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F Keys in SC2

Forum Index > SC2 General
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1 2 Next All
Kezzer
Profile Blog Joined December 2008
United States1268 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-04-24 22:23:21
April 24 2010 22:23 GMT
#1
Hello everyone, I just have a short and quick question. I joined the BW scene pretty late and played it casually. I never used the F keys because frankly, I didn't know about them. When I heard they were being taken out for SC2, it didn't phase me too much as I never used them. Now that they are back though, and everyone seems to love them, I'd just like to see how people are using them.

The only use I could think of them would be to go back to your base to macro, but hotkeys seem to do the trick for me. Is it for queen larva and chrono boost now that you cant click the wireframe? Thanks.
Naib
Profile Blog Joined November 2004
Hungary4843 Posts
April 24 2010 22:27 GMT
#2
I have never used the F keys (even though they would've been very useful for SC:BW), and even though I purposefully tried to get rid of my old habits (new hotkey pattern and everything) when starting out with SC2, I never really wished "damn, if only I had F keys now!". It's really good that it's there for those who needed 'em, but I'm definitely not one of those
Complete the cycle!
spinesheath
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
Germany8679 Posts
April 24 2010 22:32 GMT
#3
One of the biggest advantages of the F-keys is that pressing those doesn't override your current unit selection. So (in the case of worker harrass etc) you can select the workers at your natural, jump with F-keys to your main and right click on the minerals.
If you were using control groups, your would have to select the workers at the natural, bind them to a group, double tap the hotkey for your main base, recall the group of workers and right click on the minerals.

They also work for locations that are important but where you don't have a unit at all times, so a control group wouldn't work for jumping there. Rally points are an example, as the units there will constantly change.
If you have a good reason to disagree with the above, please tell me. Thank you.
sLiniss
Profile Blog Joined May 2009
United States849 Posts
April 24 2010 22:51 GMT
#4
I think the most important reason F keys were used a lot in SCBW is because there wasn't building unit selection. You could set an F key to be the screen over all your raxs. Now, due to MBS, you can make units more easily without F keys.
SleepSheep
Profile Blog Joined December 2009
Canada344 Posts
April 24 2010 22:57 GMT
#5
how do u use them though? it doesnt seem to be like how u used them in sc1, shift +f234, i just tried it now and it doesn't work
NonY
Profile Blog Joined June 2007
8748 Posts
April 24 2010 23:00 GMT
#6
They're ctrl + f5678 now. I just tried them a bit today for Warp Gates. Pretty nice!
"Fucking up is part of it. If you can't fail, you have to always win. And I don't think you can always win." Elliott Smith ---------- Yet no sudden rage darkened his face, and his eyes were calm as they studied her. Then he smiled. 'Witness.'
Tristan
Profile Blog Joined December 2009
Canada566 Posts
April 24 2010 23:01 GMT
#7
I know this will expose me as a giant GIANT noob, but I know the function of the location hotkeys, but I'm not sure what situations one might use them for especially with MBS. Anything in there I'd love to hear (especially Zerg)
http://Zangano431.tumblr.com/
tathecat563
Profile Joined April 2010
United States96 Posts
April 24 2010 23:02 GMT
#8
F5 for your main.
F6 for your natural.

Switch between the two to run workers back and forth when each is being harassed accordingly.

Great idea for the warp gates (like if you have proxy pylons), I'll definitely have to give that a try!
Hi
SirNeb
Profile Blog Joined April 2008
United States243 Posts
April 24 2010 23:02 GMT
#9
On April 25 2010 08:00 Liquid`NonY wrote:
They're ctrl + f5678 now. I just tried them a bit today for Warp Gates. Pretty nice!


dont u think it's annoying to be that far away and f2-f4 are mapped to heroes that aren't even in multiplayer?
hypp0crit
Profile Joined April 2010
19 Posts
April 24 2010 23:03 GMT
#10
On April 25 2010 07:57 Daimon wrote:
how do u use them though? it doesnt seem to be like how u used them in sc1, shift +f234, i just tried it now and it doesn't work


Using them in SCII is a little different. The maphotkeys are currently assigned to keys f5-f8, and to assign a position on the map to one of those keys, you use ctrl instead of shift (the same as assigning hotkeys to groups of units).

Unfortunately...my hands are barely big enough to hit ctrl and F5 at the same time. Hopefully, they'll make it customizable in the future.

On a semi related note, f2-f4 have been assigned as hero hotkeys. Good for UMS type games I guess...not so useful for the actual game...
Hello
shindigs
Profile Blog Joined May 2009
United States4795 Posts
April 24 2010 23:04 GMT
#11
I think I would prefer to switch out the F keys back to default F234 and use the other F keys for the "hero" units in single player like they planned.

Just whining cause I'm not used to F5678 T_T

Also backspace cycles between all your bases which is great to practice up macroing as zerg.
Photographer@shindags || twitch.tv/shindigs
TurboMaN
Profile Joined October 2005
Germany925 Posts
April 24 2010 23:06 GMT
#12
atm the F-Keys are crap, cause they are at F5-F8 and not on F2-F4
Czernoborg
Profile Joined April 2010
United States1 Post
April 24 2010 23:34 GMT
#13
On April 25 2010 08:04 shindigs wrote:
I think I would prefer to switch out the F keys back to default F234 and use the other F keys for the "hero" units in single player like they planned.

Just whining cause I'm not used to F5678 T_T

Also backspace cycles between all your bases which is great to practice up macroing as zerg.


Did not know about backspace. I'll have to try that when I get home. Thanks!
Walk softly...and carry a big gun.
TheYango
Profile Joined September 2008
United States47024 Posts
April 24 2010 23:43 GMT
#14
On April 25 2010 08:06 TurboMaN wrote:
atm the F-Keys are crap, cause they are at F5-F8 and not on F2-F4

So you can reach across the keyboard to patrol with P or use the 098 hotkeys, but for some reason, F5-8, which are only half as far away are crap?

This isn't a shooter, you don't spend the whole game with your hand rooted to the same spot on the keyboard.
Moderator
wishbones
Profile Blog Joined April 2009
Canada2600 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-04-24 23:47:46
April 24 2010 23:46 GMT
#15
I have not used them yet but I will have to start soon, because just complaining to myself about how stupid it is to have them being f5f6etc.. will not allow me to get used to the new stretch i have to make to reach them. At least make it SHIFT again, because CTRL is much to hard for me atm, it sometimes hurt my hand when I tried it. Bad move imo. SHIFT+ not CTRL+
joined TL.net in 2006 (aka GMer) - http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=41944#2
bodysnatcher21
Profile Joined June 2009
Australia147 Posts
April 25 2010 00:02 GMT
#16
On April 25 2010 08:43 TheYango wrote:
Show nested quote +
On April 25 2010 08:06 TurboMaN wrote:
atm the F-Keys are crap, cause they are at F5-F8 and not on F2-F4

So you can reach across the keyboard to patrol with P or use the 098 hotkeys, but for some reason, F5-8, which are only half as far away are crap?

This isn't a shooter, you don't spend the whole game with your hand rooted to the same spot on the keyboard.


Hitting Control+F5 is alot harder then just hitting P or 0.

I basically have to take my hand off my mouse in order to use Control + F5, or twist my hand into a really weird, awkward position.
OHtRUe
Profile Blog Joined March 2010
United States283 Posts
April 25 2010 00:06 GMT
#17
On April 25 2010 08:43 TheYango wrote:
Show nested quote +
On April 25 2010 08:06 TurboMaN wrote:
atm the F-Keys are crap, cause they are at F5-F8 and not on F2-F4

So you can reach across the keyboard to patrol with P or use the 098 hotkeys, but for some reason, F5-8, which are only half as far away are crap?

This isn't a shooter, you don't spend the whole game with your hand rooted to the same spot on the keyboard.

lol in SC2 the whole game is based on the left half of the keyboard. Theres no reason to use 7,8,9,0 and we shouldnt be forced to use F5-F8 for a very integral part of the game.
OminouS
Profile Joined February 2010
Sweden1343 Posts
April 25 2010 00:06 GMT
#18
On April 25 2010 08:43 TheYango wrote:
Show nested quote +
On April 25 2010 08:06 TurboMaN wrote:
atm the F-Keys are crap, cause they are at F5-F8 and not on F2-F4

So you can reach across the keyboard to patrol with P or use the 098 hotkeys, but for some reason, F5-8, which are only half as far away are crap?

This isn't a shooter, you don't spend the whole game with your hand rooted to the same spot on the keyboard.


The thing is, Blizzard has tried to move everything to the left of the keyboard but somehow they choosed to put the Fkeys more to the right. Personally I don't care, I don't use them, but I can see why others think it's bad.
On the 6th day JF made Reavers and on the 7th day JF put his opponent to rest
Ryuu314
Profile Joined October 2009
United States12679 Posts
April 25 2010 00:10 GMT
#19
On April 25 2010 08:43 TheYango wrote:
Show nested quote +
On April 25 2010 08:06 TurboMaN wrote:
atm the F-Keys are crap, cause they are at F5-F8 and not on F2-F4

So you can reach across the keyboard to patrol with P or use the 098 hotkeys, but for some reason, F5-8, which are only half as far away are crap?

This isn't a shooter, you don't spend the whole game with your hand rooted to the same spot on the keyboard.

hitting p or 098 is easy because it's just one key to press. To use the Fkeys you need to hold down ctrl in order to map the location. the hand position required for that is really awkward and F234 is a lot easier than F5678
TheYango
Profile Joined September 2008
United States47024 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-04-25 00:16:39
April 25 2010 00:15 GMT
#20
On April 25 2010 09:06 OHtRUe wrote:
lol in SC2 the whole game is based on the left half of the keyboard. Theres no reason to use 7,8,9,0 and we shouldnt be forced to use F5-F8 for a very integral part of the game.

Uh, what are you talking about "there's no reason to use 7-0?

I'm pretty damn sure that a lot of high level players are using all 10 hotkeys to properly control things.

On April 25 2010 09:10 Ryuu314 wrote:
hitting p or 098 is easy because it's just one key to press. To use the Fkeys you need to hold down ctrl in order to map the location. the hand position required for that is really awkward and F234 is a lot easier than F5678

How is ctrl+7 any harder than ctrl+F5?

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