• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EST 23:58
CET 05:58
KST 13:58
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
RSL Revival - 2025 Season Finals Preview8RSL Season 3 - Playoffs Preview0RSL Season 3 - RO16 Groups C & D Preview0RSL Season 3 - RO16 Groups A & B Preview2TL.net Map Contest #21: Winners12
Community News
ComeBackTV's documentary on Byun's Career !0Weekly Cups (Dec 8-14): MaxPax, Clem, Cure win0Weekly Cups (Dec 1-7): Clem doubles, Solar gets over the hump1Weekly Cups (Nov 24-30): MaxPax, Clem, herO win2BGE Stara Zagora 2026 announced15
StarCraft 2
General
Weekly Cups (Dec 8-14): MaxPax, Clem, Cure win Did they add GM to 2v2? ComeBackTV's documentary on Byun's Career ! RSL Revival - 2025 Season Finals Preview Weekly Cups (Dec 1-7): Clem doubles, Solar gets over the hump
Tourneys
StarCraft2.fi 15th Anniversary Cup RSL Offline Finals Info - Dec 13 and 14! Tenacious Turtle Tussle 2025 RSL Offline Finals Dates + Ticket Sales! Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament
Strategy
Custom Maps
Map Editor closed ?
External Content
Mutation # 504 Retribution Mutation # 503 Fowl Play Mutation # 502 Negative Reinforcement Mutation # 501 Price of Progress
Brood War
General
FlaSh on: Biggest Problem With SnOw's Playstyle How Rain Became ProGamer in Just 3 Months [BSL21] RO8 Bracket & Prediction Contest BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ BW General Discussion
Tourneys
[ASL20] Grand Finals [BSL21] RO8 - Day 2 - Sunday 21:00 CET [BSL21] RO8 - Day 1 - Saturday 21:00 CET Small VOD Thread 2.0
Strategy
Current Meta Simple Questions, Simple Answers Game Theory for Starcraft Fighting Spirit mining rates
Other Games
General Games
Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Dawn of War IV ZeroSpace Megathread The 2048 Game Path of Exile
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
Mafia Game Mode Feedback/Ideas Survivor II: The Amazon Sengoku Mafia TL Mafia Community Thread
Community
General
Russo-Ukrainian War Thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine US Politics Mega-thread YouTube Thread European Politico-economics QA Mega-thread
Fan Clubs
White-Ra Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
Anime Discussion Thread [Manga] One Piece Movie Discussion!
Sports
2024 - 2026 Football Thread Formula 1 Discussion
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
TL+ Announced Where to ask questions and add stream?
Blogs
How Sleep Deprivation Affect…
TrAiDoS
I decided to write a webnov…
DjKniteX
James Bond movies ranking - pa…
Topin
Thanks for the RSL
Hildegard
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 1364 users

drag selecting from bottom left

Forum Index > BW General
Post a Reply
Normal
theramstoss
Profile Joined February 2010
Canada242 Posts
January 01 2011 19:46 GMT
#1
I don't know if there is already a topic on this, or if it's common knowledge, I'd be embarassed if it was. But recently I realized something. I used to think that pros drag selected from bottom left to top right because it's cool, or different. But I realized that maybe they do that because it's more efficient, because your mouse has probably just been at the bottom left to start with, that is, on the minimap. It's less movement to drag select after going on the minimap from bottom left to top right, as opposed to from the minimap to the top left then back down to bottom right. Less movement for the mouse means higher APM with less effort.. Could this be true?
quote? what quote?
whiteguycash
Profile Joined April 2010
United States476 Posts
January 01 2011 19:50 GMT
#2
its possible, though I don't know how Korean is read, I do know that English is read from left-to-right top-to-bottom. That *might* have something to do with it. Someone that has any knowledge on Korean reading/writing might be able to deny/confirm.
kineSiS-
Profile Blog Joined September 2009
Korea (South)1068 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-01-01 20:04:37
January 01 2011 20:03 GMT
#3
Korean is read from left to right.
Z3kk
Profile Blog Joined December 2009
4099 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-01-01 20:07:27
January 01 2011 20:05 GMT
#4
On January 02 2011 05:03 kineSiS- wrote:
Korean is read from left to right.


D'awww, the "-_-" face added personality

The effect is probably minimal at the speeds at which they play, but it's probably just the more natural thing to do, I think...as you mentioned, you move from the minimap. There's nothing ever in the other corners that they want to click, but the minimap in the bottom left probably influences them....?
Failure is not falling down over and over again. Failure is refusing to get back up.
Firien
Profile Joined April 2010
Poland115 Posts
January 01 2011 20:24 GMT
#5
well, i just do it from any side depending on what i select ;d
gongryong
Profile Blog Joined October 2010
Korea (South)1430 Posts
January 01 2011 20:26 GMT
#6
whiteguycash United States. January 02 2011 04:50
its possible, though I don't know how Korean is read, I do know that English is read from left-to-right top-to-bottom. That *might* have something to do with it. Someone that has any knowledge on Korean reading/writing might be able to deny/confirm.


language/reading has little to do with it. as a matter of fact, to disabuse the OP, most progamers box from topleft to bottomright. while i am not sure about the minimap argument, im sure that the distance from area just above minimap (for bottomleft - topright movement) to the area where you start topleft is practically negligible (unless your mouse speed is set to 0.5 xD). most importantly, carpal and metacarpal tendons and muscles are easier to contract (closing the hand) than expand (opening the hand). topleft - bottomright is a close hand motion, and bottomleft to topright is an open hand one.

xD
JAEDONG ÜBERBONJWA!
theramstoss
Profile Joined February 2010
Canada242 Posts
January 01 2011 20:32 GMT
#7
Yeah, I just saw shine do it (bottom left to top right), I didn't check how the other pros do it. Closing the hand IS easier tho.
quote? what quote?
supernovamaniac
Profile Blog Joined December 2009
United States3047 Posts
January 01 2011 20:58 GMT
#8
I think its personal choice, rather than how they read or how efficient it is.
ppp
Navi
Profile Joined November 2009
5286 Posts
January 01 2011 21:25 GMT
#9
On January 02 2011 05:58 supernovamaniac wrote:
I think its personal choice, rather than how they read or how efficient it is.


Seconded, as people have noted there is significant differences among progamers (if you look at FPVODs of JD and many other pros there is variance). Of course bottom left to top right is more effective when the action in question is to the right, and vice versa from top right to bottom left or whatever. But in the end the difference is not that big. I personally like going from top right to bottom left and can manage 300+ apm with it, and my brother who can do the same goes top left to bottom right.
Hey! Listen!
SpeaKEaSY
Profile Blog Joined December 2010
United States1070 Posts
January 01 2011 21:39 GMT
#10
On January 02 2011 05:26 gongryong wrote: most importantly, carpal and metacarpal tendons and muscles are easier to contract (closing the hand) than expand (opening the hand). topleft - bottomright is a close hand motion, and bottomleft to topright is an open hand one.

xD


This just blew my mind when I did a few practice drag box clicks to check it out.
Aim for perfection, settle for mediocrity - KawaiiRice 2014
niteReloaded
Profile Blog Joined February 2007
Croatia5282 Posts
January 01 2011 21:47 GMT
#11
wtf from bottom left? shit's crazy

i do it from top right to bottom left, it's the ONLY right way to do it.
Shikyo
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
Finland33997 Posts
January 01 2011 21:48 GMT
#12
Ehhh if you're planning on moving your units to top-right, its most efficient to drag from bottom left, and the same holds for every other direction. o.O If you were superpro, it'd probably be good to think like this. By the way, I always select by dragging from top-right and haven't had problems.
League of Legends EU West, Platinum III | Yousei Teikoku is the best thing that has ever happened to music.
lac29
Profile Blog Joined December 2008
United States1485 Posts
January 01 2011 21:50 GMT
#13
That's an interesting detail to note.
Saracen
Profile Blog Joined December 2007
United States5139 Posts
January 01 2011 22:08 GMT
#14
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=17511
floor exercise
Profile Blog Joined August 2008
Canada5847 Posts
January 01 2011 22:16 GMT
#15
Isn't there something about the direction that you draw a circle that says something about the way you think, like you are left or right brained or am I making that up completely? You kinda make a circle when you drag select and return to the same place
Chimpalimp
Profile Joined May 2010
United States1135 Posts
January 01 2011 22:19 GMT
#16
I honestly don't know which I do most. I just use the one that is more convenient for me, or which ever one I subconsciously choose to do.
I like money. You like money too? We should hang out.
Yoshi Kirishima
Profile Blog Joined July 2009
United States10366 Posts
January 01 2011 23:09 GMT
#17
language/reading has little to do with it. as a matter of fact, to disabuse the OP, most progamers box from topleft to bottomright. while i am not sure about the minimap argument, im sure that the distance from area just above minimap (for bottomleft - topright movement) to the area where you start topleft is practically negligible (unless your mouse speed is set to 0.5 xD). most importantly, carpal and metacarpal tendons and muscles are easier to contract (closing the hand) than expand (opening the hand). topleft - bottomright is a close hand motion, and bottomleft to topright is an open hand one.


Wow sweet, thanks :D

(lol is the xD in red a mod edit?)
Mid-master streaming MECH ONLY + commentary www.twitch.tv/yoshikirishima +++ "If all-in fails, all-in again."
gongryong
Profile Blog Joined October 2010
Korea (South)1430 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-01-01 23:28:56
January 01 2011 23:10 GMT
#18
supernovamaniac United States. January 02 2011 05:58
I think its personal choice, rather than how they read or how efficient it is.


Well, i'd like to think that personal choice is merely secondary to the mechanical logic at work here: any other cursor-based interface (like click-dragging icons), hand muscles (as i've explained earlier), reading direction (as others suggest), etc. the choice is personal only AFTER these elements are accounted for. consider, if it's all about personal choice, we should get a more or less even distribution among four possible directions (topleft-bottomright, bottomleft-topright, topright-bottomleft, bottomright-topleft). but, more than 80% of the progamers ive watched in live games and fpvods use topleft-bottomright. and this

(lol is the xD in red a mod edit?)

no just mine. hope mods dont mind :p

xD
JAEDONG ÜBERBONJWA!
Loser777
Profile Blog Joined January 2008
1931 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-01-02 08:51:09
January 02 2011 08:50 GMT
#19
Moving top left to bottom right is a movement preference thing if you're right handed. There's a discovery channel show called "Dogfights" or something where Aces from WWII//Vietnam are invited to talk about their experiences. I remember one pilot distinctly who said that when you're on someone's six, he/she is more likely going to turn left than turn right because it's easier to move the stick left if you're holding it with your right hand. I would say the same kind of thing applies for when you're moving your mouse.

I've seen some exceptions though--if you've ever watched KawaiiRice's stream, you'll notice that he spams some boxes bottom left to top right.
6581
oBlade
Profile Blog Joined December 2008
United States5778 Posts
January 02 2011 10:32 GMT
#20
I thought about this a few weeks ago when I realized my dexterity favored top left to bottom right just out of habit, but actually you should be able to drag select from any point to any point easily. It's better to be fluid, I mean. If you drag top left to bottom right, now your cursor is in the bottom right so you can cut time by starting your next drag from bottom right. It takes some practice to do it in a new direction.
"I read it. You know how to read, you ignorant fuck?" - Andy Dufresne
No_Roo
Profile Joined February 2010
United States905 Posts
January 02 2011 11:24 GMT
#21
I select from the corner that is least volatile. I think most people do this. (probably without thinking about it)

For example if I have my army moving west, I will drag from the east side so they are moving into my selection, rather than past my box starting point.
(US) NoRoo.fighting
lastreason
Profile Joined May 2010
Romania250 Posts
January 02 2011 11:25 GMT
#22
hm as far as i saw on fpvods, when they play korean pros drag selecta from any direction into any direction
b(town)
Profile Joined February 2009
United States20 Posts
January 02 2011 11:59 GMT
#23
one of the foreign pro-gamers (thinking it was Nony) posted that it was important to learn how to drag-select from any direction to speed up your play. can't be bothered to find it though. can Idra or anyone else confirm this (if he even reads SC1 posts now). speaking of nony how cool is that drawing on the TSL front page. loved it til i realized it involves a game i've never played. long live sc1
bITt.mAN
Profile Blog Joined March 2009
Switzerland3693 Posts
September 12 2011 16:06 GMT
#24
I bothered to investigate the problem, experiment a bit and write up a nice response to another thread that just popped up on this topic.... only to have it closed because, well, it was a shit thread. I don't want to waste the effort (hey I postponed doing important stuff to write this), and there are a bunch of threads on this topic....

Top right to bottom left, I'm right handed, you made me think about it just now and I think I have a reason why:

(remember this is for using the mouse with the right hand) Top Right to Bottom left, which I'll refer to as ' / ' is better because I feel you get more control. Your thumb contracts to drag the mouse towards you, and your pinky is likely planted and remains fixed (I've got a small, Logitech Mini Optical so my pinky touches my mousepad). In fact it's much more similar to how your hand moves when you write, usually you don't write like this \\\\\\\\ your write like this ///////// at that type of slant, thus you're more used to it and have more precise control. Try sharpening a stick with a pocketknife on a campout, and you'll inadvertently go // away from you... imo it just works better.

To contrast, dragging like \ doesn't give you as much control because you have to move your entire wrist instead of your fingers, either that or you're relying on weaker and less accurate fingers to end your glide precisely (lets face it, your pinky is less developed for precession control than your thumb, and when you're going top left to bottom right [\] you need to displace your 'outside' knuckles, meaning a bigger movement, meaning in theory less accuracy).


Well that's just how I feel when dragging boxes, lol boxing units and re-rallying are much more critical things to get hung up on.
BW4LYF . . . . . . PM me, I LOVE PMs. . . . . . Long live "NaDa's Body" . . . . . . Fantasy | Bisu/Best | Jaedong . . . . .
Demonhunter04
Profile Joined July 2011
1530 Posts
September 12 2011 16:33 GMT
#25
On September 13 2011 01:06 bITt.mAN wrote:
I bothered to investigate the problem, experiment a bit and write up a nice response to another thread that just popped up on this topic.... only to have it closed because, well, it was a shit thread. I don't want to waste the effort (hey I postponed doing important stuff to write this), and there are a bunch of threads on this topic....

Top right to bottom left, I'm right handed, you made me think about it just now and I think I have a reason why:

(remember this is for using the mouse with the right hand) Top Right to Bottom left, which I'll refer to as ' / ' is better because I feel you get more control. Your thumb contracts to drag the mouse towards you, and your pinky is likely planted and remains fixed (I've got a small, Logitech Mini Optical so my pinky touches my mousepad). In fact it's much more similar to how your hand moves when you write, usually you don't write like this \\\\\\\\ your write like this ///////// at that type of slant, thus you're more used to it and have more precise control. Try sharpening a stick with a pocketknife on a campout, and you'll inadvertently go // away from you... imo it just works better.

To contrast, dragging like \ doesn't give you as much control because you have to move your entire wrist instead of your fingers, either that or you're relying on weaker and less accurate fingers to end your glide precisely (lets face it, your pinky is less developed for precession control than your thumb, and when you're going top left to bottom right [\] you need to displace your 'outside' knuckles, meaning a bigger movement, meaning in theory less accuracy).


Well that's just how I feel when dragging boxes, lol boxing units and re-rallying are much more critical things to get hung up on.


Your thumb contracts to bring the mouse towards you when you move top right to bottom left? I think you may have mixed those directions up a little
"If you don't drop sweat today, you will drop tears tomorrow" - SlayerSMMA
theqat
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
United States2856 Posts
September 12 2011 16:35 GMT
#26
You're actually right. I can do / back and forth in almost a straight line very easily, while for \ my mouse cursor naturally makes ovals (though I can force it not to). Quite remarkable
Demonhunter04
Profile Joined July 2011
1530 Posts
September 12 2011 16:41 GMT
#27
Yeah it does seem to be more accurate, I think I just move my mouse differently from you, though.
"If you don't drop sweat today, you will drop tears tomorrow" - SlayerSMMA
sabas123
Profile Blog Joined December 2010
Netherlands3122 Posts
September 12 2011 19:28 GMT
#28
top-bottum=acrruate
bottum-top=speed

hope this will help you
The harder it becomes, the more you should focus on the basics.
nShade
Profile Joined August 2010
Bulgaria296 Posts
September 12 2011 19:55 GMT
#29
Watch the Day9 Daily about the secrets of APM and mechanics. Everything is said there.
Skew
Profile Blog Joined October 2006
United States1019 Posts
September 13 2011 03:32 GMT
#30
TR > BL, TL > BR should be what almost everyone does. Adding bottom > up doesn't matter.
Normal
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Next event in 5h 2m
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
WinterStarcraft445
RuFF_SC2 198
StarCraft: Brood War
Shuttle 684
Snow 97
GoRush 45
NaDa 35
Noble 22
Hm[arnc] 20
Mong 14
ZergMaN 12
Icarus 10
Terrorterran 4
Dota 2
monkeys_forever842
League of Legends
JimRising 673
C9.Mang0499
Counter-Strike
Coldzera 1216
Heroes of the Storm
Khaldor117
Other Games
summit1g10987
Mew2King56
Trikslyr47
Organizations
Other Games
gamesdonequick1054
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 20 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• Mapu137
• Light_VIP 13
• Kozan
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• sooper7s
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• Migwel
• intothetv
• IndyKCrew
StarCraft: Brood War
• RayReign 13
• Azhi_Dahaki8
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
• BSLYoutube
Dota 2
• masondota22334
League of Legends
• Rush1291
• Lourlo1228
• HappyZerGling94
Other Games
• Scarra2221
• imaqtpie142
Upcoming Events
Sparkling Tuna Cup
5h 2m
WardiTV 2025
7h 2m
Spirit vs YoungYakov
Rogue vs Nice
Scarlett vs Reynor
TBD vs Clem
uThermal vs Shameless
PiGosaur Cup
20h 2m
WardiTV 2025
1d 7h
MaNa vs Gerald
TBD vs MaxPax
ByuN vs TBD
TBD vs ShoWTimE
OSC
1d 10h
YoungYakov vs Mixu
ForJumy vs TBD
Percival vs TBD
Shameless vs TBD
The PondCast
2 days
WardiTV 2025
2 days
Cure vs Creator
TBD vs Solar
WardiTV 2025
3 days
OSC
3 days
CranKy Ducklings
4 days
[ Show More ]
SC Evo League
4 days
Ladder Legends
4 days
BSL 21
4 days
Sparkling Tuna Cup
5 days
Ladder Legends
5 days
BSL 21
5 days
Replay Cast
6 days
Monday Night Weeklies
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Acropolis #4 - TS3
RSL Offline Finals
Kuram Kup

Ongoing

C-Race Season 1
IPSL Winter 2025-26
KCM Race Survival 2025 Season 4
YSL S2
BSL Season 21
Slon Tour Season 2
WardiTV 2025
META Madness #9
SL Budapest Major 2025
ESL Impact League Season 8
BLAST Rivals Fall 2025
IEM Chengdu 2025
PGL Masters Bucharest 2025
Thunderpick World Champ.
CS Asia Championships 2025
ESL Pro League S22

Upcoming

CSL 2025 WINTER (S19)
BSL 21 Non-Korean Championship
Acropolis #4
IPSL Spring 2026
Bellum Gens Elite Stara Zagora 2026
HSC XXVIII
Big Gabe Cup #3
ESL Pro League Season 23
PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026
IEM Kraków 2026
BLAST Bounty Winter 2026
BLAST Bounty Winter Qual
eXTREMESLAND 2025
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2025 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.