idea for pb4...

[TheJamsh]

The problem of limited groups always limits gameplay and its probably something we could all do with changing, so heres my idea...
it IS a little sketchy and probably needs thinking over but voila:
firstly, you have the standard 10 groups:

[===][===][===][===][===][===][===][===][===][===]
   F1    F2     F3     F4    F5     F6    F7     F8     F9   F10

when you select a group, another lines from F1-F10 appears below it like so:

[===][===][===][===][===][===][===][===][===][===]
   F1    F2     F3     F4    F5     F6    F7     F8     F9   F10

[===][===][===][===]
F1-1 F2-2  F3-3  F4-4

obviously if you select one of these groups you will have problems with one key trying to activate two different menus. so something would have o be figured out...

another idea was so that you could select all the original groups as you can now, and the subgtroups will appear like this:

[===][===][===][===][===][===][===][===][===][===]         MASTER
   F1    F2     F3     F4    F5     F6    F7     F8     F9   F10

[===][===][===][===][===][===][===][===][===][===]         F1
   F1    F2     F3     F4    F5     F6    F7     F8     F9   F10

[===][===][===][===][===][===][===][===][===][===]         F2
   F1    F2     F3     F4    F5     F6    F7     F8     F9   F10

[===][===][===][===][===][===][===][===][===][===]         F3
   F1    F2     F3     F4    F5     F6    F7     F8     F9   F10


etc...

then if you move the reticle into the area where the sub-groups are, you can click on them and therefore move units around...

its a little difficult and sorry this post is so long... its just an idea i had if maybe you were looking for something to fix that

[Nielk1]

Hate to tell you but adding F slots under F slots would take a massive bit of recoding.
Also, with the unit limit in multiplayer already defaulted to 30, that many crafts would be catestrophic to the engine.

Don't worry about the limit of "there can only be this type of unit here", that was taken care of, so you CAN have 99 units + a bomber now (I think)...

[Zero Angel]

As far as the unit limit complaint. Simply use 'unit limit' for that. Mods which use special units like specialized constructors, support vehicles, etc will max out the amount of available slots rather quickly, even if there arent very many of that unit on a single slot. Just try commanding an MPI and juggling constructors, turrets, scavs, trucks, and combat vehicles, not to mention the slots your wingmen take up.

The sanest way to carry it out though, would be to use two control groups, and use F11 and F12 to switch between them. Too bad its probably ridiculously difficult to implement such a fundamental change at this point.

[bigbadbogie]

wtf-that came out of the dark!!

i have always been happy with the bz2 unit slots. you think they are bad then you should try bz1!!

[Red Devil]

Let's see, there can be, what, 10...14 players in a session now (5..7 on each team).  Something like that.  And each player can have 10 slots with 10 units in each slot, which would make for, I don't know, a bunch.

[General BlackDragon]

A maxtotal of 1400 units all together? not including gun towers...hmm

[TheJamsh]

lol, well yeh i guess so, but could be fun in instant missions...

i duno seemed a common complaint. the two ctrl groups seems like a good idea

[Steeveeo]

I would just like it if f11 and f12 were usable groups and move the players out of the group bar (say, to the numpad keys), because if you have open slots for people to join, but nobody does, you're limited by that many slots, and nowhere to put the extra units.

[Nielk1]

Oddly, if you set the game to 3 players, then in game change it to 2, the F9 slot is still unsuable.
Also, if you have 2 players set and in game set it to 3, the F9 slot will be built into by a factory and then both the player and AI F9 slightly overlap and it is a real pain slelecting either one since sometimes both select and sometimes only one does.

Follwoing that idea, if you make a game with 1 player allowed, start it, then change it to wahtever you want, and have the Team slots mapped to other keys, you can do just as you said since you will ahve the F8,9,10 slots fiullable by AI units and the equiv slots for Humans would be mapped otherwise.

Actuly, this should realy be looked into! I see no reason why the cause for this odd glitch can't be adapted to always be as I just said, just migrating the player slots to other keys (and changing the overhead txt to match that other text. You CAN bind them to other keys (at least last time I checked).

[Zero Angel]

I would just like it if f11 and f12 were usable groups and move the players out of the group bar (say, to the numpad keys), because if you have open slots for people to join, but nobody does, you're limited by that many slots, and nowhere to put the extra units.

I believe GSH rejected this out of hand because 12 groups would crowd the interface too much (ie: the remaining groups would not all fit on the screen at the resolution of 640x, which is one of the things he was trying to ensure would be allowed)

[Killer AK]

A couple other idea's are in server options you instead of setting it 1&2 vs 3&4
you make it  1 VS 2&3&4. One guy vs 3 guys.

[mrtwosheds]

And mod makers, the units basename is what determines if units can be grouped together, give different units the same basename and they can join that group, so you could group your lighttanks and tanks together, all your different assault/rockettanks/ walkers etc if you wanted to. this would maximise the number of different units you can build.

[Nielk1]

A couple other idea's are in server options you instead of setting it 1&2 vs 3&4
you make it  1 VS 2&3&4. One guy vs 3 guys.

That would be a DLL thing.

[Killer AK]

Being able to ungroup would definately help cause sometimes i have a whole group and one damaged tank inside that group i'd like to be able to ungroup him so i can send him for repairs while being able to attack another object.
ALSO Im finding the bomber bombing the pools okay but it's getting exhausting rebuilding the rocket spires  in mpi all the time. My hands hurt and im finding mpi is unfun while fighting the ISDF cause the spires are always getting bombed.
MPI is easy but as a player im not industructable cause im getting exhausted just trying to rebuild rebuild rebuild spires to try to defend my extractors.

[Zero Angel]

It *is* possible to separate one unit out of a group and put him in a differnt group. You have to [ctrl]-select the group -- release ctrl and select the unit out of the group -- hold [ctrl] and press the F# of the group you want to put the unit in.