Button mapping and cancelling attacks

[HelsTR]

Well, first of all, I haven’t tried the game (I am poor ejejeje) but I’ve seen the videos in youtube. What to say… Probably the best sword system I’ve ever seen. It only has a error, for what I seen, imo, that is button mapping. I mean… Blocks, animations, all of that, work GREAT, but… you need to change the map to the blocking thing. Personally, I would let the people map theirselves the button they want to use for each action, but as long as you are still in alpha, that might be some of a unnecesary thing to do. Instead of that, at least map yourself the buttons in a different way.

Personally, I would put everything related with the sword move on the mouse, and everything else on the left hand. If I am not wrong, for what I’ve heard, middle mouse button (pressing the wheel) is now used for locking and unlocking enemies. I would change that function to the tab button, if you ain’t using it for something. If you are using tab for something that is not for use in middle of a fight, then change it to any other key. Capital letter of the function in tab, for example, might work. If it is something that might be used into the combat, map it to the q, that now would be free, or else the “º” button, by the side of the “1” button.

In mouse, I would put like the next.
LMB Primary attack/slash.
RMB Block/parry.
MMB (Pressing the wheel) Stab.

That way, you would have all the functions related to sword use in your mouse, and the rest of the things in your left hand. Even though, when possible (when you have almost finished the things), give the people a menu to change the button mapping. They will be gratefull at you.

Now the second part of the topic. Is more of a question than a suggestion. Can you cancel the attacks instead of releasing them? Cause as I haven’t played, I am not completely sure of how it works. As well, I’d like to know if pressing block in the middle of an attack has some kind of use, like cancelling or at least, trying to turn your attack into a kind of parry by using the mommentum of the slash. Also, is there any way to feint like if you were about to launch an attack, but finally not doing it, without doing another attack instead? Like preparing it, but not releasing it, or release it later.

And nothing more, I am completely amazed of how the game looks, and I hope to be able to play it soon. I will be doing another post somewhere else asking by minimum requirements.

[Lieste]

Nah. I’d rather have the defence from ward being a separate thing to the attacks available. I would map my controls so that block/parry was on the shift key under the left hand little finger, with the attacks on the mouse. Complete freedom of button mapping (including for each individual function that shares a keybind under the default system) would be very welcome.

In practice almost all well executed attacks are actually made as parries, either by driving off the opponent’s weapon to create an opening or by stepping and using the weapon to close the opponent’s line as part of striking. Some master strikes are actually designed to strike around on a parry and hit the opponent in the same tempo as the blocking action.

Within the game… I’m fairly sure you can’t not attack once you have set up a feinted one. Turning it into longpoint is the least objectionable move so I tend to thrust as the attack from an aborted feint. The ‘warding’ can be maintained during a series of attacks, but it does delay stamina regeneration which currently dramatically increases your vulnerability, so it is better to use distance and relaxed posture when you are not actively planning to attack.

[HelsTR]

Well, I suppose than with the stance system, you can simply feint an attack by moving into a stance but not actually pressing attack, only attacking and deceiving the enemy with the footwork. You don’t have windup animations, so I guess that you only need to play with the WASD keys to seem you are going to attack, but not really attacking. I’ve got a question aswell. Is there any center stance? Like holding the sword at a middle height, with the hilt at the height of your hip and close to your body. Standard stance, summing it up, when taking a sword. Maybe the down stances take up that function when not holding any button, only moving your mouse?

And another question. Any difference between holding attack and only clicking it, appart fromt the fact you can feint that way? I can’t talk since I haven’t played, but maybe it would be interesting making a difference between clicking and holding (if it is not already made, dunnot know) being clicking a fast attack that can’t be canceled, and holding attack like preparing a more strong attack that can be however cancelled by clicking block BEFORE releasing attack. Might add a new strategy by feinting hard attacks and being possible to cancel them, of course at cost of stamina. Of course this is only an idea, I don’t know how would it really fit the system until I’ve played it, and I request some veteran players to tell me how they see this idea.

[DrFusselpulli]

Well, button mapping is something we will add later. It is just not in the game yet. We have to finish some other tasks first. One step before another.

[HelsTR]

Great to hear, man! I supposed you would finally add it. Just saying though, to hear confirmation. Keep up with the good job!