The Escape Key

[ChampX]

As I'm developing my game, I wrote code to have the escape key close out the game window as many gamers would expect that functionality. The thought, however, occurred to me that many players used to RPG Maker games may prefer the escape key's original functionality of doubling as a cancel and menu key. So on one side, you can please gamers not familiar with RPG Maker games and the escape key closes the game, but this may confuse RPG Maker veterans who expect it to bring up a menu or cancel out and instead the game window just terminates. On the other side, you may have gamers who get confused as to why the escape key isn't closing out the game window, especially in full screen yet to RPG Maker veterans it does exactly as expected. I'm debating now with myself on how I want to approach this.

Thoughts? What would you expect an escape key to do in a game you are playing? How would you approach this for your own games?

 

[Xenphir]

In most games I play myself I usually go to the menu to close. So a way you could please both would be for the escape key to open a menu with the option to quit, instead of the usual menu. That way for players with key-memory to escape will not close their game on accident nor will they be confused as to not being able to at all.

 

[MushroomCake28]

Honestly I never expected from any game to be able to close it with escape. It's usually through the menu -> exit game/exit fullscreen.

 

[TziaYu]

alt f4 is the usual way to quit aint it?

 

[MushroomCake28]

@TziaYu To exit fullscreen yes, in MV. Although I added the option to enter or exit fullscreen in the option menu in my plugins. That way it's easier for a non RPG Maker player.

 

[TWings]

Honestly I never expected from any game to be able to close it with escape. It's usually through the menu -> exit game/exit fullscreen.

Pretty much that. A game that would directly close on Escape is not a good idea imo.
I've never played any PC game that does it. It actually usually brings up the options menu, then you can choose to exit the game (not only in RM).

 

[Wavelength]

Don't ever include a single-key shortcut to close a program unless it's NSFW stuff that people might need to close REALLY QUICKLY at work.

The issue is not only people who might not be familiar with the shortcut, but also people who accidentally hit the button due to a clumsy button hit or an object hitting the keyboard.

 

[Elissiaro]

Don't ever include a single-key shortcut to close a program unless it's NSFW stuff that people might need to close REALLY QUICKLY at work.

Even if it's something like that it should probably take you to a black screen with a yes/no option to actually quit.

 

[woootbm]

I think FNAF has the esc key instant quit the game, but I can't think of any others. In every PC game I have on my Steam, as far as I can remember, this button opens a "pause menu."

I really don't think this is a needed feature. You can improve the flow of quitting the game, sure. RPM is pretty clunky at that. But... I wouldn't go too far with it.

 

[ChampX]

Well I am glad I got feedback here. Reading these posts and talking with some others outside this forum, I see there is actually more a universal agreement that the escape key actually should be opening up some kind of menu more than anything, regardless of what is on it. Since my game already had options to close the game window from both the title screen and the main menu, I decided that the default functionality the escape key provided by RM was good enough and reverted it back.

Though I am kind of curious now where pressing the escape key to close the game window came from. Maybe it was more historic? I don't know.