New User guide: Feedback wanted

Discussion in 'Planetary Annihilation General Discussion' started by jables, December 10, 2014.

  1. kaminfreunde

    kaminfreunde Active Member

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    Clicking: Rename to Selection & Unit Control/Movement
    Commander: add info about uber cannon, 3x build power, produce energy and metal, stores energy and metal
    Factories: add info: use energy to produce units, option to build one or endless (queues)
    Fabricators: add info: use energy to build, t2 fabber and com have more build power
    Economy: add info units/buildings cost metal, there production uses energy, radar uses (+needs) energy
    Area commands: give examples: like works for building mex, build several buildings of a type, works also with some buildings (like nukes etc)
    Energy: also add info about storage
    Metal: Also add values of t1mex and t2 mex

    New things to add:
    Super Weapons: Explain how to build and use halleys (same size= both planets destroyed, smaller size = hole in big planet), and the laser (can destroy all planets in short time), unit cannon (can hold 12 units)
    Radar Coverage: t1 radar shows all ground and air units in a given area, t2 has larger area, orb radar shows all orbital units (stationary and moving) uses energy
    Air and Orbital Transport: Teleporter linked by 1st left, 2nd right click, Astraeus (orbital) and Pelican (air) can pick one unit.
    Reclaim: Wrecks and trees and be reclaimed to gain metal, uses energy, enemy units/buildings can be reclaimed, too
    Combat fabbers (as they are a kind of special unit): Can repair and reclaim, build mines
    Picture in Picture Mode: How to use it, what options are available

    I know it's swiftly done by me, just wanted to give some input. Probably going to do a edit and formulate clearer sentences later on. ;)
  2. towerbabbel

    towerbabbel Active Member

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    I would be a good idea to mention that radar stops working if you have negative energy income.
    FSN1977, squishypon3 and DeathByDenim like this.
  3. mered4

    mered4 Post Master General

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    We should mention that 'n' is how you align to pole. I can see people getting frustrated not knowing that.
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  4. cola_colin

    cola_colin Moderator Alumni

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    => Build Metal Storage and Energy Storage to stockpile more resources, but realize it is better to have resources quickly forged into an army. Nobody wins a war just with a stockpile of resources.

    Also I would add a section about basic stuff from the settings. Like "You can configure xyz in the settings" for all settings, especially for UI stuff.

    Also I think a little help on how to deal with the disorientation new players often face when they are suddenly playing on planets instead of flat maps. Points to mention here are:
    - There is a pole lock setting, it has the advantage of offering you a fixed up and down. However it has the disadvantage that playing on the poles becomes very weird.
    - You can turn of pole lock. This allows for much more freedom in camera movement. It however makes it harder to orientate. Players often use camera hotkeys to help them orientate instead.
    Players who use camera hotkeys work by making a camera savepoint at their base and maybe some other important locations and then always working from there. That means they always jump back to that well known location and relate everything to it. Additionally camera savepoints are really good to jump between planets.

    It's probably a good idea for a new player to try both these concepts.

    EDIT:
    Also if you put in stuff like "t2 pgen has 8x more income" you really really should calculate that number directly. Don't put some hardcoded string in there. It's bound to be forgotten when balance changes happen, causing misinformation to new players.
    I guess the unit database stuff really would also be really really helpful.
  5. websterx01

    websterx01 Post Master General

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    @jables

    Camera Controls
    • Shift + 0-9 to set camera location
    • Alt + corresponding number (0-9) to recall camera location
    • Can have up to 10 camera anchors anywhere in the system
    A large complaint seems to have been having a hard time managing a sphere, let alone multiple spheres. Camera anchors make this so much easier.

    Edit: Kind of sniped by @cola_colin :p
  6. cola_colin

    cola_colin Moderator Alumni

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    If you mention hotkeys make sure to directly ask the current configuration for them as well. I for example use ctrl + F1-F4 and F1-F4 for camera hotkeys. Imho it's actually much easier to use :p
    burntcustard likes this.
  7. killerkiwijuice

    killerkiwijuice Post Master General

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    Quick pro tip: Left clicking with the patrol command in a circle will make the units patrol around the perimeter.

    I usually don't tell people how this is done in games but it's time for the world to know.
    pieman2906 likes this.
  8. DeathByDenim

    DeathByDenim Post Master General

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    I'd consider all of the hotkeys stuff to be advanced stuff though. Although telling the new users to explore the settings wouldn't hurt of course.
  9. devoh

    devoh Well-Known Member

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    I find this suggestion odd can you explain it more? I could understand the logic if metal was a finite resource and each metal spot only gave X in metal.. but they give in X per second or whatever.. So if you are building and only have 90% efficiency because your metal is negative then someone that that is operating at 100% and wasting metal will out build you right(If you both have the same number of fabers and factories)?
  10. Ekanaut

    Ekanaut Uber Alumni

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    The guide is going to be updated in phases. The first version will be just the Basic tab. Advanced and Unit Roster will come later. Thanks for the suggestions, keep it coming!
  11. thetrophysystem

    thetrophysystem Post Master General

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    Actually, you would think so, but no. If it is 90%, everything is being built 10% slower, BUT 100% metal is being used. If you are 100% eco, you are not using 100% metal unless you are literally balancing the storage in the center which is difficult.
  12. eukanuba

    eukanuba Well-Known Member

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    Important hotkeys:

    F - select idle fabbers on screen
    K - pause construction
    L - loop (infinite) production
    Alt-C - select Commander
    T- zoom to selected unit
    Ctrl- Z - select all of currently-selected unit(s) that are visible
  13. Quitch

    Quitch Post Master General

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    You need to add:

    How do I smash planets
    How do I use teleporters
    How do I go orbital (including moving between planets)
    Area builds

    I wrote a guide on the subject of the UI and controls, so that's really my thoughts on what else people need to know.
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  14. wondible

    wondible Post Master General

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    I was going to say you should use something like "Metal Spots (green dots)", but the pictures may cover it.

    If the pictures don't, it might be useful to mention when talking about landing spots.

    When metal extractors were first mentioned, I though it would be good to say that they have to be built on metal spots (green dots), but I hadn't gotten to the metal section yet. Since it's basics, might not hurt to repeat the really important stuff a few times.

    Might be worth mentioning strategic zoom, and calling out some of the most important icons. You might also have an item that breaks down the iconography, but perhaps that would go under advanced, or just be implied by the unit roster.
  15. cwarner7264

    cwarner7264 Moderator Alumni

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    No mention of the Chronocam? Arguably one of PA's most game-changing features and certainly one of the most technically impressive.
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  16. devoh

    devoh Well-Known Member

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    I catch myself trying to use it when watching a cast. lol..
  17. Paappa

    Paappa Member

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    You should mention how to get adv units and structures.
    Com > basic factory > basic faber > adv. factory > adv faber.
    christer1966 likes this.
  18. eukanuba

    eukanuba Well-Known Member

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    I don't know. If anything noobs need telling NOT to build advanced factories. :D
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  19. websterx01

    websterx01 Post Master General

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    Perhaps, but some of the hot-keys are more immediately useful to new players than others.
  20. Paappa

    Paappa Member

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    You might be right. :D

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