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Alas, but that's not possible as adding keyboard only controls would require fundamental changes in the ways the game works.

It's not so much adding full keyboard controls, as in menus and the like, just keyboard combat essentially. It would require locking the cursor a set relative distance from the ship, and a button to scroll through nearby objects for activating/targeting. Then setting keys for the which button fires which turret.

That way turning and "auto-lock" would be a way of focusing how we fight enemies. Would feel a lot more smoother. Many games of this genre, Ring Runner, Ev Nova, Privateer, all have this ability.

The previous Dev above was clear though this isn't something that will be done, and as there are no API hooks that would even come close to allowing this it seems like this wil not be a control method for this game.

There are quite a number of gamers who are very picky about how they play a game, I have a friend who loves these type of games but the control alone has turned him off of it. I'm trying to reel him back in with modding the game to fit his play style.

Hm, that's interesting. I imagine you are doing it with a negative impulse?

As for the beam, it first negates the impulse and move vector of the target ship, then sets it on a collision course for the user of the beam. It's tricky getting it to work as I intend as ship control via just a weapon script is difficult but eventually I'll work out all the math. Hope to get it so you can fling the enemy ship into asteroids or other ships. Turn them into a mace of sorts. Upgraded versions having more powerful negation effects, and more energy drain.

In VoidExpanse you can mod only content and scripts. Controls change involves programming and we are not planning to implement a "no mouse control" feature.

Thank you so much for such a quick reply!

Modding content and scripts allows for lots to be done especially with such a great base that this game offers. I am very excited to change and add things to the game content and script wise. Currently working on a weapon that functions as a grappling beam so that you can hold or pull enemies towards you. Currently basing it off of the repair beam script.

I had hoped that I could make some work around via scripts for the no mouse control, like a device that would function this way. But there is no area search function in the API for nearby ships, or so I have found. Been tinkering for less that a day at this point.

I understand it would take programming from your end, hence the suggestion, though I get that you all must have many more important work to be done and such a feature would take away resources from all the other work you all must be doing.

It saddens me greatly that a no mouse control feature will not be implemented. The forcing of mouse use does makes the game much less enjoyable to play for myself and my friends. 

As a mainly keyboard user, who dislikes mouse use greatly I was hoping to mod in support for full keyboard play ability. Sadly that isn't possible from modding. In such I humbly suggest if it is at all possible for those of us who are more keyboard bound if you could implement the following.

Cursor maintain a relative position from the ship, so that you can turn your ship to select objects.
A button like the default "r" however it locks on and scrolls through objects (asteroids, friendly ships, enemy ships, space stations, etc.) that are within your regular cursor range.

This would dramatically increase the enjoyment out of this game not just from myself but my friends who play also.


Thank you for reading, and I look forward to adding lots of interesting mechanics to this game via the modding system.