Suggestion: Alt+N on building for auto group binding

So it takes a lot of control catching all new spawned units and binding them to their control groups, especially in late game when it is a permanent combat. Sometimes you can’t enjoy battle itself and it feels like you are playing piano, not Warcraft.

EDIT: Case described in post below: Suggestion: Alt+N on building for auto group binding - #7 by Freelancer-21278

There is a suggestion, that it could be a setting (somewhere near key bindings I guess), where one can pre-set control group like: ''Footmen —> [1]; Rifleman —> [2], …". And probably a quick window to change that during the game.
It has an advantage, that one can specify exact unit type to the group, but in downsides — warcraft is very dynamic game, and you often have to adapt unit composition. Also new piece of interface is always a big work.
(For me It’ll be nice to use that feature for Structures, like " Town Hall —> [5], Altar —> [0], …", when you can simply override it during game with regular “Ctrl+N”… it’ll be a nice slight QoL improvement, but it’s not a big pain.)
Probably it could be implemented one day, I’ll be glad, but, anyway, this feature does not conflict with next suggestion, that will improve QoL greatly and easy to implement.

Suggestion:
Select production structure(s), Alt+N to auto bind all new units to group N.
It does not require interface, it’s easy to use during game, easy to implement.
However there is also a downside — you cant “Footmen —> [1]; Rifleman —> [2]”, you can only — “Selected structure(s) —> [1]”. But, we have single Rally Point for all units from one structure and ok with that. If needed — we just replace it. So we can rebind as well.

For sure, it’s not so simple as just “Alt+N”:

  1. When we “Ctrl+N” to group — then we also select something else, and press that groups’ “N” to make sure you haven’t miss the key, etc.
    So in case of structure binding we also have to be able to make sure “Alt+N” gone right. First idea comes to mind — select something else, and “Alt+N” again to select structures that producing to group “N”. But in case if that “something else” is an another structure — it’ll rebind, so it’s not a solution.
    Unfortunately, I don’t see any better than “Alt+Shift+N” to select all buildings that produces to group N. (If you have a better idea please share).
  2. Also, there probably should be an ability to cancel auto group bindings.
    I see it like that: “Alt+Shift+N” to select structures, then “Alt+Esc” to cancel auto group binding.
  3. (If there is a regular unit(s) in selection, and you “Alt+N” — they probably could stay, it’s safe — they do not have trigger “unit spawned”. They can summon, but it’s still not a production. Obsidian Statue do have “produced trigger”, probably it could work for it then.)
  4. (Another specific case I guess also could be ignored — when u have some units in several groups. Its rare and can be managed manyally.)

So, I’d be extremely glad with that feature, probably then WC3 would be way more relaxing
Please tell if I missed something
Thx

this is just unnecessary clutter. what about pressing ctrl and shift to add to group?

3 Likes

I don’t think any of this is necessary and ironically it would be more difficult for newer or lower level players to utilize the feature. At best this would be something that isn’t used at all because manually creating control groups fits every situation you’re in vs. pre-set control groups only work in the situations you plan ahead for.

I sympathize with this because this is how I felt like playing Starcraft 2. But I don’t feel it’s like that so much here. Just keep playing and you will go from feeling like you’re playing the piano to being a grizzled commander.

I can see what you’re going for here but it frankly seems more complicated than what we have now and probably only benefits pros.

Honestly guys I can’t get what you consider complex/difficult.
One can once build Barracks, press Alt+1, and be sure all units will be in group 1. And forget about grouping till mid game.
Is it more difficult than permanently searching spawned units, selecting them, binding them during at least mid game?
Even if it’s hard, one can not use it, lots of novice do not know grouping feature exists

This is in itself problematic, automatically filling your control groups like this is very inflexible unless you’re planning on death balling. Automation in a lot of cases does the exact opposite of what someone would hope it does. It’s partially why games like Stormgate and Battle Aces are having issues; Your mental load increases where the automation stops, and you need to be aware of macro actions to know where you “are” in terms of managing your army.

It would be worse than where things are now if you have to keep fixing your control groups because you didn’t make the right mix of units to fit in a control group of 12 in the way you perfectly wanted because your opponent was more aggressive than you expected or when you need to make different units to take advantage of an opening. You want to make control groups from your front line and backline, else you’ll chronically be putting vulnerable units where they shouldn’t be.

2 Likes

Common case:

1v1, late game, both have 3 gold mines, 80-100 limit, permanent battle.
I have Warden, Pitlord, Naga + few Giants, few Bears, few Dryads, Fairy Dragon, Chimeras, Hypogryphs.
They die and new are coming from 2 AoLs, 2 Chimeras Nests, and at least 1 AoWind.
I want lets say Pitlord, Naga, ground units and Chimeras in group 1, Hypogryphs in group 2. Only 2 groups, not a big deal. Warden controled separatly via F1.

So, its a constant battle.
Only two of listed type of units (Chimeras, Hypogryphs) do not have active spells to use, but they must focus someone.
So, I am totally in battle.
So:

  1. Have no time to click on minimap searching newly spawned units to “Shift+N” them. Looking at battle, there is also no way to figure out what units are bound, and who are newly arrived to Shift+N them (even if it was, there would be lots of them, they are coming from 5 production buildings).
  2. Also, since there is Warden, in that stage Avatar and her Spirits are also in the mess. Probably Doom Guard also.
    Probably some wisps. So I could not just “wrap with selection”, it would capture lots of units I do not need in any group.

And what do I do (during battle, looking at that messy battle):

  1. Double click on Hypogryphs; Shift+2. (Probably also move them a little so they don’t get in the way).
  2. Shift + double click (or + Ctrl) on each unit of a type (5) + 2 heroes; Shift+1.
    (Those who did not get into the group (12 limit) — set to just follow someone, lets say Pitlord).
    So its at least 16 tiny actions just to rebind. During battle.
    (I hope there is no argue why rebind is needed. In case it is — to be able to focus target, and it’s more progmatic to naviagete units needed special control, e.g. Bear and use Rejuv when its in a controul group, rather searching them in mess under air-units.)

But I want to battle when I am battling.
So it’s always the biggest pain for me.
Would not it be awesome to just once Alt+1 on AoLs and Nests and Alt+2 on AoW(s)?
Mb I don’t get something?
And I can’t call myself a newbie, here in BN me Veteran, 4k+mmr, few dozen victories over losses :confused:

In 2004 a game called Armies of Exigo was released and it had a solution to large unit selection, it was called Super Groups.

You can map your control groups like say Ctrl+1234 to one super group which would select all 4 groups to give out basic commands, the usual move and attack and such.

In that game you could group your numbers from 1 all the way to 9 (and also 0 for 10) to different super groups and the game used to F keys to make it doable, so your F12345678 would have to come into play.

I suggested this idea to Blizz long ago, they never truly listened.

Now I solve that like “Set all groups follow someone fat, and move that fat”) or it would be 1+click, 2+click, 3+click each time direction changed. Probably it would be nice, however here I’m about difficulties composing “1st lvl group”.

About Super Groups, and 12 units per group limit in general, as I understand, there is a technical problem — in times W3 was written it was very CPU expensive to make move more than 12 units, since they should get their optimal path and not get confused with each other. (Google: pathfinding). So, for mega group, or 12+ limit in current algorithm it could be only “pseudo simultaneous” movement, like command was done separately for each group (like we do it now but manually) and there will be no guarantee that they will not collide on each path (that we often get managing big armies).