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Terran Ctrl group preferences-- why?

Blogs > dstryr
Post a Reply
dstryr
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
United States69 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-04-21 18:09:07
April 21 2011 17:43 GMT
#1
I have a feeling that I am missing cycles on my Factories and Starports while 'tapping' to check constant production. I currently have everything on one Control Group.

The reason I am writing this blog it to get input on why your control group setup works for you.


People will continue to play with whatever they are comfortable with, but I want to make my macro process more efficient.


Current setup: (Standard Hotkey layout)

1 - Main Army
2 - Special Units
3 - Drops, Alternate army, etc.
4 - Production Faciltiies (Barracks, Factory, Starports) - Tabbing to switch type
5 - Command Centers
6 - Upgrade facilities


Pro's: Easy to rally, Comfortable, Familiar.

Con's: Missing production cycles due to lot's of building icons being crammed onto the unit pane (down center) Barracks seem to be fine, but Factory and Starport production needs work.

I'm sure there are other Pro's and Con's to my setup, but that's the gist of it...




a176
Profile Blog Joined August 2009
Canada6688 Posts
April 21 2011 17:51 GMT
#2
the order you select the buildings is saved into the control group, so get into the habit of making the same control group every game; you can then easily just tab and build without thinking specifically of which building is selected.
starleague forever
Qikz
Profile Blog Joined November 2009
United Kingdom12025 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-04-21 18:02:04
April 21 2011 18:01 GMT
#3
For me it depends on the matchup. Mostly it's this.

1 - Marines OR Marauders (TvT) (TvP/TvZ)
2 - Marines OR Marauders/Tanks (TvZ/TvP) (TvT)
3 - Drops/Special units like Ghosts
4 - Production
5 - Orbital Commands
6 - Planetary Fortresses
7-9 - Not used as I can't seem to move my fingers that far.

EDIT: Editing more in
FanTaSy's #1 Fan | STPL Caster/Organiser | SKT BEST KT | https://twitch.tv/stpl
dstryr
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
United States69 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-04-21 18:04:51
April 21 2011 18:02 GMT
#4
On April 22 2011 02:51 a176 wrote:
the order you select the buildings is saved into the control group, so get into the habit of making the same control group every game; you can then easily just tab and build without thinking specifically of which building is selected.


That's not the problem I'm having. I can build using this setup no problems, but because there are usually more barracks than factories/starports, It is hard to check the status of factories/starports quickly.

I guess I'm looking for input from someone who has separate hotkeys for Barracks, Factories, or Starports.
Bibdy
Profile Joined March 2010
United States3481 Posts
April 21 2011 18:25 GMT
#5
When I got my Logitech G700 mouse I bound the side buttons to keys like 7, 8, 9 and backspace. The four side-buttons on that mouse are very easy to reach, and similarly easy to distinguish, which really made it easier to control my army/base with 3 extra command groups at my disposal (backspace was mostly used with Zerg larva seeding).
Zlasher
Profile Blog Joined February 2010
United States9129 Posts
April 21 2011 18:34 GMT
#6
I still don't see why its the norm to make 1-3 the army, you can't hit 1a2a3a as fast as you can hit 4a5a6a since with 1-2-3 you use either your pinky or 4th finger and have to twist your wrist at an uncomfortable angle.

I use 1 for my command centers, 2 for my barracks, 3 for my factories and starports, then use 4-5-6-7-8 for army control.
Follow me: www.twitter.com/zlasher
HwangjaeTerran
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
Finland5967 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-04-21 18:41:03
April 21 2011 18:38 GMT
#7
1-3 main army
4starports
5 factories
6barracks
7 commandcenters
8 ebays
9 armories
0 academy fusion core

Should probably stop using 7 and upwards but I got big hands and don't think it's worth to unlearn it. Also those 8-0 are stuff you only need to check a few times as you develop a timer for continuous upgrading. I actually tried using tab but it didn't work so I'm using this and it is just so much more comfortable and I don't have to look to see which buildings I have selected and I know the right shit is being built in the right place. 1 hotkey for main army sounds horrible, I don't have time to tab or ctrl-click all the time.
Against zerg: 1 is marine medivac 2 is tanks and 3 is vikings (if no guardians - drop /harass / ghosts...)
Again for the same reason - using tab is slow and I can control my army much more precisely.

On April 22 2011 03:34 Zlasher wrote:
I still don't see why its the norm to make 1-3 the army, you can't hit 1a2a3a as fast as you can hit 4a5a6a since with 1-2-3 you use either your pinky or 4th finger and have to twist your wrist at an uncomfortable angle.

I use 1 for my command centers, 2 for my barracks, 3 for my factories and starports, then use 4-5-6-7-8 for army control.


My pinky is near ctrl and shift the whole time, ring finger on the a and middle finger on 1, no angle at all. Like this it's easy to 1ta I feel.
https://steamcommunity.com/id/*tlusernamehere*/
Seide
Profile Blog Joined August 2010
United States831 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-04-21 19:05:22
April 21 2011 18:56 GMT
#8
1 CC/Orbs/Plan
2 Rax
3 Fact/Starport
4 Special Units
5 (bound to side mouse 1) Main Army
6 (bound to side mouse 2) Tanks/Supplementary army

I like having the units on my mouse, so I can use 1-3 for production facilities.

I have smaller hands so I feel hitting keys past 4 is not optimal for me.

With the units on my mouse, it allows my hand to remain cycling between 1-4, while still being able to switch between army quickly.

I'm still working out my hotkeys fully, I'm currently a diamond player. I have been thinking of switching to grid, as I would have to move my fingers less, but I'm not sure how much value that would add for me as I am used to standard hotkey setup at this point.
One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish.
kNightLite
Profile Blog Joined December 2010
United States408 Posts
April 21 2011 19:09 GMT
#9
I'm a fan of the cartesian setup because it minimizes the amount of keyboard travel distance: http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=209178

The control groups are very intuitive.
TheCtd400
Profile Blog Joined March 2011
United States136 Posts
April 21 2011 20:05 GMT
#10
for me, this is just how i started playing with and it stuck with me

1-main army
2-scout scv/secondary army
3-scv to build supply depots and anything else
4-7-Command centers for expansionss
8-0-production facilities

it just works for me
That awkward moment when you realize you've cancelled stim/combat shield because you lifted the barracks. | Thorzain Fighting!!!
FODDER~
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
United States109 Posts
April 21 2011 20:42 GMT
#11
I just race switched to Terran a few days ago but what I find myself using is the following:

1 - SCV Production Buildings
2 - Barracks
3 - Factories
4 - Starports
5 - A-move units
6 - Special key units (ghosts, ravens, etc.)
9 - Harass or scouting units

It feels nice because producing SCVS with this setup feels so natural but everything else is just so foreign and far spread out. I rarely even feel my fingers using the hotkeys that I set up this way. No idea why.
I am a Diamond league Protoss player in need of any form of help that can be given. If you believe you can help please contact me. I really want to improve more than anything and just need a form of guidance and small push in the truely right direction.
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