Part 29

Learn how to modify Unreal Tournament's user.ini file to create custom key binds for movement, combat, and weapon toggles, enhancing your gameplay experience.

The user.ini file in your Unreal Tournament system folder controls how the game behaves. It's crucial to back up this file before making any changes and to close UT before saving modifications, otherwise, they won't take effect.

While the user.ini file isn't perfectly organized, you can improve its readability by sorting sections like [Engine.Input]. This section typically starts with Aliases, followed by mouse and keyboard commands. Aliases link commands to sub-commands and should be modified with care. For simpler key assignments, each key is followed by an equals sign (=) and then the assigned command. If a key has no equals sign, it performs no action in the game.

Aliases follow the format Aliases[##]=(Command="..."), where ## is a unique number. Ensure each Alias has its own number to avoid issues. Unused Aliases appear as Aliases[##]=(Command="",Alias=None). Paste new Aliases over the first available unused one, adjusting the numbers to fit the list.

Adding Binds to user.ini

Binds are keys assigned to specific functions. You can customize many key assignments through the UT desktop's Controls and Speech Binder menus, but more advanced options require direct editing of the user.ini file. To add a bind, open user.ini and place the appropriate command after the equals sign next to your desired key.

For example, to add a hammer-jump bind:

If your first unused Alias line is Aliases[26]=(Command="",Alias=None) and the key you want to use (e.g., 'B') is empty (B=), you would modify them. The Alias command is Aliases[##]=(Command="onrelease jump",Alias=hammerjump) and the key command is [key]=getweapon Impacthammer | hammerjump | fire. Replacing ## with 26 and [key] with B, your lines would become:

Aliases[26]=(Command="onrelease jump",Alias=hammerjump)

B=getweapon Impacthammer | hammerjump | fire

Copy all text exactly when pasting into your user.ini. Turn off word wrap in your text editor for clarity. Do not alter UT system files if you are unsure of their function.

Binds: Movement and Combat

These binds can be useful during gameplay. Some binds include say # commands, like onrelease say #[TIMER STOPPED], which display a message on screen. You can remove these message parts if you don't want them.

Weapon Toggles

Weapon toggles are highly useful, offering an alternative to scrolling through weapons with next/previous keys. They can also reduce the number of dedicated weapon bind keys needed. It's recommended to avoid binding certain weapons to pairs, keeping the Ripper, Impact Hammer, Translocator, and Redeemer as single binds for immediate access. Binds can be set up to alternate within pairs of weapons (e.g., minigun with sniper, shock with pulse). The second weapon listed in a command is the first one selected if both are available. Customize these pairings based on your preferences.