I've always thought simplifying controls so that you didn't have to learn six dozen hotkeys was the best way to do things.
I don't have to memorize them all, I
want to memorize those that I use frequently. Consider a text editor. I don't know all the possible shortcuts in MS Word, but I do know the ones for commands I use on a daily basis and I wouldn't use an editor without those shortcuts, even though I don't make split-second decisions there. :)
My test for a decent interface is to watch someone who has never played before and see if they actually play the game without asking "how do I open my inventory?" or "how do I make my guys attack?"
Agreed, but the interface should not only be easy to understand, but also easy to use.
Hotkeys don't replace on-screen buttons, they do the same function but for different people. A new player should be able to understand what actions exist and how to perform them just by looking at the interface, but an experienced player has already learned them and doesn't need them anymore, so he uses keyboard shortcuts.
Ideally, after the player has gained enough experience the input part of the interface could be switched off, leaving only the game view and the output part of the interface. Now one hand can use the mouse for pointing and clicking creatures, items and objects; the other hand uses the keyboard for everything else, which boils down to changing what happens when mouse is clicked.
Considering that a person "has never played before" only once, I suggest more tests for decent interfaces:
- Can I use it with both hands? Can I select text using mouse and press ctrl+b, or do I have to do both with any single hand?
- Does it require three hands? Do I need letters all over keyboard, cursor keys, home, delete and mouse?
- Is a button not needed? How often will the player actually click the INV button instead of pressing 'I' key? Or copy button instead of ctrl+c?