F1-f12

[Aladon]

Hi,

This is both minor and simple. I submit it for your consideration without stridently crying for attention in the hopes that it might make sense and get done at some point.

One way clerics can select party members to heal is by using the F1-F12 keys. But these keys do not merely select the character in that position on your character list, they toggle that character. Thus if you hit F2 and that character is already selected, it unselects them. In the heat of battle, it is quite easy to misuse this key such that the needy party member is unselected, does not get the spell that is sent (and the spell is wasted healing the cleric). While this is not a fatal flaw, it does add an unnecessary consideration to what could be a simple process. Since esc clears selections, that is the appropriate way to unselect party members.

So my suggestion is, make F1-F12 select that party member, not toggle the selection of that party member. If it is hit when the party member is already selected, they should remain selected.

I fully expect a series of responses explaining why this shouldn't be a problem for me. I think I am well aware of all the alternatives and for me, it is a problem. I know some clerics click on the names to be healed but I use mouselook. And I do try to keep an empty focus orb in combat and mostly succeed. However, I remain convinced that this is an unnecessary complexity in what should be a very simple process.

Best,

Aladon

[Ghoste]

Perhaps an option that you could chose to lock f1-f12 selctions or not.

[Draiden]

I don't play a cleric, but it would also be nice (for you cleric types) if they could organize the party list whatever way makes it easier for them.

[tihocan]

Agreed with OP, it's a suggestion I've seen already posted a few times on these forums, but so far with no success

[JTsays]

Yeppers, this would be a welcome change. I'd do my happy dance if the toggle aspect was removable. It would be a good refinement.

A way to re-order the party member list would be handy as well, one drop and the whole batting order may get changed.

[Donnie]

I stand behind this idea.

[Kylstrem]

/signed

I see no good reason why they set it to toggle to begin with.

[Talcyndl]

Agree with the suggestion.

But one hint I've seen is to hit F1 to select yourself then the F-whatever character.

With a keyboard with dedicated macro keys, you can assign this combo to a set of keys. The Logitech G15 keyboard is a nice choice since it has 3 groups of 6 programmable keys. So you can set one group up to select each party member. And even use macros to set one key group up to cast heal on each party member.

[Shawhan]

I love this idea. My main is a cleric and while i to strive to make sure i have the proper person selected sometimes things just happen and a spell or spells become wasted.

I also agree with the next idea which is we can rearrange the order of the party members to how we see fit. It makes it so much easier if the people you are assigned to heal (think raid) are grouped in a fashion to best suit your casting needs.


Keep these amazing ideas coming, loving them. Love the game, keep it coming.

Where are my Domain spells/abilities at?

Shawhan

[OKCRandy1]

I love this idea. My main is a cleric and while i to strive to make sure i have the proper person selected sometimes things just happen and a spell or spells become wasted.

I also agree with the next idea which is we can rearrange the order of the party members to how we see fit. It makes it so much easier if the people you are assigned to heal (think raid) are grouped in a fashion to best suit your casting needs.


Keep these amazing ideas coming, loving them. Love the game, keep it coming.

Where are my Domain spells/abilities at?

Shawhan

/agreed

Good suggestion.

[Codog]

/signed

I see no good reason why they set it to toggle to begin with.

Yeah... what were those devs thinking?

We're looking into this for you. Thanks for your respectful, concise feedback Aladon.

Have a great day!

--Codog

[Kire]

Also i agree. dont have a cleric but even using wands or buffing it can get annoying in a raid. nice to see a dev postiing also ^.^

~kire

[Tija]

Yes this is a pet hate of mine, getting that crit heal off only to find that you have healed your self again.

[Spookydodger]

Agree with the suggestion.

But one hint I've seen is to hit F1 to select yourself then the F-whatever character.

Yeah, that's what I do. Works fairly well, but it does take a fraction of a second longer than if it were meant to select, not toggle.

[darkgolem]

Aladon,
That's a good idea. I would like it to be set as an option though, because I am used to the toggle method now. I also use the toggle method to clear my focus orb, since it's the fastest way I know to do so, and sometimes in combat I need to clear my focus orb FAST when casting, especially when I am aiming a spell at where my cursor is targetted.

[Riorik]

This makes me think about how many months I played before I figured out (aka, somebody told me) that I could use the Function Keys and/or click onto their names on the list.

Personally, I'm used to it - and I do the same thing - I hit F1 to break lock so that I can use mouselook or to make sure I'm off a given player before I try to go back to them. Yeah, I have made mistakes - and I'm sure everyone has accidentally landed full heals onto themselves rather than others a few times.

Thinking about it, I believe your request actually makes more sense from a consistency standpoint than the current regime. Mostly I'm basing that on how other things work. For example, clicking onto an enemy - then re-clicking onto an enemy doesn't de-select them. Doing the same with the mouse also doesn't de-select them. Clicking and re-clicking doesn't de-select them, however, the Function keys do. Going outside of the game - if you click onto a file on your desktop - it selects - doing it again either becomes a double-click OR it attempts to select it again (OR it puts you into rename mode depending on what you're clicking onto). However, it never de-selects.

I would still, like another posted, prefer to see any behavior change show up as an option rather than the only way - just because of what I'm already used to doing.

Nax

[Kylstrem]

Hey, and while the Devs are listening, add to the Key Mapping in Options the ability to set F1-F12 to select players. I think party members 1-6 are in there, but if you remap F7-F12 to something else, your only recourse is to Reset to defaults which means you have to remap EVERY key again if you want those select party members 7-12 (for raids).

[Gimpster]

We're looking into this for you. Thanks for your respectful, concise feedback Aladon.

While you look into this, why not look at placing a little number from 2-12 beneath the name of the character in that list... and to go really far-out with it, also use that number on the map dot indicating the same character?

[Kylstrem]

And make it more obvious which player is currently selected on the list on the screen. The slight change in color now is really difficult for me to see (might be because I'm color-blind, but if it's affecting me it's affecting at least 10-15% of the male user base.)

[Trinarius]

Aladon's (the OP's) comments are spot-on, and well presented. I have two Clerics in my arsenal, and am contemplating a third (call me crazy), but the toggle feature often sneaks up on me when I'm in the middle of trying to keep a party member alive. At least giving me an Option to choose whether the keys toggle or simply select the desired party member would be fantastic.

I also agree with Kylstrem's observation that there ought to be a way to make the selected player more obvious. And, I'm *not* color blind. There's a very subtle difference between the default soft-yellow and white colors that are in use. I've also noticed you can't tell who's selected in the list whenever people are actively using their voice-chat. The green from their talking overrides the white color for the selection. Again, another option would be nice here.

Thanks to Codog for acknowledging the post!!! It's nice to see the developers are hearing the users.