What do developers have against complete button mapping flexibility?

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Paul1231
Posts: 261
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

What do developers have against complete button mapping flexibility?

Postby Paul1231 » April 27th, 2014, 1:32 pm

Lately I have been getting really bugged by this, probably because it seems to be showing up more and more, and lately I notice it with 2D platformers released on consoles with four main buttons (like a PS3 or, in my most recent case, and OUYA), where the jump and shoot buttons are automatically mapped to a pair of buttons that go against my subconscious assumptions of where the buttons SHOULD be.  Why do developers always seem to give us either no ability to move buttons around, or give us three possible scenarios, none of which seem to satisfy the changes we really want to make, or sacrifice the properly mapped buttons as a result?  What's wrong with, or so hard about, giving us a button layout that also gives us the ability to move a couple buttons around?  Why is this not an industry standard?  Every week during my Thursday night MW3 melee online with my buddy from another state, he goes on at least one rant about how pressing the square button to reload sometimes results in him picking up the nearest turret to be moved in the middle of a gunfight.  

Why?  Why are they against it?  Do they think we can't handle that kind of freedom?

NAC1
Posts: 187
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

What do developers have against complete button mapping flexibility?

Postby NAC1 » April 27th, 2014, 3:00 pm

This is exactly what ruined Super Mario 64 DS for me. I despised having to hold down the A button to make my character run. The placement of the A Button made it feel awkward to punch enemies. I desperately checked the options menu for an alternate control scheme, but none of the control schemes were any good. Why would I use the touch screen to move in a 3D platformer?

pacguy191
Posts: 201
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

What do developers have against complete button mapping flexibility?

Postby pacguy191 » April 27th, 2014, 3:21 pm

It's more work to code in changeable buttons than to hard-code them into the engine, I think.

Paul1231
Posts: 261
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

What do developers have against complete button mapping flexibility?

Postby Paul1231 » April 27th, 2014, 6:32 pm

[QUOTE=pacguy19]It's more work to code in changeable buttons than to hard-code them into the engine, I think.[/QUOTE]

I don't know much about today's coding, but having a general understanding of it tells me that it would be an extremely minor issue compared to the larger scale of programming a game like MW3.  And it's not like it's non-existant.  My PS3 copy of the Sonic Genesis Collection has the feature.  So it can definitely be done...

Tron1
Posts: 401
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

What do developers have against complete button mapping flexibility?

Postby Tron1 » April 27th, 2014, 6:32 pm

Too busy working on DLC. Maybe they could make it a micro-transaction or a pre order bonus?

Rev1
Posts: 1777
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

What do developers have against complete button mapping flexibility?

Postby Rev1 » April 27th, 2014, 6:43 pm

Possible future microtransactions-

pause the game $0.99
change controls $0.99
change weapons $0.99
option to switch characters $0.99
turn off the game $0.99

Leo1
Posts: 2325
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

What do developers have against complete button mapping flexibility?

Postby Leo1 » April 27th, 2014, 6:46 pm

The lack of button mapping for Nintendo platforms is what has kept me away from the Virtual Console on the 3DS.

Thankfully, it's a standard feature on the Wii U and a major reason why I'm paying to upgrade my Wii downloads as Wii U versions arrive. 

[QUOTE=NAC]This is exactly what ruined Super Mario 64 DS for me. I despised having to hold down the A button to make my character run.[/QUOTE]

Run was always the Y button for me on this just like with the 2D Mario's. I assume you just got your button letters mixed up, but if not, definitely look for that option. I adapted to it naturally along with using the d-pad.

NAC1
Posts: 187
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

What do developers have against complete button mapping flexibility?

Postby NAC1 » April 28th, 2014, 2:28 am

[QUOTE]Run was always the Y button for me on this just like with the 2D Mario's. I assume you just got your button letters mixed up, but if not, definitely look for that option. I adapted to it naturally along with using the d-pad.[/QUOTE]

I double-checked, and it is the Y button to run. Thanks for the heads-up.

Even so, I didn't like having to reach my thumb to the A button to punch enemies as Mario or eat enemies as Yoshi. In fact, I honestly don't understand why a run button was necessary to begin with. The original game on the N64 didn't need a run button, so why would the DS remake need one?

I'm sure I'll give the game another chance sometime in the future, and I certainly don't think it's bad. This button mapping issue sure bugged me though.

[QUOTE]Possible future microtransactions-

pause the game $0.99
change controls $0.99
change weapons $0.99
option to switch characters $0.99
turn off the game $0.99[/QUOTE]

You forgot about having to pay $1.99 to get past the title screen.[wink]

Leo1
Posts: 2325
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

What do developers have against complete button mapping flexibility?

Postby Leo1 » April 28th, 2014, 3:17 pm

[QUOTE=NAC]Even so, I didn't like having to reach my thumb to the A button to punch enemies as Mario or eat enemies as Yoshi. In fact, I honestly don't understand why a run button was necessary to begin with. The original game on the N64 didn't need a run button, so why would the DS remake need one?[/QUOTE]

It needs a run button because you're using a digital pad instead of an analog stick. There's no way for the game to know just from your d-pad movements if you want to walk slowly or run. 

In my four or five play throughs over the years of this DS port (Easily my most played DS game), I doubt I've punched or eaten something more than perhaps two dozen times. And most of the time when I do, it's to make Yoshi swallow the fire from a bonfire so that I can melt a ice block to grab something inside. 

I know it doesn't help you out any, but I can't say that it bothered me any since I just jump on enemies.


Gentlegamer1
Posts: 687
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

What do developers have against complete button mapping flexibility?

Postby Gentlegamer1 » April 28th, 2014, 10:26 pm

It has to do with QA testing. The more complex a game, the more possible permutations of controls, the more likely that one or two "sets" of controls will be tested, signed off on, and put in the game as the only button options. There's the fear that if all controls were remappable, some customers will unknowingly create an unworkable button map for themselves, making it seem like the game is broken. So devs play it safe, and provide a small handful of "pre-approved" button configurations.


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