UI shortcuts

[Poptoad]

The ship re-design thread, here (http://www.ina-community.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=375262), talked about some UI shortcuts, and there some people thought that a thread dedicated to these kind of shortcuts would be a good one. I agree.

Here were the two mentioned in that thread:


(from Sternum, on the ship design screen) If I recall correctly, punching the CLEAR QUEUES button cancels any pending jobs -- projects that have already been started will still be worked on until completion. Punching SHIFT + CLEAR QUEUES cancels all jobs, even ones that have been started.

(from Longspur) If you go to the current design screen and click on the ship, the stats pop up in a window. From there you can make changes. In this case, just change the armor. Change the name designation if you want. Hit confirm design, and you've got both old and new ships appearing. Obsolete the old one. Bingo. So simple.



Here's one I've found. Suppose you've backed up from your galaxy and you're spinning it around in all directions, admiring the extent of your empire. It's possible to get "lost", and have a hard time getting the galaxy map back to the angle you're used to dealing with. In the past I've struggled through a turn, then re-loaded. But:


On the galaxy screen, hitting "Enter" will always take you back to the default view angle.


That's it...another incredibly simple thing to do that I never knew about and couldn't find in the references.

Here are a few of my favorite sorts on the Planet screen:


by Population. Click "uncontrolled" and "within borders" to look for those new outposts that have sprung up spontaneously and need some benevolent ruler to hit the "forced migration" button. Click "controlled" and scroll down to make sure that you haven't got any pop 25 planets that still have the migration button on, or any size 2 planets you've forgotten to force migration to.

by Terraform ring. Click "uncontrolled" and "within borders". Then in turn "view by" each race in your empire, to find uncolonized planets that should be colonized. I do this after every time I colonize a new magnate, or conquer a new species.


What do you think? Any other UI shortcuts?

[Longspur]

Oh, I am SO MUCH in favor of this thread.

Already I've learned something. Hitting "Enter" on the galaxy screen centers the map. According to the keyboard shortcuts -- that foldout thingy that comes with the game -- hitting "g" or something is supposed to do it. Whatever it was, never worked for me.

I wish I could contribute something worthwhile immediately, but here's a kind'a off topic thought: (Sorry, the very last thing I want to do is sidetrack this thread)

Say you disband a task force. You get a message that the ships in the task force will be held in the delay box for ___ turns. What determines how many turns ? Well, in sort'a tracking colony ships that have gone far afield -- ending up at a planet I've already settled through migration, or one someone else settled before I got there, etc. -- I think a big factor in determining the number of turns in the delay box is the proximity to a mobilization center.

Hope to read lot'sa good stuff here. You may hesitate to post 'cause you figure, "Hey, everybody knows that." Well, not quite. There are always new players. And numbskulls like me, 'cause almost every day on this forum I learn something new, or change a long-held opinion and decide to try something different.

[Artagel]

"h" on the Galaxy screen will center the map around your home system and select it.

[cousLee]

I believe it's "?"(shift /) for an in game list of the keyboard shortcuts. Handy.

[Poptoad]

Here's one from Ron_Lugge:


I just discovered it was possible to get the AI to scrap a DEA and replace it with another one of your choice, without having to go through the nightmare of removing the DEA, then returning to place the new one. Just select "replace DEA" and it will remove the selected DEA and replace it with the new one you chose.

[Poptoad]

Here's one from Wag2003:

When you deploy a task force it doesn't appear on the galactic map until the next turn. If you hit "b" after deploying the tf it will appear on the screen immediately and you can give it orders straight away. Actually you should hit b twice as it changes the style of the screen and you probably want it back to normal.

[pedxing]

the camera control keys during space combat are vital!

zoom, pitch, rotate, and pan.

especially pitch! viewing combat from edge on, instead of above, changes everything. :up:

best thing: the keys are the same as for spinning the galaxy, so they only need to be learned once.

--------------

edit: also, 'g' to go to the galaxy map, 'c' to go to the last colony visited, and "," and "." to move from one planet screen to the next in the sorted list.

[Poptoad]

Here's one from Langsyne:


To rename a System, double click to enter the system you want to rename. Then, click the sun once . In the bottom-left corner you'll see a box with statistics about the sun, as well as a RENAME button. Press it, input the name you want and click the checkbox.

To rename a planet, enter the system it is in, then double click the planet. In the center of the screen you'll see the box with information about the planet (size, population, mineral richness, soil fertility, gravity, etc.) - again there is a RENAME button here - press it, input the name you want and click the checkbox to have the game save the name.

[cousLee]

Originally posted by pedxing
viewing combat from edge on, instead of above,

:eek: :eek: :noob:

tyvm

[Poptoad]

Here's an incredibly cool one, another "Doh!" moment for me.

On the Planets screen, double-clicking on a planet will do different things depending on which tab is active.


If the Information tab is active, you'll be taken to that planet's economic detail page--DEA location, demographics, etc.

If the Location tab is active, you'll be taken to the galaxy map, centered on that planet. The effect is similar to the way the "h" key centers the galaxy map on your home planet.


In the past, I've peered at the miniature galaxy map that comes up on the Location tab, and tried to navigate my own way there. Doh!

[Longspur]

You're in the Senate and someone you have diplomatic contact with but they're way'da'hell and gone on the other side of the galaxy offers you a trade that includes a planet.

I'm always delighted, but you know, this planet will be miniscule, rife with unrest, and with a population of a magnant, a moppet and a malcontent. Use that tiny location map on the planet screen and then go scrolling, looking for it. Now this:
__________________________________________________
"If the Location tab is active, you'll be taken to the galaxy map, centered on that planet. The effect is similar to the way the "h" key centers the galaxy map on your home planet.

"In the past, I've peered at the miniature galaxy map that comes up on the Location tab, and tried to navigate my own way there. Doh!" -- Poptoad
___________________________________________________

Thanks. New to me.

In the spirit of this thread, here's something "everyone" knows, but the question does pop up in questions by new posters/players. You hit create task force, create same, click accept, and return to the galaxy map. But, where is your task force you've just created ? Hit "b" to show empire flags and your task force will appear. Hit "b" again to return to normal galaxy view. This merely refreshes the screen. It is NOT a cheat. AI empires enjoy the same thing.

By the way, empire flags with two dots indicate a home world. A flag, instead of just the empire's symbol, indicates the presence of a mobilization center.

[Poptoad]

Here's one from RAGIR:

I don't think I've ever seen anyone answer this question before but I just stumpled across it tonight. When troops or ships are sent to the delay box I've always hated not knowing for how long they'll be sitting there... but now I know!

When you click on a star and go to the task force creation screen, scroll down to the bottom of all your ship types and the last option will be the delay box. In this list you'll see everything that's waiting... but with a number in brackets beside it which is the number of turns until you can use them again. This also works if you've chosen the ground force creation option and check under all your reserves.

Geeez, it only took a year to notice that!

[Mysteria]

Mouse control:

Main map can be scrolled by right-clicking and dragging the map in any given direction. Much faster and easier than keyboard control or moving the mouse off-screen in a given direction.

If you have a mouse with a central wheel, the wheel can be used to zoom in and out both on the main map and the combat map.


When sending out an Antaran Expedition, the task force created will show up at your home system as an empty task force if you used the "b" refresh. I'm not positive, but I believe you can then disband the taskforce before it gets sent out. Theorhectically this could allow you to send out multiple Antaran Expeditions, making note of which ships were used in what order, and then disband the ones you didn't want to send out.

[robberbaron]

Simple one I just noticed after three months.

While watching combat tap the space bar this removes the bottem statistics and expands the combat view. Things going sour for you? Tapping the space bar again brings it up to do the general retreat.

[pedxing]

you can also change a game setting/option so that the combat control bar starts the combat lowered. i just leave it down, unless i want to retreat.

setting is preserved across games, i think.

unlike the irksome green grid, which comes back at the start of every game... :sulk:

[Poptoad]

Here's one from an old thread on Orion Sector, by Budee:


Hold down the control key and it will force the ship to select a straight line (offroad if there isn't a starlane between point a and b).

Gads! I can't tell you how often I've been irritated that I could NOT get my ship to skip that Guardian system.

[WebSnozz]

Easier multiple troop taskforce creation:

If you go to create a taskforce of troops, make your taskforce, click accept, it takes you to the screen where you choose the troop ships. If you immidietely want to create another taskforce, then hold shift when clicking the accept on that screen that will create the taskforce, and you will be taken back to the troop taskforce creation screen so that you can immdietly create another taskeforce. Saves you from going back to the galaxy map everytime you create one.

This can also be done when creating ship task forces.

[silentrogue30]

Hold down the control key and it will force the ship to select a straight line (offroad if there isn't a starlane between point a and b).

Thanks Poptoad I have heard everyone talk about it but I never new how:sour: . Till now that is :D

[jlab]

And thank you WebSnozz, that is too cool. I would've never figured that out on my own in a million years.

In fact, I just figured out tonight how to recall a spy from their mission! Pathetic, I tell you... I always just let them go until they were killed or captured.

[Hari]

Hari's recently discovered UI shortcuts/hotkeys:

- Today my mind was still in Windows OS mode when I wanted to save my game. I accidently used "ctrl+s" to acces the savegame screen and it worked. I didn't know this worked even in MoO3.

- Pressing the "C" key on your keyboard brings you directly to your homeworld's planet screen. Pretty nifty. I wish you could create shortcuts to all your important worlds like this.
EDIT: I just tested it and it does *not* bring up your homeworld. It brings up your last "visited" planet. Since my homeworld has been the most important one for the biggest part of my game, it was visited the most.

[Orionis Dominus]

Originally posted by jlab
In fact, I just figured out tonight how to recall a spy from their mission! Pathetic, I tell you... I always just let them go until they were killed or captured.

Well, sure... by the time you insert a spy, recall him, and insert him again, you're only a turn or three away from a new spy--and all that time he hasn't done much. Whereas if you train a spy while letting your old agent do his thing, seems to me it'd be more efficient.

Not much point in recalling, unless you're that desperate to maintain good relations with a race.

[silentrogue30]

Here is 1 I found by accident. If you don't want to send all the TF around a planet you can hold the shift key to select all the TF's you want to. It is alot easier then selecting them one at a time like I did before:eek: .

[elizibar]

Originally posted by silentrogue30
Here is 1 I found by accident. If you don't want to send all the TF around a planet you can hold the shift key to select all the TF's you want to. It is alot easier then selecting them one at a time like I did before:eek: .

You can also unselect them one-at-a-time like that too.

[silentrogue30]

I meant that to. I guess next time I willbe a bit more specific:p

[jlab]

@ Orionus:

Many times the AI will crank up the oppressometer when it "thinks" a spy has infiltrated. Plus, your spies loose luck every turn. This is a bad combination for a spy. If you recall the spy before its inevitable capture or death, you can use it again on a softer target.

[ThunderHammer]

Shift+F4 to take a screenshot that will save into your MoO III directory. I found this out after doing a 410 turn AAR by pressing PRINTSCREEN, opening paint, and pasting the image and saving it! Nothing like doing things the hard way... :( :sour:

[Poptoad]

Whoo hoo! ThunderHammer! What a huge boon to every AAR writer!

And us AAR wanna-bes, who take screenshots meticulously but never get around to writing the AARs.

[ThunderHammer]

Yup, I kicked myself in the arse quite a few times after I read this. :( To think I was cursing QSI for not putting in a screenshot hotkey... :noob: :o

P.S. It's not ym discovery, I read it in Paladin007's AAR. Can't remember/too lazy to check who wrote it though. But the credit goes to them, whomever it is.

[Raion]

mmmmmmm......

Some player said that in a Space Battle, the player can turn off the voxels of the spaceship by pressing 'v' or is it 'V'. I have not tried it yet, but for slower computers, perhaps.

Going to a Star System and opening it up, and then viewing individual planets, will keep the planet currently up, while going to other screens, well, at least some. Same thing, if you go to the Planets Tab, and get up an individual planet, and then go the the Tech Tab, when closing out the Tech Tab, the player will go back to the Planet's screen.

If going by double clicking on a TaskForce on the Fleets Tab of the Shipyards Tab to that TaskForce on the main map, the player can click the ShipYards Tab again and find another TaskForce.

The player can spin the galaxy map by using the keyboard, and zoom in and out, and make like a sort of dive bomber running around star systems in and out of the galaxy, with the main galaxy map.

:D

[Longspur]

This is simply a great old thread.

I found it while I was trying to discover what determines how many turns a ship will spend in the Delay Box when you disband it.

Say one of your first generation scouts, riding those retro space drives, hits a deadend in its exploration. There's no logical candidate place to send it off road. It will take too many turns to get the scout back to some place where he can be useful. So, simply disband it and wait 'til it shows up again. Generally, this will be between 4 and 10 turns. But what determines the number? I used to think it was proximity to a mobliization center, but I've learned that's not true. Is it just a roll of the dice?

Other things come under the heading of, "Oh, yeah, I knew that." Maybe. But I'd completely forgotten about it.

[pedxing]

Originally posted by pedxing
you can also change a game setting/option so that the combat control bar starts the combat lowered. i just leave it down, unless i want to retreat.

setting is preserved across games, i think.

unlike the irksome green grid, which comes back at the start of every game... :sulk: quoting myself here, since this has been fixed by a Gerra patch, since the last time this thread saw sunlight.

i hate the grid, but it troubles me no more!

[Specialist290]

Bumped; a definite resource for the new EncycloMod.

[SMELLJAB]

They forgot the 'g' key, which is the opposite of the 'c' key.

[pedxing]

yeah... 'c' to go to the last colony visited, and 'g' to go to uh, last galaxy visited.

'h' to center the galaxy on your home system, Enter/Return to restore default zoom and viewpoint to the galaxy.

those are my favorites, other than the pitch and rotatation controls: Home & End for pitch, PageUp and Insert (on, not PageDown... really, Insert does make sense on desktop keyboard layouts, i swear!) for rotation.

anyway, maybe just a cut and paste from the ReadMe.txt would do?

[Specialist290]

Another one no one else has mentioned: While everyone knows that hitting the "f" key cycles through your fleets, hitting "Shift + f" cycles in reverse order. That way, if you accidentally skip one, you don't have to cycle through the entire list to get to it again.

[pedxing]

i use 'shift-f' all the time, when i'm "reviewing the troops", looking for things that i might have missed.

see, going through the fleets with 'f', if i find a fleet that needs orders, and give it some, the game has the irritating behavior of starting over from the first fleet in the list when i hit 'f' again... so i would have to 'f' past all the ships i've already checked out before i could get to ones that i actually need to look at.

this is especially irritating if the fleet that needed orders was almost at the end of the list!

it bugged me... until i found 'shift-f'. :heart:

what i do now when i 'f' through the fleets, if i find i need to issue orders, when i start going through the list again i use 'shift-f' instead of 'f'... starting from the end of the list and working backwards.

if i get back to the fleet i just gave orders to, i'm done.

if i find another fleet that needs orders? well, each time i find one i need to think about how far into the list it was, compared to the last one i found when going the other way... or pick randomly, or alternate, or whatever.

usually there isn't more than one or two fleets that have fallen through the cracks and need to be ordered about, so it's not some complicated decision process. beer helps, too. ;)

it's just nice not to have to skim past all the fleets that i've already checked on, just to find out that nobody else needs orders!

[ac_snowman]

Lot's of great stuff here. Thanks be to Specialist for resurrecting all these great posts.

In the spirit of shortcuts that "everybody knows"... When looking at the Planet screen there is a graphic of the system at the top left. You can go straight to any other planet in the system that you control by clicking on that planet's graphic. They even have color coded rings to identify which ones are yours.

IIRC this is a holdover shortcut from Moo2, but I played for a couple months before I thought, "Wonder if this still works?".

[pedxing]

unfortunately, the other planets in the system only appear if you open the planet by going in through the System screen.

if you go in through a Sitrep link, or from the Planets list, there's no option to switch to another planet in the same system. :(

however, if you go into the Planet screen from the Planets list, there are the '<' and '>' keys that will take you to the previous or next planet in the list, as it is currently filtered and sorted.

ok, technically, it's really the ',' and '.' keys, since you don't have to hold shift to make them work, but '<' and '>' are easier to remember! :p

[ac_snowman]

unfortunately, the other planets in the system only appear if you open the planet by going in through the System screen.

Ah yes. Good catch . Oversight on my part. :o

[pedxing]

it's a pet peeve of mine. how hard would it have been to give each planet a pointer to the system that it is in?

my other favorite irritation is how if you go into a planet from a SitRep link instead of the System or Planets list, you can't re-order items in the build queues, only add and delete them...

drifting off topic, but i've been waiting to complain about that for years... ;)

[ac_snowman]

my other favorite irritation is how if you go into a planet from a SitRep link instead of the System or Planets list, you can't re-order items in the build queues, only add and delete them...

drifting off topic, but i've been waiting to complain about that for years... ;)

Oh, I hate that! :grrrrr:

Now back to your regularly schedule thread...

[The Wagster]

I wasn't aware it was possible to re-order things at all. I've always deleted and then re-added in the order I wanted...

Damn.

[pedxing]

yep, click and drag. it rocks, when it works.

[Tokyo Rose]

Oh, and "T" turns off the task force outlines. As previously stated, be careful you don't hit "R" instead.