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I know there was another thread on this, but that was more or less just a bunch of players sharing their hotkey system.
I've been having problems with my hotkey system lately, and so I'm trying to find a good way to revise it.
I hotkey my main nexus to 0, then my scout to 9. This way I can switch between the two without moving my whole hand (a lot of players use 1/2 for their scout).
I then use 5-8 for my first few gates, and I used to use 9 for my robo as it's right next to o for obs, but I'm finding that it's more important to hotkey my nat nexus to 9 so I can keep probe production up.
Later on, I end up overwriting my gate hotkeys with units, as the way I hotkey units results in me having many groups not totally full. I think it's more important to have a good unit spread across the middle of the map than to have full groups to save on hotkeys. This results in me not being able to double-tap a hotkey to go back to my gates, not to mention rallying lots of gates late game when I'm adding my 10th+ gates and need to rally them all somewhere I run out of hotkeys to use.
So, I've gotten so frustrated trying to figure out a new system on my own, so I'm looking for some input.
Do I need to hotkey my robo? Should I hotkey my first three nexuses (sp.?)? Or is hotkeying my first two just fine?
Any suggestions at all would be really helpful.
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I like to hotkey my robo for PvP and in some PvT games, but not for PvZ.
I like to hotkey all my nexus if I'm going to make a lot of probes, but otherwise I only hotkey 1 or 2 of them.
When I need to mass rally, I usually just use hotkeys temporarily. For example, with 5 free hotkeys and 12 gateways, I'll hotkey 5 gates, rally, hotkey another 5 gates, rally, hotkey last 2 gates, rally.
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So do you overwrite other hotkeyed units and buildings, mass rally, and then re-hotkey the other things? Or do you really have that many hotkeys free during the game?  I think I use almost all of my hotkeys.
I'm going to start trying to use shift+F2-4 for gate clusters.
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0 Main Nexus
5 Scouting Probe
Later....
1-3 Goons
4~5 Templars
9~0 Two Nexuses I feel ``needs attention``
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i would advise you to build your robo next to your nexus, so you can double hit your nexus and easily build an observer. (i could be mistaken, but for me it works quite well). In lategame i like to to use all my hotkeys for units (except 2-3 nexus, depends) with execption of only one which is hotkeyed to a pylon or a gate because i always try to have as many gates as possible on one screen in order to save time. due to his fact i always try to build one centre pylon which works quite well for me
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Here is my suggested hotkey system for protoss:
Beginning Game - Mid game
During this stage, the most important thing is for you to get warmed up. 0 for nexus is good, but I suggest you fill ALL of your blank hotkeys with nexus, just to get started. A few professional gamers used this system; I know Midas[gm] had. Now, when you send your probe out to build / scout, I suggest you hotkey probe to a "far" hotkey such as 1 or 2. The reason for this is to get a feel for moving your hand around the keyboard which I find necessary for later game. also, if you use a separate probe for building instead of sending it to scout (I.E. scouter after 8), then hotkey THAT builder probe to 3 or 4, just so it's easier to switch screens. hotkey gateway wherever you feel you'll start using buildings. I personally use 4-8 because I use 1-3 for units and important observers. The choice is up to you, but make sure you use a hotkey that will NOT interfere with units (I.E. hotkey a gateway to 2 while using 1 and 3 for units). Also, I recommend using 9 and 0 for nexus because it's CRUCIAL to keep a constant probe production early game and switch screens to send workers to mine. Later when you get a robotics, replace 0 with robotics, because I find it's also necessary to make observers at a constant rate.
Summary of Early/Mid game hotkeys: Separate your units and buildings wisely. Example: 1-3 units, 4-8 gates, 9 nexus 0 nexus, switch 0 robotics.
Late Game
At this point, you'll need more hotkeys for units. Most likely, you'll have slots 1-4 or 1-5 for the necessary control of mass units. Make sure, however, that you separate wireframes according to units. Sometimes, it's ok like mixing goons with temps, or if you're at that stage where you're fighting your opponent at a rapid pace playing micro/macro wars. ideally, you wanna keep your zeals / obs separate from goons / temps however. One exception I find to this rule is playing against a vulture-harass opponent where you'll need to use an obs with your goons occasionally and quickly. Do not neglect to macro too, though! I'd use whatever spare hotkey down to 0 for gateways for quick 6z7d8z9d0z etc..
Summary of Late game hotkeys: Remember, unit management becomes important, but macro is as well!. Example. 1 Goon/temp 2 goon 3 goon 4 zeal 5 zeal 6-0 gateways.
EDIT: this is more geared towards PvT.
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United States20667 Posts
When I play protoss I copy Reach's hotkeys. They might seem really strange, but they work fairly well. They're pretty common, I guess.
He puts his nex on 890, and uses most of his hotkeys for gateways. Army is partly mouse controlled - emphasis on macro.
I think the majority of progamers prefer hotkeying production buildings over hotkeying entire army lategame, and instead rely on their superior mouse speed and accuracy to control their armies.
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GrandInquisitor
New York City13113 Posts
protoss players use hotkeys?
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i used to do 0 nexus 1234 units 567 gates and then 9 as my scout which later becomes second nexus and 8 as 3rd nexus or scout when i do double nex, but its a really inferior setup
try
starting:
12 units 3 scout 4 nex 567890 gateways (who really needs to hotkey anything else)
then later 123 units 4 nex and f2 - f4 for other nexuses 567890 gateways
then in late game 1234 units 567890 gateways, heck maybe even 12345 units, but with so many gateways hotkeyed you should be focusing alot more on fighting and thus being maxed all the time wont be as likely
when i use a shuttle i like to hotkey it to 3 or 4
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On March 17 2007 15:10 ilovezil wrote:
Here is my suggested hotkey system for protoss:
Beginning Game - Mid game
During this stage, the most important thing is for you to get warmed up. 0 for nexus is good, but I suggest you fill ALL of your blank hotkeys with nexus, just to get started. A few professional gamers used this system; I know Midas[gm] had. Now, when you send your probe out to build / scout, I suggest you hotkey probe to a "far" hotkey such as 1 or 2. The reason for this is to get a feel for moving your hand around the keyboard which I find necessary for later game. also, if you use a separate probe for building instead of sending it to scout (I.E. scouter after 8), then hotkey THAT builder probe to 3 or 4, just so it's easier to switch screens. hotkey gateway wherever you feel you'll start using buildings. I personally use 4-8 because I use 1-3 for units and important observers. The choice is up to you, but make sure you use a hotkey that will NOT interfere with units (I.E. hotkey a gateway to 2 while using 1 and 3 for units). Also, I recommend using 9 and 0 for nexus because it's CRUCIAL to keep a constant probe production early game and switch screens to send workers to mine. Later when you get a robotics, replace 0 with robotics, because I find it's also necessary to make observers at a constant rate.
Summary of Early/Mid game hotkeys: Separate your units and buildings wisely. Example: 1-3 units, 4-8 gates, 9 nexus 0 nexus, switch 0 robotics.
Late Game
At this point, you'll need more hotkeys for units. Most likely, you'll have slots 1-4 or 1-5 for the necessary control of mass units. Make sure, however, that you separate wireframes according to units. Sometimes, it's ok like mixing goons with temps, or if you're at that stage where you're fighting your opponent at a rapid pace playing micro/macro wars. ideally, you wanna keep your zeals / obs separate from goons / temps however. One exception I find to this rule is playing against a vulture-harass opponent where you'll need to use an obs with your goons occasionally and quickly. Do not neglect to macro too, though! I'd use whatever spare hotkey down to 0 for gateways for quick 6z7d8z9d0z etc..
Summary of Late game hotkeys: Remember, unit management becomes important, but macro is as well!. Example. 1 Goon/temp 2 goon 3 goon 4 zeal 5 zeal 6-0 gateways.
EDIT: this is more geared towards PvT. I like your ideas, but I have to ask: why do you hotkey everything to your nexus? I saw Artosis do this at the NH LAN and I meant to ask him why he does it before I left.
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GrandInquisitor
New York City13113 Posts
i hotkey 8 9 0 to initial nexus just cause if i miss 0 i still hit 9, which is hotkeyed to the same thing
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On March 17 2007 18:18 rpf wrote:Show nested quote +On March 17 2007 15:10 ilovezil wrote:
Here is my suggested hotkey system for protoss:
Beginning Game - Mid game
During this stage, the most important thing is for you to get warmed up. 0 for nexus is good, but I suggest you fill ALL of your blank hotkeys with nexus, just to get started. A few professional gamers used this system; I know Midas[gm] had. Now, when you send your probe out to build / scout, I suggest you hotkey probe to a "far" hotkey such as 1 or 2. The reason for this is to get a feel for moving your hand around the keyboard which I find necessary for later game. also, if you use a separate probe for building instead of sending it to scout (I.E. scouter after 8), then hotkey THAT builder probe to 3 or 4, just so it's easier to switch screens. hotkey gateway wherever you feel you'll start using buildings. I personally use 4-8 because I use 1-3 for units and important observers. The choice is up to you, but make sure you use a hotkey that will NOT interfere with units (I.E. hotkey a gateway to 2 while using 1 and 3 for units). Also, I recommend using 9 and 0 for nexus because it's CRUCIAL to keep a constant probe production early game and switch screens to send workers to mine. Later when you get a robotics, replace 0 with robotics, because I find it's also necessary to make observers at a constant rate.
Summary of Early/Mid game hotkeys: Separate your units and buildings wisely. Example: 1-3 units, 4-8 gates, 9 nexus 0 nexus, switch 0 robotics.
Late Game
At this point, you'll need more hotkeys for units. Most likely, you'll have slots 1-4 or 1-5 for the necessary control of mass units. Make sure, however, that you separate wireframes according to units. Sometimes, it's ok like mixing goons with temps, or if you're at that stage where you're fighting your opponent at a rapid pace playing micro/macro wars. ideally, you wanna keep your zeals / obs separate from goons / temps however. One exception I find to this rule is playing against a vulture-harass opponent where you'll need to use an obs with your goons occasionally and quickly. Do not neglect to macro too, though! I'd use whatever spare hotkey down to 0 for gateways for quick 6z7d8z9d0z etc..
Summary of Late game hotkeys: Remember, unit management becomes important, but macro is as well!. Example. 1 Goon/temp 2 goon 3 goon 4 zeal 5 zeal 6-0 gateways.
EDIT: this is more geared towards PvT. I like your ideas, but I have to ask: why do you hotkey everything to your nexus? I saw Artosis do this at the NH LAN and I meant to ask him why he does it before I left.
I consider the reason simple. My reasoning is because this way, even your spare hotkeys will be used for something, and something is always better than nothing. Also, when you're hotkeying other stuff, you'll still have many spare hotkeys around so you can instantly go back to nexus (which is crucial early - mid game). All in all, it's simply better to have SOMETHING on your hotkeys than nothing.
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I thought I was the only one who ran my finger across my keyboard to set nexus to everything at the start of the game ;; Anyway, I almost never hotkey my gateways, only at the beginning of the game.
Early game
1 scout probe(later first goon/zealot)
2-3 gates
4-0 nexus
Mid game
1-3 units
4 gateway
5 first nexus
6 2nd expo nexus
7 first expo nexus (I know its kind of weird but I have always done it this way ^^;
8 shuttle
9 robotics facility
0 one observer (This one is outside the choke of opponents base)
In PvT, I keep one ob in my first hotkey, which is all goons, and my other hotkeys are mixed.
Late game
1-4 units
5 special units (This is where I keep arbiters, DAs, HTs, etc.)
6 natural expo nexus (Where most of my troops are rallied)
7 last expo I took
8 shuttle
9 robotics facility
0 observer
The only F key I use is F3 for my gateways. The main downfall to my hotkeys is that I can't macro via the keyboard, but that isn't much of a big deal since I'm used to just hitting F3 anyway in the middle of battle Tt;;
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0 nexi
1 scouter
678 gateway
1 2 3 army
4 sair / temp
5 ob / dt
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My hotkeys consist of
Early Game
3/0nexus
2pylon
1scout probe
4-8 gateway
Mid Game
1-4 units, 4 usually obs or shuttle
5-8 gateways
0/9 nexus
Late Game
1-5 units
6/7/8 each a clump of gateways
0/9 nexus
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thedeadhaji
39489 Posts
I copied bisu so i have 5 as observer now pretty much no matter what. It gets weird though when units overflow to 6 --;;
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Russian Federation4235 Posts
Mass rally technique I use - location hotkey for gates + location hotkey for rally point (usually f2 and f4). Then f2 - click gate - f4 - right click, repeat.
The rest of hotkeys:
0-8 first three nexii, 9 and 8 used for scouting and proxying probe respectively and the beginning.
1-2 units
3 shuttle
4-5 initial gateways
late game 1-5 troops, 6 shuttles.
7 - the monster unused hotkey.
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On March 17 2007 15:01 rpf wrote:
So do you overwrite other hotkeyed units and buildings, mass rally, and then re-hotkey the other things? Or do you really have that many hotkeys free during the game?
By the time I have 12 gates, I'm only concerned with keeping my units hotkeyed. It's unlikely that I'll have to "mass probe" anymore, so I don't need 3 nexus hotkeys. And I don't need a robotics hotkeyed, since I should have shuttle/obs out already, and I'd only go back to my robo on a special occassion. So it's pretty easy for me to have many hotkeys free for mass rallying like this. The only tricky part is when I have my units as 34567 or so, and then I have to hotkey the gates as 12890
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MyLostTemple
United States2921 Posts
anyone who put hotkeys for nexus as 1-3 is a newb.
ALWAYS hotkey your nexus as 0-9 and robo bay as 8 or 7. just look at your hands when you play. it makes NO sense to hotkey your nexus as 1 becuase of the distance required for your fingers to travel from 1 to the 'p' key on the keyboard.
hotkey gateways 4-7 becuase your pinky can then easily hit the 'z' and 'd' key while traveling back to the number keys on the top.
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hmm i copied rA's hotkeys and they seem most simple to me. reach constantly overwrites his hotkeys to whatever he's focusing on at the moment which is slightly overwhelming for me. Anyways 0 for nex, 9 for nat nex, 123 for units, 4-8 for gateways. location hotkeys are also very helpful in keeping track of large amounts of gateways. Lategame I overwrite 0 and 9 for gates and depending on the amount of units i have, 4-5 for extra units.
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EPT
