll button shouldn't be a "required" button. A lot of really old mice don't have it and it's tough to do with trackpads, etc. But for those who do have it, it'd be nice.

[jezz555]

I play computer games on a laptop typically, which has a track-pad and no mouse-wheel. It's not an ideal setup either way, but whenever games have a mouse-wheel controlled action I have to change it or just never use it.

 

I reccomend connecting a real computer mouse to the laptop, instead of using the trackpad. If you live in Norway I'll send you one. Using the trackpad is a real pain.

 

Lol thanks anyway dude, I don't live in Norway but the reason I don't use a computer mouse is because I would have to set my laptop up on a table with a mouse-pad. I generally prefer to game on the go, so the less I have to take with me the better. Also Idk if anybody brought this up but some mouses don't even have wheels, I mean most probably do nowadays but still, I would like to at least be able to change the mapping if its in the game.

Edited November 30, 2012 by jezz555

[Hormalakh]

@jezz555 The point was that the functionality of the wheel was in place, but not to be absolutely necessary for playing the game. That's why the examples I gave, weren't really game-changing. Mouse wheels do exist and we should make use of them. But we don't have to force them on people who don't have wheels.

[Tamerlane]

While we're on the subject, being able to define groups RTS style would be nice. I always used a cloaked scout in front with a thief detecting traps following close behind. Being able to make a custom selection group would be pretty sweet.

The IE games kinda-sorta did this. 1 selected the party leader, 2 selected the next person in line, etc. 7 selected the first and second person, 8 selected the next two, and so on. = always selected everyone.

 

Not the same thing as ctrl+1 on eleven mutas and an overlord, but still.

I play computer games on a laptop typically, which has a track-pad and no mouse-wheel. It's not an ideal setup either way, but whenever games have a mouse-wheel controlled action I have to change it or just never use it.

Don't most laptop trackpads have something to simulate a mouse wheel? Like a two-finger swipe or running your finger down the very edge of the pad or something?

Edited December 17, 2012 by Tamerlane

[Heresiarch]

Maybe add the option of scrolling through spells? It was quite a chore in BG2 and IWD to select the necessary spell for a high level caster.