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Alternate Fencing Keymaps
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JackPrat
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 19, 2016 10:19 pm    Post subject: Alternate Fencing Keymaps Reply with quote

After having much trouble with Monty on Rogue, I decided to reconfigure the layout for my fencing maneuvers. Anyone else have a different kind of setup that they find they like better than the traditional?

By traditional, I mean the attack keys are in a vertical line (e.g. 7,4,1) and the defense keys are lined up behind them. In essence, the index finger has to cover all three types of attacks and the middle finger covers all defenses. I use a laptop so I actually had U, J, M as my attacks with I, J, , as my defense keys with L as taunt.

I am now using a keymap in which all defense moves have a devoted finger assigned to each one. The keys are now aligned horizontally. Attacks can be done by moving each of those fingers up to keys directly above them. This works well with the fighting style that I have found works best for me, which is waiting for the opponent to attack, defending and then counter attacking. I usually use a longsword or cutlass for the harder opponents.

My new setup seems to work best with fencing at higher difficulties and with harder opponents:

J, K, L are duck, parry, jump respectively.
U, I, O are slash, thrust, chop.
Space bar is taunt.

For those with numpads: 4, 5, 6 are duck, parry, jump. 7, 8, 9 are slash, thrust, chop. 0 or something would be taunt.

I can get my defensive moves off so much more quickly that the advantage is clear. I would greatly appreciate any comments or suggestions!
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Roland
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 7:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had never thought of remapping the keys for fencing, but it sounds like a good idea. Fencing with three fingers (and the thumb for taunting) instead of doing everything with two fingers should make for quicker, more consistent reactions.

I also play on a laptop, but I plug in a USB numpad when I play Pirates. I put it on the left side so that I can keep my right hand on the mouse and my left hand on the numpad at all times.
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Salty Dog
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 5:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Fencing moves are so ingrained into my head I would not want to mess with them. When I use a laptop, I have an external keyboard with keypad built in. I am a keypad person for sure.
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JackPrat
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 5:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Roland! I wasn't aware I was onto anything new. I assumed the whole setup would been seen as inefficient and too cumbersome for Swash level fencing. My quick glance at the fencing academy and search for fencing keymap turned up nothing tho.

In addition to reacting quicker to fencing opponents, my fencing moves are without a doubt more accurate as well. Interpreting the attack, then moving the middle finger to desired defense allowed too much room for error. It occasionally resulted in the wrong dodge which meant the same finger had to make the correction before the attack would hit.


I know just what you mean, Salty. I figured I would have trouble relearning the keys. At a minimum, a horizontal layout that translates into different levels of vertical moves is absolutely counter intuitive. It honestly only took a day of working with it and changing how I visualize and my defensive responses to make the change effective: ducking is kinda like a move forward while jumping is in a backwards direction. Give it a try!

I also upped my game in how to determine types of fencing attacks as soon as possible. Watching an opponents sword is bad. Opponent body rotation is useful to use as an early indicator on the attack they are about to make. The opponents body turns towards the screen (opens up) from our perspective anytime they make a thrust and even more so for a high chop. The opponents body turns away only when making a low slash.

The moment I see a turn in either direction I can make a quick judgement on which type of attack is coming. If their right shoulder starts to move back, I can quickly limit my possible defense buttons and get ready for a parry while being ready to duck instead.

After I started using this method, I am pretty sure I read something about body movement on the fencing academy thread. I imagine many Pirates players know this technique already, but in conjunction with the tactical fencing keymap it works wonders for my fencing game.

Do yall do something like this? Id appreciate any other advice on keeping one step ahead of fencing opponents.
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Captain Teague
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 20, 2016 10:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

JackPrat wrote:
Thanks Roland! I wasn't aware I was onto anything new. I assumed the whole setup would been seen as inefficient and too cumbersome for Swash level fencing. My quick glance at the fencing academy and search for fencing keymap turned up nothing tho.

In addition to reacting quicker to fencing opponents, my fencing moves are without a doubt more accurate as well. Interpreting the attack, then moving the middle finger to desired defense allowed too much room for error. It occasionally resulted in the wrong dodge which meant the same finger had to make the correction before the attack would hit.


I know just what you mean, Salty. I figured I would have trouble relearning the keys. At a minimum, a horizontal layout that translates into different levels of vertical moves is absolutely counter intuitive. It honestly only took a day of working with it and changing how I visualize and my defensive responses to make the change effective: ducking is kinda like a move forward while jumping is in a backwards direction. Give it a try!

I also upped my game in how to determine types of fencing attacks as soon as possible. Watching an opponents sword is bad. Opponent body rotation is useful to use as an early indicator on the attack they are about to make. The opponents body turns towards the screen (opens up) from our perspective anytime they make a thrust and even more so for a high chop. The opponents body turns away only when making a low slash.

The moment I see a turn in either direction I can make a quick judgement on which type of attack is coming. If their right shoulder starts to move back, I can quickly limit my possible defense buttons and get ready for a parry while being ready to duck instead.

After I started using this method, I am pretty sure I read something about body movement on the fencing academy thread. I imagine many Pirates players know this technique already, but in conjunction with the tactical fencing keymap it works wonders for my fencing game.

Do yall do something like this? Id appreciate any other advice on keeping one step ahead of fencing opponents.

I have always been good at fencing, I use the default layout and make very few mistakes. I did know about the turning thing, but other than that I cannot think of any other tips for you. I commend you on the amount of thought you put into it though.
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Red Rabbit
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 21, 2016 7:39 am    Post subject: Re: Alternate Fencing Keymaps Reply with quote

JackPrat wrote:
J, K, L are duck, parry, jump respectively.
U, I, O are slash, thrust, chop.
Space bar is taunt.

For those with numpads: 4, 5, 6 are duck, parry, jump. 7, 8, 9 are slash, thrust, chop. 0 or something would be taunt.

I can get my defensive moves off so much more quickly that the advantage is clear. I would greatly appreciate any comments or suggestions!

That's a very good idea!

JackPrat wrote:
I also upped my game in how to determine types of fencing attacks as soon as possible. Watching an opponents sword is bad. Opponent body rotation is useful to use as an early indicator on the attack they are about to make. The opponents body turns towards the screen (opens up) from our perspective anytime they make a thrust and even more so for a high chop. The opponents body turns away only when making a low slash.

Nice observation, and just realized I've been doing that as well (or should I say that just played so much that by now knows how the opponent moves).
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JackPrat
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 21, 2016 8:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Captain Teague wrote:

I have always been good at fencing, I use the default layout and make very few mistakes. I did know about the turning thing, but other than that I cannot think of any other tips for you. I commend you on the amount of thought you put into it though.


I put too much thought into all games I get obsessed with. Thank you =) I challenge you to try the new setup. You may start making no mistakes!

Red Rabbit wrote:
That's a very good idea!


Thank you thank you!! It came to me in a moment of finger fuddled confusion.
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