Streamlined Hotkeys
I have been working on an experimental set of easier to use hotkeys for AOE2. The basic idea is to make common tasks easier to perform.
Here is a google doc showing the current iteration:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0AlIy3ctG3WzbdDVWNUQyX29vcEZ6VERYZ0lKWHJiNEE&output=html
The way this is laid out it is designed for heavy use of the "Select Next ... " keys and your hand will sit on the left half of the keyboard.
Regular commands are on QWERT/ASDFG/ZXCVB Select Next are on YU/HJ/NM
[ QWERT ] [YU]
[ ASDFG ] [HJ]
[ ZXCVB ] [NM]
This breaks the layout into two halves. Since multiple building select doesn't work too well in this game the layout is designed to optimize alternating hotkeys to spam unit production.
For instance, Select Next Barracks is Y. Thus, the keys to build those units are WER, the place your hand will naturally lay if your index finger hits Y. This means to macro out a bunch of milita you can hit Y-W-Y-W-Y-W and this for most gamers should come out extremely quick.
The same holds for the other 5 buildings in the Select Next .. block. Archery range is H and its units are on SDFG. And so on. It might take some adjusting to use this setup but it should streamline macro'ing out units quite a bit.
As far as the building hotkeys V and B are build military/economic respectively and the more frequently used buildings are clustered closer to those keys. Some buildings kind of got shafted here although this is due to military and economic buildings sharing the same hotkey set (!!). For instance barracks and lumber camp can't have the same hotkey despite the fact that it's impossible to hit the barracks hotkey from the build economic page. Ah well.
I'd appreciate feedback anyone has on how to improve these.
Link to .hki file (drop in \Steam\steamapps\common\Age2HD)
http://www.filedropper.com/player1
Posted Apr 14, 2013, 12:03 AM UTC