Forums » Android
The mobile keyboard needs to go
I'm going to bring this topic back up because it's been a while and I believe I can add some useful new points to support my argument.
The mobile keyboard needs to go.
While I think it's great that you took time to specifically make a keyboard that only works well with the game but also follows the same design guidelines, the functionality is subpar and falls way behind true competitors in the android keyboard industry. The main flaw is that everyone types differently. This is well showcased by the plethora of strangely designed keyboards out there in the market today. Some swipe, some peck, some rely on various degrees of auto prediction. It's not a one size fits all market.
Given that I'm a mobile player and use my device for way more than just playing this game, I'm forced to develop two different typing modes: non-game typing and game typing. The truth of the matter is that switching between modes is horribly difficult to do - something anyone who is fluent in multiple languages might know. If I spend 90% of my device time programming into my brain that tapping spacebar twice gives me a period, I'm going to do this in game typing mode, only to my dissatisfaction.
The problem is not so superficial as the comment above, but rather delves deeper into the enjoyment of the game. In many situations, communication (and fast communication) are necessary for survival or success. If I'm in grey space and a pirate asks me for payment or they'll blow me up, I need to do the following:
1. Press the menu button (because I can't talk in sector chat without doing this)
2. Swipe left to get to chat screen and press "sector" chat
3. Click on the text field and type my decision - usually with less than 60% accuracy
If I need to use in game commands it's even worse.
1. Open chat
2. Press number button - press \
3. Press abc button type "msg"
4. Press number button again - press " button
5. Press abc button again - type name (usually with inaccurate clicks)
6. Press the number button again - press the " button
7. Type my message (again, with less than 60% success)
It's an awful experience.
To further prove my point, I've typed this entire argument out using my preferred keyboard of choice: Fleksy. It has taken less than 10 minutes to complete and I've backspaced maybe three times. I believe my enjoyment of the game will skyrocket and my ability to communicate properly would be greatly enhanced by either getting rid of the in-game keyboard completely, or figuring out a way to allow for the user to define the option.
Thank you.
The mobile keyboard needs to go.
While I think it's great that you took time to specifically make a keyboard that only works well with the game but also follows the same design guidelines, the functionality is subpar and falls way behind true competitors in the android keyboard industry. The main flaw is that everyone types differently. This is well showcased by the plethora of strangely designed keyboards out there in the market today. Some swipe, some peck, some rely on various degrees of auto prediction. It's not a one size fits all market.
Given that I'm a mobile player and use my device for way more than just playing this game, I'm forced to develop two different typing modes: non-game typing and game typing. The truth of the matter is that switching between modes is horribly difficult to do - something anyone who is fluent in multiple languages might know. If I spend 90% of my device time programming into my brain that tapping spacebar twice gives me a period, I'm going to do this in game typing mode, only to my dissatisfaction.
The problem is not so superficial as the comment above, but rather delves deeper into the enjoyment of the game. In many situations, communication (and fast communication) are necessary for survival or success. If I'm in grey space and a pirate asks me for payment or they'll blow me up, I need to do the following:
1. Press the menu button (because I can't talk in sector chat without doing this)
2. Swipe left to get to chat screen and press "sector" chat
3. Click on the text field and type my decision - usually with less than 60% accuracy
If I need to use in game commands it's even worse.
1. Open chat
2. Press number button - press \
3. Press abc button type "msg"
4. Press number button again - press " button
5. Press abc button again - type name (usually with inaccurate clicks)
6. Press the number button again - press the " button
7. Type my message (again, with less than 60% success)
It's an awful experience.
To further prove my point, I've typed this entire argument out using my preferred keyboard of choice: Fleksy. It has taken less than 10 minutes to complete and I've backspaced maybe three times. I believe my enjoyment of the game will skyrocket and my ability to communicate properly would be greatly enhanced by either getting rid of the in-game keyboard completely, or figuring out a way to allow for the user to define the option.
Thank you.
I believe there was some technical limitations to the Android OS that prompted them to make this thing in the first place. Something like a huge performance hit that makes the game run unresponsively slow when the on-screen keyboard is up. Otherwise I don't think they would have wasted their time re-implementing a feature of the OS.
You know there's a tab-complete feature and macro keys, right? If you type " then the first couple letters of a character name it will complete the rest if you press TAB. it will also auto-reply to the last /msg you got if you press TAB on a blank line. You can also assign common commands or phrases to the macro keys.
Hopefully that helps. It's still cumbersome, but that's just a fact of on-screen touch keyboards in general. Once upon a time they made phones that didn't have that limitation... but that time has passed us.
Bluetooth and USB keyboards also work great. :)
You know there's a tab-complete feature and macro keys, right? If you type " then the first couple letters of a character name it will complete the rest if you press TAB. it will also auto-reply to the last /msg you got if you press TAB on a blank line. You can also assign common commands or phrases to the macro keys.
Hopefully that helps. It's still cumbersome, but that's just a fact of on-screen touch keyboards in general. Once upon a time they made phones that didn't have that limitation... but that time has passed us.
Bluetooth and USB keyboards also work great. :)
Yeah. I know about the short codes. I've even mapped most of the commands to the M1-7 buttons which I'm happy about. I figured it would be worth bringing the topic back up just so it stays fresh.
I wish it were easier to use BT keyboards, but if my controls require me to hold the device, then using the keyboard isn't a suitable solution, as I'd need to drop the device to begin typing then pick it back up to continue piloting. It's a shame android has the mouse restrictions it has. I'd love to use a tablet with a BT keyboard and mouse. Until then, I'll keep saving for a surface pro 3.
I wish it were easier to use BT keyboards, but if my controls require me to hold the device, then using the keyboard isn't a suitable solution, as I'd need to drop the device to begin typing then pick it back up to continue piloting. It's a shame android has the mouse restrictions it has. I'd love to use a tablet with a BT keyboard and mouse. Until then, I'll keep saving for a surface pro 3.
Yeah a mouse would be nice.
i use a joystick and keyboard with my tablet and it works well.
For what you'll be paying for a surface pro 3 why not just get a laptop?
i use a joystick and keyboard with my tablet and it works well.
For what you'll be paying for a surface pro 3 why not just get a laptop?
Touchscreen for VO is by far the best experience I've had with it. Navigating the interface is much easier on a touch device.
Definitely. I was playing as someone else's gunner on my tablet when I came up with the idea for the TurretHop plugin. The PDA interface is a lot easier to work with when you have a touchscreen. Typing on it sucks though.