Implement Industry-Standard Control Schemes
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Players, particularly those with prior gaming experience, often expect developers to implement control systems that have become “standardized” within the gaming industry. These standardized control schemes enable players to engage with the game quickly and efficiently. However, this does not imply that such control schemes are inherently more intuitive than alternative configurations. Rather, the perception of intuitiveness arises from players having become accustomed to these controls through repeated use in other games. Therefore, if you aim to provide players with a familiar control experience, it is advisable to adopt certain “standards” that are prevalent in other popular titles.
Nonetheless, it is not mandatory to adhere to these conventions. You are free to design a unique control scheme that may better serve the particular needs of your game or offer a distinctive gameplay experience.
Examples of Common Control Schemes
Action Games
The following four keys are frequently used by players to control character movement on PCs:
Key
Action
W
Move forwards
S
Move backwards
A
Move left
D
Move right
Possible reasons why this key combination has become the industry standard, as opposed to other configurations, include the following:
It allows the player’s left hand to rest in a natural, relaxed position, with the chest facing the center of the screen.
It facilitates a comfortable and non-fatiguing setup for using a mouse with the right hand.
It offers convenient access to numerous nearby keys (e.g., SHIFT, CTRL, ALT, TAB, and ESC), enabling assignment of additional actions.
It is important to note, however, that the “WASD” configuration tends to be more comfortable for right-handed players than for left-handed players.
The keys listed below are also frequently used for common actions in action games on PCs:
Key
Action
F
Use / Perform an action
1 (in a number row)
Select the first item in the inventory
2 (in a number row)
Select the second item in the inventory
Mouse wheel up
Next item in the inventory
Mouse wheel down
Previous item in the inventory
R
Reload the current weapon
E
Lean right
Q
Lean left
LEFT CTRL
Crouch
LEFT SHIFT
Sprint
SPACE
Jump
I
Inventory
M
Map
J
Journal
F5
Quickly save the current game state
F9
Quickly load the most recent saved game state
ESC
Pause / Main menu
Racing Games
The following keys are commonly used for typical actions in racing games on PCs:
Key
Action
W
Throttle
S
Brake / Reverse
A
Steer left
D
Steer right
SPACE
Handbrake
ESC
Pause / Main menu
Real-Time Strategy Games
The following control inputs are frequently employed in real-time strategy games on PCs:
Key
Action
Mouse cursor positioned near the left side of the screen
Camera moves to the left
Mouse cursor positioned near the right side of the screen
Camera moves to the right
Mouse cursor positioned near the top of the screen
Camera moves forward
Mouse cursor positioned near the bottom of the screen
Camera moves backwards
Left click on a mouse
Select / Confirm
Right click on a mouse
Attack / Set a destination point
Left click and drag
Select units
Right click and drag
Change facing of a unit or building
Scroll down a mouse
Camera zoom in
Scroll up on a mouse
Camera zoom out
ESC
Pause / Main menu