Description
This article is from the netrek
Frequently Offered Clever Suggestions list, by Tom Holub
doosh@best.com with numerous contributions by others.
29. Add steering keys.
Problem: Netrek's clumsy and outdated user interface requires you to
use the mouse to steer your ship.
Proposal: Define keys that turn your ship regardless of the position
of the mouse. These could be incremental (turn 1/16th per keypress) or
continuous (keep turning left until you hit the other one).
Why Not: There are two very important actions that require you to
position the mouse: dodging and shooting. You can't dodge torps and
shoot in the same instant unless you want to dodge directly at your
target. Only borgs and robots can do this.
A player who practices with these keys for a while will be able to
maintain a continuous phaser lock and fire torps while effectively
dodging enemy torps. There are a few people who can approximate this
with the current setup, but they are among the best dogfighters in the
game. This change would make it much easier for people to reach the
pinnacle of dogfighting skill, which is not a desirable quality in a
game. If there's no challenge, there's no point in playing.
The argument about Netrek's interface being clumsy is ridiculous. F-16
fighter pilots (who fly a very capable combat borg) have stated that
they would've loved to fly in World War I, when combat had more to do
with individual skill and cunning than electronics.
Turn keys were implemented in one client, but it has been declared
INL- illegal, and its RSA keys have been turned off by most servers.
Continue to:
Share and Enjoy
Bookmark this story so others can enjoy it:
Tags
game, netrek
