+quickswitch, and why you should be using it

[FadedOasis]

Earlier this month, I was on the server, complaining about how Valve made +quickswitch slightly harder to use. Then it occurred to me that nobody knew what I was talking about and everyone still uses the slow method of changing your weapon loadout. I'm bored right now, so I'm going to educate some fools!

What is +quickswitch?
+quickswitch is a faster way of changing your weapon loadout, without hitting any menus whatsoever.

How do I use +quickswitch?
It requires some setup to enable. Look through your keyboard config, and find a key that's easy to hold, yet you're not using for anything. I'll be using the left Alt key for this example.

Enable developer console (Options > Keyboard > Advanced), then open it (default key is ~). Type bind alt to confirm it's not bound, then type bind alt +quickswitch to bind it to +quickswitch. That's it, that's all the setup required.

To change your loadout, hold the +quickswitch key, press the slot number of the weapon you want to change (if it's not already out), and click the weapon you want to equip. That's it!

What's it look like? How about an example?
Okay, sure. Say I'm playing Medic with my current loadout of Overdose, Medigun, and Vita-Saw, and I want to switch to the Crossbow, Quick-Fix, and Amputator. First, I hold my +quickswitch key and this menu pops up. Since I have my primary weapon out, that slot pops up first.


I scroll down and click the weapon I want to equip: the crossbow.


I press '2' to change my secondary slot weapon.


I click the Quick-Fix.


I press '3' to move to the melee slot,...


...and click my Amputator.


And then just hit the cabinet if auto-respawn is disabled.


And that's it. The whole process took only 6 button presses (and ZERO seconds of menu loading time) to change three items.

Cool. Can I change my hats, too?
Absolutely! Just press the button corresponding to that loadout slot:

1 - Primary Weapon (Demoman: Sticky Launchers and Shields)
2 - Secondary Weapon (Demoman: Pipe Launchers and Boots. Spy: Sapper)
3 - Melee Weapon
4 - PDA1 Slot (Engineer: Build PDA. Spy: Disguise Kit.)
5 - PDA2 Slot (Engineer: Destroy PDA. Spy: Watches.)
6 - Headgear Slot (HAAAAATS)
7 - Misc Slot
8 - Action Slot (Duel Tokens, Taunts)

And that's it. Any questions?

[FadedOasis]

Oh, I forgot to mention, the easiest button to use for +quickswitch would be a mouse thumb-button, if you have them. You do have to hold the button through the process, so if you put it on an awkward place on your keyboard, it can be hard to hit the 5 button to change Spy watches.

[fivealarm]

I think it's pretty great that Valve is working on something like this but, I don't really like the current implementation. The method for choosing which slot to change is ok but, I really don't like holding down keys to use menus.

I get that the goal for this is to keep people in the action but, would anyone even use this if the normal loadout menu was a little snappier?

[brianblack]

I agree with five, I have the full loadout menu bound to M (right next to class switch (,) and team switch (.). I find that easier to use. That and I have my mouse thumb button bound to spy disguise color toggle (from enemy disguises to friendly disguises). That took me SO LONG to get used to.

That being said, I like the concept they're going for, but if they just had a menu pop up when you were close to a resupply cabinet, i think i'd be much more likely to use it. OR hit a button to bring up the menu while still being able to move, a la the Battlefield series class menu.