Request: Auto-Attack Option That Always Attacks Nearest Enemy

[HumanJHawkins]

I like the "hold the mouse down to attack" thing as it is a step in the right direction for ergonomics. But is still means maintaining constant stress on a couple of over-used tendons.

What would be much better would be an option that just puts you in an agressive stance to attack the closest enemy within range. It would be equivalent to having auto attack on, but hitting the "Select Nearest" after each round, or when the current enemy is killed, goes out of range, or burrows.

This should of course be optional, because not everyone has wrist problems and some people like the twitch thing. I, on the other hand, have had to take time off from the game and/or quit early to give my wrists a chance to heal. This would be a huge help.

Thanks!

[Uska]

NO NO we dont need this game getting more like wow thank you. The somewhat interactive combat is one of the reasons I stay if I want a combat system like that I would play wow. Only time I use auto attack is when I am using my repeater and trying to kite something.

[Borror0]

Hold to attack isn't enough for you?

[GeneralDiomedes]

There is a 'select nearest combat target' function, and I use it quite a bit. I have mine configured to the ~ button. Don't know it that helps you, but if you had auto-attack on and used this, you wouldn't need to click the mouse at all.

[Uska]

There is a 'select nearest combat target' function, and I use it quite a bit. I have mine configured to the ~ button. Don't know it that helps you, but if you had auto-attack on and used this, you wouldn't need to click the mouse at all.

Yeah but I think he is wanting a feature to attack automaticly any enemy in range like the no brain required mmo's like wow at least in swg of hold you had to write a macro to do it. I dont think he likes you have to chose your target or face it. and I use tab myself to change targets especially when I am trying to paralyze everything with my repeater.

[MrCow]

If something like this was implemented I could see the failure rate of quests like Faithful Departed increase. :p

[sda3]

If this ever happens I don't think I want to be with anyone using it. So much for quests like Let sleeping dust lie. You would fail in an instant. Just turn your auto attack on and tab your target. You dont even need the mouse.

[Gordo]

I agree something needs to be done. After playing for over 18 months now, my wrist is shot. I use auto attack but I also need to take time off because my hand is shot from the insane amount of click and click/hold necessary to play.

I do admit I played a lot in the beginning but now hardly play.

Hopefully the new change will help but there is no doubt that you can hurt yourself if you are not careful. I don't really care to see replies from people who experience no pain. This isn't about you. Countless people I am sure have suffered some sort of finger/wrist pain whilst playing this game.

* Edit: I know they are making a change for MOD 7. I am saying here that I hope this is enough.

I am not complaining as I did this to myself but any improvement will be appreciated.

[llevenbaxx]

I didnt think you really needed to have a particular enemy selected in melee to hit them, with my THF I rarely target at all. Even if the mob Im swinging at run off, as long as there is another within close proximity and close to in front of me I seem to connect with them. Its not glancing blows either, have seem this on my TWF rogues also. I dont think Ive been that high that consistenly to imagine this....though...:rolleyes:

[Manko-ALE]

play a bard.

buff everyone , play songs. sit back get the gravy xp and loot...

8-/

[Gorbadoc]

I get pain my right wrist, as that's the hand I use for the mouse, but not in my left wrist. I'm not sure exactly what you want. You still have to keep one hand on some input device to move. I have my movement keys, auto-attack, select nearest, and select next all close enough on the keyboard that I need only move my fingers.

I'm not saying your suggested target auto-acquire system is good or bad. I'm just saying I'm not sure how it's going to help.

[Sue_Dark]

#1 it isnt even required that you target a mob to attack it.
#2 Gordo- If you dont want to hear from un-pained people, dont post.
#3 waste of development time
#4 try out the new feature before you ask for additions to said feature.


Done

[Girevik]

What would be much better would be an option that just puts you in an agressive stance to attack the closest enemy within range

The way it is now, when you swing you do attack the closest enemy within range. Selecting them just lets you see there hit point bar.

When I am healing Coyle on my "battle cleric" I leave him "selected" the whole time, so that I can easily heal him. That doesn't stop me from stepping in, swinging, and hitting the attacking monsters.

P.S. If it hurts to use your mouse,.... don't use your mouse. I use "Z" as my swing key, "X" to select nearest enemy, and the arrows to move. I rarely grab and click my mouse.

[HumanJHawkins]

Hold to attack isn't enough for you?
Did you bother to read even the FIRST LINE of the OP... Here, I'll past it in for you:


I like the "hold the mouse down to attack" thing as it is a step in the right direction for ergonomics. But is still means maintaining constant stress on a couple of over-used tendons.

[HumanJHawkins]

Yeah but I think he is wanting a feature to attack automaticly any enemy in range like the no brain required mmo's like wow at least in swg of hold you had to write a macro to do it. I dont think he likes you have to chose your target or face it. and I use tab myself to change targets especially when I am trying to paralyze everything with my repeater.

Man... You people are cold. I suppose you would argue to remove the wheelchair ramps in buildings because they provide less exercise to you?

No. I didn't say you shouldn't have to face your target. All targeting rules should still apply.

Yes. You would fail some quests if you left this on. A player would have to turn it off in such cases.

No, you wouldn't have to use it. I clearly stated it should be OPTIONAL.

Yes. It would be less effective than manual selection, etc. This is another reason it wouldn't hurt anything. Players who wanted to be uber would still have to do things manually. But players with repetitive stress issues would have the option to continue playing instead of having to take time off or quit early.

Finally, an alternative that would be another step in the right direction would be to just be able to toggle "attacking on/off" so you don't have to click or hold the mouse button down, but you do have to select targets. That wouldn't be perfect, but would be better than having to hold a button down constantly to attack.

[Gordo]

Sue Dark

Do you not get enough attention at home? There are countless people with real issues here regarding ergonomics. Hearing from people like yourself that this is (in essence) an unimportant issue is selfish and childish (but I assumed you were a kid anyway so I am taking it easy on you). What possible point can anyone have here in posting that because they don't suffer an ailment from this game that the issue is moot or that they think any discussion about remedies are a waste of time? Are you saying everyone else who has an issue is lying? What possibly could you have to gain?

One day when you are not in your teens, you'll see what it is like.

[Ikuryo]

If you are having issues like wrist pain you probably don't have your desk set up correctly. Its not the fault of the game if you are keeping your wrist and arm in a bad position for hours at a time and causing it injury. If you are bending your wrist to put it on the mouse then you have a problem with your mouse and keyboard set up.

[Borror0]

Did you bother to read even the FIRST LINE of the OP.

Yes, but I did. But I don't get why the hold to auto-attack isn't enough.

[Sue_Dark]

If you are having issues like wrist pain you probably don't have your desk set up correctly. Its not the fault of the game if you are keeping your wrist and arm in a bad position for hours at a time and causing it injury. If you are bending your wrist to put it on the mouse then you have a problem with your mouse and keyboard set up.

Thank you, finally some sense in this thread.

Gordo,

Actually, I am 35 years old and a combat veteran with a steel hip to show for it. I know pain. I also use a mouse/keyboard 8 hours a day, 5 days a week in my job (DBA), then play for about 1-4 hours most nights if I dont have something more pressing to do. Just because people a) are unable to recognize a problem in their ergonomic setup and are hurting because of it, b) are too lazy to use features in game already, and c) whine about wanting features that havent even been released yet to be changed, does not mean that the developers need to do a thing at all.

One more thing, I'll say it again, if you post in a public forum and tell people not to post their views - you are wrong. If you want the views of a minority, open your own forum and put your own rules on it. In the mean time, please note that neither of my posts are hostile or accusatory and re-read your own which I did not quote because no good could come of it.

[Gordo]

OMG. I'm a veteran too of the first Gulf War. Give me a break. I didn't even bring that into the equation - you did.
You are just bitter for some reason. People here are discussing the negative impact on their health in gaming and all you can do is waste internet air with how silly we all are to have this problem? Sheesh.

You are useless to this discussion and a distraction. Go find another post to be annoying in please.

[Sue_Dark]

OMG. I'm a veteran too of the first Gulf War. Give me a break. I didn't even bring that into the equation - you did.
You are just bitter for some reason. People here are discussing the negative impact on their health in gaming and all you can do is waste internet air with how silly we all are to have this problem? Sheesh.

You are useless to this discussion and a distraction. Go find another post to be annoying in please.

Alright, so the fact that I am unable to sit for hours on end is Turbine's problem and they should make the game easier for me.

Look at things from a different view, is Microsoft RESPONSIBLE for making their software anywhere near as "accessable" as this thread is asking? Nope, they add a few features to help, but those features arent the best in the world (actually, they are rather pitiful). If your mouse hand gets injured using excel, do you write to M$ to have them change how it works so you dont have to <insert action> or do you look at what you are doing that can be changed? A vast majority of ergonomic issues can be corrected at the user level with no interference from developers. Proper seat placement, proper posture, proper monitor/keyboard/mouse setup all factor into these things. I'd wager that if everyone who is complaining about ergo issues went online and looked up proper ergo-setup AND made reasonable effort to follow those guidelines, this thread would be totally unnecessary. Unfortunately, most people are too lazy to turn on auto-attack and bind a single command to a key, much less actually do homework on a medical issue they might have.

As for calling me bitter, you dont know me. You have absolutely no clue about me. To make such broad assumptions, as you have, is really rather ignorant.

Another bit of information, if the OP had said something to the effect of I am handicapped, have arthritis, or other serious medical conditions. Something more to the effect of "I'm 80 years old and love DDO, but cant play because...." yes, my response would have been more helpful. But as I see it, the waste of space here is arguing for something that plainly is the user's issue and not the developer's.

If the problem at hand was the inability to bind keys and use auto-attack or some other developer related, likely unintended activity, again I'd be all for it. I'm not against fixing proper application issues.

That said, I look forward to yet another attack which, by the way, truely does make your points invalid. Try making a good arguement for your case, you might just get me to see your point.

[Razvan]

OMG. I'm a veteran too of the first Gulf War. Give me a break. I didn't even bring that into the equation - you did.
You are just bitter for some reason. People here are discussing the negative impact on their health in gaming and all you can do is waste internet air with how silly we all are to have this problem? Sheesh.

You are useless to this discussion and a distraction. Go find another post to be annoying in please.


Thank you, finally some sense in this thread.

Gordo,

Actually, I am 35 years old and a combat veteran with a steel hip to show for it. I know pain. I also use a mouse/keyboard 8 hours a day, 5 days a week in my job (DBA), then play for about 1-4 hours most nights if I dont have something more pressing to do. Just because people a) are unable to recognize a problem in their ergonomic setup and are hurting because of it, b) are too lazy to use features in game already, and c) whine about wanting features that havent even been released yet to be changed, does not mean that the developers need to do a thing at all.

One more thing, I'll say it again, if you post in a public forum and tell people not to post their views - you are wrong. If you want the views of a minority, open your own forum and put your own rules on it. In the mean time, please note that neither of my posts are hostile or accusatory and re-read your own which I did not quote because no good could come of it.


hehe, keep it up you two...your little "battle" here will get this thread closed for sure...(which it fully deserves btw)

[Issip]

NO NO we dont need this game getting more like wow thank you. The somewhat interactive combat is one of the reasons I stay if I want a combat system like that I would play wow. Only time I use auto attack is when I am using my repeater and trying to kite something.

I don't really care if you hate WoW, the original poster has a REAL issue. I have to limit my melee play or end up having to stop playing, and I don't even play that much.

Fighting phasing or teleporting mobs REQUIRES that you swing wildly in the air - this means repetative clicking, which over hours and days and weeks WILL CAUSE SERIOUS PROBLEMS. It is not a huge change to combat nor does it affect anyone who does not want to use it, but risking people's health because you don't like WoW and are paranoid that other people not having to click 1000 times a run will hurt your gaming experience is unacceptable.

If you are ignorant of ergonomics, CTD's, carpal tunnel, etc. please feel free to Wiki those terms and learn something that is important to you if you play MMO's (or use a mouse and keyboard for work). It's hilarious when you can't work or play video games because you're in a wrist brace and in constant un-remitting pain. I think it is up to the individual gamer to make the right call on how much clicking they should be doing, but the way the game is designed now I can run a couple few runs of melee in teleporting/phasing mobs and then I have to stop to care for my own health, and a simple change (I prefer a "swing wildly in the air" auto-attack option) can prevent most of it.

You may choose to think these are all made-up things - have fun with your wriste brace genuis.

[Gordo]

I have no interest having you see my point. You are insane.

Issip: Eventually, they will all have this problem.
Razvan: Useless post as well

Devs: Please close this thread down.

[Girevik]

Fighting phasing or teleporting mobs REQUIRES that you swing wildly in the air - this means repetative clicking,

NO, it does not. The developers have already provided a method of binding the "attack" button to a keyboard location (as well as leaving it on the mouse). With a very minor bit of experimentation (I did it in the first few days of pre-release) you should be able to come up with a "keyboard only" setup that provides full utility for 95%+ of the game. (The other 5% works with the mouse as currently configured.)

When I fight the aforementioned phasing and teleporting mobs, granted, I "press" the living daylights out of my "Z" key with my left hand, but I have no mouse-click issues with my right.

(Granted, I am also "a 1-hot bar on the screen at a time, and make use of the ctrl-# to select which it is, and select what slot to activate by pressing the corresponding number key" kind of player, but I have none of the tendonitus/carpal tunnel-type repetitive issues in DDO that I experienced playing Diablo 2.)

[Gordo]

This was an informative and apropos post. I'm going to try to use more keyboard and less mouse. Not used to it but frankly have no choice.

Thanks Girevek

[HumanJHawkins]

<CUT>I also use a mouse/keyboard 8 hours a day, 5 days a week in my job (DBA), then play for about 1-4 hours most nights if I dont have something more pressing to do. Just because people a) are unable to recognize a problem in their ergonomic setup and are hurting because of it, b) are too lazy to use features in game already, and c) whine about wanting features that havent even been released yet to be changed, does not mean that the developers need to do a thing at all.

*sigh* Always have to deal with this kind of thing in order to actually discuss anything...

Not everyone is physically or mentally the same. Most repetitive stress issues related to computers have to do with either tension around the deltoid that squeezes a nerve running down to the wrist, or swelling of the tissues around the wrist joint, causing the tendons to be compressed by a ligament that goes across the wrist to hold them all in place.

You might be immune to the first issue because of the location of the aforementioned nerve in relation to your deltoid. You might also be immune to the second issue, because of the relationship between the thickness of your tendons and the amount of space within that little ligament that holds them in.

In short, your ability to spend all day and night at the computer without problems has no bearing on the experience of others.

You also assume (without good reason) that a better ergonomic setup at the desk would solve all of these issues. I personally have had an ergonomic specialist from the local hospital visit my workplace annually for the last 3 years, and sat on a committee for improving ergonomics at work. We took and applied every recommendation from the professional and have seen a great deal of improvement come of it at work.

I also applied all of this to my home gaming workstation, from proper chair height, lumbar support, arm-rest height to insure wrists can be essentially straight and relaxed while using the computer, an ergonomic keyboard and mouse, etc. And, in everything except the game, it has worked beautifully.

The problem with the game is that the goal of ergonomics is to place the hands, joints, and tendons at rest most of the time. The game currently requires you to hold tension in your arms most of the time. It varies between quests and roles... The wilderness areas are better than most because you can use auto-run a lot more... Archers are better than most because they can tab-select with auto attack fairly well.

But if you are trying to play a melee character in something like Coalescence Chamber, it's horrible ergonomically. You are constantly forced to choose between keeping up with the party, or giving your wrists a break. Or between joining in the fight, or just hoping everyone else can finish things off and raise you if you get killed because you need to take a break and stretch your wrists. I probably do worse than most at this because I feel a responsibility to the rest of the party to be playing as effectively as possible... I feel guilty if I let someone die when I could have helped, and that feeling of responsibility usually wins over the concern for my wrists.

I also may do worse than others because I get immersed in the game. Some people might be able to relax and gently hold the mouse button down while calmly watching the pretty lights on the screen. But if I ever get close to that point, I will probably stop playing... The whole point is to be challenged, scared, tense. If I have to hold buttons down under these circumstances, I am unconsciously holding them down with a lot more tension than the mouse (or keyboard) button requires.

Now, I can tell from your post that you really don't care about whether my wrists hurt or not. And you have no sympathy for whatever personal traits might make this worse for me. So be it. After reading your callous responses, I don't care a lot about you either. But a small part of the player base has pretty big ergonomic issues, and a larger part has less severe issues. With the low server populations, you should care about that if you like playing this game. And Turbine should care even more.

[Gorbadoc]

Finally, an alternative that would be another step in the right direction would be to just be able to toggle "attacking on/off" so you don't have to click or hold the mouse button down, but you do have to select targets. That wouldn't be perfect, but would be better than having to hold a button down constantly to attack.
Alright, everyone but HumanJ read this, think about it, have a good laugh, and move on.

HumanJ, I'm sorry, I must have misunderstood before. You can do that already. Go into the Feats tab in your character sheet. Put the "Attack" feat on one of your first five hotbars. Bind that particular hotbar slot to whatever key you like (I personally have it in Hotbar 1, Slot 1, which is bound to the "a" key). If you want to be sure that a particular key ALWAYS activates that slot no matter which hotbar you have selected, make sure that in Options you bind it where it says Hotbar #, Slot # (rather than just Slot #).

[Gordo]

Great post HumanJ.