et:qw advanced binding features

[reyalp]

if you look in etqwbinds.cfg you will see that binds aren't just a simple bind key action any more. Instead, they look like this:

bind "w" "_forward" "" "default"

The each field in quotes has a meaning, as described below:

bind "KEY" "ACTION" "MODIFIER KEY" "CONTEXT"

We'll get to modifiers in a moment, but first, contexts.

In the first example "default" means this bind is for the default context. Binds in the default context are used when there are no binds for the same key in the current context. You don't actually need to specify this (binds without any context will be in the default context), but et:qw saves your configs this way.

"vehicle" is the default context for when you are in any vehicle. A bind with this context is only active when you are in a vehicle. So

bind "MOUSE5" "_weapon0" "" "vehicle"

means that MOUSE5 fires a decoy when you are in a vehicle, but could be used for something completely different as infantry.

You can also name vehicle contexts individually, which is nice, since you might want to use the different keys for flying vehicles and ground vehicles.

For example, you could use:

setp g_bind_context_hornet "hornet"
bind "MOUSE2" "_weapnext" "" "hornet"

which means pressing MOUSE2 to will switch to the next weapon (effectively toggling between guided strockets and unguided plasma cannon) only when you are in the tormentor (hornet seems to be it's internal name)

If more than one vehicle uses the same control set, you can just make one context which covers them all. For example, crouch engages siege mode in the desecrator and cyclops, but isn't useful in other vehicles. So you could use something like:

Note the use of 'setp' instead of 'seta'. This means to save it in your profile, rather than your main etqwconfig.cfg. This is important, if you use seta, the value will be lost when you load the game.

setp g_bind_context_desecrator "stroggtank"
setp g_bind_context_goliath "stroggtank"
bind "MOUSE2" "_movedown" "" "stroggtank"

that way, your MOUSE2 goes to siege mode in both these vehicles (goliath is the internal name for the cyclops), but could be used for something else in all other cases.

Class contexts work much like vehicle contexts. The default context for each class is the name of the class (so if you wanted to make a medic only bind, it would use the "medic" context), but like the above, it may make sense to give classes with similar needs the same context names.

Modifiers:
The modifier field is used to specify that a key combination is used to do that particular action. An example combining class contexts and modifiers from my config is:

setp g_class_context_covertops "cov"
setp g_class_context_infiltrator "cov"
...
bind "b" "useweapon weapon_tool2" "CTRL" "cov" // deploy
...
bind "b" "useWeapon weapon_binocs" "" "default"

Which means that control+b brings up the deploy tool for both covert ops and infiltrator, while plain b brings up the binocs for all classes. If I hadn't renamed the two class contexts, I would have had to specify the deploy tool bind twice.

Note that you can use ANY key as a modifier, not just the normal CTRL, SHIFT, ALT etc. However, you may run into limits on the number of simultanious keys your keyboard supports.

For completeness, I should mention that there are also a "menu" and "bindmenu" contexts. I suggest not messing with them.

Here is the complete list of class and vehicle context name cvars, and their default values (from etqwconfig.cfg):

setp g_bind_context_anansi "vehicle"
// badger is the armadillo
setp g_bind_context_badger "vehicle"
setp g_bind_context_bumblebee "vehicle"
setp g_bind_context_desecrator "vehicle"
//goliath is the cyclops
setp g_bind_context_goliath "vehicle"
setp g_bind_context_hog "vehicle"
//hornet is the tormentor
setp g_bind_context_hornet "vehicle"
setp g_bind_context_husky "vehicle"
setp g_bind_context_icarus "vehicle"
setp g_bind_context_mcp "vehicle"
setp g_bind_context_platypus "vehicle"
setp g_bind_context_titan "vehicle"
setp g_bind_context_trojan "vehicle"

setp g_class_context_aggressor "aggressor"
setp g_class_context_technician "technician"
setp g_class_context_constructor "constructor"
setp g_class_context_oppressor "oppressor"
setp g_class_context_infiltrator "infiltrator"
setp g_class_context_soldier "soldier"
setp g_class_context_medic "medic"
setp g_class_context_engineer "engineer"
setp g_class_context_fieldops "fieldops"
setp g_class_context_covertops "covertops"

Note public beta 1 had a spelling error in the game: g_class_context_solider "soldier". In beta two, the cvar is correctly called g_class_context_soldier.

edit:
Updated for beta 2, with setp.

edit again:
Note that for context cvars to work, you may have to set them in your profile autoexec rather than the normal one in base. To do this, place a file called autoexec.cfg under sdnet\<your profile name>\base under your etqw directory. In theory setp in your main autoexec should do the same thing, but some people have had trouble with that.

[Czin]

Wow very helpful.
Thank you!

[b0rsuk]

Just what I was looking for ! I can have my mouse3 switch to handgrenades but throw flares while in a vehicle. Great feature.

The car still called 'badger'. Great.

[paZifist]

thx will try it out later at home

[thwak]

very helpful. could we get this stickied?

[space]

Rock on! This is nice, thanks man!

[Hakuryu]

Here is a portion of my autoexec to show some of this in action. Most everything is commented on what it does :

// RMB - Iron Sights (Infantry) - Sprint/Jet/Nitrous (Vehicles)
bind MOUSE2 "_altattack" "" "default" 
bind MOUSE2 "_sprint" "" "vehicle"

// Numpad 0 - Sprint (Infantry) - FreeLook (Vehicles)
bind "KP_INS" "_sprint" "" "default"
bind "KP_INS" "_tophat" "" "vehicle"

// Side Mouse Button - Reload (Infantry) - Handbrake/Reverse thrust (Vehicles)
bind "MOUSE4" "_reload" "" "default"
bind "MOUSE4" "_speed" "" "vehicle"

// End - Prone (Infantry) - Vehicle Horn (Vehicles)
bind "END" "_prone" "" "default"
bind "END" "_modeswitch" "" "vehicle"

[cpt.whistlepants]

Thanks reyalp, you saved us some time. Good stuff

[gurgle]

can someone explain to me what this means in english?

[Hakuryu]

It means you can change what your keybinds do depending upon what you are in control of - a player or vehicle for example.

You don't need to ever reload in a vehicle, but that keybind is probably in a good spot that could be re-used by something else while you are in a vehicle.

[Ifurita]

A bind has 2 additional arguments, a modifier and a context. By default, the is no modifer and no context.

The modifier simply lets you assign functions to a combination of keys, e.g, differentiate between J and J+SHIFT or MOUSE1 and MOUSE1+SHIFT

The context allows keys or key combinations to have different functions based on context (read as bind x only if x), where x could be in a vehicle, in a flyer, or in a tormentor. Or x could be only when you are a medic or in the menu.

[b0rsuk]

In short, you can have the same keys do different things depending on class or vehicle you are. You can make mouse3 switch to handgrenades for infantry, and the same key throw a decoy if you're in a vehicle.

Modifiers mean that you can essentially have a lot more keys at your disposal. I use numpad for weapons and other tools, but I can use it for communication messages if I hold down Shift or CTRL. (i have movement on home/end/pgdn/del )

[ho0ber]

Awesome info! Thanks! (and also to Hakuryu)

I'd been thinking about binding the vehicle mouselook and horn to something more useful for a while.

[Ifurita]

@ B0rsuk, correct. The modifiers allow you have more keys at your disposal and the contexts allow you to set up keys that are more natural for you whether you're infantry, a specific class, in a vehicle, or specifically a tormentor.

I wish that you could assign contexts to variables too

[engie^benjy]

This helped me because I have mouse wheel up bound to pistol and mouse wheel down bound to grenade - zooming with a rifle or binoculars was then lost. but now all I do is hold ctrl and I can zoom!! Great Stuff

[reyalp]

Quick note: there seems to be some issues with vehicle contexts in the current beta build. Even if you set them in your autoexec, they get reset to "vehicle" when you load into game. A workaround is to bind a key to manually exec your cfg after you start the game.

[n|colo]

Cheers for the info, you can make some real nice binds with it !

[LuigiBrotha]

I'm going to take a look at this and see if I can figure out how to create a bind similair to the Q from Counter Strike (switch to previous). Atleast so I can quick switch between my main weapons.

[reyalp]

I don't think there's any way currently to switch to the previous weapon you were holding. I just use a key for each weapon.

[Jammydodger]

Great little guide there reyalp, cheers

1 of my members is asking a Q and I was wondering if you guys can help answer?

Question, Is it possible to add a double command into a single bind that will both be activated when the key is pressed.

Example:
I wand F12 to toggle the bind g_showHud, and the com_showFPS. How about would I do that, would I do it simmular to RTCW where I would seperate the commands with a ; or would I just put in a space.

This
bind "F12" "toggle g_showHud; com_showFPS" "" "default"

or this
bind "F12" "toggle g_showHud com_showFPS" "" "default"

And is that toggle even correct, will it toggle them on and off together. Basically what you are seeing is a possiable bind to make clean demos by deleating everything from the scree.

Thanks for any help.

[MoP]

Originally Posted by Jammydodger

1 of my members is asking a Q and I was wondering if you guys can help answer?

Here's how you'd do that:

bind F12 "toggle g_showHud; toggle com_showFPS"

You don't need the "" "default" at the end for every bind - these are just the default settings that mean the bind will apply in every default case unless otherwise specified (for example, it would be overridden when in a vehicle if you were to bind F12 to something else in the "vehicle" context).

You need both "toggles" in there, you can't toggle two different cvars at once with a single toggle command.

Another note, the "toggle" command will switch between 0 and 1 using the current value as a starting point. So if you want the HUD and FPS counter to show and hide together, make sure they're both set to either 1 or 0 by default. If one is set to a different value, you'll find that one displays when the other is hidden and vice-versa.

Hope that helps.

[Jammydodger]

Thanks alot MoP, your a ledge

[General.Jung]

Hello Forum,

is it possible to bind the driver seat?

[b0rsuk]

You don't need the "" "default" at the end for every bind - these are just the default settings that mean the bind will apply in every default case unless otherwise specified

Explicit > Implied . Python is great !

Is there any chance for new contexts ? For example...

g_bind_context_offense

(true for GDF on Valley or Sewer.)

g_bind_context_defense

(Map-dependant just like the one above. True for Strogg on Valley or Sewer .
It would be nice to have 'Regroup' and 'Incoming' on the same key, depending on whether you're attacking or defending.


g_bind_context_fireteam

If there was such a context, I could make my communication binds broadcast to fireteam channel if I'm in a fireteam. If I'm not in a fireteam, they would broadcast to the main team channel.

[dommafia]

All this will be great for us script junkies