> > Mainly it is a matter of control. It's difficult for me to twist songs,
> > switch intruments and move my character around at the same time. I
fight
> in
> > first person view (I know I would have a better view in 3rd person, but
it
> > takes away from the "immersive" experience for me...) and I have a hard
> time
> > "keeping up" with the battle when I can not have one hand on my movement
> > keys.
>
> I also fight in the first person view, as I agree with you about the
> immersiveness of it; although I do use the full screen view more than the
> one with all the menu options. A question, though: Are you using your
hotkey
> banks to switch instruments and weave songs? I find, during battle, that I
> have no problem switching from weapons to instruments and weaving songs,
AND
> moving around, because of the fact I use the hotkey banks exclusively for
> song weaving and weapons switching (which, btw... i learned how to do by
> reading this list - thanks guys!). You can hotkey your melee and inventory
> slots not just your songs/spells. I like the hotkeys so much so, that I
have
> many things hotkeyed that most people don't (all 6 of my hotkey banks are
> full and I am continually rearranging depending on who is in my party,
what
> we're fighting AND what tactics we're using).
I use full screen 1st person for the complete immersive feel. : ) BTW, on a
side note, I wish we could turn off switching to a secondary view... I've
died numerous times accidentally hitting F9 instead of F8 and then trying
desperately to F9 to the correct view, ehhe... One time trying to run out of
the Archon area thru the temple. I invised myself so I didn't immediately
attract unwanted attention with the mobs on the corners and in the maze...
but got caught in a corner and couldn't tell which view I was in... (Didn't
have see invis.. hehe)
I do have hotkey banks set up for both inventory and songs. I have Bank 5
set up for "All Songs".. Keys 1-4 are songs and 5 and 6 is Melee Weapon 2
and and inventory slot. I use my left hand to switch songs and my right
hand to switch instruments with the mouse. My desk is crowded (2 puters set
up on a single puter desk, my gf plays along side me) so my mouse is up by
the monitor, not on the side of my keyboard which would be preferable.
That's what makes it hard to both move my character AND switch instruments
at the same time. I hope I'm not missing something and there is an easier
way to switch instruments (other than usuing mouse control for my character,
I can never get used to that. I use keyboard controls even in Wing
Commander :) I'm switching to a trackball that will fit alongside my
keyboard, so hopefully I can get more proficient with moving back and forth.
BTW, all my hotkey banks are full, but I have a hard time swapping things
out... in an emergency, I need to have keystrokes very familiar (Shift 2, 4
for Selo's - Shift 5,1,F8,2 for Charm/Target/Pet Attack) otherwise I feel
I'm behind the 8-ball. I've heard said on this list and I completely agree
that in a NON-twitch game, the Bard is definately a twitch character. : )
Darkfox Reven'tsol
Xegony