It's not even just the controls. Why do we need to wiggle our mouse just right to push numbers on keypads? Why do we need to very slowly and tediously fine tune the controls on the console to focus on signals, something that is at the core of the gameplay? Why do we need three different methods of inventory grab/hold/use? It's tedium for the sake of "immersion", and it's a surefire way of alienating the vast majority of people who don't want their games to run like an OS.

my man, I can understand everything, but we don't live in a time when the first Gothic was released and for the sake of novelty nice game could be forgiven for absolutely crappy control. It's like the 21st century now, and player doesn't have to tolerate and adapt to a game where almost everything is fine, but because of one thing people stop playing it. oh I love this game, I truly do. but for now I don't play it coz I'm done with this, I just fucked up dragging monotonous, boring, trash-loaded, eventless gameplay through this fucking control that pissed off most of the players in the first couple of days. the game is fine. the graphics is fine. the idea is fine. but honestly speaking for now playing this it's like chopping firewood.

Good news for you, Nose has said he's looking into adding legacy controls back as a toggle for 0.10. No guarantee it'll happen, but I hope it helps to know that he's acknowledged and is trying to do so