Hey guys, im getting a little irritated at my play because in more than 50% of my games im constantly missing hotkeys for almost everything(control groups and spells mostly, but also building hotkeys), i also mentioned to a friend who plays sc2 that i use my thumb for C/V/B. He said it was the weridest thing he ever heard lol.

Do i have bad form and is it the reason why im struggling to hit hotkeys?

Does anyone have some useful tips for getting hotkey skills back on track? i really feel this is keeping me back from enjoying the game and thus progressing in it

IcyPringle

Canada210 Posts

November 13 2010 22:56 GMT

Ya I've never heard of anyone using their thumb. Maybe your trying to hard and moving to fast, I have very low apm but every action counts for me.

Lennon

United Kingdom2275 Posts

November 13 2010 22:56 GMT

I wouldn't use your thumb since it's imprecise.
Sounds like you've just got to play more until you hit the correct key 99% of the time.

sjschmidt93

United States2518 Posts

November 13 2010 22:56 GMT

I've never heard of that (using thumbs for those keys, that is)

I'm actually a super faster typer and have awful form. I only use 5 fingers (excluding thumbs for space bar) when playing/typing. Also, I only use left shift, never right shift.

I don't think it's a big deal. You need to do what feels right and not what others do. If you want to fix it you can try, but it's kind of like a batting stance or a free throw shot in prosports. It's what you think feels best.

KillerPlague

United States1386 Posts

November 13 2010 22:57 GMT

i think the only time i use my thumb is for the space bar, but i don't think missing hot keys is your problem. just continue working on the basics and you will improve. hotkey control comes later

NihiLStarcraft

Denmark1413 Posts

November 13 2010 22:58 GMT

I don't use my thumb for B and V either but I'm very certain I've seen Nada actually do this in SC2 (I think it was in of Artosis' videos from IEM Cologne).

PROJECTILE

United States226 Posts

November 13 2010 22:59 GMT

I use my thumb for 7-0 hotkeys. It's actually much more precise, since you don't actually change your hand position except to pivot your wrist. After a short time you learn to do it on feel so you don't have to look at what key you're pressing. I've become extremely fast at using all my hotkeys this way.

GHOSTCLAW

United States17042 Posts

November 13 2010 23:00 GMT

Daria

Australia500 Posts

November 13 2010 23:01 GMT

I only use my thumb for SpaceBar (shows recent events such as drops on your mineral line), but other than that my left hand does everything else

Two_DoWn

United States13684 Posts

November 13 2010 23:01 GMT

#10

I use my thumb for spacebar, other than that i just move my hand around quite a bit.

Meatt

United States98 Posts

November 13 2010 23:01 GMT

#11

not a great player here, but someone who's gone through the same thing recently. As unhelpful as this might sound, it was just practice for me. I used to actually look down at the keyboard way too often just so that i didn't miss a key. Try to pick a control group setup that's semi-logical(like not putting your cc/nexus/hatch on 1) and stick to it, don't change. For even just one day, focus on the "eyes" in your fingers, and get used to the spacings that you need to be jumping around on, and make sure you can get back to your main c-group number after a B or N or 0 or something. meh, hope this helps a bit. practice, and stick to a setup.

cHaNg-sTa

United States1058 Posts

November 13 2010 23:02 GMT

#12

Well, I use my thumb for space bar. That's about it though. You don't really need it otherwise. Just give it more practice

Pharax

Canada62 Posts

November 13 2010 23:02 GMT

#13

I use grid setup and use my left thumb for c, x and sometimes z. Pretty useful when your other fingers are closer to the qwert and 1234 keys.

Zestypasta

United States61 Posts

November 13 2010 23:02 GMT

#14

Lol finally someone understands! haha. Yea I use my thumb too. It actually works better imo because I only use my left thumb for letters while i use my right for spacebar exclusively. So instead of having one useless thumb, they are both doing something.
I don't have any problems with hotkeys. In fact, that is kind of my forte in starcraft haha.

take pride in your thumb imo.
Just practice.

TheRabidDeer

United States3806 Posts

November 13 2010 23:03 GMT

#15

im a lefty, but i use my thumb for control and space bar

BenKen

United States860 Posts

November 13 2010 23:03 GMT

#16

I use my thumb, but I play Nazgul style: left hand on mouse, right hand on keyboard.

ktp

United States797 Posts

November 13 2010 23:03 GMT

#17

I use my thumb for C/V/B/Spacebar. I think its totally ok.

b0lt

United States790 Posts

November 13 2010 23:04 GMT

#18

???

How do you guys not use your thumbs for hotkeys? It's probably my second used finger for hotkeys.

1a2a3a, hold position, 55v66v etc for queen injection, vi/u for infestor pit/ultra cavern, and probably more stuff I can't think of

Comeh

United States18919 Posts

November 13 2010 23:08 GMT

#19

My main concern with using my thumb would be straining my arm - it feels uncomfortable and unnatural to use my thumb on anything but the spacebar.

Roblin

Sweden948 Posts

November 13 2010 23:09 GMT

#20

started in silver, climbed my way to platinum, have 65 average APM and was born with no left hand.

no, I do not use the thumb on the keyboard hand, I don't have one!

as a matter of fact, I use a total of 2 hotkeys, other than (1) for hatcheries and (a) for a-move, I'm a clicker, sad truth, doing my best to use (v) for inject larvae, I'll do my best to keep getting better, wish me luck