Will Point And Click Games Be Truly Point & Click?

[Awakening]

It is most useful in graphical adventures (yes, that's what they are called) to be able to move the mouse pointer around without clicking anywhere. This is how you look around for hot spots (stuff to interact with). I think the best solution is to separate tap and hold, a tap is a quick tap with the stylus without moving while hold is where you press the stylus continuously. Holding should not generate a click at all but allow you to move the pointer around.

Some adventure games uses double click to instantly move through exits, a very very good feature because you don't have to see your hero walk all the way to the exit every time. So double tap should not equal a right click. Correct me if I'm wrong but binding right click to the left shoulder button should be optimal. Not press and tap but simply pressing the button equals a right click where the pointer is currently at. Some games uses right click to cycle through verbs (things to do) and others use left click to interact and right click to look at.

 

[mzeo77]

Some adventure games uses double click to instantly move through exits, a very very good feature because you don't have to see your hero walk all the way to the exit every time. So double tap should not equal a right click. Correct me if I'm wrong but binding right click to the left shoulder button should be optimal. Not press and tap but simply pressing the button equals a right click where the pointer is currently at. Some games uses right click to cycle through verbs (things to do) and others use left click to interact and right click to look at.

Ok, double tap for right click was a bad idea. Perhaps hold at the same spot could be turned into a right click while hold and move would just be a move.

Based on my experience with the nds, I'm afraid using other buttons will not be ergonomic. The nds swiched between modes (left, right, move) by pressing a button. It just didn't feel right.

 

[Caine]

Based on my experience with the nds, I'm afraid using other buttons will not be ergonomic. The nds swiched between modes (left, right, move) by pressing a button. It just didn't feel right.

I thought it was alright.

Perhaps some simple gestures can be used instead. For example:
- tap once: left click
- tap + drag up: move cursor (to position of initial tap)
- tap + drag left: start left-click dragging
- tap + drag right: start right-click dragging
- tap + drag down: right mouse click (on position of initial tap)

The dragging should only need a short distance.

<edit>More general version (I think this feels more natural):

Default behaviour
- tap: left click
- tap [hold]: right click

Gestures: (all take effect on the tap position)
- tap + drag left : left click
- tap + drag up : middle click
- tap + drag right: right click
- tap + drag down : move cursor

(These motions all return to the tap position, naturally not requiring pixel precision):
- tap + drag left + drag right: start left click drag
- tap + drag up + drag down : start middle click drag
- tap + drag right + drag left: start right click drag
- tap + drag down + drag up : start cursor move drag

Depending on the game these can easily be enabled/disabled. Button combinations could be made, but it would make it overly complex and I don't think any games would need it.
</edit>

 

[Awakening]

Perhaps some simple gestures can be used instead.

I think gestures like those would be annoying to use. It has to be intuitive from the start. I want to be able to drag the pointer around without activating any clicks etc. Gestures also becomes a problem close to the edges of the screen.

Usually click and drag (like with a touchpad) is done by a tap followed by a hold (you hit the screen twice). I can not recall playing any adventure games using click and drag but this is how I would like XFCE to be configured, it doesn't take long to get used to. Right clicking can be done by a single hold without movement but personally I hate the delay and since I'll be holding the Pandora with my left hand I would just prefer using a button instead. But there's no reason why both can't be working at the same time, or turned on/off in the settings.

 

[peca]

^I'd touchpad like behaviour. If some is annoyed by delay for right click it can be overrided by some button or with some button + tap.

 

[gruso]

Based on my experience with the nds, I'm afraid using other buttons will not be ergonomic. The nds swiched between modes (left, right, move) by pressing a button. It just didn't feel right.

Agreed, there's not much ergonomic about trying to use stylus + buttons on a DS. The Pandora is different though - if you've got a stylus in your right hand, your left hand will have access to more than just a d-pad and shoulder button like it does on the DS.

I think we should wait and see how it works before worrying too much about this stuff. DJWillis didn't let us down on the F200, there's no way he would have skimped on the Pandora port either.