[Suggestion] Things I miss

[mzimmer74]

I'm using the beta version on Steam so should be fully up to date.  I do like the new energy bar.  Definitely helps.  There are a few things that I really find myself missing from CW3 so here's the list that I'll keep up to date as I think of others.  It's possible that I've missed how to do these, so if you have any suggestions I'd appreciate it.

1. Ctrl-A.  I really miss having the ability to select all of a certain type of ship on the map.  For example, maybe I want to select all omnis rather than try to select them individually.  I would envision this working by selecting one of the omnis (or any other ship) and hitting Ctrl-A to select all of them.

2. Rating a map.  I know that I can go back and find the map I played when done in order to rate it.  However, I'd love the ability to rate it as soon as I finish it so I don't have to go through the extra step of finding it again.

3. Best fit.  I don't know if this is even possible, but I'd love the ability to take a large group of ships and have them "fit" in the  area I'm trying to take them to.  The modes currently there are fine, but it would be nice to have something like "put every ship as close as possible to the point I'm trying to put them without any red ship outlines."  Not sure if that makes sense or not! :)

Anyway, just some suggestions.
Thanks.

[Karsten75]

3 incredibly good, useful suggestions.

I do hope they get some consideration. :)

[knucracker]

I could make a keyboard shortcut to select all omnis on a map (note that double clicking will select all nearby omnis), but it would be difficult to select other ships of the same 'type'.  Ships are individuals, even if they look the same and share the same name.  For instance, somebody could make a custom map with different looking ships and name them all "Rosebud".  Or someone could make a map with ships that all look the same and give them different names.

For rating a map, in the most recent beta you should return to the correct carousel panel after playing an exchange mission.  That in turn should have the rating control for the mission without having to go search for it.  In previous builds, you might not get put back on the correct panel because of some bugs.  If I've managed to fix these issues, the rating widget should be in your UI path as you exit a mission.  It isn't on the score page, but it should be visible right after you leave the mission.

For ship movement packing, the default movement mode does that (it puts them close together and doesn't try to maintain the original positions).  The problem, I think, is it doesn't a great job of it.  It uses bounding boxes for ships.  I need to improve that to use actual ship hull footprints.

[Karsten75]

I could make a keyboard shortcut to select all omnis on a map (note that double clicking will select all nearby omnis), but it would be difficult to select other ships of the same 'type'.  Ships are individuals, even if they look the same and share the same name.  For instance, somebody could make a custom map with different looking ships and name them all "Rosebud".  Or someone could make a map with ships that all look the same and give them different names.

The keyboard shortcut would be nice. Often-times I have to hunt over a map to find the Omnis.

As for ships, if the same shortcut could scan through the list of ships and find other ships with the same name, eg. "Lathe", "Tanker", etc., that would be great. I sometimes need to find similar ships to go on a mission and I have to hunt all over the map for them.

For rating a map, in the most recent beta you should return to the correct carousel panel after playing an exchange mission.  That in turn should have the rating control for the mission without having to go search for it.  In previous builds, you might not get put back on the correct panel because of some bugs.  If I've managed to fix these issues, the rating widget should be in your UI path as you exit a mission.  It isn't on the score page, but it should be visible right after you leave the mission.

Stepwise improvements. :)

For ship movement packing, the default movement mode does that (it puts them close together and doesn't try to maintain the original positions).  The problem, I think, is it doesn't a great job of it.  It uses bounding boxes for ships.  I need to improve that to use actual ship hull footprints.

It's just that too often, one or more "shadows" still show up red and those ships won't move. Then I have to scroll back to retrieve those. In a previous game, if ships couldn't be placed, then at least they still seem to remain collected and a subsequent placement move would place them. So either more latitude in how far from the cursor you'll place them, or keep those that couldn't find a spot selected?

[kwinse]

I sometimes need to find similar ships to go on a mission and I have to hunt all over the map for them.

You can click on the ship in the panel to select and instantly center the view on it.

[Lisimba]

The keyboard shortcut would be nice. Often-times I have to hunt over a map to find the Omnis.

As for ships, if the same shortcut could scan through the list of ships and find other ships with the same name, eg. "Lathe", "Tanker", etc., that would be great. I sometimes need to find similar ships to go on a mission and I have to hunt all over the map for them.

I'd like and use both of these suggestions.

Selecting all other ships with the same name will do the right thing in the majority of cases. If a mapmaker gives wildly different ships the same name that's already sloppy right now, and if that would break sane select-all-other functionality that'd be the mapmaker's fault, really.

It's just that too often, one or more "shadows" still show up red and those ships won't move. Then I have to scroll back to retrieve those. In a previous game, if ships couldn't be placed, then at least they still seem to remain collected and a subsequent placement move would place them. So either more latitude in how far from the cursor you'll place them, or keep those that couldn't find a spot selected?

I'd prefer keeping all ships that could not be placed selected, that way I can simply plop them down nearby myself.

[Builder17]

I could make a keyboard shortcut to select all omnis on a map (note that double clicking will select all nearby omnis), but it would be difficult to select other ships of the same 'type'.  Ships are individuals, even if they look the same and share the same name.  For instance, somebody could make a custom map with different looking ships and name them all "Rosebud".  Or someone could make a map with ships that all look the same and give them different names.

Maybe give every ship type UID (Also custom ships) and then use it to determine what ships are same type? 

[mzimmer74]

I could make a keyboard shortcut to select all omnis on a map (note that double clicking will select all nearby omnis), but it would be difficult to select other ships of the same 'type'.  Ships are individuals, even if they look the same and share the same name.  For instance, somebody could make a custom map with different looking ships and name them all "Rosebud".  Or someone could make a map with ships that all look the same and give them different names.

For rating a map, in the most recent beta you should return to the correct carousel panel after playing an exchange mission.  That in turn should have the rating control for the mission without having to go search for it.  In previous builds, you might not get put back on the correct panel because of some bugs.  If I've managed to fix these issues, the rating widget should be in your UI path as you exit a mission.  It isn't on the score page, but it should be visible right after you leave the mission.

For ship movement packing, the default movement mode does that (it puts them close together and doesn't try to maintain the original positions).  The problem, I think, is it doesn't a great job of it.  It uses bounding boxes for ships.  I need to improve that to use actual ship hull footprints.

Thanks for the response.  I think the suggestion of others to pick all ships of the same "name" would generally work well.  I'd think that would help with this in almost every situation except where people don't distinguish names.

The problem I have with the rating of the maps in that way is that I use filters on the maps.  I only show maps that I haven't finished yet.  Thus, when I go back to the carousel the map can't be selected because it is now hidden.  I know that I could show those maps, but then I have a lot more to flip through to find a new map to play.  It's not a huge deal, just more of an annoyance than anything.

[Karsten75]

I sometimes need to find similar ships to go on a mission and I have to hunt all over the map for them.

You can click on the ship in the panel to select and instantly center the view on it.

Try getting two ships to move together if you click on the ship panel to locate them.

[Lisimba]

The problem I have with the rating of the maps in that way is that I use filters on the maps.  I only show maps that I haven't finished yet.  Thus, when I go back to the carousel the map can't be selected because it is now hidden.  I know that I could show those maps, but then I have a lot more to flip through to find a new map to play.  It's not a huge deal, just more of an annoyance than anything.

I've gotten in the habit of putting the map's name in the "text" filter field once I choose one to play, before I start. Then when I finish it I just have to uncheck "not played" and the map is right there for me to rate. After that I clear the text field and turn "not played" back on. Clunky but at least I can easily rate maps.

[mzimmer74]

The problem I have with the rating of the maps in that way is that I use filters on the maps.  I only show maps that I haven't finished yet.  Thus, when I go back to the carousel the map can't be selected because it is now hidden.  I know that I could show those maps, but then I have a lot more to flip through to find a new map to play.  It's not a huge deal, just more of an annoyance than anything.

I've gotten in the habit of putting the map's name in the "text" filter field once I choose one to play, before I start. Then when I finish it I just have to uncheck "not played" and the map is right there for me to rate. After that I clear the text field and turn "not played" back on. Clunky but at least I can easily rate maps.

That would work but, as you say, it is clunky.  I'd much rather have the rating on the same screen as "submit time".  That would be much faster and much less clunky.