Zoom Question

[Servius]

I just got a laptop and I've installed MTW:VI on it and it works great. But...I can't figure out how to zoom the camera in (strategic or tactical maps) because, obviously, the laptop doesn't have a mouse wheel.

I went to the Assign Keys list in the Options Menu but I didn't see any keys there that seemed to have anything to do with zoom level.

Can someone please tell me how to zoom the camera in when I don't have a mouse wheel?

[Tamur]

Not sure about zooming, you can drop the camera to slightly above eye level on the battle map by pressing and holding the forward-slash on the number pad (/)... or maybe it's * ? Always get those two mixed up... anyway, one lowers the camera, one raises it, they you have to move the camera's position around to look at what you'd like.

This is just MTW though, I'm not sure if those controls changed for VI...

[Servius]

yeah, but being a laptop, there's no number pad either. Hmm... Anyone else know? Or, better yet, where the option is to change the keys for those functions? I've found the key-binding page in the Options-Controls-Assing Keys page, but I didn't find any there that talked about zooming.

[katank]

laptop should usually have function keys that allow you to simulate a numeric pad.

[Servius]

okay, cool, I think I found it I'll give it a go.

[ROCKHAMMER]

How did it work out Servius?

[Servius]

well, classes just started again, so I've been a bit swamped and haven't been playing too much MTW in class. Uh, I mean inbetween classes...

I know I figured out the function keys that allow me to use some other keys as a numeric pad, I just haven't put it all together though. However, I can tell you that the game runs perfectly on this laptop. Though it can get quite tricky to quickly select and order the exact units around with this square mouse-pad thing.

[Daveybaby]

Buy a mouse and plug it into your laptop. You can pick a cheap one up for peanuts and its going to be MILES better than using a touchpad.

Unless you're actually using your laptop on your lap, of course.

[Servius]

yeah, I've been planning on getting a USB mouse.

[ROCKHAMMER]

Highly recommend the use of the USB mouse. Will make your tactical control much smoother..

[pdoan8]

Unless you're actually using your laptop on your lap, of course.

In this case, I would reccomend Trackball. I am currently using Logitech Trackman (optical) with my laptop. Quite comfortable and doesn't need a rigid, flat surface like the regular mouse.

[Procrustes]

If your laptop has a touchpad mouse (a little pad about where your thumbs are when you type - move the mouse around with it) you can emulate the scroll wheel by tapping once on the right hand side of the pad and, while keeping your finger pressed down, moving your finger up and down the right side of the pad. It's a little tricky to get it right, but better than nothing.

The best thing I did was to spend $45 on a wireless, optical USB mouse. Plug it in the USB port, no wires to crap with, the optical mouse works on most any surface (your leg, arm of a chair, the empty seat next to you, whatever....) I just need to keep a couple of spare AA batteries around for the occasional times it runs out of juice.

HTH,

[Servius]

badass, that's what I'll do. Also, RTW, it works on this little bugger. The graphics aren't top-notch, but it doesn't crash and the speed is good.