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[Bedrock] Improve mobile touchscreen controls

So, at this point I plan to post a thread like this every so often until they actually do something. For 8 years, people have been begging for better touchscreen controls and Mojang does nothing, and this is why they are the developer I am the least fond of across all the games I play or have played. This feedback says, and I would like to quote,

"We welcome feedback about menus, toggles on menus, buttons on menus, input devices (like touch controls and keyboards)"

Yet for years, they have not even considered any of the various suggestions and requests people have made for a virtual joystick, an attack button, and whatever else we can think of to make the touchscreen controls for the mobile game give us a more navigable interface. It is disloyal and frankly just rude to let the umpteen feedback threads you get a month asking you to improve the touch controls just fall on deaf ears and blind eyes. I have never seen a more careless act from a game developer in my 28 years, and becuase of this negligence, Minecraft Pocket Edition is the worst investment of $7 I have ever made. I know this is basically a rant more than anything but its just ridiculous. Pocket Edition is going on a decade old... Wake up, please.

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72 Comments

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  • 39
    Registered User commented
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    yeah i literally cant play minecraft on mobile because of the controls i end up dying or walking into things or not walking at all or not being able to hit what im looking at the amount of times ive died to creepers on mobile is insane on console and pc i have no died once to creepers skeletons or zombies

  • 32
    Registered User commented
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    I think some simple improvements could go a long way. The ability to relocate on-screen buttons. A visual indicator for long press (mining) on the cross-hair with split controls. Perhaps, a double tap and hold option instead of long press for mining. Maybe, and option for a. Virtual thumb stick instead of directional buttons. All of these seem like minor changes that would go a long way toward making mobile more playable than it currently is.

  • 38
    Registered User commented
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    Yeah the controls are so bad that I accidentally punch my pet for than 100 times now

  • 25
    Registered User commented
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    Two things:
    - Double-tap and hold for mining

    - Optional single press to sneak

  • 37
    Registered User commented
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    Please consider 'joystick' like controls instead of D-Pad. It make sense as touchscreen gestures mostly based on swipes. You can refer all other open world games like PUBG etc

  • 22
    Registered User commented
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    Play Ark mobile and see what Minecraft controls should be. That is easily the most intuitive control system for a first person survival crafting game on mobile devices.

  • 15
    Registered User commented
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    It would be so good if there were controls like fortnite where there's an attack but joystick jump button and all of it would be customizable 

  • 16
    Registered User commented
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    Yes we really need a new way to control our characters. For example :boat controls, they suck honestly. Pls Mojang give us better controls

  • 24
    Registered User commented
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    People who play on servers and vs Windows 10, it’s super annoying cause they just combo you into oblivion while you’re still trying to look at them properly.

  • 20
    Registered User commented
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    Ur words are so true.
    The controls are worst than any game and Minecraft should look after this because bedrock is not something made for mobiles but it's a cross platform game so guys with console and pc already have an advantage over mobile players but with current set of controls....... Seriously it's a bullshit.
    Areana games on server are not even worth playing and the only competitive game is hide and seek.
    Freaking crazy.
    Developer must look after controls because it's truly worst and it's actually a backfoot for mobile players.
    Things go so worse that now it's been months that have had not played on servers.
    Please devs look after this. Else it's just waste of money.
    Ohh btw... Also in single player.. With this controls... I never want to tackle ender dragon.
    It's not even good for single player worlds.

  • 11
    Registered User commented
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    It would not be bad if they changed the way of moving with a joystick.the button to interact on the active bar seems a bit awkward to me and I would like to move it but I can't.This game needs new adjustments in controls, that in some way can be customized, moved, and find more options. These could be a button dedicated to hitting, controls to move better in inventories and chests...

  • 12
    Registered User commented
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    And this post forgot about auto crafting, it's unacceptable to have to spam the create to craft a stack of items or more, rockets can't be used easily and placing many blocks is difficult as well

  • 12
    Registered User commented
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    Game needs a serious control upgrade adding few things will be better

  • 15
    Registered User commented
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    We shouldn't be expected to have a controller on us at all times in order to play Minecraft. That is *ridiculous*. To reiterate what others have already suggested:
    -Joystick option for the left side
    -Dedicated buttons for use/place
    That alone would actually make Minecraft with touch controls bearable. I *hate* trying to turn around and either destroying a bunch of stuff or accidentally placing blocks. Please. This would take like maybe a day for a programmer to implement(I actually don't know much about coding tbh, but your spaghetti cannot be that bad).

  • 6
    Registered User commented
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    Please to start with, Provide the floating joystick keyboard on left and also customize HUD in terms of placing interact button for example.

     

    There has to be some optimization for Touch controls as it was originally targeted for Touch screens only. You can expect all to have controllers and keyboards

  • 6
    Registered User commented
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    At the least give us optional virtual joystick instead of direction button pretty please

  • 15
    Registered User commented
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    I’ve played so many mobile games in first person, and these controls are the worst by far. I suggest that there should be an option in settings called “advanced controls” in case some people actually like the controls as of right now. Once you turn that on there should be a button layout that you can preview where you change the position of buttons. Also, mobile players get incredible reach hacks when building. Take that away and give us a cross hair. The movement stick is fine but you should be able to move where that is to. Here are a few buttons to get you started: left-click, right-click, crouch, jump, sprint. Just by doing what I said you have attracted a whole new community of mobile gamers to your game.

  • 10
    Registered User commented
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    Touch controls are terrible, I wanted to play when I don't have access to my PC with bedrock/java versions, but currently I can't imagine it. Slowly farming resources is somehow possible, but combat is awful, I suffer every time I'm trying to kill a zombie, and skeletons just end my whole career.

    There are lots of 1st person mobile games with far better controls (a virtual joystick, auto-combat, better backpack and crafting and other ideas, that have already been mentioned in this thread). I purchased your game on Appstore, but now it's just dead weight on my iPhone.

    Community is begging you, improve touch controls, make your wonderful game playable on the go, not only on PC/consoles with gamepads. Thanks!

  • 3
    Registered User commented
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    I keep walking to trees and accidentally hitting other players. The directional buttons were the worst idea. They could just add a virtual joystick and an attack button or place block button.

  • 9
    Registered User commented
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    Mojang, if you read this comment, please look into redesigning your touch controls. I know you guys want it to be simplistic but it deteriorates our experience with the game. We Pocket Edition players are a part of the community too and that's why we kindly request you to look into the matter ASAP. Designated buttons, navigation and running toggle needs a complete redesign. Fellow minecrafters, please upvote this comment and this post till mojang actually does something about it. We are counting on you devs :-)

  • 4
    Registered User commented
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    The controls indeed should be changed. I find it hard to turn and aim because I'm being comboed. Maybe make the dpad a joystick control, single tap sneak, and a dedicated sprint button. That would help. Also, please don't make it lose your sprint when you hit something. This is a MUST-CHANGE for tablet players without controllers.

  • 5
    Registered User commented
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    Absolutely agreed with you. Joystick, customizable locations for buttons, customizable button sizes (for every button separately), ability to enable LMB and RMB emulating buttons (for reference look at PUBG Mobile players who use 4 fingered controls on YouTube) and relocate them around the screen, there is so much more potential to attract so many new players to the game for such a small effort of rethinking controls

  • 5
    Registered User commented
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    This is literally the only thing it needs then this game will actually be popular

  • 3
    Registered User commented
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    PLS PLS MAKE THIS

  • 8
    Registered User commented
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    Change the split controls's imput method by adding two buttons. One for: destroy block / Attack / eat food / drink milk, another one for: place block / use items / trade villager / use boat- leave boat / feed food.

    Because it would be faster and easier than the current method. In the current method we can not move crosshair and do important actions (destroy block / attack / eat food / drink milk / place block / use items / trade villager / use boat- leave boat / feed food) together. By adding two buttons we can move crosshair and do those actions together.

    Place the place block / use items button at mid right and destroy block / attack button at mid left on the screen. Make it vertically customisable for shoter screens and bigger screens.

    If you guys do not want to replace the current method to this method than atleast add this method in optional on/off toggle, name the option advanced split controls.

  • 7
    Registered User commented
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    yup, please make pubg-like mobile control...make separate button for attack/mine and place/open..add crouch button because double tap to crouch is hilarious...like you need to double tap to use shield, imagine to pvp using that...lol...please...basically the game dont need to be clever to show different control for different situation(like swimming, or using boat(cause using boat in minecraft is the worst))...just use the basic thing like joystick and serveral button...and asign the control to be the same as pc....

    or you can just let us modify the control using mod or make installable control

  • 4
    Registered User commented
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    I think the movement buttons should be completely remove and add a joystick or there should be atleast a seperate sprint button

  • 4
    Registered User commented
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    I wish there could be a button for everything like a button for punching, breaking, and buildung

  • 4
    Registered User commented
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    Wow, I have played many mobile games and this game has the worst controls I have ever seen. If this game didn't have the Minecraft logo, no one would pay $7 for this game. Since this game has been around for a decade and this feedback only has 130 votes, I doubt they will change it at all. I bought the Bedrock edition on mobile because my computer lags when it plays the Minecraft demo. I can see why this game is only $7 when it's like $25 on other media like Xbox and switch. Even a joystick and some dedicated buttons would make this game TREMENDOUSLY better. DEVS, please update touch controls with customization.

  • 2
    Registered User commented
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    Re-Logic already did a better job with Terraria controls on mobile , what can I say? It's almost perfect! I hope Mojang follows the path of Re-Logic