Character specific keyboard layout

[Ysmir.4986]

As in, if you change your character you change as well the keyboard layout automatically. Seems like a basic quality of life feature missing. Is there a reason it's not in the game? Couldn't find a thread on this subject.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

It's been discussed on the forums over the years. The reason? I'd guess because the Devs haven't yet considered it a high priority, or there is a technical reason. /shrug

[Danikat.8537]

I don't think Anet have ever explained why it's not an option. I know several people have asked for it. I'd never use it myself, but I wouldn't mind if it was an option.

For now the only way I know of to do it is to buy a gaming keyboard which lets you set up multiple profiles for the same program and create one for each character. But I'm not sure how practical that is, beyond the obvious barrier of having to buy an expensive keyboard.

[Player.9621]

i want this so much

[Ysmir.4986]

@Danikat.8537 Yeah, I know it's been asked, but as you said, I have never anet seen address it. Seems to be pretty basic to implement but I don't know much about it.

[Mewcifer.5198]

I've seen this pop up before and I'll express my concerns with this being implemented again. I worry that if it was implemented then all new characters would start with the default keybinds, forcing me to rebind keys for every single character even though I use the same changed keybinds for all of them. Having to redo all my settings for every single character was one of the things I hated about WoW, I wouldn't want it to sour my GW2 experience.

[Pimpology.6234]

@Mewcifer.5198 said:I've seen this pop up before and I'll express my concerns with this being implemented again. I worry that if it was implemented then all new characters would start with the default keybinds, forcing me to rebind keys for every single character even though I use the same changed keybinds for all of them. Having to redo all my settings for every single character was one of the things I hated about WoW, I wouldn't want it to sour my GW2 experience.

DISAGREE, as an altoholic it's one of the things i loved about WoW and i currently have 20 toons in GW2. I wouldn't mind this one bit. Some of my Fkeys are funky because on different classes they are auto bound when i key bind in weird ways. Being able to select different spots for dif classes would be better for how i play.

[Dreamy Lu.3865]

Sorry, I don't understand: Could you please explain why it could be necessary to have different key binding per toon? Thank you. :3

[Etria.3642]

Or it could be like swtor with a method to 'save'! So I could have one layout 'saved' that applied to 'most' of my characters and I could choose to have another for say, my pvp characters and another for my tanky ones. But then again one of the things I like most of that game is the ui. Okay and maybe the lightsabers. But so much in gw2 is better that eh, it is what it is.

[Ysmir.4986]

@Dreamy Lu.3865 said:Sorry, I don't understand: Could you please explain why it could be necessary to have different key binding per toon? Thank you. :3

Because not all classes play the same. Optimal keyboard setup is different for a thief or an ele for example. Most eles have attunement bound to 1-2-3-4 on keyboard for a reason. On the other hand, thief weapon 5 is equally important as well as steal and steal skill, etc.

[jbrother.1340]

@"Mewcifer.5198" said:I've seen this pop up before and I'll express my concerns with this being implemented again. I worry that if it was implemented then all new characters would start with the default keybinds, forcing me to rebind keys for every single character even though I use the same changed keybinds for all of them. Having to redo all my settings for every single character was one of the things I hated about WoW, I wouldn't want it to sour my GW2 experience.

Seems like if they could or would or do implement this they could just have a list of binding and let you select a "profile" binding. A generic could be the base of all toons and use that as standard then customize from there and then you always could start with your preferred based bind set and just change from a drop down. I really don't see how this is hard to implement since I am guessing the bindings are stored in a pretty simple format server side. They already have a menu layout built and I am guessing databases from now until times end, it could be implemented just like skins are but per entire bind set not in piece by piece.... it is all about priorities and we don't know theirs and they are I guess to arrogant to talk to the customers in that fashion or something.

I use the same layout for all toons but might use this feature if it existed.

[Dreamy Lu.3865]

@Ysmir.4986 said:

@Dreamy Lu.3865 said:Sorry, I don't understand: Could you please explain why it could be necessary to have different key binding per toon? Thank you. :3

Because not all classes play the same. Optimal keyboard setup is different for a thief or an ele for example. Most eles have attunement bound to 1-2-3-4 on keyboard for a reason. On the other hand, thief weapon 5 is equally important as well as steal and steal skill, etc.

Thank you for explaining. :)

It makes me realize that depending on class, the skills we use the most are not the same. Before that thread, it never crossed my mind that to have one set up per class would be helpful. Is there an activity where to have this helps significantly? PvP maybe? Or is it more a matter of comfort?

What comes to my mind is that there are mini-keyboards - like the razer orbweaver for example - allowing to save several profiles. You then just need to put the skill you want on the key you want and save the profile: That could be a solution until a feature is available in game?