Easy to implement: faster tool cycling

[DrZ]

Hi,

one thing that annoys me regularly is the pace of tool selection via number keys if you have several options for one number slot (e.g. matches, flare and lamp or stone, flare gun and bow).

For e.g. I have a bow in hand and want to switch to stone I need to tab "2" twice to skip the flare gun. BUT not too fast. I need to tap it, wait until the flare gun is out and then tap it again.

Would be really nice if a double tap would skip one item in the cycle list.

Cheers

[gotmilkanot]

Have you tried using the radial menu (spacebar as default)? It shows up all the options for light sources/weapons so you can choose what you want to equip straightaway which is pretty convenient.

I used to cycle through my light sources/weapons using the number keys too back in the older days but now I never go back to them once I started using the radial menu. The only number key that I still use nowadays is the "3" (Drop Decoy) button.

Doesn't really fix the slow cycling like you mentioned but I thought I'd share this work-around.

[DrZ]

Thanks, that is a valid point. I never use the radial that much as I think I started before it was added and it always feels console-y to me.

However, when I need to switch weapons it usually is in a tricky situation where I do not want to lose my aim. So using the mouse for the radial makes me uneasy as it moves the point of aim and blocks the view...

[s7mar7in]

I find myself back into TLD game this year following several excellent updates...

The OP by @DrZ is a great point, selecting the "Preferred Primary Item" has been discussed here in many forms.

My 2 cents would be to try resetting the rabbit snare by putting it into Inventory and then selecting it from Inventory, (very slow). Compare that with the ability to quickly take it from the ground and place it from the camp-craft section of the Radial Menu. This simple item has made me begin to look for other benefits of the Radial Menu Options, and there are many others as well.

Now if we could just light a fire using the logical choice of the "Lit Flare" which is in my hand...Thankfully the awesome developers at Hinterland continue to make so many excellent refinements.

Stay Safe my friends.

Edited December 2, 2020 by s7mar7in

[DrZ]

4 hours ago, s7mar7in said:

My 2 cents would be to try resetting the rabbit snare by putting it into Inventory and then selecting it from Inventory, (very slow). Compare that with the ability to quickly take it from the ground and place it from the camp-craft section of the Radial Menu. This simple item has made me begin to look for other benefits of the Radial Menu Options, and there are many others as well.

When I said I hardly use the radial I meant "I only use it for snares" lol

[ManicManiac]

Agreed, the radial menu really is the way to go.
The only number key I use is also 3 (for 1,2, & 4 - those functions more efficiently done from the radial menu). 

and considering we have the radial menu giving us this... I'm fine with the number keys cycling.  I think of it as representing our character fumbling around in their pack trying to decide what they want to use... and the radial menu representing our character being more organized, experienced, and going directly for what they know they need. 

[DrZ]

2 hours ago, ManicManiac said:

I'm fine with the number keys cycling.  I think of it as representing our character fumbling around in their pack trying to decide what they want to use...

Then why is the character always fumbling when he needs a stone but never when he needs a flare gun? 😉

Again, from a programming perspective it is very easy to help players that like the number keys better. And I don't see a game-play reason...

[ManicManiac]

@DrZ

I wasn't attempting to speak form a programming perspective.  I'm just saying that if we have the radial menu to use instead... then the I'd posit that the "cycle speed" of the number keys isn't really an issue.

I think it would be a waste of time and resources to change something like this when there is already a better alternative in the game we have right now.

 

26 minutes ago, DrZ said:

Then why is the character always fumbling when he needs a stone but never when he needs a flare gun? 😉

I kind of already answered your winking question in my previous post:
As I said, "I think of it [the player using the number keys] as representing our character fumbling around in their pack trying to decide what they want to use... and the radial menu representing our character being more organized, experienced, and going directly for what they know they need. 

My point is... if the player doesn't want the character "fumbling around in their pack," then the player can use the radial menu and select exactly what they want.  I just don't think there this anything here that Hinterland really needs to fix.

Edited December 2, 2020 by ManicManiac

[DrZ]

@ManicManiac

In my opinion this is worth an improvement (this is not a fix since it is not broken) and I get that you disagree. Different players, different preferences. I am speaking from a programming perspective as this is really not a waste of resources since probably very little is required. (I guess a few isolated lines of code and of course some testing...)

Ok, then you probably misunderstood my rhetoric question. I get your interpretation that radial is advanced and lean and number keys are for an inexperienced character.

My point was a different one: Imagine a noob character has a bow in hand and stones and flare gun in the inventory. He wants to switch to the flare gun. So he presses '2' and has it in hand like a pro - i.e. no fumbling. If he wants to get a stone in hand he starts to fumble all of a sudden. But he stops fumbling if he drops the flare gun from inventory. That makes no sense to me.

I will try to get more used to the radial. Let's see how that goes.

[ManicManiac]

12 minutes ago, DrZ said:

In my opinion this is worth an improvement

Fair enough

I just thought I might weigh in as well.

Edited December 2, 2020 by ManicManiac

[s7mar7in]

3 hours ago, DrZ said:

Let's see how that goes.

Good evening @DrZ.

While crouched by a campfire in Broken RR this morning...I was chatting-up a couple lazy wolves. I was thinking of this forum topic and so I put the "White Dot Reticle" on the nearby wolf; I then hit space-bar, selected weapons category, and selected the rifle; for what it is worth, the reticle remained on the wolf despite all the movement of the mouse within the radial menu. This was a surprise to me, but it appears the radial menu pointer is separated from the game reticle pointer.

I gave your kind reply a +1 for it's constructive and polite tone. 

How do you like the concept of adding code to allow selecting a primary and/or favorite weapon or tool within the inventory?

Stay safe my friends.

[DrZ]

Good evening @s7mar7in,

I am far from a "radial menu" expert but your observation does not surprise me. It is my understanding that the menu completely decouples you from the game while it is open. Which brings up another thing I don't like about the radial. If you are running (e.g. for your life) the radial menu stops you dead in your tracks.

Again, it's preferences and I like to keep moving (i.e. not interrupting my movement in-game) and observing the scene (i.e. no menu popping up in the middle of my field of view) so I am naturally leaning towards the keys.

19 hours ago, s7mar7in said:

I gave your kind reply a +1 for it's constructive and polite tone. 

Thank you for noticing 🙂

19 hours ago, s7mar7in said:

How do you like the concept of adding code to allow selecting a primary and/or favorite weapon or tool within the inventory?

That depends a bit. Personally, I am not sure if I would use that feature. Especially, if tool cycling becomes faster. From the programming perspective this is more elaborate. You need a new menu or check mark (like the one "show in radial menu") but for primary weapon/light source. Then you need to change the cycle logic according to individual player selections. Avoid double selections, etc. Meaning you need to make design choices for the interface and think about a consistent game-logic. While still a minor feature (compared with a new in-game tool or a new animal) there is some brain power that needs to go into this. Since I have a hard time judging how many players appreciate/use this it might fall short from a cost-benefit perspective.

Compared to my cycle request that might be done by an intern. But again, all of this is just my opinion and/or estimate. I've never seen the source code 😉

[odizzido]

Remembering the last tool used and also have a menu similar to when using a pot would be good with me. The UI I find is a little funky and inconsistent in this game