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I recently purchased this game, but I can't get my head around the controls.

I know it's meant for a 4-button gamepad (head,open hand, armed hand, feet), but I can't seem to get a system that is easy for me to use one hand to WASD move and control actions, while the other hand is stuck on the mouse that is barely used.

Has anyone got any suggestions for a simple control configuration? I'm coming from using WASD for movement and Mouse controls for attack, FPS style.

At the moment I'm using a combination of Ctrl/Shift/Alt/E, but it's too hard to get to whats what.

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Come on, people! Just buy a decent gamepad. A good PS2 dualshock style controller costs about $5 on ebay. USB adapters for top quality console controllers you probably already own start from about $3. If your gaming rig cost you $1000, that's about 0.5% of your investment. Would you use an old yellow composite AV cable with your $2000 HDTV? (This is off-topic, but I see this all the time and had to vent. Sorry). – MGOwen Feb 21 '11 at 2:17
1  
I don't own a console, and haven't played once since N64, so learning a new controller would be a steeper learning curve. Also, pc controls > console control (for FPS, anyway :p) /derail – glasnt Feb 21 '11 at 3:26
@MGOwen I think that, contrary to popular hype, it is actually easier to use keyboard/mouse rather than gamepads. The reason is in a gamepad you need to do a lot of things with your thumb. For example, character movement, camera movement, actions are all controlled by your thumb. You have very little gameplay with other fingers. After playing for sometime my thumbs become sore with all that mashing. But in mouse/keyboard you control the camera with your wrist, movement with left hand and actions with right hand (mouse buttons). I never tire out with this. (I had to rant too I guess :P ) – Mugen Feb 21 '11 at 4:12

3 Answers

up vote 6 down vote accepted

I've been able to work out that Button 0 and Button 1 are actually Left and Right Mouse (may be the other way around)

These can be assigned at the Controls > Customize Controls screen by clicking the Attack Hand/Open hand options and double left/right clicking (as you need to left click to start the assigning process)

Then, by using space for legs and E for head, the main controls sort of work ok.

I'm Currently using:

1-4 Weapon Change (sword, hidden blade, etc)

Space Legs

E Head

Left Click Attack Hand

Right Click Open hand.

That way, I can loot/attack mostly with the mouse. Pressing and holding W (up), E (head) and Space (legs), and directing myself with the mouse, gets me up and over rooftops ok.

I've only gotten to an early part of the game, so I haven't had time to perfect my keys. I'll update this post when I do, and let you know what is the best key arrangement (in my opinion).

UPDATE: The above works well, with Q/F in use for locking, etc.

This should be valid for AC:B too.

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up vote 4 down vote

I had this same problem. The controls are painfully bad for PC. Eventually, I broke down and got a USB gamepad.

Barring that, I would suggest using a mouse with programmable thumb buttons. Assigning these to ctrl, shift, and other "pinky keys" (depending on how many buttons you actually have) will make your life much easier.

WASD is probably the most familiar movement setup for PC gamers, so Q and E make other easily accessible keys, as does spacebar for thumb. These, with a couple mouse thumb keys, should be enough for all the actions you'll need in Assassin's Creed.

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Turns out that Button 0 and Button 1 are actually the mouse buttons. This might make things easier (if I can work out how to assign them in the control config menu <_<) – glasnt Nov 23 '10 at 2:34
up vote 1 down vote

The default keyboard configuration is amazing! I love how it works and is one of the many amazing features that the Assassin's Creed series has brought to the gaming world. Most of the keys map to a certain part of the body, which kinda makes sense actually. Don't know why nobody thought of this earlier.

WASD (Directional movement) --> Movement of your character. You usually use W though.

Left Click (Armed hand) --> Default armed hand action. For attacking or interaction purposes.

Right Click --> High profile mode. Used in combination with other actions - For example, right click + W + space allows Altaïr/Ezio to free-run .

Shift (Empty hand)--> Empty hand. Can use this to pickpocket in AC2.

Space (Legs)

E (Head) --> Engages eagle vision

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protected by badp♦ Mar 21 '11 at 13:58

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