Controls feedback request for impending Quake port

Hello,

I'm just about finished porting Quake to the PSP, and I'd like to get some opinions on the controls so I can tweak them before I release it in the next few days.

At the moment, it's like this:
- "look" on the small analogue nub
- move using symbol buttons (X, O, square, triangle)
- jump using left shoulder
- shoot using right shoulder
- menu using start
- toggle console using select
- change weapon using d-pad down
- quick save and load using d-pad left and right
- show scores using d-pad up

It works fairly well, although if you're used to using a keyboard & mouse control method for the last few years, then moving using your right thumb is hard to learn.

Any opinions?

Perhaps a good source of inspiration would be existing console shooters (with control methods that don't suck). For example, it would be possible to move using the nub, but aim using it if the user is holding the right shoulder button.

I think Metroid Prime is like that, but it's been a while since I played it so I can't remember properly.

Speed-wise, my port probably about the same as PacManFan's excellent version. It differs in two ways:
- Mine has sound (not sure if PMF's one does yet).
- Mine is ported from the original source, not from PocketQuake.

Anyway, thanks for the feedback, and I hope you enjoy the port when it's released.

Pete

Why not use the same control configuration as Coded Arms? I've been playing that a lot recently and find the controls to be very easy to use.

-move on analog
-look on x, o, triangle, square
-change weapon dpad left and right

or better yet would be to make controls configurable

the rest is about right, although I wouldn't bother with quick save and load...just have save and load available through the start menu

Make them configurable. That way everyone is happy.

Thanks for the replies guys.

Well, ultimately the controls will always be configurable since Quake has a pretty decent binding system. For people willing to edit their config files, they can bind pretty much any key to any function.

The only question really is what PC keys I map the PSP buttons to so it works best out of the box.

Perhaps I should just handle the PSP joypad as if it were a regular PC joystick, and rely on the config file for decent mapping. This would allow for a coded-arms setup if desired.

Would that be okay?

Pete

Good idea...

But when you say port... you chose the software version correct? Wile Its not important now, a GL port would allow things to be much nicer.

I am glad you did a port of the PC version because that allows for mods to work much better I assume.

Hello,

Yes, it's just software rendering for now I'm afraid. Once this version is released I may work on porting GLQuake to the PSP's GU, but since I've got limited experience with the PSP, it may take a while.

I agree - a hardware accelerated version would be much better.

Pete