Keyboard input and non-QWERTY layouts

[logiclrd]

Hello,

I'd like to request an update to the way keyboard input is processed. I use a keyboard layout that is not US English QWERTY, and this makes it nearly impossible to play Witcher 3. With the latest update, I have tried adding US English as an option and switching to it, but it does not work and input is still processed with my alternative layout (which does not have WASD as a cluster at all). Most games I have played process input based on scan codes, so that it does not matter what letter a given key represents -- only where it is physically located on the keyboard. Witcher 3, though, is among those games that process input after it has already been translated to an input character. Can you please rework the input to operate on scan codes?

My keyboard layout is Dvorak, so my "WASD" is actually ",AOE" (yes, that's a comma).

I also find that it is not possible to completely remap the keys. For instance, the default layout maps X to Call Horse and X to Stop Horse -- the same key for both actions. The key on my keyboard where X is with QWERTY is Q, but when I try to bind Call Horse and Stop Horse to Q, it will only permit one of them to be assigned to Q, even though in the default bindings they are both set to X. So, it is not possible to remap the input to match my keyboard, preserving the physical location of bound keys.

Thanks very much,

Jonathan

Post automatically merged: Jun 19, 2023

Poking around at the game files, I wonder if it is possible to construct an "input_dvorak.ini" file to live alongside "input_qwerty.ini" and others in bin\config\r4game\legacy\base. I'd have a go at crafting one myself, but I'm not sure how to refer to non-letter characters -- for instance, the key that is normally Q with QWERTY is an apostrophe with the Dvorak layout. Would I write "IK_'" or "IK_Apostrophe" or "IK_Apos" or "IK_Quote" or??

Post automatically merged: Jun 19, 2023

I found a list of enumeration values for the type EInputKey. There is no named value that corresponds to an apostrophe -- or a comma, or a semicolon, or a hyphen. I'm assuming these must live amongst the IK_UnknownXX values. How could I find out which correspond to which??

Post automatically merged: Jun 19, 2023

I found this thing which seems to solve the problem of input mapping in Unreal Engine games:

KEYBOARD LAYOUT-INDEPENDENT INPUT – loonyware

loonyware.com

 

[SigilFey]

Hello,

I'd like to request an update to the way keyboard input is processed. I use a keyboard layout that is not US English QWERTY, and this makes it nearly impossible to play Witcher 3. With the latest update, I have tried adding US English as an option and switching to it, but it does not work and input is still processed with my alternative layout (which does not have WASD as a cluster at all). Most games I have played process input based on scan codes, so that it does not matter what letter a given key represents -- only where it is physically located on the keyboard. Witcher 3, though, is among those games that process input after it has already been translated to an input character. Can you please rework the input to operate on scan codes?

My keyboard layout is Dvorak, so my "WASD" is actually ",AOE" (yes, that's a comma).

I also find that it is not possible to completely remap the keys. For instance, the default layout maps X to Call Horse and X to Stop Horse -- the same key for both actions. The key on my keyboard where X is with QWERTY is Q, but when I try to bind Call Horse and Stop Horse to Q, it will only permit one of them to be assigned to Q, even though in the default bindings they are both set to X. So, it is not possible to remap the input to match my keyboard, preserving the physical location of bound keys.

Thanks very much,

Jonathan

Post automatically merged: Jun 19, 2023

Poking around at the game files, I wonder if it is possible to construct an "input_dvorak.ini" file to live alongside "input_qwerty.ini" and others in bin\config\r4game\legacy\base. I'd have a go at crafting one myself, but I'm not sure how to refer to non-letter characters -- for instance, the key that is normally Q with QWERTY is an apostrophe with the Dvorak layout. Would I write "IK_'" or "IK_Apostrophe" or "IK_Apos" or "IK_Quote" or??

Post automatically merged: Jun 19, 2023

I found a list of enumeration values for the type EInputKey. There is no named value that corresponds to an apostrophe -- or a comma, or a semicolon, or a hyphen. I'm assuming these must live amongst the IK_UnknownXX values. How could I find out which correspond to which??

Post automatically merged: Jun 19, 2023

I found this thing which seems to solve the problem of input mapping in Unreal Engine games:

KEYBOARD LAYOUT-INDEPENDENT INPUT – loonyware

loonyware.com

While it might be possible to jury-rig some settings to get things working, there will not likely be any support offered for other keyboard schemes. This has come up for almost 10 years already, and there has never been a change.

The games seem to want certain inputs locked in place for whatever reason, and CDPR has many times recommended that players do not attempt to change keybindings that are greyed-out in the settings menu. Hence, if you do decide to fiddle with it, there's no guarantee that it will work correctly in the end.

Your best bet may be to just grab a QWERTY keyboard for $10 somewhere.

 

[Ezeky3l]

While it might be possible to jury-rig some settings to get things working, there will not likely be any support offered for other keyboard schemes. This has come up for almost 10 years already, and there has never been a change.

The games seem to want certain inputs locked in place for whatever reason, and CDPR has many times recommended that players do not attempt to change keybindings that are greyed-out in the settings menu. Hence, if you do decide to fiddle with it, there's no guarantee that it will work correctly in the end.

Your best bet may be to just grab a QWERTY keyboard for $10 somewhere.

I'm assuming you're joking. Otherwise you're overlooking how many players have other layouts and what having a second keyboard implies when you already own one you enjoy, which is potentially much more expensive than the game itself, and in an environment where storing/switching to an additional device is inconvenient.

Post automatically merged: Oct 5, 2023

Just take a look on Steam forums about this issue.

One guy described excatly how i feel about it :

"GIVE US TOTAL CONTROL OF CONTROLS FFS
I still can't access to the whole control mapping and can't play without getting a nervous breakdown everytimes I launch the game:

- Still can't play with AZERTY keyboard because of the f***ed "Z/W" objective swap key. Hardcoded. If I move forward, it'll change the objective (if more than 1 objective in a quest).
On linux, if I switch to english keyboard, this won't fix my problem.

- Still can't modify the "Q/A" or "E" minigame keys. Hardcoded.

- Still can't map the TAB or ALT buttons because they are in conflict between the menu tab (ex: quickhack/inventory details) and their primary function in the 1st person view (which is "open inventory" for example). These controls vampirize themselves with each other secondary or primary "function", pressing these keys close the menu getting back to the 1st person view (by getting out of the meny/inventory tab when pressed instead of showing the details)

This ridiculous issue (I mean, any student in its first year of programming school can manage to release a real control map option menu) is game breaking for me.

I don't understand why they won't release total access to the whole key mapping.

If the problem is still not fixed, I'll neg review this game. I'm fed up the devs won't address this basic UX/UI problem known for a while.

This is so stupid, the game is 99% fine, but this 1% QoL basic options is totally killing immersion. What a waste."

 

[SigilFey]

I'm assuming you're joking. Otherwise you're overlooking how many players have other layouts and what having a second keyboard implies when you already own one you enjoy, which is potentially much more expensive than the game itself, and in an environment where storing/switching to an additional device is inconvenient.

Post automatically merged: Oct 5, 2023

Just take a look on Steam forums about this issue.

One guy described excatly how i feel about it :

"GIVE US TOTAL CONTROL OF CONTROLS FFS
I still can't access to the whole control mapping and can't play without getting a nervous breakdown everytimes I launch the game:

- Still can't play with AZERTY keyboard because of the f***ed "Z/W" objective swap key. Hardcoded. If I move forward, it'll change the objective (if more than 1 objective in a quest).
On linux, if I switch to english keyboard, this won't fix my problem.

- Still can't modify the "Q/A" or "E" minigame keys. Hardcoded.

- Still can't map the TAB or ALT buttons because they are in conflict between the menu tab (ex: quickhack/inventory details) and their primary function in the 1st person view (which is "open inventory" for example). These controls vampirize themselves with each other secondary or primary "function", pressing these keys close the menu getting back to the 1st person view (by getting out of the meny/inventory tab when pressed instead of showing the details)

This ridiculous issue (I mean, any student in its first year of programming school can manage to release a real control map option menu) is game breaking for me.

I don't understand why they won't release total access to the whole key mapping.

If the problem is still not fixed, I'll neg review this game. I'm fed up the devs won't address this basic UX/UI problem known for a while.

This is so stupid, the game is 99% fine, but this 1% QoL basic options is totally killing immersion. What a waste."

Yup. Those are opinions about the following reality:

"The devs do not recommend people change the hard-coded keys."

Options:
1.) Use a mod that allows you to change the hard-coded keys. This seems to work fine for most people, but it's at-your-own-risk.

2.) Use a different control option: different keyboard layout, gamepad, etc.

3.) Wait for a potential future update that changes the hard-coded keys. There are no such plans to do so that I am aware of.

Not liking these options do not alter the reality that certain keys are hard-coded, and the devs do not recommend that people rebind the hard-coded keys.