When I launch the game in Win7 (64-bit) and the configuration comes up, I tried to reassign the horizontal and vertical movement keys so that instead of WASD, I'd be using ESDF. This helps keep my index fingers on F and J (I use a QWERTY keyboard), since I find the default WASD awkward in a typing game like this.

Primary didn't work, so I tried assigning ESDF to secondary. Both didn't work.

For some reason, the game isn't using the ESDF I assigned in the launcher's Configuration > Input. So I tried looking in-game at OPTIONS and *tested* all keyboard layouts to see if one of them might pertain to the launcher's input keys. Nope, didn't work either.

Do any of you know how to get the custom input keys to work?

I can't speak for Trekker26, but I guess because it's a quite counterintuitive control scheme that requires some time to get used to. I'd also prefer ESDF if it was available.

I noticed that Steam has some threads regarding the Input rebinding not working in Configuration. The launcher, by default, comes with Unity games even though, for some reason, the Input settings haven't been implemented in this game.

I agree with muntdefems that EFIJ is counterintuitive, but I will try to get used to it. After 1-2 hours of trying it, muscle memory is starting to get used to it. The game is very well done and I thank you for making such a great game.

Have you been able to make any progress towards making rebinding work with the game, as you (or the other dev) mentioned in a few Steam threads back in April 2016?

Default EFIJ? It's set to WASD and arrow keys for me :o

It's set by default to WASD and arrow keys (for horizontal and vertical), and EFIJ (for diagonal).

Though WASD keys and arrow keys respectively can be combined to move diagonally too.

I just used autohotkey to set IJKL as the default movement scheme. WASD doesn't work well if you want to keep your fingers properly positioned on the home row.

Devs:0
AHK:1

:)

TY! I think the devs are still figuring out how to get rebinding to work in Unity based games.

I finished the game already but next time I play a game that doesn't implement rebinding, I'll use autohotkey. +1 to you for that suggestion!

So anyway, here's a update. I gave EFIJ more than its fair share of my time (to see if I could actually adapt to something THAT counterintuitive) as VirginRedemption (one of the devs) had suggested. After several hours EFIJ was still too counterintuitive for more than one reason (particularly the confusion resulting from combining diagonal keys to move horizontal/vertical), so I went back to WASD. I was actually able to get used to WASD, with occasional slipups and deaths during typing due to repositioning - and managed to finish the game. It's not ideal, but it's doable.

Also, the April 2016 Steam discussion regarding rebinding which I mentioned in post #4 is here: https://steamcommunity.com/app/398850/discussions/3/357284131791108137/

My post #4, which you quoted, was an attempt to follow up with the devs on if they were ABLE to make any progress on rebinding. Wish they had answered, but I'm done with the game now.

There are some clear cut tutorials on setting up keybinding in Unity based games. Such as:

http://answers.unity3d.com/questions/374620/setting-up-key-binding-options.html
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZVqFIRmdNs

Of course it depends on the dev's approach to developing the game whether the tutorials are even useful, but rebinding in Unity based games does seem very feasible to me..........

Anything that exercises our brains is good and welcome :)
However in this case I think that it's more of a problem for established typists because it interferes with acquired muscle memory that is used for typing elsewhere.

It's not even like learning Dvorak and then being able to switch between QWERTY and Dvorak .. that might have legitimate uses (though I think i'd prefer Colemak). In this case learning EFJI for movement would only be useful for playing Epistory and would interfere with other uses.

Sorry .. I tried for an hour but switched to WASD and later IJKL via Autohotkey.

EFIJ is not just "different". Even switching from lifelong WASD to ESDF is much easier than what you're asking here. A few examples:

(1) In most games, all movement is done with one hand for good reason (user friendliness). Can be keyboard or controller alone.
In other games, forward movement is done with one hand controlling mouse button and sideway movement done with the other hand on keyboard. Easy to adapt to, as well.

(2) In Epistory, EFIJ for movement on a QWERTY keyboard requires much longer to learn due to:
- Two hands must be used for movement, extending learning time
- E and F are not the same length apart as I and J, causing awkward placement of fingers that easily throws off players
- Unlike diagonal movement keys on a numpad, E and F are not vertical of each other (same for I and J), extending learning time
- Try using both hands to press E and I for upward movement, F and J for downward movement, then quickly remember what else you were doing. It's easy to lose balance/track this way
- Now sum up all the above counterintuitives and it's like being asked to learn to juggle 10 balls at once instead of 3 balls. For a short game like this, the time required to adapt to EFIJ isn't worth it

I tried that, but somewhere around first 1/3 of game (about 2h gameplay) I gave up, as I was still confused which was which (I'm too much used to old ZX Spectrum OPQA (left/right/up/down) scheme when two hands are involved, and yours schema is grouping adjoining directions, not opposite ones).

AWSD did work well enough (as a seasoned player - it was quicker for me to reposition the hand all the time, then trying to practice EFIJ long enough to learn it). Once you have one/two schemes imprinted in brain by years of using, it's futile.

BUT... I let my daughter (9y) play the game, she's not hard core gamer yet, often struggling even with AWSD, she still have to look at keyboard, and so she was less reluctant to try out some other scheme, especially as the game keeps suggesting EFIJ for some time.

Once the hint was gone, she struggled with it so much, that eventually she found out the AWSD on her own and switched to it.

Also the game difficulty looks to be not designed for somebody who can't type at all and has to search for almost every character and she just beginner in English (still opted for EN, as the Czech needs accents, pity you didn't add Czech without accents option), she's about 2 words per minute in statistic, but the game cut down to just 2-4 letter words, and still she's overwhelmed by any wave of enemies (didn't manage to pass second nest). Would make IMO more sense to keep even longer words in play, but make the enemies move slowly (like 1/10 of current speed), that would be more fun for her. (she still liked the game a lot, spend alread about 2h with it)