I think that games like Grand Theft Auto 3 (although not a computer game) could have used an action button that changes what you can do in certain situations. For example, when standing in front of a sign, it would say "Read" and you could press the action button to read it. This has been done in games like Zelda:OoT and Majora''s Mask and it could be used more to let the player do more things rather than just shoot, reload, move, etc. OK maybe I''m just tired...

No! Brilliantly amusing my friend. I have had this idea about lots of things, and when all of us get together one day and create an MMORPG, that''s how well pass information.


If I EVER create one with a company, Im going to have a library where you can read novels. People can submit their writings as books, and if you want to read one, you could download the *.txt or read it online...

Well anyway, I think action buttons taht give more info are always nice.

~Dwarf

I agree. "The Sims" used this technique very well. It really simplifies the interface.

It''s a classic example of how "items" or "objects" in a user interface drive the user interface.

Instead of a static interface that sends commands to the game, the interface changes based on what it "reads" from the "object", and then sends a command or command to the object, which in turn passes them onto the game.

Makes way more sense, but more difficult to implement, and not always necessary (let''s face it. the trigger button in Quake doesn''t need to be anything but the trigger button).

--Ben

I never meant to say that a trigger or reload button should be removed...I just mean that action buttons help to do odd things that wouldn''t have their own assigned button.

Er, what exactly do you mean? Do you mean a single ''use'' control that performs the default action on an object?

[ MSVC Fixes | STL | SDL | Game AI | Sockets | C++ Faq Lite | Boost ]

quote: Original post by Dwarf with Axe
No! Brilliantly amusing my friend. I have had this idea about lots of things, and when all of us get together one day and create an MMORPG, that''s how well pass information.


If I EVER create one with a company, Im going to have a library where you can read novels. People can submit their writings as books, and if you want to read one, you could download the *.txt or read it online...

Well anyway, I think action buttons taht give more info are always nice.

~Dwarf

I think Arcanum beat ya to the punch with that one. It''s something I would love to see though, I''ve wanted one since my MUD days.

I mean a button that changes the action you can perform depending on where you are. For example, when you were in front of a sign, pressing the action button would read the sign. When you were in front of an object, the action button would pick up the object...

So, a button that "does something" which is context dependent. Like most games already have. Hmm.

[ MSVC Fixes | STL | SDL | Game AI | Sockets | C++ Faq Lite | Boost ]

Most games don''t have them and I am talking about one that does more than than the action buttons in today''s games.