0016971: Selecting Units to Attack is cumbersome - Arcen Idea Tracker (Bugs and Features)

ID	Project	Category		Date Submitted	Last Update

0016971	Stars Beyond Reach	Gameplay Issue		Jun 1, 2015 7:42 am	Jun 3, 2015 10:37 pm

Reporter	Sounds	Assigned To	keith.lamothe
Severity	minor
Status	resolved	Resolution	fixed
Product Version	0.854
Fixed in Version	0.872 (Colonization and Exploration)

Summary	0016971: Selecting Units to Attack is cumbersome
Description	Not certain whether you'd class this as a gameplay or GUI issue, but the current mechanic used to attack units mechanic feels awkward. Having to select the target icon on the left-hand side of the screen, selecting type of attack option and then moving the mouse over to the unit to attack feels a very long process. Too much mouse movement and multiple clicks to do a simple attack become too much of a chore once the number attacks increases. Is it possible to have some form of mouse over/right click menu directly over the target? Attacking something should feel seamless and satisfying; at the moment I believe I'm subconsciously avoiding doing this to the detriment of my own success.
Tags	No tags attached.

Chris_McElligottPark Jun 1, 2015 9:05 am administrator ~0041513	Just left-click one of the buildings you want to have attack, and then you can attack targets as much as you like. Does that help? I never use the left sidebar; that's just there for people to not miss how to attack.

jerith Jun 1, 2015 3:08 pm reporter ~0041525	I usually use the build menu for getting to attack mode because I can't be bothered to find a suitable building on the ground to click on. I still want "kill them with helicopters!" and "kill them lasers!" keybindings, though. :-)

nas1m Jun 1, 2015 3:09 pm reporter ~0041526	"I still want "kill them with helicopters!" and "kill them lasers!" keybindings, though. :-)" +100!

Chris_McElligottPark Jun 1, 2015 3:33 pm administrator ~0041527	I definitely agree on the keybindings. Then again, I'm not in a hurry to add that sort of thing (from a beta standpoint) because most players who are new or not expert-style players will never use those. So forcing us to do without makes us invent a better non-keybinding way. And then when keybindings are out we'll all switch and use those instead. ;)

Chris_McElligottPark Jun 2, 2015 10:06 am administrator ~0041540	The design, for later: -- Left clicking an enemy building to open up the attack menu if you are not in attack mode at all (IF you have at least one attack mode available, of course). --- If you are in attack mode, but don’t have a specific building type selected, then left click an enemy building should run a quick check of all the types of attacks that you can do against that building and see which one gives the best result. It would then select that building type. --- “Best result” means, in order of ascending goodness: ---- Can damage it at all. ---- Can hit it without being intercepted by something. ---- Kills it. ---- Kills it with the least amount of energy expenditure possible. -- If there is nothing that meets that criteria, then it simply should open whatever attack building is first amongst your list of attacker buildings.

keith.lamothe Jun 3, 2015 10:37 pm administrator ~0041650	For 0.872: * If you're not in attack mode, and you have attack buildings, left clicking the building of another race will put you into attack mode (with no attack building type selected, yet). If you're already in attack mode, but don't have a specific attack type selected, the game will search through the available types of attack, preferring: * Can I damage the target at all? * Can I damage the target without being intercepted? * Can I kill the target? *** Can I kill the target using the least amount of energy? Thanks :)

Date Modified	Username	Field	Change
Jun 1, 2015 7:42 am	Sounds	New Issue
Jun 1, 2015 9:05 am	Chris_McElligottPark	Note Added: 0041513
Jun 1, 2015 9:05 am	Chris_McElligottPark	Assigned To	=> Chris_McElligottPark
Jun 1, 2015 9:05 am	Chris_McElligottPark	Status	new => feedback
Jun 1, 2015 3:08 pm	jerith	Note Added: 0041525
Jun 1, 2015 3:09 pm	nas1m	Note Added: 0041526
Jun 1, 2015 3:32 pm	jerith	Relationship added	related to 0016766
Jun 1, 2015 3:33 pm	Chris_McElligottPark	Note Added: 0041527
Jun 2, 2015 10:06 am	Chris_McElligottPark	Relationship added	related to 0016987
Jun 2, 2015 10:06 am	Chris_McElligottPark	Assigned To	Chris_McElligottPark => keith.lamothe
Jun 2, 2015 10:06 am	Chris_McElligottPark	Status	feedback => assigned
Jun 2, 2015 10:06 am	Chris_McElligottPark	Note Added: 0041540
Jun 3, 2015 10:37 pm	keith.lamothe	Note Added: 0041650
Jun 3, 2015 10:37 pm	keith.lamothe	Status	assigned => resolved
Jun 3, 2015 10:37 pm	keith.lamothe	Fixed in Version	=> 0.872 (Colonization and Exploration)
Jun 3, 2015 10:37 pm	keith.lamothe	Resolution	open => fixed