Spring is already awesome in allowing us to pre-plan and queue orders up for units and factories. This is great.
I feel that there's a logical "next step" in what Spring allows us to do: allowing us to select and queue build orders for things that are queued to be built.
In the "simple" version, you can press down SHIFT, and press left-click over something that is queued to be built (I'm talking about factories here, mostly), and issue it orders as normal. When the thing is built, the orders will be placed in its queue.
In a more "complex" version, the above functionality would be combined with a new GUI screen. When you select a factory, it will pop up a GUI window - perhaps with a keypress, perhaps automatically - with the next X units in its queue. You could select each one and issue it orders as normal, and those orders would be transferred to the unit upon its being built. This would be AWESOME for allowing us to pre-plan such things as economy and base building: queue up 5 cons and issue separate orders to each all at once, and then go micro something else instead of sitting around waiting for each individual con to be built.
So basically the first "simple" functionality is used for mobile builders, and the second "complex" functionality is used for stationary builders (factories). Simple enough?
edit. Believe me, this feels very natural. Last night, I was playing Spring while tired. I queued up a vehicle factory, then pressed shift and was unpleasantly surprised when I couldn't select it and issue orders to it.
The next logical step in pre-planning.
Moderator: Moderators
I had a user interface idea i never really proposed. Basically, they were area orders that were assigned to a unit in that area. If a unit entered the area designated, it would assume whatever order set was available for that area.
F.ex, assuming the area order command is "h"
- select a unit and hold down h, and then click drag to select an area. Now assign a set of orders anywhere else - say, to attack a certain target. Press "h" again. The area designated will now automatically assign that order of "attack" to to the unit - IF and Only If the unit enters the designated 'h' area. Rinse and repeat for different areas.
- if you select a factory and use this same commandset, then units coming out of the factory that pass over certain designated areas assume those orders.
- if you dont select any unit and use the 'h' command, then any units passing over designated areas will assume those orders.
-A move command would not negate this
- only a stop command would.
there's certainly more subteleties to be worked out, but its more of a prelim idea report than anything
F.ex, assuming the area order command is "h"
- select a unit and hold down h, and then click drag to select an area. Now assign a set of orders anywhere else - say, to attack a certain target. Press "h" again. The area designated will now automatically assign that order of "attack" to to the unit - IF and Only If the unit enters the designated 'h' area. Rinse and repeat for different areas.
- if you select a factory and use this same commandset, then units coming out of the factory that pass over certain designated areas assume those orders.
- if you dont select any unit and use the 'h' command, then any units passing over designated areas will assume those orders.
-A move command would not negate this
- only a stop command would.
there's certainly more subteleties to be worked out, but its more of a prelim idea report than anything