I repurchased this game and downloaded it and started to play it at Midnight on 11/11/11. To my horror and disgust the very VERY first thing I do in any game, remap the keys to the keypad, couldn't be done.

There was no explanation as to why this simple feature that is very old has been left out of this glitchy game.

The joke was on me. I wrote several letters and emails to Bethesda without one being answered as to why this is and if it will be fixed.

Another stupid thing is that in-game will not recognize that I have my buttons on my mouse switched from my OS. Funny most games allow my Windows 7 mouse configuration to work normally when I open them, but this game acts like it is a century old and automatically makes my mouse options right handed and gives me no option to revert.

Complicated codes useing a program called AutoKey fixed these issues. But I am wondering has then been addressed after all these months yet. I hear they are planning to annouce a MMO sometime soon. Is that going to have the same disdain and snubbery to left-handers as this game did?

I'm playing Oblivion and can remap just fine, and it accepts my OS mouse mapping just fine without third-party software.

Thanks beforehand to anyone that has an answer to this.

Cheers.

My friend is left handed too and has the same problem with some games. I don't want to get into a big discussion about it but some say it's mostly because the PC makes less money on games than consoles which is why some devs leave out such simple and standard configurations as all they are are ports. It's costs more money to make 3 versions of the game than it does to make 1. Also with PC versions you get hackers etc which is why most devs tend to favour consoles.

Also is there no mod or anything out there that you can find? I'm sure you're not the only one in this boat.

SaucePan,

Thanks for the answer. I purchased my game. I didn't pirate it. And yes, there is a third party software that fixes the issue. There might be other solutions but I use a program called AutoKey and it does the trick. I am just wondering why the silence on Bethesda's part, they haven't said if they're even going to fix the issue as far as I know, of course I could be mistaken. One thing is for sure. I never got a reply back to my letters and emails.

Since there is an announcement about an MMO coming out I am curious if they are going to flaunt the left-handers again. I guess we won't know the answer to that until it comes out. At least I will know better than to buy the game beforehand this time. Last time I just figured it was going to be configurable as Oblivion was. Lol.

Well it's not uncommon for devs to add such configurations if the outcry is high after launch (The Darkness 2 fov issue for example) so perhaps there just wasn't enough complaints about it too be heard. Also with PCs such programs like this AutoKey you use may already be known to Beth, not saying this is a legitimate reason to leave out options which in my opinion should be standard in all games, but if such programs didn't exist maybe there would of been more of an outcry.

Bad, s**ty console ports do seem to be becoming more frequent and it is unfortunately hackers and pirates who are causing it.

Anyway I heard that the MMO announcement was from a leaked source and Beth haven't officially said anything yet (if it's true).

It totally mystifies me as well. I often use the keypad even though I'm right handed. I've been doing it this way for a very long time.
Not only can you not use the key pad, remapping any number of keys totally breaks functionality. As you said, silence from Bethesda. They either don't care or don't know how to fix it. It's baffling.

You can't use the keypad in any Bethesda game as far as I recall, it's not a Skyrim thing.
You can remap to the arrow keys can you not?

Mind you I'm right-handed and use one of these: http://www.logitech.com/en-gb/keyboards/keyboard/devices/5123
Actually in all seriousness have you though of getting one of these?
I'm sure they do LHD versions and they are really useful, I wouldn't be without mine...

Just a thought.

Thanks for the thoughts and it is an intriguing idea. It might be helpful to get something like that.

As far as remapping, Oblivion definitely can remap to the keypad, 100% sure about that. I'm alt-tabbing out of Oblivion right now and am playing with the keypad.

Oh well I stand corrected then.

Yes, you could use the keypad in Oblivion. I found that it took my hand too far away from the hot keys, though. The best solution I have found (and what I use now) is a game pad. Not an Xbox style controller but an actual gaming keyboard like the one PhonantiPhon linked. The Ideazon Fang or Wolf King Warrior are my favorite but they aren't made any more. They do pop up on ebay from time to time though. The Fang is ambidextrous. Here's a picture of the http://www.amazon.com/Ideazon-ZGP-1000-Fang-Gamepad-by/dp/B000FRW8KS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335465355&sr=8-1 and here is the http://www.amazon.com/WolfKing-DK2388UBK-Warrior-Gaming-Keypad/dp/B000IMZHL2/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1335465761&sr=1-1. Ebay is the only place you'll find them and they can be had for around $30-$40.

Yes, you can. I remapped the hell out of Oblivion and Morrowind, and my movement + use keys were always on the numpad. (That's my default config for any game, not just TES ones.) For both games. For 800+ hours. This tomfoolery started with Skyrim, and as far as I'm concerned had better well end there.

@ the OP - it's not an official fix by any means, but http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/downloads/file.php?id=88. Stick the numpad rebindable controlmap.txt in your Data folder and away you go. I've been using that mod since 12 November 2011, and as far as I'm concerned you can pry it from my cold, dead, leftie hands. It took the game from completely unplayable to working like a charm in no time.

Still wish Bethesda had bothered addressing this officially, though. The total lack of left-handed support (numpad being locked down, left-click to use right hand attacks by default, can't equip shields in a character's right hand, left-handed only melee attacks are slower and never result in killcams, etc. etc. etc.) skips straight past disappointing and goes right to disgusting.

Woah!
easy tiger, I get it.
My mistake.

Sorry. Not mad at you...mad at Bethesda.

I practically threw Skyrim out the window when I found I couldn't map the keypad. Most games (until the last couple of years) had keypad mapping as a standard feature, including every single TES game, until now. I've since found the SkyUI mod and it solved the problem for me, but not before my esteem for Bethesda dropped. I love their games, but seeing PC players getting repeatedly dissed by developers is pissing me off. The PC is gaming's best platform and it sickens me to see one game after another get dumbed down to console limitations.

Funny thing is, without those consoles Skyrim would not nearly be as successful as it is.

Err nevermind.

I'm starting to wonder if they had any in-house testing with keyboard and mouse at all.
Oh, dude. That adds soooo much to the conversation. Thank you for your insightful contribution. I honestly don't care how successful Skyrim is. gamesas already had hundreds of thousands of loyal fans who were going to buy the game no matter what. And wtf? I only own one copy, not stock in the company. I couldn't give two [censored] about how successful it is. I would rather it be the game it should be and remain an under appreciated masterpiece. Sales figures are a poor substitute for quality from the consumer perspective.

I feel like I need to add a programmer's perspective here (it's not what you think). Locking out the keypad isn't Bethesda shafting PC suers because they want to spend more time with consoles; it's a conscious design decision. I know this because it takes extra work to do it. Keyboards present their input as a signal showing which keys are pressed, each with its own code. When you write a program that lets the user bind keys you just store which codes map to which functions. Specifying certain keys that can't be remapped takes extra work and requires more testing (correctness testing, not usability testing).

This isn't something we can pin on the existence of consoles (unlike bad inventory menus); it's just a poor design choice. There are ery few keys that should ever be reserved in a PC application. ESC is most obvious. Interestingly, I've heard Skyrim screws tjat up too.

This might have already been answered but someone mentioned a UI mod fixes to where you can use the keypad. Forgive my ignorance but what is a UI mod and where can i get it?

If you are on the PC, you can remap every function key. It has been this way all along.

im left handed too ;p

Im left handed and never had problems in my life. I actually find left handed setups really awkward. Its simply just learning and getting used to the standard setup. There is literally nothing other then "Thats how ive always done thing" preventing you from using a normal right handed configuration.

It always surprises me when left-handed people complain about keyboard configurations and such. As a left-handed person myself, I find it HARDER to play the opposite way to the default settings. I find the right-handed controls far easier to adapt to.
I'm also not a 'gamer' - the only game (aside from Oblivion) I play on PC is The Sims 3, which doesn't use the WASD keys. So it's not that I'm just used to using right-handed controls as opposed to left-handed ones; it's just naturally easy!

Geez, that does seem a little off, I'm not a pc gamer but even I know that shifting controls about has been the norm for a while now :/

And some of you sound like my brother - right handed in everything, writing, drumming, until he picks up a guitar. Then he's a lefty. God knows why, it kept him off my instruments though

Every person is different...some people are more hard-wired to be left-handed than others. IE, despite being left-handed, some folks can do some things with their right hand as if it were their dominant hand--shaking hands, using scissors, whatever. Not sure if it's nature or nurture. Me, I'm very strongly left-handed (thus leading to many confusing handshake moments, let me tell you ), and that extends to how I game and use my PC as well. You--and a few others in this thread--may be okay with using a right-handed set up, but I'm not.

For me, I work best with the mouse on the left-hand side of the keyboard (IE, I use it in my left hand). Because of this, limited desk space, and the fact that I have somewhat wide palms, I find that WASD doesn't work for me. It's totally unintuitive and results in hand cramps (since I've got both hands jammed up in a small area) and actually irritates some carpal tunnel issues I have. If I use the normal numpad set up instead, no such issues.

Remapping to, say, IJKL is better on the hand cramp side, but again: not as intuitive. Rebinding movement keys to the numpad is simply what works best for me. It's comfortable, it's intuitive, and it lets me play capably.

"Just get used to it" or "change to a right-handed set up" is not an acceptable answer for this problem; sorry. If a twee little flash indie game like The Binding of Isaac thinks to allow a toggle for left-handed controls (moving the movement keys from their default WASD to the arrow keys--not perfect, but it works), why can't Skyrim?

Not sure why it is not native in this game. Hopefully it will be someday. However, since this effects keyboard users the most, this mod is the best solution for this game if you don't want to use a third party tool.

Also, while I am left handed, I play games and use the pc right handed, have these ever helped?

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_n_0?rh=n%3A172282%2Cn%3A%21493964%2Cn%3A541966%2Ck%3Aleft+handed+keyboard%2Cn%3A172456%2Cn%3A172493%2Cn%3A12879431&bbn=172493&keywords=left+handed+keyboard&ie=UTF8&qid=1337103424&rnid=172493