Separate keybindings for "interact" and "shoot"


Krogg

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Is it possible to bind two different keys for "interact" and "shoot"?  In the key binding settings, there is just one entry called "Interact / Shoot".  Both are bound to the LMB by default.  Is there a way to do more fine grained mapping in a config file or something?  If not, I'd like to propose this as a feature request.

As for why I want this...  I've probably used more ammo over the course of the game shooting at small objects I'm clumsily trying to interact with than at evil wildlife.  It would be awesome if I could map something like "e" to interact, and reserve LMB for nothing but deadly shooting.

Thanks!

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There is a key bind designated to put away your active weapon or item. The simple solution to your problem is to “holster” the revolver.  It’s the only weapon that this is a problem with, (except stones) as the bow and rifle cannot be fired without aiming first.  

Edited by TROY
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4 hours ago, TROY said:

There is a key bind designated to put away your active weapon or item. The simple solution to your problem is to “holster” the revolver.  It’s the only weapon that this is a problem with, (except stones) as the bow and rifle cannot be fired without aiming first.  

Thanks for the response TROY.  I bound the "holster" command to "q", and that has been my workaround / gun safety.  I was just hoping there was a better way.  It would be great if I could run around with the pistol, or a flare, or my lantern and not sometimes accidentally shoot, or start lighting a flare, or start sparking my lantern.  If you have a torch out, you can even easily waste a match (if I remember correctly).

Ah stones.  How many times have I stunned a rabbit, rushed up to grab it, mistakenly thrown another stone at it while standing right over it, then stared helplessly while the rabbit woke up and ran off while I was busy readying another stone...

I still love the game though.  Nothing else quite like it.

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2 hours ago, stay puft said:

I play on ps4 so it wouldn't affect me at all but I completely agree with you,

On ps4 Interact is the x button and aim and shoot are left and right triggers (separate bindings) so I kinda surprised pc doesn't have the same   

It's good to hear that someone agrees.  :)

It's also good to hear that PS4 already has this separation.  It gives me hope that it might be easy to implement as the code already has the ability to disentangle these two actions.

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3 hours ago, Dum_Gen said:

Also it would be cool to have different keys for "interact" and "start/extinguish the light source". It is annoying in case of storm lantern and might be very frustrating to lose you last match on a torch in interloper.

I don't know what kind of brain fart happens in the survivor's head at these moments: "I want to open this drawer. Let's press the trigger of my revolver/Let's extinguish the torch so I could not see in this extremely dark room during the night."

Haha yes, I totally agree.  It seems like the distinction should be between "interact with the thing I'm aiming at" and "use the item in my hand" (whether it be a gun, a torch, a lantern, a flare, etc).  I think it would be very helpful.

I like your examples.  I know that sometimes in real life when I'm trying to open a door, if I'm not quite close enough to it, I'll throw the rock I'm holding instead.  :)

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I don't really see a need to separate the functions, when the onus I think is really on the player to take careful and deliberate actions... to pay attention to what they are doing.  I spoken about this at great lengths in other posts but I will just pick the most resent iterations:

On ‎10‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 5:34 AM, ManicManiac said:

Easy to avoid this by not trying to pick things up with the revolver in one's hand... it removes the possibility of a misfire.  :D 

&

On ‎10‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 11:52 PM, ManicManiac said:

I only mean it's easy enough to holster it quick, do the thing and draw again; or just make sure that the item label for the thing you want to interact with is present on screen before trying to click.  It does call for more careful and deliberate action... but in my opinion that is an essential part of the flavor of this game anyways  :) 

:coffee::fire:

Edited by ManicManiac
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1 hour ago, Krogg said:

Haha yes, I totally agree.  It seems like the distinction should be between "interact with the thing I'm aiming at" and "use the item in my hand" (whether it be a gun, a torch, a lantern, a flare, etc).  I think it would be very helpful.

While I mostly agree, the distinction isn’t always clear. Consider lighting a torch from a fire. That’s both. (I think that’s the only interaction like that right now, but that could change.)

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2 minutes ago, Dr. S. said:

While I mostly agree, the distinction isn’t always clear. Consider lighting a torch from a fire. That’s both. (I think that’s the only interaction like that right now, but that could change.)

That's an interesting example.  I wonder how it works on ps4?  If the keys are truly already separate there then they must have already worked out some answer to that question.

My expectation would be that the "use the item in my hand" action would light the torch with a match.  Just like it does now when you aren't aiming at a campfire.  The "interact with the thing I'm aiming at" button would light your torch on a campfire, if you are aiming at a campfire.  If you are not aiming at a campfire, it wouldn't do anything.  The benefit would be that you are protected from accidentally lighting your torch with a match when you are trying to use the campfire.

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17 minutes ago, stay puft said:

Now that you mention it on Ps4 lighting a torch with a match or on a fire is the trigger(shoot) button not the interact button

Thanks stay puft! Lighting a torch with a match makes sense to me as the shoot key.  Lighting from a fire I would probably prefer as the action key, but I could see it either way.  As long as there is an answer though, the feature is still possible.  :)

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Guest jeffpeng

While I actually do call for a way to prevent misfiring matches for quite some time now (other than to have a firestriker that is) I kinda like the "shot my own foot mechanic" of the revolver. When you are trained using sidearms the pretty much first thing you learn is to secure and holster the weapon unless you expect to fire it - and put the finger from the trigger unless you want to shoot it right now. Running around with a drawn and primed revolver kinda is asking to lose a limb or shoot a friendly. So .... while I kinda get the "brainfart" argument .... you wouldn't accidentaly light a match - but you would most definitely accidentaly fire a drawn weapon, especially if it had one of those easy triggers.

Edited by jeffpeng
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You could manipulate the key-bindings with third party software too... in that way you can "double" bind a key, but honestly it's easier I think to be more cautious when we play.  If we are paying close attention to what we are doing, it's far more unlikely for folks to misclick in the first place.  I've had to learn that the hard way, but learning to be careful and deliberate has served me well in getting better at this particular game overall. 

While I don't consider myself an advanced player by any stretch, I have spent a very long time with the mechanics over the years and find they all work really well if we are willing to practice and apply a little "trigger discipline" (referring to that index finger on the mouse button :D).

:coffee::fire:
I find this approach works very well for all mechanics in the game.

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Guest jeffpeng
21 hours ago, ManicManiac said:

If we are paying close attention to what we are doing, it's far more unlikely for folks to misclick in the first place.

I guess we two have been there ad nauseum. :D But just to throw it in here very briefly for the rest of the conversationalists: while there is no need for realism in a game, there is need for plausibility. Misfiring a revolver is plausible, accidentaly pulling a match out of its pack and lighting it while holding it to a torch .... at that point I would consider some medical issue at play and refer that person to a checkup immediately. Another standpoint on this: the game should appreciate caution and thought in playing the game, but not mandate caution and thought using its UI.

19 hours ago, Dum_Gen said:

I never used firearms IRL, but i believe it is basic safety measure not to put finger on the trigger until necessary.

I have, and was almost shot by someone apparently being not too familiar with this "basic" safety measure (despite having had the same training as I). That being said I'm not a big fan of firearms in general, and have only handled modern standard German military armament plus a P2000. I've never handled an old revolver like the one portrayed in TLD. But I've heard stories about some of them being so itchy they fire from just dropping them. Again, I kinda like this "feature", even if it might not be intended. But one could interpret it as a nice way of commentary that, contrary to apparently popular belief, firearms are indeed bloody dangerous.

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On 11/10/2019 at 4:53 PM, jeffpeng said:

But I've heard stories about some of them being so itchy they fire from just dropping them

Depends on if the hammer is pulled back. If yes, then they can be super sensitive. If the hammer is not pulled back (double action) it takes a relatively high force to pull that trigger back completely. It's safer but less accurate.

Im with you on the game wanting you to be careful but not having to always fight the controls. I always holster the pistol in game before interacting with stuff because it just makes sense, but the missclicks while holding a torch really annoys me because I can't just throw it on the floor every time i want to search stuff. 

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On 11/10/2019 at 4:53 PM, jeffpeng said:

Misfiring a revolver is plausible, accidentaly pulling a match out of its pack and lighting it while holding it to a torch .... at that point I would consider some medical issue at play and refer that person to a checkup immediately. Another standpoint on this: the game should appreciate caution and thought in playing the game, but not mandate caution and thought using its UI.

I think this is a good example and a good way of stating it.  I love the playstyle of TLD and I love when the game mechanics themselves require/reward caution.  I don't love when the UI requires caution.  To me it distracts from the amazing immersion of the game.  I have to take focus away from the virtual world I'm living in and remember that it's a game where I might accidentally light up my last match instead of picking up a rock.

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