Interface Suggestions

[Rod]

This was actually originally posted under interface gripes a while back but never got a response and is quickly fading into oblivion. So here it is again. By the way they aren't really gripes.

BTS, I have another minor suggestion for the interface. Is it possible to lock out the Caps Lock button. Several times I accidently hit it while trying to hit tab or the shift. When It gets locked I end up turning off sound, trees ect when I'm trying to give orders. Nothing major but it takes a second to figure out whats going on. One thought would be to swap the shift with the ctrl button.

While I have your attention I'd also like to put in a request for a new feature on the interface. For the record I'm all for keeping the interface as simple as possible and yours is the best since Panzer General. This feature is actually from PG and addresses the problem of people losing track of units. I've played several games and have had that problem several times. In fact one time I totally spaced off some reinforcements for three turns. This was mainly because I was so engrossed in a flanking manuever I was trying to pull off. Anyway I would like to see some buttons (similar to PG) which basically do the same thing as the -/+ to cycle through units. These consist of a advance to next, advance to previous and an ignore button. The advance buttons would actually send you to the next or previous unit which hasn't been issued a new order or been ignored. Once you give an order to or ignore all units the advance to next unit button would get grayed out (or unhighlighted). Of course unlike PG you would still be able to go back and make changes to any unit.

I know you'll probably say just use the -/+ keys, but what usually happens is that I use them to get to a certain spot on the battlefield I then make changes to those units in that general area. Once I click on a different unit the selection cycle is then all screwed up. I then have to cycle through a bunch of units again until I find one I haven't moved yet. Call me lazy but I really am.

Well I would quit here but I just thought of another one. Could you possibly move the done button a little farther away from the <| | button. This only happened once but I accidentally hit it when trying to hit the <| | button.

Just like to say stick to yours guns. As far as I'm concerned you guys know whats best for CM. Great Game.

[Guest Big Time Software]

Hi Rod!

I'll pass on the suggestion about disabling the caplocks.

As for the orders thing, the BEST way to prevent problems like forgetting to issue orders is to use the Paths option. Just go to the Hotkeys menu and you will see something that says "Show All Movement Paths" Shift-P. It graphically shows you all the paths that are currently issued. Gives you a lot of usefull info, including what you are looking for.

Steve

[Guest John Maragoudakis]

Another gameplay addition to the interface would be adding ,along the side, buttons for each unit.When I click on that button, The screen centers on that unit and I could give orders to it.If you double click on the HQ, the order applies to the whole squad,(as though you gave the exact same order to every unit in the squad).No info is given about the squad though.This would be just a navigation tool.

This is not an OOB.Just a helpfull, fast way to navigate.(without having to pan with the arrows). If you want to introduce some confusion for reality's sake, units out of command would have no buttons.You would have to find them and click on them. This way you have more of a chance of 'forgetting' them.

[Boris Balaban]

Another example in TacOps you have an opption to hide (toggle in and out) the unit after an order is given or still to finish out like CM has "Show All Movement Paths".

Question? In the final release would we able to relable keys?