No Use Key?

[PhobosKosmos]

The whole no use key thing is one of the best...is the best way that, it seems, to make the control panels and buttons activate. When your crosshair goes over any button or something your weapon will become holdstered and your crosshair will become a hand with the index finger extended or an arrow. By useing the fire button you do things like open doors with key pads or fix filtration systems. This is the best way to do stuff in a game.

[Disorder]

Agreed. At first, when I heard that there wouldn't be a usekey I hesitated. But I've played the alpha myself and I must say I wouldn't want to have it any other way. This is simple and perfect.

[Shaviro]

Disorder said:

Agreed. At first, when I heard that there wouldn't be a usekey I hesitated. But I've played the alpha myself and I must say I wouldn't want to have it any other way. This is simple and perfect.

Yeah. And I bet this is one of those 'revolutionary' things that will change the future games.

[insertwackynamehere]

Ahh! The no "usekey" thing completly ruined Quake! Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn!

[AirRaid]

Ya but quake had it implemented (or no implemented?) badly. Doom3 does it a lot better - you still 'use' things, but you use youre fire button to manipulate them.

[Tyockell]

Yea im very happy with the way they integrated that in to the game.

[Scabbed Angel]

I was also very impressed with the way the crosshair changed from a gun to a mouse. The interaction is seamless. I hope there are many other features like that in the game. But hey, Quake revolutionized that all, and for the time, it was awesome. For those without the mouse keyboard setup with just the arrows to move, enter for action, and ctrl to shoot, the no-use key doors just opening this freed up fingers to shoot monsters and quickened reaction times.... maybee its just me

[The Flange Peddler]

The omission of the use key in Quake was a bad move. I think it was Romero who said it screwed up quite a bit of gameplay in DM (like not being able to leg it through a door and quickly close it behind you) amongst other things.

I dunno about Doom3. I think a basic use key would be a good thing, to open doors, press switches and what not. The keypad thing is a good idea for combination lock stuff, but for basic one-button usage I don't see how it will work very well - I guess most of the doors and stuff well just auto open when you get near?

[Livo]

I wish that you could hit a key to bring up the Flash interface, the last thing I want is to accidentally get too close to a door while I'll fighting and have my weapon lower automatically

[Zoorado]

IRT Livo,

You can just move your cursor away from the panel, and all will be fine.

[PhobosKosmos]

Zoorado said:

IRT Livo,

You can just move your cursor away from the panel, and all will be fine.

But how fast...only when DOOM III comes out, I guess, we'll know.

[The_Aeromaster]

What about if I back up into a door to give me more room to fight some baddies? Will the door open (making me face a battle on two fronts) or do I have to be facing the door?

Either way, I think the use key or the interface should be an option. This way everyone is happy.

[PhobosKosmos]

The_Aeromaster said:

Either way, I think the use key or the interface should be an option. This way everyone is happy.

That would be a good idea, but I think I would not do the 'use key' dealy.

[Zoorado]

IRT Aeromaster,
Depends on which type of door you're talking about. Some doors may need a switch to open, whereas others are automatic and open whenever the motion detector sense movement. The former will probably require you to interact with your mouse while facing the switch (or control panel). The latter will open as long as you are within a certain proximity of the door.

[AirRaid]

Livo said:

I wish that you could hit a key to bring up the Flash interface, the last thing I want is to accidentally get too close to a door while I'll fighting and have my weapon lower automatically

That will never happen, because you have to look directly at the thing for your weapon to lower. If you're fighting then I guess you'd be looking towards your enemy, not a wall with a keypad on it.

[DooMBoy]

I like Quake's way of dealing with using things - you simply walk up to it and if it's a door, it opens. If you need a key, you're told you need a key. If you have to hit a switch, you simply walk up to the switch and push it by walking into it, or you shoot it, in some cases. What's so wrong with that?

[Enjay]

DooMBoy said:

I like Quake's way of dealing with using things

I HATE with a vengeance the quake way of doing things. I mean I really detest it. If I want to press a frikken button, I want to press it. I don't want it to activate simply because I happen to be standing next to it. That may be OK if I'm going into a super market pushing a trolley (or even a cart) but when I'm backing down a corridor trying to fight the advancing hell hordes, and I accidentally activate something, it pisses me off. Proper "pushing" of buttons is what I like.

[gatewatcher]

I've always preferred a use key.

[PhobosKosmos]

gatewatcher said:

I've always preferred a use key.

Most newer game have use keys and I think , even though I like the idea of no use key, I will be reaching for the 'f' for awhile 'til I get the hang of it.

[Naked Snake]

Personally, I find use keys to be another annoying bind UNLESS it is a game that it fits in (I.E. Deus Ex, where you certainly don't want to automagically activate everything you touch). In Doom3 however, it is perfect and I wouldn't want a use key fucking it up.

[gatewatcher]

BBG said:

In Doom3 however, it is perfect and I wouldn't want a use key fucking it up.

How can you know that?

[Naked Snake]

gatewatcher said:

How can you know that?

Because I work at id, ok? Jeez...

[Alboroto]

BBG said:

Because I work at id, ok? Jeez...

You're the janitor, right?

[Tyockell]

Alboroto said:

You're the janitor, right?

No thats my job ;) BBG just lives in a cardboard box out back he thinks he works at Id just go along with it the doctor says its good for his mental health :-P.

[dsm]

gatewatcher said:

How can you know that?

Because he's tried the Alpha, numbnuts, because he's the BigBadGangsta and because he says so ;-P

[Naked Snake]

Tyockell said:

No thats my job ;) BBG just lives in a cardboard box out back he thinks he works at Id just go along with it the doctor says its good for his mental health :-P.

No, the dude in the cardboard box is Railgunner. I'm Cohn Jarmack, I'm from uh...a European country....yeah, and I really got the idea for Doom 3, you see, I'd was going to remake Catacombs 3d with all that fancy Doom 3 engine stuff (was originally called the Catacombs 3dx Engine) but I said "why not another Doom?" and the idea clicked. So, yeah, I made up Doom 3.

[DooMBoy]

Lies, pure unadulterated lies.

[JavaGuy4230]

I'm not sure how a use key would fuck anything up... you know, you go up to a switch and you press the use button... I dunno. It worked well enough in original Doom right? But Doom3's way of doing things is fine. Your hand is a use button when you need it, and it makes sense that most doors open on their own anyway, being as that you're in a high tech base. I doubt that your interface will turn to use mode when your in the middle of fighting, since you have to be touching and facing an object at the same time.

[dsm]

Just a li'l question for those who've tried the Alpha: Do the doors open only when you face and touch them, or do they also open if you back into them like in the Quake games?

If they only open when you actually face and touch them, it shouldn't be a problem at all.

[JavaGuy4230]

Eh, I think (haven't played it in a while) they open regardless of direction. Still, it shouldn't be too bad. After all, this is not Quake. I think this is going to be structured in such a way where it's better to clear the room of enemies as you go along, rather than fussing with doors before you've wiped out what's in front of you. Shouldn't be too bad, really. Although that doesn't mean there won't be a situation where you've got to make a quick get away for health/ammo/whatever. Still, it's not really a bad element... just a different element, causing you to take different actions.