9 replies to this topic

[Stomp]

Nevermind that it will be a while for Razer to do a left handed Artemis setup, if it happens at all (because they lose money by producing these products) But it would be cool to see in the cockpit the pilot has the same handedness. Example, in the Mechlab have a small checkbox that will switch the console of buttons and switches, reverse the joystick, etc. Pretty much just mirror the entire console. Since the radar is in the middle, it can stay the same. And an option to mirror the HUD would help too, but these are all simple cosmetic things. I'm devastated to be left handed at this point, the fact that the Razer Artemis isn't reversible is a bit heartbreaking. And if it turns out you can switch it... it'd be nice to see a simple joystick, not favoring either. Okay, everybody can get mad at me now. :3

And to clear up any posters that know some piece of canon that says "ALL MECHWARRIORS ARE RIGHT HANDED", I want to be clear that the last time I picked up a Battletech book was about 10 years ago, so forgive me if I'm completely overlooking something.

[KageRyuu]

Question, being right handed or at least raised right handed all my life, is handedness a big deal when using a mouse or joy stick?

[BlackAbbot]

It's not so much a case of 'all mechwarriors are right handed' although maybe they are with clanners, it's that it doesn't make a lot of sense to have a separate fabrication in place to produce left handed cockpits. Look at aircraft in the real world with a side stick HOTAS setup, some like the F-16 have a right stick, whereas others like the A320 have a right stick for the right chair and a left stick for the left chair, but within a specific model they're all the same configuration. You're expected to learn to cope, no matter what your natural brain dominance. A quick google will show that left handed pilots often report that it's actually an advantage as it allows them to right more comfortably with their left hand without taking their right off the stick.

[Stomp]

KageRyuu, on 25 June 2012 - 11:38 PM, said:

Question, being right handed or at least raised right handed all my life, is handedness a big deal when using a mouse or joy stick?

With actual joysticks, yes, if you try to use a joystick with your left hand that is specifically built ergonomically to a right hand, you're gonna have a bad time. Mouses not so much, it's only two buttons, but something as complex with throttle on the bottom of the joystick etc. is bound to make lefties a bit upset.

[Greyrook]

I'm left handed, but I never used my left hand to drive a mouse or joystick. While I know this is one of those things where its kind of patronizing to be like, "Is it really that hard to just use your right hand for this?" For a while I did try switching to using my mouse left handed and it wasn't really that different, except it was super difficult to play any game with WASD controls since IJKL doesn't have the usual keys like shift, alt, ctrl, etc within normal reach. What I'm saying is, maybe it's time to learn to use controls right handed, it will simplify so many things and it should about the same time as it does to get used to inverted/non-inverted controls. Maybe you could even become ambidextrous, that's a useful skill!

Edited by Greyrook, 25 June 2012 - 11:56 PM.

[Stomp]

BlackAbbot, on 25 June 2012 - 11:44 PM, said:

It's not so much a case of 'all mechwarriors are right handed' although maybe they are with clanners, it's that it doesn't make a lot of sense to have a separate fabrication in place to produce left handed cockpits. Look at aircraft in the real world with a side stick HOTAS setup, some like the F-16 have a right stick, whereas others like the A320 have a right stick for the right chair and a left stick for the left chair, but within a specific model they're all the same configuration. You're expected to learn to cope, no matter what your natural brain dominance. A quick google will show that left handed pilots often report that it's actually an advantage as it allows them to right more comfortably with their left hand without taking their right off the stick.

You have an excellent point, maybe if I buy one I'll eventually like it... but I'll be in a Training mode until I'm dead set on being competent with it. Learning in an online fight which way pulls the crosshairs is not my idea of a fun time when my mech is on the line. Still, you made an excellent point, it makes sense to force myself to cope, and I've actually sat in some actual fighter sims, at first it's awkward, but your brain eventually figures it out and makes your hands do the right thing. Actually, now that I've written this, I'm almost convinced I'm going to purchase it haha, it's all muscle memory anyway.

[Stomp]

Greyrook, on 25 June 2012 - 11:56 PM, said:

I'm left handed, but I never used my left hand to drive a mouse or joystick. While I know this is one of those things where its kind of patronizing to be like, "Is it really that hard to just use your right hand for this?" For a while I did try switching to using my mouse left handed and it wasn't really that different, except it was super difficult to play any game with WASD controls since IJKL doesn't have the usual keys like shift, alt, ctrl, etc within normal reach. What I'm saying is, maybe it's time to learn to use controls right handed, it will simplify so many things and it should about the same time as it does to get used to inverted/non-inverted controls. Maybe you could even become ambidextrous, that's a useful skill!

Lucky you, it's almost a fact of life that when I play a video game for the first time I'm going to reconfigure every single hotkey until I've got all of them mirrored on my keyboard. MW4 was a prime example of this. The only exception is when games put in standard leftie hotkeys, like Starcraft, bless their hearts.

Also, you have an excellent point. It'll take an hour or two to get used to pitch/yaw of a mouse with rightie, I'm just afraid that after so long playing left handed, I might be terrible at it for weeks... that would really get under my skin, not being able to play with the lance just because my brain/hand is being troublesome. I might just buy the Artemis though. Relearning on a joystick that's righthanded might be simpler, since I'm completely unfamiliar with a joystick anyway. It doesn't help that every pilot sim game I play I play normal, when shooters do the opposite, and I have to invert the Y axis in order to mirror the same idea. Pushing forward on a joystick moves the crosshairs down, it's ingrained into my head. Pushing an Xbox stick forward should do the same, but alas CoD and Battlefield insist on making me be retarded and useless for the entirety of a match. It's why I don't buy those games, lol.

Edited by Stomp, 26 June 2012 - 12:11 AM.

[Greyrook]

Hey, we've all been there (rather: some of us have been there). I remember playing Halo over at a friend's house and I had to play on someone's profile who had a southpaw configuration and it was definitely no fun.

I dunno. The whole left-vs-right thing used to be an issue because there was a lot of misinformation about what preferring one hand meant (my mom was actually in a generation where if a child picked up something with his/her left hand, you were suppose to take it from them and put it in their right). But now it's just a matter of practicality. You're either going to pay a premium for equipment designed to accommodate minority hand-preference, or the manufacturer has to sacrifice ergonomics and functionality to make it ambidextrous and/or modular.

[Stomp]

Greyrook, on 26 June 2012 - 12:23 AM, said:

Hey, we've all been there (rather: some of us have been there). I remember playing Halo over at a friend's house and I had to play on someone's profile who had a southpaw configuration and it was definitely no fun.

I dunno. The whole left-vs-right thing used to be an issue because there was a lot of misinformation about what preferring one hand meant (my mom was actually in a generation where if a child picked up something with his/her left hand, you were suppose to take it from them and put it in their right). But now it's just a matter of practicality. You're either going to pay a premium for equipment designed to accommodate minority hand-preference, or the manufacturer has to sacrifice ergonomics and functionality to make it ambidextrous and/or modular.

You're completely right on all points, thanks for talking with me. What I'm probably going to end up doing is just sitting down if I get the Artemis, and playing in Training Mode (assuming there is one ) until I'm completely comfortable and assured that I know every hotkey, from flushing coolant to throttling backwards, to strafing in the "circle of death" from every conceivable possible direction, using cover and even a bit of imagining of tactics on my part. It's all muscle memory, and I look forward to scrapping. This is the first Mechwarrior title launch I've had the pleasure participating in, being as I was like six when MW2 first launched and the Ghost Bear expansion etc., and I didn't get my hands on MW4 until long after it had ceased to be played (read: two years ago). Honestly, I'm just excited to be playing this game, even though my lore isn't the sharpest, but my love for the franchise is true, and my skills speak for themselves. Fun fact: when I was six, I could name every mech in the MechLab in order of appearance on the list, and could until I was probably 10. I grew up with this game, and me and my family are just true geeky gamers. It's a nice, excited feeling to see this game. Oops, rant over, my bad haha.

[BlackAbbot]

If you want to get used to playing with a right handed joystick in the interim there are plenty of cheap options on the market and MW4:Mercs is free from MekTek. MWO is not going to be exactly the same, obviously, but it'd certainly give you a bit of a feel for the controls running through the single player and the multiplayer is quite active right now with MWO in the wings.