Most of the experienced players here have their shield button mapped to left mouse click already, but I think it would be easier for noobs to learn how to shield properly if it was on left mouse at the beginning.
I bet a lot of noobs don't know how important it is to use their shield frequently because it's positioned on the awkward X button.
The default attack button is on right mouse, so why not have the default shield button on left mouse? It'd make more sense than X.
I don't use my shield with my left-click key...I find it difficult to do so. I like to use Keyboard controls to play, rather than almost exclusively my mouse. And yes, I do shield a lot...
Case and point, you'd then have people who'd adjust it to another keyboard control key and then complain that the default is left-click. Just a thought. X is also not that hard to reach, since you can use either your Middle or Pointing fingers to press it, AND use your mouse to control your movement.
Maybe I'm just used to games that have keyboard controls.
~Sev
I use my X to shield, and I shield a lot. It allows me to move in a non cardinal direction while shielding, helpful when dodging: when im fighting i use WASD and then my right mouse to attack, then when i shield i use X to shield and my left mouse to move.
Rather than that, why not put up the default control page when a new knight joins the game, so they then have the option to set up whatever feels natural to them. I use left click attack/right click block/middle mouse to change weapon and wasd to move and if you took a poll Metagenic you'd find that's how most of the "experienced" players do it (minus the scroll wheel to change weapon). Because it can be mapped there is no reason to change the default key bindings.
Using left mouse click to shield is just a matter of personal preference. I used the left-attack right-shield and scroll-change method.
Why don't we just tell new players that they can change their controls to their liking? That way they can do whatever feels best for them.
Nope nope. Don't do that. Default movement is good enough. You can literally play the game with a mouse, left/right mouse button, the wheel, and one button on the keyboard.
I shield with ~ and left shift, since I hybrid my movement controls with mouse and wasd. Just depends on what I feel like at the moment.
The entire reason people use the mouse buttons left (shield) right (attack) is because the auto walk being the left button is counter intuitive for fighting a pack of enemies.
Think about it you have to move the mouse to the other side of the screen to run away and then when you want to press the attack you are left looking stupid and facing the wrong way.
Using the WASD keys for movement and changing the shield button to left click is better for more reasons you get to stay facing the opponent so when you take a step back to dodge you can hit them right away. Also I have heard from many people that it feels much quicker and smoother to push the mouse button to block, where as they have to push down the key before the keyboard responds to them and they get hit before they shield. there are concrete reasons Myself along with others started using this layout and suggesting it to others
I switched my controls the moment I started the game and found out the shield was X
@Melisan I agree and disagree instead of just out and switching it we should have a layout option like most modern games and just have the option to switch it when you create a new character have layout 1 called [Mouse Mover] and have layout 2 called [Shield Monger] or something. The game should keep their already existing button map so we can change things as well I know people that use controllers (IDK how I tried it and it was hard to do right)
I have never used left mouse click for shield... ever. And I am an experienced player.
I use wasd to move, left click to attack, and space to shield.
Spacebar...now that IS a good idea (now that I've got 2 weapon slots and am using the mouse scroll wheel all the time instead of the spacebar up until now)
With 4 weapon slots, the mouse scroll wheel is a much better idea. You don't have to cycle through all your weapons to get from weapon 2 to weapon 1.
Or just map next weapon to e and previous to q, then also have weapons one through four at 7890, in case you need to skip.
Most of the top players use left click attack right click shield
as well as space for health pills in pve
mouse wheel weapon switching is a must, as well as having 2 key weapons on q and e (most of this is for competitive lockdown)
I'd never thought of using letters for weapon switching...I've just always used the mouse wheel. Oh well, doesn't matter for me..I only have 2 weapon slots. lol
I'll suggest that to my LD-addict friend..who always has issues switching his weapons.
Anyway, I think we've established that the default shouldn't be left click for shielding...lol
~Sev
Never really understood why attack was made right click in the first place. Pretty much every computer game I've seen uses left click as the main attack or to engage battle. It really should be leftclick attack, rightclick shield. no need for the forward movement really.
P.S. scroll wheel switching is terrible/unreliable imo. 1234 = my weps, zxcv = vials, q/e = previous/next. Gets the right weapon 100% of the time.
I agree that the x button is an awkward place for the shield, but i believe they made it that you could move and attack with the mouse so people with only one hand could play spiral knights with ease. If you have two hands, then change the controls. Its not to hard, and to make the game inviting to people with only one hand they should keep the controls the way they are. I have always had nightmares of losing one of my hands, because i would be screwed for life and there would not be many fun games i could play if i only had one hand. Then i found Spiral Knights. X is still a very awkward place for the shield, and they should change it to the f button, which i use, and it works very well. They should keep the mouse controls the same, if i had one hand i would rather be able to move and attack instead of only being able to raise my shield and attack, making me useless.
ya lol i know there aren't many people with only one hand but um... i dont know
I have my shield on my right-click and attack on my left! What does that make me?!?! D: