Hi,

I post this one in Software issues because I simply do not know if I am doing something wrong.

Since I began playing Fallout 4 (which was some days after launch) on PC I was curious about the workshop build mode.

Usually you use ASWD (or in my case the Arrow Keys) to move around in normal gameplay. When entering the build mode of a workshop (Middle Mouse button long press or TAB key long press), Arrow Keys are used to navigate within the lower screen build menu (which item you want to build).

So far I am only able to move by ways of mouse look.

I thought of this in ways of an odd "system feature" until I saw an (external) tutorial video yesterday of a XBox (?) consiole player who moved around while a structure piece (in this case a wall) was selected.

This bugged me. Meanwhile I have learned that pressing your "Activate" key (in my case RETURN) results in another set of navigation options of the item I am working with. But no key combination seems to let my character move within build mode.

I was curious that only few people mentioned this until I saw that this seems indeed to work (at least on other systems).

So a dumb question: Is there some trick how to get your character (wilingly) moving while in build mode?

Same case for assigning settlers.

Currently when moving e.g. the Chemistry Station in Sanctuary to the yellow house, I have to move right there, select it, mouse look in direction of the yellow house, then use the mouse wheel to "zoom out" the station as far as possible, place it, run next by it and so on.

Until recently I thought this would be the only option. Yes, I know, as soin as you are able to build the station, you can put it into workshop, run to the destination and place it again.

Especially if a settler it on the other side of camp and I want to assign him to crop, I need to "Go" him (within sight), run next to the crop, activate "Edit mode" and hope that the settler did not walk out of range until work mode activates.

Sometimes settlers do ask me if they can help, but "Yes" and running to the target often causes the operation to abort (and the said settler going to the next lounge spot...).

Any tips? Is this assumed to work this way on PCs?

I would have no issues using "ASWD" instead, but these do not seem to work, too (either with CTRL, SHIFT, ENTER or some other combination).

In order to be complete: I use a German QWERTZ keyboard. However at least in Creation Kit I never saw any obvious issues with German keyboard layout (and normal controls are working perfectly fine).

Arrow keys work as mentioned to select items within build menu, so I do not know which combination to use these same keys for avatar movement (or any other key set).

I am aware of the AZERTY post. However in my case no key does work. Lockpicking with AD works, therefore this does not seem to be a obvious keyboard layout issue - or is it?

It is because you have remapped the movement keys to the Arrows.

One of the consequences of the console-based UI is that a large number of functions are hard-coded to the same set of keys and while the Controls menu allows you to change certain of the uses of those keys, it doesn't allow for all to change. The arrow keys control character movement, workbench character movement, menu navigation in build mode, conversation choices, lock picking and probably more. Let's not get started on the silly melee/power/steady/GRENADE issue!

The solution until we get a better UI or keybinding mod (post-GECK) is to use Fallout 4 Script Extender (F4SE). It has a custom keybinding section where you can rebind ALL your keys in a text file (using hex but it refers you to a lookup sheet). I too am a leftie and have managed to bend the options to my preference. I have character movement in world and workbench plus lockpicking in numpad as well as conversation on arrow keys.

The F4SE file is overwritten by the actual ingame keybinds file in the My Documents subfolders so clear that out first. I can't show you my own bindings at the moment because I am on Linux at the moment but if you PM me I can send you the bindings that I am using then you can tweak them.

Oh, and remember that F4SE needs to be updated every time the version of F4 changes.

On another note, I tried the AutoHotKey key mapping solution first and found it inelegant and prone to have the movement keys "stick" and I would walk into walls often. I switched to F4SE.

Thanks for the tip about F4SE. I hope it runs along with Fallout 4 ENB, as this one hooks into Fallout 4, too (and seems to fix some texture issues).

I am in fact a "leftie" but use tranditional right hand mouse. Let's say there was a time when WSAD was not the first choice in most games and I stuck to the "arrow key" layout since then.

What's beyond me is the fact that lockpicking a+d key work (even if that supposed to be my arrow keys) but nothing happens in build mode when using the same keys.

Technically I can understand that you cannot use the same key you use within the build menu to select an item at the same time as you walk around. Therefore it would be logical if you have to press some key along arrow keys for e.g. menu in build mode and another one (or none) to actually move.

Well, I will try the F4SE solution. By looking into the CustomControlMap.txt, it might take a while until I have figured out how it is defined.

Thanks so far!

If this really the solution, I hope Bethesda will work on this, as these are obviously present in the Game Engine and a solution might also help for future games based on that engine (as Skyrim had similar issues e.g. with lockpicking).