Eye Have a Spelling Chequer...

Took me ages to figure out why I couldn't assign any shield-based commands to the WCS. Turns out the idiot that wrote the XWA template doesn't know how to spell Shield. Anyway, I've assigned commands to all 6 buttons on the WCS, and one to both RKR positions.

Buttons 1-3 are being used for targeting, namely:

Button 1 selects the nearest enemy craft that is targeting the players' ship.

Button 2 selects the nearest enemy fighter.

Button 3 selects the target currently in view.

Buttons 4/5 adjust the Shield/Laser recharge rates.

Button 6 adjusts the current shield configuration.

Technically, I can assign up to 3 commands to each button, and select the command by toggling the Rocker (RKR) button. However, this is already proving to be a paradigm shift, albeit a positive one. For now, I'm using the "UP" position on the RKR (listed above as "BTN T7") to close the crafts S-Foils, If applicable. The "Down" position is being used to enable the crafts Beam Weapon. Both of these commands are toggle-based, meaning pressing "b" once on the keyboard enables the Beam, and pressing it again disables it. Fortunately the WCS allows me to assign commands to the key-up events of every button, including the toggle positions (so returning the Rocker to the middle from the UP position registers a separate event to returning it to the middle from the DOWN position). In effect, this means throwing the switch UP closes the ships S-Foils (and turns on a red light!), returning it to normal opens them again. Likewise, setting it to Down turns on any Beam Weapons, as well as a nifty green light.

This isn't perfect of course, if one flips the switch back to the middle position while the foils are closing, the orientation is suddenly reversed, meaning you can't activate beam weapon because the foils are closed, and trying to open them puts you in an impossible position. Ah well!

I've flown a couple of test flights, and I'm happier with this layout than what I started with. I did have buttons 1-3 and 4-6 swapped, but It felt wrong. I was instinctively using my index finger to target, and kept turning my shields off!

Here ends the basic configuration of the game. Right now I have a fully working, very pretty install of XWA with a control system I need to get used to, but so far feels very slick. I'm missing the Blackhawk, and just might fire it up for a spin with the throttle one evening. 

In the meantime, I will be playing through a couple more test flights while I start to put together some very interesting ideas next. First idea involves the targeting HUD, and for now, an iPhone(!).