Handy X2 keyboard layout diagram!

[LifeMatrix]

I'm still a bit new to playing X2 and I haven't completely memorized all the keyboard commands yet. Some of them I picked up pretty quick (partly from having played XBTF), but others seem so obscure and rarely used. Some of the shortcuts seem a bit counterintuitive, too. I still find myself issuing quite a few of my commands via the Main menu and the Ship menu.

I remember when I first looked through the X2 Manual and documentation I was a bit disappointed that there was no keyboard layout or illustrated diagram of the game controls. Sure, there is a nearly complete listing of keyboard commands, but it's just not the same. I found it much easier to get into a new game when they include a printed keyboard layout, such as with Master of Orion 3 and others. Besides, the various game patches have changed the keyboard shortcuts so that it's now a bit different from the manual.

For these reasons (and also because I want to modify a program to capture additional keyboard inputs for some X2 scripts), I drew up a keyboard layout for X2!

Granted, this looks rather amaturish since it was merely done with ink on paper, but I think it's legible and it gets the job done. And even though it was done by hand, it took me a few hours to figure out how to squeeze all this stuff onto one page! And after scanning it, I spend a good deal of time just cleaning it up to look presentable. I thought about using Corel PHOTO-PAINT to do a professional job of it, but I'm too lazy to do that right now. (And I'm chewing at the bit to actually get back to playing X2! )


[ external image ]


Just click on the thumbnail image to get a full-sized version that you should be able to download and/or print out clearly. Oh, and here's a tip: I laminated my copy so that I can drink while playing - without worrying about smearing it!

[BugMeister]

wow - cool!

- this has just gotta be a "sticky", surely guys..??

[Al]

Nice. I would do the same but then I cant read my own handwriting so that could be a problem

[mattstint]

My version of X2 in a card box with a lid came with both CDs in a sleeve and the keyboard layout was printed on that sleeve, made for easy referencing.

It doesn't matter much for X3 since the controls are pretty much identical but it would've been nicer to have a sexy box again

[soleseacher]

Well yes I suppose it would for someone starting out but for me I don't really need it I've been playing the game that long know I know every key backwards

[poppycock]

O.K. a tiny bit of constructive criticism, I think it looks a bit cluttered so maybe if you could space it out a little it'd be perfect.

[BugMeister]

- it's art - you should exhibit it..!!

- looks much better than a sawn-off pickled shark any day..!!

[ZippyTheWonderbat]

Does anyone have a keyboard layout map they could post? The link to the one in the forums is broken. X2

Thanks.

[LifeMatrix]

Hmm...
Well, it looks the file host for this turned into a pay site and deleted my stuff. And, worse, the PC I had been using at the time has since suffered a major hard drive crash. (Three different Maxtor drives and they've all practically died. And my friend's Maxtor USB drive died horribly. I'm never buying anything Maxtor again!)

I don't suppose anyone reading this has a copy?

There's still a chance I could find it on one of my drives or backups, but it seems unlikely.

Anyway, I suppose an X3 keyboard layout might be of some use:

[X3] Keyboard layouts by BugMeister (excel) (1/12/2006)

But this keyboard layout is for X3, not X2. Although, another player pointed out that the controls are very similar (i.e., almost identical). However, after printing it out, I find that I have to squint and look real closely to make out the labels. The keys are labeled with such fine print it's very hard for me to read... even with glasses.

BTW: There's also the X2 Hot Key Guide, which lists the keys.

[Buck_Rogers]

I'm lucky! The cardboard sleve that my 2 X2 disc's are in, opens out to reveal the keyboard map. Very handy!

[Jack_Schitt]

Does anyone have a copy of this they'd be kind enough to share? Apparently the one that was originally posted is no longer available. Or am I missing a download link somewhere? I don't see an image to click on.

[kohlrak]

Does anyone have a copy of this they'd be kind enough to share? Apparently the one that was originally posted is no longer available. Or am I missing a download link somewhere? I don't see an image to click on.

Top google search results happens to be this post. The way i've been doing it is looking with the H key to find out what i want to do that's listed there, then practice doing it a few times, and looking back if i forget. For the menues, I'm memorizing what menu keys get me to where i want. So, if i want to take down some Kha'ak, "c22", if i want to scan the sector "." and if i want to know where my ships are in the big picture, I "r," and i'll see where it's at and what surrounds it. Try to mix the combinations you know to figure it out. E is pretty useful when hunting, T is pretty useless, IMO, but i continue to have hope that some day it'll target what i want it to target, instead of picking teh same thing every time i hit T (usually, t's the gate behind the target). "U" is a universal follow, dock, go through target command key. Pretty useful if you can get T to do what you want. Usually i end up using a triplex scanner, hit "." then "page down" a few times, up arrow past the asteroids, hit T on the gate, hit escape a few times (leave menues), hit u (go through gate), and then hit j (waste time).

[Jack_Schitt]

Thank you for replying! I have finger fumbled on some controls that made a noise or said command accepted that are not in the list in the Help menu. For example cntrl + J makes a funky noise, but what the heck is it doing? Another one I fumbled on was cntrl+7 which I think is a wingman command but I don't know what it tells them to do or if it's a wingman command for sure. Plus I remember there are also fighter drone keyboard shortcuts for commanding them that also aren't on the help menu list.

If no one has a copy of what was originally posted here, which I was hoping would have these controls listed, is there a complete control list somewhere like in a config file or something?

[kohlrak]

Thank you for replying! I have finger fumbled on some controls that made a noise or said command accepted that are not in the list in the Help menu. For example cntrl + J makes a funky noise, but what the heck is it doing? Another one I fumbled on was cntrl+7 which I think is a wingman command but I don't know what it tells them to do or if it's a wingman command for sure. Plus I remember there are also fighter drone keyboard shortcuts for commanding them that also aren't on the help menu list.

If no one has a copy of what was originally posted here, which I was hoping would have these controls listed, is there a complete control list somewhere like in a config file or something?

ctrl, alt and the like are not combineable. You probably have the ctrl key mapped or unmapped or something, and it's the same as the J key, which has the wirrdown noise of the SETA drive.

I haven't checked the manual, though, have you? i'm not in a good spot right now to check myself. However, try using the page-down key in the help menu. Shift-8 and shift-9 are what you're looking for. Learn to love that key. On my keyboard, they surround the up arrow keys. They are very useful for most of the menus.

[Jack_Schitt]

Next time you're in the game press Ctrl + J and see. The sound reminds me of some kind of powering down sound. And you're right it is shift +7. I made a mistake when I typed it originally, apologies. Shift + 7 is some kind of command for something but it's not listed in the manual or in The Help menu.

[X2-Illuminatus]

From our downloads section you can download the X2: The Threat manual, which has a list of keyboard commands. As for the availability of the download from this topic, if you look a few posts above yours, you will notice that the file was lost almost 8 years ago already.