Breakfast topic: How do you control your character?
by Elizabeth Wachowski 
Apr 4th 2007 at 8:17AM
Doctrine of Arthas asks the "top guilds" a burning question: do they have anyone in their guild who clicks on their abilities, or does everyone use keybindings? This is a topic that's come up a lot on the forums, with "clickers" being derided as bad or slow players. Of course, this being the WoW forums, there's one serious response from DnT (yes, a couple of their players click and are slow to turn but manage to avoid dying), and a whole lot of funny:
- "Death and Taxes build lifesize replicas of the dungeons, dress up in robes and armor, and use motion capture technology to control their characters in game." Follow-up: "Our guild leader paid for everyone in the raid to play laser tag as C'thun practice."
- "Everything I have is macro'ed on the Staples "That was easy" button."
- "I smash my face on the keyboard repeatedly to get the job done."
- "I feed punch cards into the computer to move. 'Forward' is cards 12 -> 53."
- "I play text-based WoW. You are thy Raider! Ye find yourself in yon dungeon. Ye see a dragon. Behind ye dragon is ye epix. Obvious exits are North, South, and Hearth."
I used to be a clicker until BC, when I pretty much remodelled my interface. Now I mostly use the mouse to move and have numerical keybindings for my top abilities. For potions, buffs, and rarely-used abilities, I still click. I know I should keybind everything, but I have trouble remembering exactly what's bound to what without a visual reminder.
Do you click, use keybindings, or merely control the computer through a telepathic interface?
Filed under: Tricks, Breakfast Topics, Humor
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Todd Apr 4th 2007 8:24AM
I'm terrible with keybindings. So in turn I completely remodeled the UI (with mods) which has seriously made me into a better player with quicker response time.
Garab Apr 4th 2007 8:29AM
I have been in a raiding guild since day one (by that I mean the beta) and I have also been a clicker this whole time.
I have tried to add keybindings in to my type of play, but it has always failed and I have returned to my clicking ways of wow :-)
Bachus Apr 4th 2007 8:30AM
I can't even fathom what pvp would be like for someone who clicks. It just seems far too slow of a response time for me. I use keybindings, but in a pretty strange set-up. I wrap the most used casts (on my shammy: SS, shocks, lightning, etc) to the buttons around WASD (r,t,f,g,c,v) and then shift commands for all of them. anything less important gets stuck up on the numbers.
Brad Apr 4th 2007 8:41AM
I use the numbers and "QWERTY" on my key board for most abilities, but honestly it doesn't cut it in PVP.
Nostromo N52 is awesome, but it takes some getting used to.
Superbeef Apr 4th 2007 8:34AM
In onther games, where I've had to only regularly use like 10 spells/abilities on a rotation, I had everything macro/bound. But with WoW I've actually had to adapt into the hybrid model that the poster uses. I have one line of number bindings, and then a shift up or down a few of the more rare situational ones. The rest I click on through the UI extra slots, of which I keep the bottom right and left open at all times.
This might be a good oppurtunity for someone to list some good Add-Ons for clicker UIs. I looked at bongos, but I just didn't think I could do it.
Galipan Apr 4th 2007 8:36AM
For me, it's like this. I use the keyboard to move around (standard WASD) and when I'm gonna be runnng I press G16, which is the key I have set for autorun on my Logitech G15. This is because they key is easuly accesible with my pinky =P. for attacks, buffs and potions, I use keys 1-6 and then I start clicking, it's the easiest and most efficient way IMO.
Dave Snider Apr 4th 2007 8:37AM
Keybind pretty much everything but totems (except for earthbind and tremor). What I don't get are the people that keybind the number keys above number 4. Even crazier are the kids that stretch for things like Shift 1 or something. My philosophy is keep all your keys centered around your movement keys.
My Shammy uses
WASD for movement
I then put my most important spells (usually those that are related to PVP quickness or interupts) on the closest keys possible.
F - nature shock
Shift F - frost shock
E - Purge
R - Healing Wave
Q - Lightning
C - Earthbound Totem
T - Tremor Totem
Tab - Lightning Shield
Mouse 3 - Storm Strike
I then use 1-4 for healing pots or misc totems/spells.
Basically I'm only using the mouse for targeting and totems. Watching WoW vids though of clickers gives me panick attacks though. I see kids jamming their mouse button waiting to hit that one spell. Insanity.
Moonfox Apr 4th 2007 8:40AM
I use a Nostromo n52 gaming pad for my left hand, with all of my combat abilities and some frequently used non-combat abilities keybound to it. I use the mouse for movement and I only click on things I'd never use in combat, like cooking or my hearthstone. Even though everything is keybound, I still have the buttons on my screen, just so I remember where everything is.
I highly recommend the Nostromo. It works great, and it's much more ergonomic than splaying my hand over my laptop. I also sometimes play on our 'media box' computer that's hooked up to our 42" LCD TV, with a wireless mouse, and a USB extension hub runs under the rug to the couch for my Nostromo and a USB audio jack for my vent mic. What do you think guys, should I submit that to the Wowspace column?
atr Apr 4th 2007 8:50AM
One toolbar for solo play which I use keys for, one I switch to for healing. I use keys and the mouse for those, with no particular rule. A few situational ones bound to letter keys, and the mouse for everything else.
Simple fact is that even if you can reach a key faster, I can still get my mouse pointer to the right button before the global cooldown is complete from the last spell, so the mouse pointer movement isn't the limiting factor.
And I hate using modifier keys (ctrl/shift etc) - just gets too confusing and too easy to mishit.
Imogynn Apr 4th 2007 9:53AM
Let me put my name on the Nostromo crowd. Takes maybe a week to get used to... then you'll never go back. It is likely playing by mental control.
Chad Apr 4th 2007 9:19AM
My most used spells are all keybound F1-F12 mostly. The others are on the 1 - 0 and a coupld on Shift 1, 2, and 3.
Of note, I had a problem with pots and food/drink keybindings until I found the wonder of the Autobar addon.
http://wow-en.curse-gaming.com/files/details/3353/autobar-toadkiller/
Seper Apr 4th 2007 9:25AM
I use the main bars so nothing special. But when i'm attacking an enemy I use my quick numbers. (1-5 i believe). Whenever I heal though i usually click the names then click the ability. You guys are saying thats slow... but I've never had any problems.
I click my heals because it adds that extra 2nd or 2 that is needed so that the heal is actually made useful. In other words I hear BEFORE they reach %50 and not hotkey at %50 or lower.
Anyways... I've got the timing for my clicks and all my groups have been very thankful that I am such a good healer.
Iski Apr 4th 2007 9:32AM
I have used the same key config for awhile and on all toons. Instead of WASD I moved it over to SDFC(lft/fwd/rgt/bwd). I was having trouble with the ammount of abilities(SWG had way less lol). With this set up I can use Q,A,W,V,X,Z,T,Y,R,H,1,2,3,4,5 and 6 with out stretching to far. Leaves my right had open for my mouse(G7) buttons for vent hotkey and numlock for autorun if I need it.
Strongmark on Arthas Apr 4th 2007 9:28AM
Clicker FTW! I dunno what it is, I actually used to be heavy with the keyboard, especially with other mmos and especially FPS games, but for some reason, the more and more I played wow, the more and more I used my mouse. I have everything I need organized exactly how I want it, and to tell you the truth, I never have problems with PVP. I will admit that there are times where my reaction has been slowed those 1 or 2 seconds, but once I am back in my groove, it's all good. Those 2 seconds have never finished me off.
It is kinda weird, but somehow I evolved away from the keyboard unless I am running or checking different parts of the character, quests, whos online, stuff like that, but when attacking mobs and even PVP, its all about the crazy clicking action.
Heymish Apr 4th 2007 9:30AM
I use the same metod at Elizabeth. Keybindings for combat and things I need quickly, and I click for everything I use out of combat.
Matt Apr 4th 2007 2:57PM
I click on my abilities. I hadn't found it to be a problem in BGs and PvE play, but I'm definitely seeing it as a liability in Arenas. I've gotten to the point where I know where everything is on my screen, but one missed click can make me a dead mage.
BoBoTheChimp Apr 4th 2007 9:37AM
I'm mostly a clicker but when I'm feeling lazy I'll use the only few abilities my UI lets me bind (without extensive setting up). Shoot (for pulling when im goin solo), Charge, Rend, Hamstring, Thunderclap, and Sunder Armor are the ones I have bound I think. I also have my spankin new mount bound to Alt-1. Thats just how the pieces fell using Mazzle ;)
Sylythn Apr 4th 2007 9:47AM
I fan out all my bars in the default ui, so I just have 2 to scroll between with the mouse wheel. Shadow spells (my most used) go on bar 1, Fire spells on bar 2. -/= are my heavily used all-the-time buttons (drain life/soul/mana macro and lifetap/darkpact macro), I try to keep each bar, or each grouping of buttons with a theme (curses are all next to each other, fear-related abilities are grouped, on my pally one bar is just for click-healing). The F bar gets my less used combat abilities, and the other three clickables get my macros (banish, seduce, ect.), trinkets, summons, non-combat abilities, etc.
As for movement, I use a combination of wasd and mouse w/buttons. In general I've always got 'w' pressed for movement, even if I'm moving with both mouse buttons pressed down. This is so that I can stop mouse-movement to change viewing angle or click something and not stop dead in my tracks. I developed habits from my first character being a rogue on a pvp server, and they've served me well. I constantly survey what's around me by holding the mouse button and mouse-looking while running. To change direction, I simply tap the second mouse button (works even with full 180's...used to do this on my rogue all the time...run through the mob, swivel the camera 180, click the second mouse button and voila you're behind and facing).
Dan Apr 4th 2007 9:59AM
Clique FTW :-)
Trospar Apr 4th 2007 10:11AM
I own a Nostromo but I have found two things wrong with it. 1) It doesn't fit my hand properly and is uncomfortable and 2) when I want to text to someone I have to move my hand back to the keyboard anyway...
As for setup, I use the mouse/keyboard combo. Mouse for turning, autorun and vent.
My keyboard is:
WAFX to move.
123456
QERTY
SDGH
ZCVB for spells/commands/etc
I stay away from SHIFT/CTRL/etc as those move my fingers away from the center line of the keyboard.