Suggestion for Keeping Track of Units

[Commissar Vocaloid]

I'm aware that units are automatically assigned a hotkey number whenever they first come out of the creation queue (or can be assigned one), which is fine and dandy - but I noticed that things can be a little hectic in the heat of battle, especially when it comes to maintainin a squad that needs to kite and/or retreat in the thick of things. One thing I was wondering is whether or not there was an option to have the number a squad's been assigned (i.e keyboard key "3" pertaining to a squad of Guardsmen) appear over the head of the squad beside their squad decorator icon (i.e anti infantry ranged for guardsmen).

I only say this as it would make things generally easier when in battle instead of having to rotate quickly through your numbers or quickly turn your attention to the panel on the right with all the squad indicators.

If such a thing doesn't already exist, would it be something plausible and worth implementing? I'm not sure how others might feel about it, but it would definitely make my life terribly easier being able to quickly jump through all my squads and maneuvering them.

[Dark Riku]

This has been asked in the past and wasn't possible then.?
Maybe now it is if Thomas finds a way.

[Nuclear Arbitor]

yeah, i think he said he'd look into it. i know lulgrim said that he couldn't do it when i asked. haven't heard anything since.

[Lulgrim]

We discussed this on the forum before the "squad tab shuffle" and it might be doable, basically it requires custom decorators with the numbers 0-9 painted on them and a script to change the decorators constantly. Whether the concept works falls into Tank Engine country and then I need to make 10 variants of every decorator (possibly for each color depending on design) if it does.

The color thing is interesting as basically we could make the control groups visible to replays and observers (though also opponents).

[Nuclear Arbitor]

i would think it would be possible for only the player to see their own number decorators but let observers see everyone's. this is making some assumptions about SCAR and decorators though.

[Lulgrim]

Well the obvious solution is that only blue decorators get numbers, others will be identical. I doubt we can hide them from opponents but show to observers, that would require reworking the whole decorator system somehow.

[Nuclear Arbitor]

well, either way i'd like to have them.

i'd always assumed you could choose who they were being rendered for but that's just because it's a nice assumption. programming isn't usually that nice, unfortunately.

[Asmon]

I would not like this.

[Torpid]

I would not like this.

I was thinking about this too. It's kinda the old-vet-player-reaction "ZOMG, I actually have skillz and stuff since I can remember which unit is what hotkey so I don't muck up my micro mid-battle. Back in my day we had no choice but to do that, why do you guys all get it so easy these days?" DOW obviously revolves around micro, the macro is really really shallow. It's not the most complex game out there so really should we be going to all of this effort just to make it EVEN EASIER to micro your squads? I dunno, maybe I'm being elitist.

[Vapor]

I would not like this.

I was thinking about this too. It's kinda the old-vet-player-reaction "ZOMG, I actually have skillz and stuff since I can remember which unit is what hotkey so I don't muck up my micro mid-battle. Back in my day we had no choice but to do that, why do you guys all get it so easy these days?" DOW obviously revolves around micro, the macro is really really shallow. It's not the most complex game out there so really should we be going to all of this effort just to make it EVEN EASIER to micro your squads? I dunno, maybe I'm being elitist.

The thing is, this change wouldn't water down the tactical gameplay at all, in fact it wouldn't even change the # of actions you have to execute. All it would do is make it easier for players to keep track of their squads on the battlefield. So I say, why not? It should most definitely be a toggle on/off though because I do not want this when I watch replays/casts.

[Nuclear Arbitor]

i want this but the only time i ever have issues is when i have multiple squads, like GU or GM, in close proximity to each other and one is more hurt than the other. knowing which hot key to press saves me moving the side of the screen, looking at the icons, and clicking. doesn't take a whole lot longer but i've certainly lost squads in situations like that. when i have one of each unit i know which squad is which.

as for the old-timey argument; maybe we should all still use dial up because back in the day...?

[Commissar Vocaloid]

i want this but the only time i ever have issues is when i have multiple squads, like GU or GM, in close proximity to each other and one is more hurt than the other. know which hot key to press saves me moving the side of the screen, looking at the icons, and clicking. doesn't take a whole lot longer but i've certainly lost squads in situations like that. when i have one of each unit i know which squad is which.

as for the old-timey argument; maybe we should all still use dial up because back in the day...?

this was the reason why I wanted to bring it up. I've lost countless GM squads because I've flipped say key 2 instead of key 3 and I just wished there was a better way to keep tabs than having to guess which GM's are bleeding, especially when a split second could make a big difference.

[DiesIrae]

I would not like this.

I was thinking about this too. It's kinda the old-vet-player-reaction "ZOMG, I actually have skillz and stuff since I can remember which unit is what hotkey so I don't muck up my micro mid-battle. Back in my day we had no choice but to do that, why do you guys all get it so easy these days?" DOW obviously revolves around micro, the macro is really really shallow. It's not the most complex game out there so really should we be going to all of this effort just to make it EVEN EASIER to micro your squads? I dunno, maybe I'm being elitist.

I think it's an issue of making it easier for newer players. The learning curve on this game is pretty steep, and little things like this might help newer players not ragequit. If it's even possible, maybe it could be a toggle function in the game setup.....?

[Arbit]

I would not like this.

I was thinking about this too. It's kinda the old-vet-player-reaction "ZOMG, I actually have skillz and stuff since I can remember which unit is what hotkey so I don't muck up my micro mid-battle. Back in my day we had no choice but to do that, why do you guys all get it so easy these days?" DOW obviously revolves around micro, the macro is really really shallow. It's not the most complex game out there so really should we be going to all of this effort just to make it EVEN EASIER to micro your squads? I dunno, maybe I'm being elitist.

Withholding interface improvements or adding fidgety shit to give the player more work to do leads you down the path to Starcraft.* That is, sacks of money and a crappy game. IMHO!!!!

If it's not too hideous and is not too much work, I'd say go for it.

* MULE! CHRONOBOOST! FERTILIZE! Let's add a generator boost button that you can press every 10 seconds that costs 10 power but generates an extra 11 power over the next 10 seconds! INVOLVEMENT. EXCITEMENT!

[Maestro Cretella]

But doesn't StarCraft do helpful things these days like tell you how many workers you having gathering minerals?

[crazyman64335]

But doesn't StarCraft do helpful things these days like tell you how many workers you having gathering minerals?

yes it does, for each mineral patch on the map as well as each vespene geyser.