Streamlining the Worker Construction system

[PizzaAtomica]

Subject:

Streamlining the Worker Construction system

Description:

One thing about Generals that I always found very annoying, was that in order to build a structure, I would first have to go looking around where I left my dozer, then select it, and only then could I tell it to go build something.
In other CnC’s, not only do I not have to search around for construction units, but I can start the construction of buildings without having to deselect any forces I’m currently commanding.

So, what I’m proposing is a system where you can order Workers to start constructing a building, without actually having to select the Worker.
Instead, we only need to go into the sidebar, where we find a ‘Worker subtab’, just like we had a Con Yard subtab in TW and RA3. Here we can choose which Worker we want to build something, select the structure, place it, and the Worker will automaticly start it’s construction.

It probably sounds more complicated than it really is, so as always here’s a picture to illustrate it, and it gives some additional info:



Note that main structures and defenses/support structures would be in the same tab, since a Worker can only construct one thing at a time anyway.

Additional ideas:

Pressing the Worker hotkey key + Number (so in this case W + 2) will open the specific Worker tab, and it will make the corresponding Worker’s location light up on the minimap and/or it will have a unique color out of all the tags.

An additional hotkey will give the player the toggle option to make the Worker’s number tags appear on all the Workers and on the mini-map all the time or not (when not selected), looking something like this:



Right clicking on a Worker tag on the minimap could also work to open up the corresponding construction tab (Or left clicking, just whichever button is not allready used to go to the location that’s clicked on the mini-map).

Positive Effect:

- Don’t have to look around where you left your worker units.
- Don’t have to deselect whatever you currently have selected.
- Feels more akin to the original CnC system, opening it up to Tib and RA fans.
- Selecting workers manually like in Generals 1 will still work as well.
- great for casuals and pros to avoid unnecessary macro. removing an annoying task, makeing the game more accessible
- including another high level skill differator, since manually doing those things (f.e. playing the building next to the worker, ordering the worker to walk there will ordering the building) would account for greater speed and therefore an advantage.


Negative Effect:

- None that I can see at the moment.

Media:

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...ca/DozerUI.jpg
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...a/DozerID2.jpg

Let me hear what you think about it, and if you have additional ideas.

P.S. Note that I also don't want to have to select my production structures before I can start producing units. That problem was allready solved in TW but just in case.

[methuselah]

Interesting. This was never an issue for me because there is a hotkey that solves this (select next available builder) but I'm curious as to what everyone else thinks.

[Victimizer]

I like the simplistic gray colors in your sidebar picture: it would be a nice change over the usual over-stylized rubbish. I also like the mechanics very much: in fact it's something I had a passing thought about as I replayed gens.

I think you should have included "porta-potty" as a building in that sidebar pic.

[Commander32]

I never had a problem with teh dozer system mostly, I just pick the 'select next worker' button.

[Alex06]

I never had a problem with teh dozer system mostly, I just pick the 'select next worker' button.

Cycling through takes time. Something like this, not necessarily with the sidebar, would be much better. Though the cycling through idle workers button/hotkey should also remain.

[Commander32]

I guess that will work too.

[Golan2781]

EARTH 2160 allowed accessing workers from the sidebar as well as selecting them regularly, worked pretty well. Seeing how the position of workers is a much more important factor compared to the CY system, there should be shorthands for selecting appropriate workers in the UI. For example, accessing the Dozer tab could mark dozers on the mini-map and allow you to select them directly without having to move your view. Hitting the "Idle Dozer" button would first select the nearest dozer, then subsequent hits would cycle through all idle dozers. Etc.

[cnc_kingbdogz]

Nice idea. However, how exactly would this work if you had more than 5 workers?

[Alex06]

Nice idea. However, how exactly would this work if you had more than 5 workers?

Don't see the scroll left/right buttons? It's just like with C&C3/RA3.

[Cinderella_EX]

I perfer the bottom control tab
Be different to Tiberium series and RA's