Hot keys for the action menu

[polar bear 10]

I'd like to see hot keys for the action menu, so instead of scrolling down and clicking the 3rd option in the list you could just press '3', or something. Moreover, as the elements in the list change the number of each option would NOT change, so '3' would stay '3' even if another element were added to the action menu list.

I know there's a challenge here, you can have the action menu up while doing other things so if for some reason you can't use 0-9 for this maybe there could be a key you press to enable the numbers. So, say, you bind 't' or something to be the action key then you could press t-3 to selection action 3. In that case 't' might bring up the action menu as well.

This would allow you to hit actions quickly and without the errors that come from scrolling the mouse wheel as the list changes on you.

[kylania 568]

The action menu changes dynamically basically based on anything at all you're looking at. How would you map "T" to a specific option? Maybe one mission has "3" as Gear on vehicles but another mission might have Gear as "6" or not at all. Since missions can change the order of these actions and there's no standard really, I can't see this as being a realistic goal. :)

[polar bear 10]

The action menu changes dynamically basically based on anything at all you're looking at. How would you map "T" to a specific option? Maybe one mission has "3" as Gear on vehicles but another mission might have Gear as "6" or not at all. Since missions can change the order of these actions and there's no standard really, I can't see this as being a realistic goal. :)

I'm not saying that gear would permanently remain a 3.

Think of the numbers from 1 to 9 as slots. When an action comes up it needs to find a slot which it essentially reserves for itself for the future. That way if it disappears and then immediately comes back, it will come back to the same slot. If there's an empty slot, great, take the empty slot. If there is no empty slot then bump out the oldest inactive action and take its slot.

The effect would be that an action that flickers in and out of the list, like "climb ladder", would keep the same slot long enough for you to be able to hit it when it shows up. Five minutes later you might find that it's now on a different slot.

In the case there are more than 9 actions up you'd have to cycle to a 2nd tier using '0' for 'more' but that should be rare.

Edited September 20, 2010 by Polar Bear

[kylania 568]

Ooh, I see the effect you're going for! No more "I'm going to get in this vehicle!" but during the time it takes you to click someone else gets in, the order changes and you set off the satchel charge at your feet instead? :)

That would be a handy fix.

[polar bear 10]

Yup exactly :)

[CarlGustaffa 4]

How is this? The action remains for some time after deactivation but in shaded mode. You can select it using the mouse, but you can't activate it. So for a twitchy action menu it would all be trying to click it while it is active, nothing would change, and if new action is dynamically added in the midst of it, current action remains selected.

Could look like this:

 1. Get Out
* 2. Eject (* means selected)
 [color="Gray"]3. Put Satchel[/color] (can't be activated now)
 4. Detonate

I'm not usually a fan of keyboard shortcuts for everything (too crowded already). Some conflict occur since some number keys can still be used to issue commands without AI being selected (formations i.e.), so it needs to check is action menu is shows before number inputs is given to that (instead of the complex menu system). In most cases it makes sense though, since AI units will be deselected once you open the action menu.

Edited September 20, 2010 by CarlGustaffa

[polar bear 10]

I like that Carl. Instead of new actions bumping old ones as I suggested, with your idea there could be a timeout of some sort.

Or even better, disappearing actions do not disappear from the action menu until you close the action menu, so that when you have it open you never get that shuffling effect. Just some items go gray on you, you can roll the mouse over them but you can't click them. If they are re-activated they would ungray. So you could hover over an action you are expecting will return, like get into a seat, or climb ladder, even if it's flickering on and off.

The grayed out ones would be gone if you closed and then re-opened it.

That's a good solution, would solve one of the most annoying UI bugs!

Edited September 20, 2010 by Polar Bear

[Undeceived 392]

Allthough I agree with this suggestion, for some of the options in the action menu you can already have a keyboard shortcut.

For example Getout or Eject:

I have it this way:

Getout -> 2x Lean Left (since lean can't be used in a vehicle anyway)

Eject -> 2x Lean Right

It works good and fast. No more accidental actions.

[CarlGustaffa 4]

Domination with increased pickup sensitivity. You have a new action "Lift Vehicle" right next to Eject. Sensitivity (like in vanilla behavior) means that "Lift Vehicle" might pop in and out like crazy. Click.

You just ejected. With people on board! So, still you have accidental actions.

[twirly 11]

Good ideas guys. This is good...good ....good.

And please move the HE, grenades and smoke to where they should be. That is...with other weapons.

[Carl_D 10]

Sounds good. As Kylania wrote,

"... No more "I'm going to get in this vehicle!" but during the time it takes you to click someone else gets in, the order changes and you set off the satchel charge at your feet instead?".

One of my [few] significant dislikes in A2 is the 'unstable' menus. I do not understand why 'new' options are not added to the bottom of the list rather than at or near the top.

Menu 6 is frequently a real dog's breakfast - add in something like SLX & it starts to resemble something emanating from the pooch's posterior. Five or 6 pages of 'drag [dead enemy's name], take some weapon from an unspecified location etc., before you reach "Gear" or "Heal ...]. While hunting through all this you can - & do - get killed. The basic commands surely should stay at the top of the list, in a defined & stable order. (I now know that some of the clutter with mods like SLX can be removed by editing which modules run. Doesn't change the central point, however).

A general mod for these issues would be really useful IMHO.

I know nothing about scripting, nor whether it would be possible (current setup too integral with the game engine?).

Ciao

Carl