Scroll Wheels

Atelier · Fri 12/08/2011 18:48:21

In game design, would it be safe to assume that everybody nowadays has a scroll wheel on their mouse?

I want to simplify things so I can remove tons of up/down buttons (I have multiple list boxes on the screen at one time). Instead, the player can scroll up/down by hovering over the list box and using the mouse wheel.

Flawed or not? Could there be any other alternatives to buttons? Discuss.

Calin Leafshade · Fri 12/08/2011 18:57:37

No I would say that its not safe to assume that. Laptop trackpads for instance often have a software implementation of a scroll wheel that isnt always enabled.

Alternatively you could have a system similar to that in Resonance where the list follows the mouse. Theres a clip of it in one of Vince's dev diaries.

Radiant · Fri 12/08/2011 19:25:07

Quote from: Atelier on Fri 12/08/2011 18:48:21
In game design, would it be safe to assume that everybody nowadays has a scroll wheel on their mouse?

No, absolutely not.

It's good to support it; it's bad to make your game unplayable without a scroll wheel.

Anian · Fri 12/08/2011 19:29:30

Quote from: Radiant on Fri 12/08/2011 19:25:07
It's good to support it; it's bad to make your game unplayable without a scroll wheel.

Indeed.
If it's a really big list then you can add option for keyboard arrow keys as well.

Tabata · Fri 12/08/2011 19:54:33

I can't believe it!
As an avowed mouse-fetishist I can't imagine, that there is anyone without a mouse-(wheel) :o
Even laptops should be able to be used with a mouse (well, Ã¤hem - like mine) ...
and there's not much, that can lure me away from it ...

arj0n · Sat 13/08/2011 11:26:50

Quote from: Atelier on Fri 12/08/2011 18:48:21
In game design, would it be safe to assume that everybody nowadays has a scroll wheel on their mouse?

If you also count laptops: no.
If you don't count laptops: sort off.

Eggie · Sat 13/08/2011 12:10:00

Assume NOTHIIIIIIING.

Implement it, but implement an other way too. The arrow keys one sounded good.

Ryan Timothy B · Sun 14/08/2011 04:07:09

Just have tons of up/down arrows along with the scroll wheel capabilities.

Wonkyth · Sun 14/08/2011 10:50:47

Just got a sweet wireless mouse, but previously I would do most of my gaming on a non-scroll-wheelable trackpad.
And yeah, arrow keys are AMAZING as far as removing tedium. There are a fair number of games that I've stopped playing from the tedium of doing normal tasks which could have been made easier with more keyboard support.

Radiant · Sun 14/08/2011 11:16:14

Quote from: Wonkyth on Sun 14/08/2011 10:50:47
There are a fair number of games that I've stopped playing from the tedium of doing normal tasks which could have been made easier with more keyboard support.

I agree with this. It's amazing how much a few simple shortcut keys add to playability (and given how easy they are to implement, it's also amazing how many AGS games don't have any...)

SpacePirateCaine · Fri 19/08/2011 15:18:46

Generally speaking, it's usually a safe bet that if you design a game with some peripheral in mind as a necessity, someone that wants to play your game isn't going to be able to. It is entirely up to you, however, to decide whether the improved functionality or features created by requiring the peripheral is worth losing their support.

The best way to work around it has been said above: design for it, but make it an extra feature, not a necessity. If you can scroll with a mouse wheel, also make it possible to scroll with a bar on the side, or with other shortcut keys. In the case of point 'n click adventure games, where speed and precision are less of a big deal, it should be much easier to implement some sort of alternative. It's always nice to program in something that allows people who have the extra input device to use it, though.

Not entirely unlike gamepad support on modern PC games. If you design for it centrally, a lot of people are likely to rage, but if you simply allow it, or even make it beneficial (but not crucial) to have it, it's good business.

Shane 'ProgZmax' Stevens · Mon 22/08/2011 12:08:28

Since I've only ever used the mousewheel for an easier way to swap icons, it's not really something people are going to suffer from since there's also the on-screen gui. I wouldn't use the wheel for something like a sniper scope zoom in-out without having a keyboard alternative, though. Another alternative, and one I've used in a few of my keyboard projects, is just to support remapping even of the mouse functionality. That pretty much allows everyone to setup a scheme they're most comfortable with and it's easy enough to do to make it worth the added effort.