fighting the VP with a laptop keyboard

[TomWhiskrdoodle]

My wife plays on a laptop. She fought the VP a couple nights ago. The INS key is waaaaay far away from the arrow keys and CTRL key, and positioned above the arrow keys to make any sort of one-handed stretch nearly impossible.

It was scary and hilarious--the other side got blown away by skelecogs, we were down to four toons, and I had to sit next to her and tap INS while she moved and jumped, having no clue where to even move because it was her first time. (FWIW we rocked! Many thanks to those other three toons!)

Anyone figure out a solution to this? I am searching the web to try to find something that will allow her to remap her keys and swap INS and something like ALT or spacebar, but no luck yet.

[MrsWeebert]

Why don't you by a standard keyboard and connect it to the Laptop?

In my opinion, the best keyboard by far to VP with, is a split.

[TomWhiskrdoodle]

Originally posted by MrsWeebert
Why don't you by a standard keyboard and connect it to the Laptop?

Waaaaaaaah! MrsWeebert made me feel dumb by pointing out an obvious solution I should have thought of in three and a half seconds

Okay we have already sunk how much money into ToownTown? I guess another $20 for a cheapo keyboard won't kill us.

[Mangla]

But what about travellers who cannot carry a full size keyboard with them? This is the point of a laptop!

[Greebo]

Originally posted by Mangla
But what about travellers who cannot carry a full size keyboard with them? This is the point of a laptop!

http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/i...eyboards/5a7f/

Coolest. Keyboard. Ever.

[Bunny Summers]

Where exactly is the INS key?

Does the keyboard have a 10-key number pad like other keyboards do? I'm guessing not.

If it does though, then the number 0 can be turned into an INS key by making sure the Num Lock is off....

But when all else fails, put a regular keyboard on.

[Greebo]

Originally posted by Bunny Summers
Where exactly is the INS key?

Does the keyboard have a 10-key number pad like other keyboards do? I'm guessing not.

If it does though, then the number 0 can be turned into an INS key by making sure the Num Lock is off....

But when all else fails, put a regular keyboard on.

No - laptop keyboards do not have numeric keypads. Usually insert, home, delete, end, pgup and pgdown are halfsized keys at the top of the keyboard or off to one side or another.

Not gamer friendly at all.

Example:

[Mangla]

Originally posted by Greebo
http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/i...eyboards/5a7f/

Coolest. Keyboard. Ever.

Radio Shack sells them also. It is really bad when you can play Half-life or Unreal easier than toontown sometimes. The other problem with a regular keyboard is the desks in hotel rooms are too small for both latop and keyboard. Oh well.

[Juggalo]

Use 2 hands....I fight the VP using the laptop all the time...Its really not that bad.
Save the 20 bucks and buy a box of chocolates for your wife on Valentines Day.

[WizardHawk]

Originally posted by Greebo
http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/i...eyboards/5a7f/

Coolest. Keyboard. Ever.

We use a simular keyboard (called the nearly indestructable keyboard) at work. We offer free Wi-Fi internet and provide one computer for use by customers and chose this keyboard. They can actaully spill a **** on it or dump food on it and all we have to do is hose it off. Great little gadgets. However I wouldn't use them for the VP. They have a much different feel and no force feedback as with normal keyboards. They are more like the old bubble keys.

[Mangla]

Originally posted by Juggalo
Use 2 hands....I fight the VP using the laptop all the time...Its really not that bad.
Save the 20 bucks and buy a box of chocolates for your wife on Valentines Day.

Is there another way than using 2 hands? - The basis of my discomfort is:
- The screen is in the center.
- The arrow keys are on the right.
- The insert key is on the right.
- The mouse is on the right.
Therefore, I have to sit slightly off center to the right to reach the keys. Even a regular keyboard has this problem. This is why the FPS games use the WASD format instead fo the arrow keys. You can stay centered!

[Brer Rabbit]

Brer Rabbit's first couple attempts at the V.P. was a tag team effort. One of us used the arrow and insert keys, while the other hovered over the ctrl key and handled all the jumps. @@

[maxgoof]

Another hint:

In addition to using the INS key, you can put the cursor on top of the pie icon and click the mouse button. Does the same thing. It's easier for me, being left handed, and having my mouse on the left side. Right handed people can do the mouse with the right hand, and the arrow keys and control key with the left.

Has anyone figured out a strafe move to dodge the gears he shoots at you?

[TomWhiskrdoodle]

Originally posted by Juggalo
Use 2 hands....I fight the VP using the laptop all the time...Its really not that bad.

I'll spare you the detailed descriptions and pictures--suffice to say that would be anatomically impossible on this keyboard.

Does anyone not use two hands? With one hand it seems like it would be easy to miss the Ctrl key and touch the dreaded Windows menu key by accident

Originally posted by maxgoof
In addition to using the INS key, you can put the cursor on top of the pie icon and click the mouse button

Sweet, I didn't know that. Thanks!

Has anyone figured out a strafe move to dodge the gears he shoots at you?

I have found you can jump them about half the time.

[Bunny Summers]

Originally posted by maxgoof
Has anyone figured out a strafe move to dodge the gears he shoots at you?

Yeah, don't get so close to the VP. I usually stand WAAAAY back & I can hit the undercarriage pretty reasonably and accurately(unless someone is standing right in front of the VP....grrrr. Makes me wish I had the phrase "Down in front!"). The only time I get closer to the VP is when he's dizzy. I usually make it out with MAYBE -10 damage points done to me. Usually the only time I take on damage points is when he jumps & gets dizzy, causing everyone to take on -10 points of damage.

I could only use one hand if I had the coordination for it. On the right hand side of most keyboards you have the arrow keys, you turn off the NumLock key and the 0 (zero) key acts as the INS key, and the Ctrl key to jump is on the other side. But most of the time I'm NOT that coordinated...lol. So I use one hand for moving & hitting pies & the other hand for jumping.