Streamlining the Worker Construction system

[stormgear]

It would be nice if there is some sort of dedicated numeric hotkey for dozers if you can implement it in that dozer subtab.

This is just an example, lets say I build 5 dozers, upon appearing on the field they are automatically assigned with a number. You can now instantly quickview them by pressing say D+1 for Dozer 1, D+2 for Dozer 2 etc.

Now say dozer 3 is killed and you built 2 more dozers making it a total of 6 dozers on the field. The first dozer would take dozer id #3 and the second one would become #6 respectively. You can reassign the dozer id if you wish, but I won't elaborate on that part yet. I just want to say that option is open in case someone asks about it.

My only slight problem with the auto dozer number key is that if we adapt Starcraft like dozers (more dozer = faster building construction) then my idea above might not work for that style. We can perhaps do a click-drag selectbox the dozers and manually assign a dozer key for them like how you would normally create a unit group. That also might be able to address the 10+ dozer problem too ^^

[cnc_kingbdogz]

It would be nice if there is some sort of dedicated numeric hotkey for dozers if you can implement it in that dozer subtab.

This is just an example, lets say I build 5 dozers, upon appearing on the field they are automatically assigned with a number. You can now instantly quickview them by pressing say D+1 for Dozer 1, D+2 for Dozer 2 etc.

Now say dozer 3 is killed and you built 2 more dozers making it a total of 6 dozers on the field. The first dozer would take dozer id #3 and the second one would become #6 respectively. You can reassign the dozer id if you wish, but I won't elaborate on that part yet. I just want to say that option is open in case someone asks about it.

My only slight problem with the auto dozer number key is that if we adapt Starcraft like dozers (more dozer = faster building construction) then my idea above might not work for that style. We can perhaps do a click-drag selectbox the dozers and manually assign a dozer key for them like how you would normally create a unit group. That also might be able to address the 10+ dozer problem too ^^

To be honest I've never played Command & Conquer online or seriously (with the exception of Red Alert 3 Beta, which was quite fun). Can't you just hotkey units by selecting them then holding CTRL + a number on your keyboard? A lot of RTS's use this method of hotkeying units, just not sure if C&C does. That would essentially work the same way as the dozer hotkey you suggested, but could be used with other things such as structures or whole groups of units.

[stormgear]

Yes it does, but my idea there is to give dozers their own separate group key (D+num as an example), this not only gives you a convenient way to quickview them, you also keep the normal group key (ctrl+num) still open for your units.

[Mooff]

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.

Awesome point! I'll add some more positiv effects:

Positive Effect:
- 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.

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

this thread is not about where the controlbar is placed. It's about functionality.

[hellodean]

it would be good if the dozers tabs could be obvious as to which ones which, otherwise you will have to select each one anyway to findout the one you want ending up being the same as the "next dozer" key.

but how could you differentiate them?

[stormgear]

There was a number beside the tab, or am I missing something?

[Golan2781]

Not identifying the tabs, identifying the dozers is the problem. The tabs being numbered doesn't mean much if you can't tell which number corresponds to which dozer. TBH it got already a bit confusing from time to time in TW when you had several bases and had to replace production structures, but an integral part of dozers is their mobility so you really have to keep track of every dozer.

[stormgear]

Try this:

- Press Dozer key+1: Dozer location blinks on the minimap and or it will have a unique color out of the regular units for those quick glance instances Like Pizzas example.

Then again we can use the numbers themselves to identify their exact location on the minimap. The only drawback for that is on how small you can draw that number on the minimap, then there's the screen resolution that will affect on how it will appear. Finally it might look somewhat awkward on the minimap to a small degree for some if not at all.

- A number tag on the dozer itself when viewed onscreen: The player has the toggle option to make them appear all the time or not (when not selected).

[hellodean]

yeah thats what i meant about differentiate them, yeah the number tag on a dozer could work well

[Alex06]

Awesome point! I'll add some more positiv effects:

Positive Effect:
- 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.



this thread is not about where the controlbar is placed. It's about functionality.

I agree with everything said in this post. =)