Hand Tremors

[Greykemp]

I''m 70 and recently developed hand tremors. Not TOO bad. just enough to make reaching the 1-= row a hit/miss affair. So I keyed the number pad to do the job for me. However, the 5 doesn't work (reserved and not changeable). In addition this means if I reach for the left ctrl, Alt and come back I sometimes find my fingers on the wrong keys. Sooooo I'm researching hud/keybind layouts so I don't need to reach so far...Any layouts that might work would be greatly appreciated. A controller was suggested but I've never used one so I imagine the retraining period might be extensive. Thoughts about that?

On a similar note, I saw a hud layout with the some of the hot bars configured into a block of 3x4 instead of a line. How is this done? Can't find in in the help.

[SilkaN]

snip

70? Holy moly, I know it's offtopic but when did you get into video games?

I'm afraid I can't help much with specific layouts (since my hands are still working as intended), but I think there is no special "block" layout option. They most likely used the HUD layout customization feature (in the main menu) to arrange their hotbars like that.

[Greykemp]

Yep, off topic. My mother was the first female computer systems analyst in the US. Worked for Boing. Ended up the Chief of the FDIC computer audit dept. I started reading reams of paper she brought home somewhere around 1960 or so. Zork, Adventure, Then the Ultima Series, Might & Magic, etc. Warcraft when it started, Eve, EQ, EQII, Archage, skimmed a almost all of the MMOG's and had a few hundred standalone RPGs, SSI, Dozens of Strategy types. Loved Turn based, Not so hot about RTS.... etc.
Hey, a guy needs a hobby right?

[SilkaN]

Hey, a guy needs a hobby right?

Just asked since we're only in 2017, a year in which 70 year olds playing video games are still a rarity. Personally, I think it's awesome.

[Kaethra]

Just asked since we're only in 2017, a year in which 70 year olds playing video games are still a rarity. Personally, I think it's awesome.

My dad is about the same age. Was pretty good on the Intellivision, better than I was in Nightstalker (game with robots, guns, spider, and bats). Didn't play much beyond Duck Hunt on the NES or Golf games on PC. No way in hell would he try anything modern outside a bowling game made in flash.

So yeah.. its a rarity. Won't be so much in the next fifteen years or so. Guys that are in their 50s and 60s today I used to play MechWarrior with back about.. twenty years ago. And I feel like I've been internet gaming longer than some peeps here have been alive lol.

[MuseTraveller]

First off, at this age and you are adventuring in Eorzea! /fistbump I hope you are enjoying the game! Maybe Duty Finder will meet us for we're in same datacenter!
For me personally I've found switching between hotkeys using ctrl and alt is bit too straining! You can fit all keys you need in 2-3 bars and perhaps click them with your mouse instead? I'm at work now and I can't check in game but I trust the hotkey bar layout can be changed in the character settings menu.

[Reinha]

Would the hand tremors affect how accurately you can use your thumb? I'm asking because I find MMO mouses to very convenient, because the buttons are easy to reach and you can map exactly one action bar to the side buttons and then another action bar with the Shift modifier, a third bar with Ctrl and so on. Using one of these mouses you wouldn't have to move your left hand from the WASD keys and the right hand is still available to pan the camera and click objects while doing a rotation.

My own mouse is similar to this and I have no regrets.

[Kaethra]

Would the hand tremors affect how accurately you can use your thumb? I'm asking because I find MMO mouses to very convenient, because the buttons are easy to reach and you can map exactly one action bar to the side buttons and then another action bar with the Shift modifier, a third bar with Ctrl and so on. Using one of these mouses you wouldn't have to move your left hand from the WASD keys and the right hand is still available to pan the camera and click objects while doing a rotation.

I was just about to suggest the very same thing.

Personally I don't have the dexterity that I had even 4 years ago. But my reaction time is much much better than even back then due to my MMO mouse. I personally use the G600. I've used the Naga displayed above (or an older version) as well as the Scimitar from Corsair.

Naga broke on me within 6 months. But I've heard they've gotten better. Corsair is my favorite physically, though the software has to be reinstalled. G600 has been the most reliable. All of them are between $40 and $60, the cost of a normal gaming mouse.

[Naraku_Diabolos]

I have my keyboard setup for FFXIV in the same layout as the keys were used in FFXI. Did the OP say he did that too? I use the numeric keypad as well for movement.

[Paladinleeds]

My own mouse is similar to this and I have no regrets.

And... that's my thunder stolen. Would have suggested the very same thing myself. I have a 2012 version of the Razer Naga Epic combined with this.



This could make for a very useful setup especially when combined with Razer Synapse's ability to customise all keys (except for the left click button on the mouse)