|| I.5 - The Controls, and Customizing Them 012 ||

Learn the default controls for The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, including mouse and keyboard mappings for actions like combat, magic, and inventory. Discover how to customize controls, activate mouse freelook, and optimize your gameplay experience.

This section covers the default controls for The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall and how to customize them. The game primarily uses a mouse-based interface, but arrow keys can also be used for movement. Moving the mouse towards the screen edges turns the cursor into an arrow, allowing you to move or turn your character; the closer to the edge, the faster the movement.

The toolbar buttons and their default keyboard shortcuts are:

• Portrait: F5 - Opens the character screen to view stats.
• Options: ESC - Opens the options menu.
• Star: Backspace - Opens your spell book.
• Hand: Changes interaction mode. F1 for Steal Mode, F2 for Grab Mode, F3 for Info mode, F4 for Dialog Mode.
• Bags: F6 - Opens your Inventory.
• Swords: A - Readies or puts away your weapon.
• Wand: U - Uses a magical item.
• Legs: T - Changes mode of transportation (foot, horse, cart, ship).
• Map: M/W - Opens the local map. Right-click opens the World Map.
• Campfire: R - Opens the rest menu.

You can view and customize all key mappings by pressing ESC and navigating to the 'Controls' menu. Many players find enabling mouse freelook significantly improves the gameplay experience, making it similar to other first-person games. To activate mouse freelook, go to ESC > Controls, click the 'Mouse' button, and switch the mouse setting from 'Cursor' to 'View'.

When mouse freelook is enabled, two additional controls are important:

• Activate Center Object: This key allows you to 'click' on whatever your cursor is pointed at, enabling interactions like talking to NPCs, pulling levers, and looting.
• Toggle Cursor: This key allows you to switch the mouse to a cursor mode, which is useful for interacting with small items.

Combat: With your weapon readied, hold the right mouse button and move the mouse to swing your weapon.

Magic: Open your spellbook and double-click a spell. Spells affecting you cast immediately. Touch or ranged spells require manual release by left-clicking (cursor mode) or pressing 'Activate Center Object' (view mode). For touch spells, you must be within range to physically touch the target.