This might be a curious question, and I’m not sure how to word it properly, so I’m sorry for any confusion.
I’m curious how left-handed people tackle keyboard controls in PC gaming. I know that input remapping is a common and versatile accessibility solution for everyone, really - which is why I was planning on adding it regardless (it’s really the bare minimum isn’t it).
But I am still curious, and the idea of opening a game up for the first time and having to change every key for you to play a game without having experienced any of it yet, and having to go back and adjust them to the gameplay seems… cumbersome?
I thought about having both a right and left-handed default control map from the get-go. I’d have to do a bit more digging/research.
Am I overthinking this? Would this type of accessibility option really be needed, even used?
The only left-handed person I know is my father, and he doesn’t play any PC games, or use a PC at all, so I can’t really go to him for any advice on the matter.
You’re over-thinking it.
Let people re-map their controls. I have a Controller Plugin that will allow you to do it if you’re interested. It handles keyboard, mouse and gamepad remapping, as well as a number of other things.
I would include the ability to remap, but..
I’m a lefty. And while I don’t speak for all, we do live in a world that largely wasn’t designed for us in mind. As such, we tend to adapt to doing many things right handed.
Personally I can’t use a mouse with my left hand (meaning right hand on the keyboard). The same goes for gamepads. I can’t use one in “left handed” mode. It’s just awkward after years of adapting.
That said, I highly appreciate the thoughtfulness! There have been certain situations I’ve wished for a left handed mode where there wasn’t one. VR games are a sore spot, being a more hand centric type of interaction. No Man’s Sky PSVR comes to mind. I believe they’ve STILL yet to include it. Kind of annoying.
Edit: To be clear, I’m saying yes, include the ability to remap, but designing out a whole left handed mode for a small subset of a small subset of people isn’t economical, imo.. Unless it’s a VR game. 