Special moves

[fiorenzospa]

Hi guys,
going to finish my first game and I have to say that it's really addicting! Good job!

Question
can someone explain what is the mean of the following special moves (ALT rightclicking on one unit):

- fire while moving. I mean all ships are doing these by default is it correct?
- execute
- catch right click
- remember modes

also what does it means "alpha 1,2,3..." aside of each move?

Thanks

[x4000]

Out of context, I can't really understand what control options you're referring to.  However, I can say that attack-move (the alt-clicking function) allows ships to chase enemy ships that they fire upon, rather than just firing upon them from where you position them.

[Red Spot]

Out of context, I can't really understand what control options you're referring to.  However, I can say that attack-move (the alt-clicking function) allows ships to chase enemy ships that they fire upon, rather than just firing upon them from where you position them.

That would be "x". With alt you open the context-menu. From there you can set scouts to auto-explore, but I dont understand the rest of the options either.

[fiorenzospa]

ok... sorry I will try to be more clear...

select the unit, then with the unit selected try to press ALT + right click.
Drop menu appears and the first item is "Special moves" ...

[x4000]

Oh... right.  Forgot those were swapped, heh.  I don't use attack-move much.  And I really don't use the context menu (Keith coded it), so I didn't remember what was even in there -- I was thinking you were referring to something totally else!

In terms of the Alpah1, Alpha2, etc, those are shortcut keys.  Hit the number keys on the keyboard, and it will select those options automatically.

As far as those options... goodness, I'm not sure what those are.  I'll have to get Keith to answer that. 

[keith.lamothe]

I believe you can get it to show a tooltip explanation of each of the context menu items by holding the ? key while hovering the mouse cursor over them.  They probably don't all have tooltips, though.

My copy is currently broken while I rejigger the windowing system, but I think these are all the options in the special-move menu:

Set Destination
Makes the next left-click on space set the destination of the proposed move order (sets the location of the "X").

Group Move
If toggled on, makes the proposed move use group-move logic (like what you get with G+right-click).

Formation Move
If toggled on, makes the proposed move use formation-move logic (like what you get with J+right-click).

Then there's a "spinner" toggle that has three states you can change between by left-clicking it (I think right-click toggles it in the other direction, but I forget) :
Fire While Moving - no modifier, normal stance.
Stop To Engage (Attack Move) - makes the proposed move use attack-move logic (like what you get with X+right-click).
Chase Enemies (Free Roaming Defender) - makes the proposed move use free-roaming-defender logic (like what you get with V+right-click).

Queued Move
If toggled on, queues the order on to the end of the existing command lists (like what you get with shift-right-click).

Execute
Actually issues the proposed move order.

(just quoting the tooltip for the next two)

Catch Right Clicks
"Will treat right clicks outside the context menu as if setting the destination point and issuing the order immediately. 

This can be very useful if you want to set up a complex movement order type and issue several queued commands without holding down several keys the entire time."

Remember Modes
"Normally when you open the Special Move menu it sets its Group, Formation, and Stance toggles from the state current selection.

If "Remember Modes" is on, these toggles will stay on whatever settings you left them on (until you exit the program).  This can be useful when giving the same types of complex move orders to distinct groups."

Back
Goes back to the top-level have-ships-selected context menu.

Let me know if something doesn't make sense

[fiorenzospa]

Thanks guy... as far as I understood I can play without taking car of this special mave keys...

except perhaps of the "catch the right click"  that actually I still don't understand what it is 

[keith.lamothe]

Catch Right Clicks just lets you use the menu faster, by making a right click act exactly the same as:
1) Left-click "Set Destination"
2) Left-click spot my mouse is on (that was right-clicked)
3) Left-click "Execute"

It can be very useful when trying to queue up several waypoints with the special modes.