Cursor Keys or Mouse?

[Everyman]

Hi folks, I'm new to this forum, even though I've been playing Civ II for over a year and usually play on Diety level -- thanks to the advice on this forum.

I'm curious to know how you move your units. I generally use the cursor directional keys because they seem to allow for faster movement than a mouse. Or is there a faster way to move units? Does anyone use the goto command?

[SandMonkey]

i use the cursor keys. I used to use the mouse, but now that takes way too long for me (I think it's all in my head, it's probably not that much shorter). I know of no quicker way... and I only use the GoTo command when it's not crossing over the dateline.

[Smash]

Keys.

I won't use the go-to for anything critical.

[kcbob]

I've only used the Goto command once. I think the unit is still trying to get to its destination.

Cursor keys for me. I've gotta do something to make the full year of typing in high school pay off, right?

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Frodo lives!

Better dead than "Red"... or green... or blue... or yellow... or orange... or purple... or white.

[This message has been edited by kcbob (edited October 12, 2000).]

[SCG]

Keys. As much as possible. In Civ I, i even used the keyboard to select units, and work my cities. Unfortunately, we can't do that nearly as much in Civ II And even when we can, half the time it doesn't understand they key I'm pressing. During the change of turns, trying to press 'c' for change for example will tell you "You must close the city window for the game to proceed." and you have to use the mouse to click on the producction window to get the keys to work properly, but if you do it during the movement part of the turn, 'c' actually does what it is supposed to do.

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*watches to see if his 302nd post does what his 301st post (14 hrs ago) never did do*

[DaveV]

SCG - Amen! I hardly ever used the mouse in Civ, and still miss some of the shortcut keys (like moving workers around in the city map). I hope Civ III goes back to allowing mouseless play, instead of (as I fear) going further along the point-and-click path.

[Mercantile]

i much prefer the keys as well, mind you i just bought a new infared mouse, and it works like a charm

[Tizzy]

Definitely keys.
I only use the mouse when I really have to.

[Everyman]

So far it's unanimous - the Civers here use their cursor keys to move their units.

Interesting. I thought I was the only one struggling to navigate my caravan from one end of the map to the other. Up arrow -- Up/left arrow -- left arrow -- oh no, I pressed the wrong key! Now my caravan is stuck on the mountain.

Too bad there's no UNDO button.

[N35t0r]

LONG LIVE CURSOR KEYS!!!!!


when i used win 3.11, i even opened the game w/the keyboard.
(alt+W (window menu) 2 (civ2 window) Enter)

As for the go to, i use it sometimes, especially early on, during my expansionist era. (defense, settler, etc., the settler builds city).
The go to city command, though, i only use it on large scenarios, to get troops to the other end of the map, when i'm sure they will act inteligently.

[Helios]

cursor keys all the way

[cavebear]

OK, a dissent (sort of)... I tend to stick with the mouse because I have to use it so much anyway, and it is often awkward to change between mouse and cursors.

But I have a question. When you guys are saying "cursor" do you mean the directional arrow option using the mouse or do you really mean using the numerical keypad? There are 3 ways: Mouse click&drag, mouse directional arrows, and keypad.

I tend to use the click and drag most, but am trying to get into the habit of moving units with the keypad, as it seems a bit faster. You can still make errors either way, but I make fewer with the keypad. If I hit "9", I *know* the unit will move NE! On the other hand, if I am unsure about the square to go to, I can move it back and forth (holding the mouse button down) while I consider the position visually.

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[ColdWizard]

i use the numeric keypad. i only use the goto and goto city commands against the ai when i've fully developed my continent and am sure the unit won't get lost.

[SCG]

quote: Originally posted by cavebear on 10-14-2000 04:27 PM But I have a question. When you guys are saying "cursor" do you mean the directional arrow option using the mouse or do you really mean using the numerical keypad?

I don't use the mouse unless I have to. I've disable the mouse directional arrows. And going back to Civ I, I often would disable the mouse altogether when I played it so I wouldn't have to deal with it I find the mouse in general to be rather annoying - Simply put, the keys are always in the same place, you can tell which keys you are pressing by touch, and you generally can rely on them doing what you expect them to do every time. With the mouse, you can't... It takes more hand/eye coordination, more compensation as mouse gets older (3 months is relatively old for a mouse), and as some people have pointed out while playing multiplayer, because of lag, sometimes you can key in a unit's entire move across the map before its moved 1 screen - try doing that with a mouse

yes, the mouse has its place with the computer, and I'd hate to have a computer without one, but I sure would like to have a little more choice in the matter

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Sleep is a luxury and I don't have Shakespeare's Theatre in my back yard.

[kcbob]

quote: Originally posted by cavebear on 10-14-2000 04:27 PM OK, a dissent (sort of)... I tend to stick with the mouse because I have to use it so much anyway, and it is often awkward to change between mouse and cursors.

Since I'm amphibious, I use both the mouse and keypad. I use the keypad for movement and the mouse for "choices".

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Frodo lives!

Better dead than "Red"... or green... or blue... or yellow... or orange... or purple... or white.