[Suggestion] Shortcut keys

[Lenn]

Are there any shortcut keys right now? I don't think so (correct me if I'm wrong). May be nice to ajust the game speed with "1, 2, 3" for instance and maybe select the different menus in the bottem with "q, w, e, r, t" or something. Any ways, having shortcut keys would be nice I think. Less clicking with your mouse, less RSI and stuff

[fresh meat]

wasd moves camera, q and e for zoom, r for rotating objects. space for pause.

[stoner7]

Speaking of shortcuts, I would like a Door mouse-click. That is, left-click the door: it opens, pauses a few seconds, then closes. This would be time-saving for situations when I need to open a door to let Workmen/Prisoners into restricted areas, visitors in from the outside, the new road gate, released prisoners, etc. The right-click menu would continue to operate as is. If the door is already open, then left-click would have no effect.

Or, as a shortcut key: when the mouse hovers over a door, push a key to toggle door status. Push key once to open; push same key again to close. This would work well with programmable gaming mice where I would assign a specific mouse button to that key.

Finally: make any shortcut keys (including the ones listed in fresh meat's post above), as user-selectable/programmable.

[Lenn]

wasd moves camera, q and e for zoom, r for rotating objects. space for pause.

So the only thing important there is r for rotating objects, the rest of the game is clicking to eternity right now

Speaking of shortcuts, I would like a Door mouse-click. That is, left-click the door: it opens, pauses a few seconds, then closes. This would be time-saving for situations when I need to open a door to let Workmen/Prisoners into restricted areas, visitors in from the outside, the new road gate, released prisoners, etc. The right-click menu would continue to operate as is. If the door is already open, then left-click would have no effect.

What alpha are you using? In 16 it should be that left-click toggles the menu and right-click opens the door for a few seconds.. With the road gates, I have assigned guards near them on one square patrol path to let them open the gates every time.

Your idea about the shortcuts to change the doors' status without the menu sounds interesting to me

[knoest26]

Not sure why you would want shortcut keys, you are going to be clicking a lot in this game, there's no way of avoiding that. Other then speed, what would you like for the shortcuts to do? Open staffmenu?

You can already open a lot of tabs if you click on the statusbar at the top of screen.

[planettop92]

Other then speed, what would you like for the shortcuts to do? Open staffmenu?

I'm in support for this: viewtopic.php?f=43&t=17497

[Lenn]

Not sure why you would want shortcut keys, you are going to be clicking a lot in this game, there's no way of avoiding that. Other then speed, what would you like for the shortcuts to do? Open staffmenu?

You can already open a lot of tabs if you click on the statusbar at the top of screen.

Well, I'm suffering a bit of RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury, or nowadays CANS; Complaints of Neck, Arms and Shoulders) and every clicking I can avoid is for the better. I'm sure I'm not the only one and al software that there is has shortkeys to tackle this program (windows, photoshop, strategy games etc etc.). It's about speed, yes, but also better for your arms and fingers and a bit of variety would never hurt I feel, especially if it's optional and custumisable for players

[knoest26]

Well, I'm suffering a bit of RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury, or nowadays CANS; Complaints of Neck, Arms and Shoulders)

Well that sucks I guess. Not sure there is much the devs can do about it though, the game is going to involve a lot of clicking because eg. 'Alt+137' for a bed is a bit insane to implement. It's just easier with a mouse then with the keyboard.

But like I said, what kind of functions would you like to have under a shortcut?

[UberFuber]

Well, I'm suffering a bit of RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury, or nowadays CANS; Complaints of Neck, Arms and Shoulders)

Well that sucks I guess. Not sure there is much the devs can do about it though, the game is going to involve a lot of clicking because eg. 'Alt+137' for a bed is a bit insane to implement. It's just easier with a mouse then with the keyboard.

But like I said, what kind of functions would you like to have under a shortcut?

Perhaps something similar to FTL (a rogue-like game involving space).
A possibility In left-click item menu, allow keyboard shortcut to each entry. So for example, you left click on item and it brings up a menu, you can use the number key to select which action to take (for most items, I think, Dismantle is first and Dump is second. So you can press "1" to dismantle and "2" to Dump and so on).

If clicking is an issue. May I suggest using AutoHotKey to bind keyboard keys to left/right click in Prison Architect? (I think AutoHotkey allow certain association to trigger only when you're in certain application). For for example, you can set left click to F and right click to G. This way, you don't use the mouse to "click", instead you just hit keyboard keys to do so.

[Metroidude]

I think it would be a very efficient, logical, and really quite nifty feature to have hotkeys. I've thought of this multiple times myself while playing, but unfortunately they aren't supported yet.

It could essentially use the same style of hotkeys as many other strategy games. 1-9 could be hotkeys for opening and closing the building menus. Or perhaps more useful, you could assign viewing areas of the prison to certain keys, like Starcraft does with the camera location hotkeys.

[Lenn]

Shortcut keys should be optional and customizable I think. And it could be to change te status of a door, quick access the menus and then click for which object you want, quick locate a free guard, change if you want to make a rectangle shape (like in planning mode or foundations) or just straight, when building a wall, etc etc, there could be a lot of useful shortcuts I feel.

[PhilB]

I think, really, shortcut keys for the right-click context menu is a minimum must have. Even if it was numbers 1-6 or whatever.

Because, really, selling objects right now is a real pain, and given how buggy my workshops are... I have to manually sell wood and planks just to make any money at all, and "right click, left click sellobject x 100" is no fun at all.

[RGeezy911]

Because, really, selling objects right now is a real pain, and given how buggy my workshops are... I have to manually sell wood and planks just to make any money at all, and "right click, left click sellobject x 100" is no fun at all.

If you go into the objects menu, there is a "Sell Object" button that makes that process much more easier. Additionally, if you were to create an "Exports" zone, your workmen will carry goods to it so that supply trucks can automatically take and sell them for you.

[PhilB]

We're veering offtopic here, but nearly all my wood gets stockpiled in my workshops and invariably never gets processed despite having qualified prisoners and an "available" workshop not used for training purposes. The workshops aren't buying metal either. Only a tiny handful of logs (planks never seem to be exported as they're all kept for my one qualified carpenter) ever makes it out to the export zone!

I'd forgotten about the "sell" tool - thanks! (but still - some keyboard shortcuts wouldn't go amiss rather than me having to grab a special tool)

[5hifty]

Yeah there should be some hot keys to open menus and the like. I don't think I've played a building game where I couldn't breeze my way though the menu structure without a mouse, once I nailed down all the hot keys. (this key) opens report, (this key) opens room placement, (this key) opens items list, etc etc