Hi, my name is Gifford Cheung, I'm a games researcher. You may have seen my previous research on why people watch Starcraft.
I am part of a research team that is studying how SC2 players use control groups. We have two parts to our research.
One part is the quantitative side, where we've been mining replay data about control group use and mapping that against player skills, leagues, etc…(if the data part of this study sounds familiar it's because we have this guy on our team: http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/starcraft-2/429661-player-identification-tool-vromadsc2reader)
I'm in charge of the qualitative portion where I've been analyzing what players say about control groups.
I need your help
I am looking to check my findings with the community. Do my findings make sense?
Tell me if this definition sounds right
Control groups are a high-skilled user-interface feature for Starcraft 2 + Show Spoiler +
for players to set (“bind”) and recall groupings of units and buildings with keyboard commands. This feature is high-skilled because it is possible for a player to become proficient at the game without using control groups (e.g. a player reported reaching Masters ranking), but it is widely considered to be a necessary next step for players who want to improve their gameplay.
Players use control groups because they want
- faster execution of commands,
- improved ability to focus,
- greater awareness of the game events, and
- precision control of game units.
more...+ Show Spoiler +
They practice with the goal of it becoming habitual to them. In mastering the use of control groups, players develop a personalized style of play that fits their game strategy (race, matchup, play style) as well as their physical needs (e.g. left/right-handedness, hand span). This relationship goes two ways. Players configure the control groups to better execute a style of play; and, players depend on the control groups to keep them focused on a particular style of play.
Are these categories sensible? Missing anything?
- Technique
- Remapping shortcuts (including unbinding hotkeys like F2)
Keeping a single building or unit in a group (e.g. main Nexus to 0, expansion Nexus to 9)
Adjusting control groups according to early-game, mid, and late-game requirements
Cloning
Moving a single unit out of a group (Shift-select to remove, rebind, instruction unit to move away, have the group “stop” to prevent traffic jams)
Warmup/spam
- Recipes Players have routines for performing complex tasks
- Worker transfer
Creep spread
Injects (Backspace vs Minimap)
Nearest pylon trick
Fast chrono
Drop queuing
Medivacs + Stutter step
Second-naturedness Control groups need to be like second-nature
- AccidentsBut...Moving too fast with wrong groups leads to misrallies, etc...
Influential Factors
- Hand placement
Game phase - Control Groups are different between early, mid, and late game.
Map size
Race
Strategy
- Matchup
ImprovementAs mentioned above, players practice to make it a habit
- UMS
- Darglein multitasking trainer
Macro or Die series
marine split challenges
Group Type - Control group types
- Unit Type Organized by unit
Building Type Organized by building type (base, upgrade production)
Task
- Army Main army, secondary
Harass Reapers, Sling, Oracle
Quick Response Defense against drops, overlords to be recalled from phoenixes
Macro
Micro
If you're curious here is more too comment on or look at:
1. Our diagram of categories:
+ Show Spoiler +
2. A google doc that describes these categories in more depth: http://goo.gl/M7JBVq
3. Our quantitative guy just asked me to pass on a request:
[i]"Let me know if you anyone who has good knowledge of progamer smurfs and is willing to look for potential duplicates in a list of 139 names."
If you have any general questions about control groups feel free to ask. Hey if you want more info about a technique or recipe for control group use, I could probably answer your question by now, too. ;p
Thanks, everyone!