For some time now, Interface Mode controls have been stuck on the default values when interacting with interfaces during on-foot gameplay. This affects the keys Q, E, W, A, S, D, Space, Tab and possibly others, which cannot perform other Interface functions than they are hardcoded to. For example, I would like to use the E key to select UI options, but am prevented from doing so as E always functions as "Next Panel Tab" even though it is clearly not bound to that. Ship-bound interfaces still correctly respect the bound keys.
Keys other than these can still be bound to Interface Mode controls and function as bound while on-foot, for example if I bind "UI Panel Select" to the L key, that works fine.
This used to work fine when Odyssey launched, but as far as I can tell this customization option was taken away in Update 12.
After an expired bug report on the issue tracker and a conversation with Support, I have been told that this is intended behaviour so that players cannot get stuck in a state where they cannot interact with menu options. I can understand this is required for the game menus, however there is no reason this should apply to on-foot gameplay. Players can already re- and unbind all sorts of other vital gameplay functions, including Interface Mode controls while in a ship, and rightfully so. It is the responsibility of any player that uses custom controls to make sure they can adequately interact with the game, the only exception to this being that accessing the menu for key binding remains possible under any circumstance so that mistakes can be fixed.
Conflicting key bindings with other on-foot gameplay functions can safely be ignored as well, as there is never a situation in which one engages these functions at the same time as interaction with an interface.
The ability to rebind gameplay functions to preferred keys is one of the most basic quality of life and accessibility features a game can have, and I was always happy to see Elite: Dangerous be exceptional in this regard. It is a very disruptive experience for interface interaction to work as customized on a ship and be partially fixed while on-foot, especially after this was already functional in the past.
Keys other than these can still be bound to Interface Mode controls and function as bound while on-foot, for example if I bind "UI Panel Select" to the L key, that works fine.
This used to work fine when Odyssey launched, but as far as I can tell this customization option was taken away in Update 12.
After an expired bug report on the issue tracker and a conversation with Support, I have been told that this is intended behaviour so that players cannot get stuck in a state where they cannot interact with menu options. I can understand this is required for the game menus, however there is no reason this should apply to on-foot gameplay. Players can already re- and unbind all sorts of other vital gameplay functions, including Interface Mode controls while in a ship, and rightfully so. It is the responsibility of any player that uses custom controls to make sure they can adequately interact with the game, the only exception to this being that accessing the menu for key binding remains possible under any circumstance so that mistakes can be fixed.
Conflicting key bindings with other on-foot gameplay functions can safely be ignored as well, as there is never a situation in which one engages these functions at the same time as interaction with an interface.
The ability to rebind gameplay functions to preferred keys is one of the most basic quality of life and accessibility features a game can have, and I was always happy to see Elite: Dangerous be exceptional in this regard. It is a very disruptive experience for interface interaction to work as customized on a ship and be partially fixed while on-foot, especially after this was already functional in the past.
