Sorry if it's not the appropriate place, but couldn't find a better one.
Using my thumb was inefficient, so I tried to switch to my pinky. With no success. A friend suggested me to change "shift" to "space bar", so I could use my thumb and still be fast. The issue is that when I want to change my hotkeys from (for example) shift + 1 adding units to 1 to space + 1 it's either space or 1 but battlenet won't accept the combination of the two.
Any tip to avoid that, and bypass it?

Fyrewolf

United States1533 Posts

March 28 2012 21:55 GMT

#22

On March 29 2012 06:42 TanTzoR wrote:
Sorry if it's not the appropriate place, but couldn't find a better one.
Using my thumb was inefficient, so I tried to switch to my pinky. With no success. A friend suggested me to change "shift" to "space bar", so I could use my thumb and still be fast. The issue is that when I want to change my hotkeys from (for example) shift + 1 adding units to 1 to space + 1 it's either space or 1 but battlenet won't accept the combination of the two.
Any tip to avoid that, and bypass it?

You could always change it back to shift and use your thumb on the Right Shift key(or alt also) for those higher numbers. I don't think you can change the battlenet commands to do space + anykey though, space isn't a modifier for modifier + anykey setup. I have small hands too, but I can still easily reach left shift with my pinky and 0 with my thumb, you don't have to use the index finger to get the high numbers.

Heweree

United Kingdom497 Posts

March 28 2012 21:59 GMT

#23

On March 29 2012 06:55 Fyrewolf wrote:

Show nested quote +

Thanks for the the answer, well i guess I will have to keep trying. But my pinky feels really weak ^^" And the other issue is that I"m using ² for my main unit control group. And using the pinky on shift it's really hard to have access to the ², with my keyboard not being right.

Praetorial

United States4241 Posts

March 28 2012 22:06 GMT

#24

Well, the shift key is on the left side of the keyboard, and since I'm right handed, I can just move my little finger to the shift key like I do all the time when I am typing.

It is just natural instinct, not even a conscious decision.

lhr0909

United States562 Posts

March 29 2012 01:14 GMT

#25

Guys, just checkout Huk using his thumb hitting the Ctrl/Shift keys like a bouse

Hulavuta

United States1252 Posts

March 29 2012 01:19 GMT

#26

I use my little finger. I remembered one day I had a rash on it and my shift key became all grossed up.

Heweree

United Kingdom497 Posts

March 29 2012 01:50 GMT

#27

On March 29 2012 10:14 lhr0909 wrote:
Guys, just checkout Huk using his thumb hitting the Ctrl/Shift keys like a bouse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLIhggKNL6w

Haha still doing it?
The funny thing is that he is taking a glance while doing it, like me. Because you move your all hand so you lose all benchmarks on the keyboard.

ReturnStroke

United States801 Posts

March 29 2012 01:51 GMT

#28

I thought the little finger was the only possibility. O.o

AnachronisticAnarchy

United States2957 Posts

March 29 2012 02:11 GMT

#29

Holy shit, how do you do that? I'm trying it right now, and unless by shift you mean left alt, it takes as long as crap and takes up lots of energy. I need to shift my entire hand over just to hit one of the most commonly used buttons in Starcraft 2.

Heweree

United Kingdom497 Posts

March 29 2012 02:15 GMT

#30

On March 29 2012 11:11 AnachronisticAnarchy wrote:
Holy shit, how do you do that? I'm trying it right now, and unless by shift you mean left alt, it takes as long as crap and takes up lots of energy. I need to shift my entire hand over just to hit one of the most commonly used buttons in Starcraft 2.

Question of habit. Actually when i do it for upper numbers than 4 my shoulder touches my cheek^^

DarkPlasmaBall

United States45434 Posts

March 29 2012 02:18 GMT

#31

Pinky ftw here. Pretty much the only good use for it >.>

silverstyle

Singapore1108 Posts

March 29 2012 02:31 GMT

#32

I used to press control and shift with my thumb till
I realized it was getting hard when using control groups more than
5.. Lol

Then I watched some FP vids and realized most pros used their pinky which led me to conclude I was indeed doing it wrong haha..

Just curious did you play alot of mmos or other games where pressing control might be needed? I used to play this mmo called redmoon where control 1 I believe was to chug your food which was equal to potions in the game... Using the pinky to perpetually hold down ctrl would be tiring.. Personally this is the reason I developed the habit of using my thumb lol.

cristo1122

Australia505 Posts

March 29 2012 02:37 GMT

#33

On March 12 2012 12:10 Whatson wrote:
I have no idea how some people are able to use their thumbs to hold shift or control. How in the world do you guys reach numbers 6-0 that way without raising your elbow absurdly high?

have ur keyboard at a 45* angle so u dont have to lift ur elbow that much

Zephos

United States71 Posts

March 29 2012 02:43 GMT

#34

Keep in mind that people have different keyboard layouts. I grew up playing warcraft 3 on a laptop that was practically a netbook, which meant keys had to be squished all over the place. As a result, I always used my ring finger for shift, and my thumb for control. Now that i have bigger hands and a full size keyboard I use my little finger for both, but that was a huge adjustment to make, and I would probably still be doing it the old way if I wasn't forced to change.

Heweree

United Kingdom497 Posts

March 29 2012 03:12 GMT

#35

On March 29 2012 11:37 cristo1122 wrote:

Show nested quote +

have ur keyboard at a 45* angle so u dont have to lift ur elbow that much

My keyboard (on the computer I'm usually playing on, right now on my laptop) is at this angle actually (because of the mousepad blocking it otherwise).

Daviran

United States21 Posts

March 29 2012 04:11 GMT

#36

How do you even capitalize efficiently when typing? What finger do you use to use shift a question mark?

Maybe you have an unorthodox typing style(I used to use my right index for space bar--until I learned how to type correctly).

SuDDi

Sweden3 Posts

March 29 2012 06:57 GMT

#37

Wow, using your thumb? It's way over on the other side of your hand! I had no idea anyone would be using something other than their pinky.

Well, as for myself I have a very static hand possitioning with my thumb resting on B, index finger on 4, middle finger on W, ring finger on A and pinky on shift. My thumb hits C, G, Y, 7 and everything to the right of those keys. It would never go near shift anyway.

UmbeXCII

Italy69 Posts

March 29 2012 10:02 GMT

#38

I use my thumb and comfortably use it to hotkey stuff from 1 to 6.
I moved 7 8 9 and 0 to other keys.

Heweree

United Kingdom497 Posts

March 30 2012 01:51 GMT

#39

On March 29 2012 13:11 Daviran wrote:
How do you even capitalize efficiently when typing? What finger do you use to use shift a question mark?

Maybe you have an unorthodox typing style(I used to use my right index for space bar--until I learned how to type correctly).

Well, when I type I use both hands.I have a very standard typing style. And indeed to shift for the question mark I use my pinky.

Janders

Mexico222 Posts

March 30 2012 02:32 GMT

#40

i actually use both little finger and thumb.
-When im adding something to a control group 1-5/setting control groups 1-5 or setting camera hotkeys(i only use 4) i use my thumb.
-Adding stuff 6-7/setting control groups 6-7 little finger.
-Adding something to control group 8-0/setting control group 8-0 i use my little finger for alt and thumb for 8-0(i only use 8-0 for observers or overseers just so i can find them faster).