Recruiting Units

charlieg · Post by **charlieg** » March 18th, 2004, 8:13 pm

At the moment, recruiting and recalling units can be a laborious process, especially with a lengthy list.

You have to:

right-click
select 'recruit' or 'recall'
(maybe) scroll to the particular unit
select the unit
press 'ok'

4 definite steps, which doesn't sound like much. But for 6 units that becomes 24 steps. For 12 units, 48 steps... the start of a big battle can be quite unfun.

It would be much better if you could simply select your units during one dialogue phase.

For recruiting: click to increment and right-click to decrement the number of a particular unit you wish to recruit - with that number displayed by the unit - and select 'ok' to finalise the recruiting.

For recalling: click to select and click again to deselect a unit, pressing 'ok' to finalise.

That way, what was before a 24-step process becomes a 9-step process. Whereas before it was 4n [irrespective of terms] - with n being the number of steps - it becomes 3 + n [per turn].

Post by **turin** » March 18th, 2004, 8:19 pm

most skilled players want to specify exactly where their units go. this is why suggestions of this nature have usually not been taken. i think that it is fine how it is; most scenarios only require 12 units total, making 24 total steps. others might find it annoying, but i do not.
also, note that control-R opens the recruit window and alt-R opens the recall window, reducing the number of steps per unit from 4 to 3. and enter recruits/recalls the selected unit. this makes it much easier to do, because most of the steps can be done with the keyboard. i find that it takes me about a minute to recruit/recall on later levels (which take the longest), and most of that time is spent deciding what to recruit/recall.
basically, i see no need for this feature, and i think it would hurt the gameplay of many players.

Lithorien · Post by **Lithorien** » March 18th, 2004, 8:38 pm

I agree with the above statement. I love being able to select *exactly* where I want to recall my units. Though a good idea, it's not quite practical in my mind.

Post by **freim** » March 18th, 2004, 8:53 pm

I don't see anything that would suggest that it wouldn't be possible to place the units where you want after having selected them as charlieg proposed.

charlieg · Post by **charlieg** » March 18th, 2004, 9:06 pm

Ok, why not make it so that the dialogue is placed to the side of the castle (moving the view if necessary), and that units are placed as you select them. If you don't like the placing, deselect and reselect in order. Make the units semi-transparent (to differentiate between them and units that are already there) until you finalise your selection.

Post by **turin** » March 18th, 2004, 9:12 pm

i prefer it how it normally is, and i do not think it takes too much effort.

that being said, i think you will have to convince me to use this idea, not other way round. i see no advantage to this new method, i see some disadvantages (that are hard to explain), and i see no real reason to change.

charlieg · Post by **charlieg** » March 18th, 2004, 9:16 pm

turin wrote:i prefer it how it normally is, and i do not think it takes too much effort.

that being said, i think you will have to convince me to use this idea, not other way round. i see no advantage to this new method, i see some disadvantages (that are hard to explain), and i see no real reason to change.

So you don't find having to right click, select the menu option, select the unit, press ok, then right click, select the menu option, select the unit, press ok, then right click, select the menu option, select the unit, press ok, then right click, select the menu option, select the unit, press ok, then right click, select the menu option, select the unit, press ok, then right click, select the menu option, select the unit, press ok, just to select 6 units to be a bit tiresome?

I find myself lamenting the recruitment/recalling process every time I start a new map. It's not until I get into the battles that I start to really enjoy it.

charlieg · Post by **charlieg** » March 18th, 2004, 9:17 pm

turin wrote:most scenarios only require 12 units total, making 24 total steps.

That's 48 steps mister.

miyo · Post by **miyo** » March 18th, 2004, 9:25 pm

Use HotKeys:

* ctrl-r to recruit
* ctrl-shift-r to repeat last recruit
* alt-r for recall

- Miyo

Post by **turin** » March 18th, 2004, 9:31 pm

charlieg wrote:
turin wrote:most scenarios only require 12 units total, making 24 total steps.
That's 48 steps mister.

if you had read my post, you would have realized that hotkeys such as control-R significantly reduces the time takes. these are the steps i count:

[1] control-R
[2] select unit
[3] hit enter
with [3] taking so little effort it barely counts. now where did that 48 come from?

charlieg · Post by **charlieg** » March 18th, 2004, 9:34 pm

What if my hand is surgically attached to the mouse?

Also, note that my suggestion doesn't affect your way of recruiting which would still function the same. It just gives a more convenient method for recruiting multiple units at the same time.

Post by **turin** » March 18th, 2004, 9:37 pm

well, this new method would make it so new players would be handicapped, and might never learn how to use 'my' method.

anyway, i think this discussion is more suited to the 'ideas' forum. why doesn't a mod move it there?

Post by **Dave** » March 18th, 2004, 11:56 pm

charlieg wrote: I find myself lamenting the recruitment/recalling process every time I start a new map. It's not until I get into the battles that I start to really enjoy it.

I concur, for scenarios beyond the first six or so, anyhow.

It's like "oh boy....who am I going to recall?"

Sadly, I can't think of a way to make it better that doesn't require lots of work.

I guess it's time to do lots of work

David

Post by **turin** » March 19th, 2004, 1:32 pm

I actually enjoy the recruit/recall process, because it requires a lot of thinking. often i have so many advanced units i need to decide exactly what traits they get, and that takes time anyway, so i don't think attempting to save time is necessary.

Well, if dave wants to code it, i can't really stop it

lala · Post by **lala** » March 19th, 2004, 2:37 pm

an idea: for recall use a checkbox in front of each unit, for recruitement counters that can be set. Thus you can get multiple units in one time.