Mouse-based movement: Is it really necessary?

As some of you probably already know by now, I’m working on a bullet hell shooter of sorts. (pic) It’s just about done, but there’s one thing I’m not sure if I should add or not: the option to use mouse-based movement.

This seems to be something that nearly every flash-based shooter of this type implements somehow even though I personally dislike it, so I want to know something: Am I shooting myself in the foot by not including this functionality?

Possibly. Probably. If you are looking for sponsorship, mouse interaction is generally preferred over keyboard. Why? Cause you can click on logos/branding/links with the mouse. If its a well done game, then perhaps you might not need to be concerned with this.

Furthermore, mouse movement could mean easier ports to a mobile device of some sort.

Personally, I prefer mouse controls for that kind of games, but if the keyboard controls are well implemented and allow you to have great control over the ship, I wouldn’t complain.

It’s a matter of personal preferences; I’m way more skilled with the mouse than wih the keyboard. It’s like the PC vs consoles for playing shooters; both have good arguments, it comes down to what you feel most comfortable with.

Adding mouse controls as an option shouldn’t take you more than a few minutes, and that’d surely increase the ammount of players for your game.

Both of you have good points; if sponsors want to see it, and some players prefer it, there’s really no reason not to add it in. I think the only even remotely tricky part will be making this extra option fit nicely into the options screen. Menu UI is so boring/lame. :D

I am making a bullet hell as well. Feel free to ask about any other design issues with your game you may have.

I would include mouse controls anyway. It adds a whole method input with little effort. There are also lazy people like me that like to play games with one hand.

Menu UI is so boring/lame. :D

That is the area I find the most fun.

Thanks, although there’s nothing else I can really think of since the game is actually pretty much done now. In fact, after I tie in unlockable costumes to certain achievements, all that’s left is…to toss in some music and test it. I’m actually kind of nervous!

Edit: Oh and write an intro story paragraph. And clean up some of the graphics. And change a few descriptions that might have rather colorful metaphors depicting certain frustrations I might’ve had at the time I made them. Aah poo.

Edit2: Also, the mouse movement is already in, and with little effort. It still isn’t really possible to play this game one-handed without grossly simplifying the experience. (You’ll need to press keys for bombs, secondary attacks, switching attack modes, pausing, etc)

A mouse allows much more precision control then a keyboard. That’s really all I have to say on the matter.

I lied, I have more to say. If you go by the mantra “difficult controls should never be part of the difficulty of a game”, then yes, you should have mouse movement. Go play The Line Game in Mouse and Keyboard modes to see what I mean. You can pretend the walls are actually stationary bullets.

I recently added it and it just looks a ton better. Plus it’s easier to port to iPhones. I HAD a speed upgrade but now it’s not required. Just add minor easing and it looks very polished.

For bullet hell games I use the mouse, it’s a lot easier.

Keep in mind that the character shouldn’t be stuck to the mouse. The character needs to track to it. The max speed of the character should not excel its intended speed.

Originally posted by EndlessSporadic:

Keep in mind that the character shouldn’t be stuck to the mouse. The character needs to track to it. The max speed of the character should not excel its intended speed.

Exactly. All movement in my game is degree-based, so the same atan2 magic used to make enemies/bullets aim at the player makes the player aim at the mouse cursor (for movement direction only—firing still aims upward) when mouse-based movement is turned on.

An odd quirk surfaced though. There’s a focus button that causes the player to reduce movement speed and change firing patterns. The reduced speed is obviously for more precise keyboard-based movement, but the firing pattern is also important to gameplay since you go from a spread-out attack to a focused beam + homing attack. This movement speed reduction for the player carries over with mouse-based movement, but I’m unsure if I should leave it like that or change it. I’m worried that, if I change it, that it might make mouse-based movement too powerful since you could access both firing patterns at both slow and fast movement speeds. Hmm…

Focus button? I thought the screen shot looked a lot like touhou, haha. I’m a huge fan of the series.