Pilot Archive
Thread: Learning to Fly Screen set up
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MonsofoLexius
Mon Feb 14, 2005 6:21 pm
#1
1st_Viddus had doen some great articles on this. I wanted to add to his work and do one on screen setup as I sit and camp Kessel for the Rebel corvette for my 4th master.
- Color Scheme: You might be suprised, but I found that some of the color schemes do better then others in space. On the ground it makes little difference, In space I think it can make all the difference in the galaxy. Go into Options --> Interface --> UI Palette. I find that "Imperial" works best for me, but play around with it and see if it makes a difference.
- Chat boxes: I am always a fan of multiple chat boxes. In space I find this even more critical. I have my left box set up for a few including a "group chat" only tab. I find this very helpfull when doing squad wok. Keeps the spam to a minimum. the right box I use for spatial most of the time, but when I am in "Squad mode" I set the right to IM's and /gu. Drag a single tab off of the main box to creat a second one. Then right click on a chat tab to create/modify/etc.
- Macros: Hey squad Leaders. Make some macros using colors. Start a marco, first line in macro text goes like (/groupchat ....... \#ff0000 Enter Message here \#......) This will send a groupchat message and "Enter Message here" will be in bright red. I have about 10 macros made and bound them to my numberpad in space (I use a J-stick). All I have to do is hit a key and I can send parts of, or the whole group to a certain target, or allert to form up for PvP in deep space. Makes running a squad effortless. I have also aliased my vorvette run instructions (/alias vette1 /groupchat blah blah blah) so all I have to do is type /vette1 /vette2 etc to give a full briefing.
- Radar: There are choices of style and placement. I prefer to place my radar dead center of the aiming recticle. My full and undivided attention is needed here. I do not have to take my eyes off my target to see my shield and armor strength. I founf this as one of the few things that really kept me alive in my first dozen vette runs.
- Binding to F-keys: There are instructions on how to bind a macro to a joystick button. I use this to bind for commands. Joy 6 on mine is F2, in F2 I drop my cap-shunt-shields command.
- Screen Clutter: you can move the waypoints if you use them and the target info too. I like the center 70% to be free as a "strip" across the entire screen.
- FYI: That 30 in the bottom righ hand corner? FRAP's read out of frame rate. I find that more friendlt to use then the SWG one. Take less time to look at while in deep space. And FPS can be a big thing in PvP in deep space. More info at fraps.com.
And a clicky to My Set Up screen shot.
Please share your ideas and tricks masters and non-masters alike!!!
Well Its about time for this darn Vette to spawn so I can make master again.
/hi5
1st_Viduus
Mon Feb 14, 2005 7:16 pm
#2
/ui reticleSelect # (0-7)
I think the one I am using is #2, though I may be mistaken... My memory isn't what it was.
It's a circular reticle, and it allows you to frame up your target very nicely.
Try playing with the different numbers and find one that works for you.
The default one is... lacking... imo.
SheenaBrelya
Mon Feb 14, 2005 9:43 pm
#3
Interesting tips, and I ended up switching to a new reticle after being prodded to try them out. I went with the least flashy, standard X - even less busy then the default. My second choice was the circle, but it seemed like .... more than necessary, to me anyway.
I also keep a chat window in the bottom, but only one. I kept the radar on the bottom, as I did not want it to get in the way of the target. I keep my chat window smaller and use more tabs for when I need to get to specific messages, as well as using Chat Coloration on key phrases to make it less likely that I miss them in some spam.
I moved the Target Info window to the bottom, next to my radaron theopposite side as Chat. This way all info I might need in combat is in the middle or on the bottom. Having your target info up top makes me think your eyes might have to wander from top to bottom occasionally.
I also use the Imperial palette, but that is a carry over from ground, as I like the color. The fact that it is unobtrusive on the black background is all the better.
For F-keys, I assigned all my Pilot special tactics and in-combat droid commands to easy to reach keys on the first pane, and a set of all the non-combat droid commands (overloads, shield changes, etc) on pane two. I very rarely need to hit a pane 2 key in a pinch.
I am using a keyboard/mouse setup, and I've been rather pleased (and successful) with it. I did some modifications to the keymap, though, to have better throttle control and access to frequently used actions.
Q/E - Roll (default)
W - Increase Throttle (default)
S -Decrease Throttle (default)
A - Zero Throttle
D -Full Throttle
Z - Match Speed
X - Target Under Reticle (default)
C - Booster
G - islinked to a macro that runs the line "/ui action cycleTargetOutward" -- this is nice since the Nexy/Previous keys are not based on distance
Shift + G - is linked to "/ui action cycleTargetInward
F - Countermeasures
V - does what C used to do - target cap ships/stations and Shift + V opens up a comlink
I believe I found a place for every command that was misplaced (like the keys to target enemy players). Bringing the zero and full throttle controls right under my fingers is probably the single best thing I did. Oh, I'm using a mouse, so I yaw with it by default, so I did not really need "A" and "D" to be there.
I also made a few aliases to speed up communication, though I may try to see how using numPad works, as you mentioned. The most obvious one to have is a "Player Spotted" quickly spit out to GroupChat when you first target an enemy player.
Shona
Omnipotent-One
Mon Feb 14, 2005 10:05 pm
#4
Good tips! After the CU I'm probably gonna go squad leader now that I think of it, since I'll mostly be playing JTL then. Only reason I'm still rifle/doc is to make $$ on the ground solo looting while I still can.
BTW, how do you pilots like your Field of View? I still have my slider all the way to the left, but I think I might start moving it to the right. Do any of you have difficulty fighting with it more to the right, or all the way to the right (wider FOV)?
BTW, how do you pilots like your Field of View? I still have my slider all the way to the left, but I think I might start moving it to the right. Do any of you have difficulty fighting with it more to the right, or all the way to the right (wider FOV)?
Message Edited by Omnipotent-One on 02-15-2005 12:16 AM
Thatguyfubu
Tue Feb 15, 2005 6:48 am
#5
I also prefer a keyboard and a good 5-button mouse. Only problem is for some reason JTL only sees 4 buttons and one of them can't be mapped. Oh well. I will create a seperate thread with my quick and dirty setup.
-Zaran
Coran_Sienar
Tue Feb 15, 2005 7:19 am
#6
Outstanding, Mons!
Is there anyway you could finagle the list of ALL the /ui commands in space? I know that there are other radar modes available, but not sure how to activate them.
Thanks!
Talyin
Tue Feb 15, 2005 12:00 pm
#7
Great read i just got the exp and while im just doing my first few missions this helps alot.Im still messing around with alot of differnet keys and it's alot to learn.I have a logitech attack 3 pro and it has 11 buttons.What are the most used commands that ill need to have at my fingers to use on the fly you think.I looked and messed around with some of the bindings but alot of commands seem like variations of things.What are the main things ill really need to have and knowing that ill work from there.
It's hard enough coming back to the game from a long hiatus but getting my keys right is a real pain.
Any help would be great.
MonsofoLexius
Tue Feb 15, 2005 12:28 pm
#8
Coran_Sienar wrote:
Outstanding, Mons!
Is there anyway you could finagle the list of ALL the /ui commands in space? I know that there are other radar modes available, but not sure how to activate them.
Thanks!
Clicky of a new Sticky!
Message Edited by MonsofoLexius on 02-15-2005 11:44 AM
MonsofoLexius
Tue Feb 15, 2005 12:43 pm
#9
Talyin wrote:
Great read i just got the exp and while im just doing my first few missions this helps alot.Im still messing around with alot of differnet keys and it's alot to learn.I have a logitech attack 3 pro and it has 11 buttons.What are the most used commands that ill need to have at my fingers to use on the fly you think.I looked and messed around with some of the bindings but alot of commands seem like variations of things.What are the main things ill really need to have and knowing that ill work from there.
It's hard enough coming back to the game from a long hiatus but getting my keys right is a real pain.
Any help would be great.
hmm my setup on joystick:
- Fire weapon group 1
- Fire weapon group 2
- Target closest enemy npc
- Target closest enemy player
- Booster
- Mapped to F2 (I put cap shunt here)
- CM
- cycle system forward
- cycle system backward
- target closest player
- one of the cycle target ones
- Mapped to a macro thru an F-key (only used to say hi to friends and alert opposing overt faction members outside of deep space, hey I like a good fight) /launchmissile
But that is just me, I use my joystick left handed and trackball on the right with keyboard in the middle. I use both hands on j-stick in the heat of battle, my right hand does throttle and the CM, systemcycle buttons.My right hand can slip to keyboard when needed.The left handed habit is from FPS games I picked up years ago and I still like it. I used the trackball to rotate view, and joystick for movement, with all the buttons available I played games without ever using the keyboard. I know that a keyboard can be better and make you a better player, but Ifeel "more one with my character" when I feel "at the controls" so to speak. I am sure there areplenty of other good ideas out there.
MonsofoLexius
Tue Feb 15, 2005 1:43 pm
#10
SheenaBrelya wrote:
I am using a keyboard/mouse setup, and I've been rather pleased (and successful) with it. I did some modifications to the keymap, though, to have better throttle control and access to frequently used actions.
Shona
I would love (if you can find the time) to hear some tip from you for keyboard/mouse users. Please start a thread with a similar title. New stickies to come
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