bobo38 / TheCoreLite

TheCoreLite .SC2Hotkeys for many keyboard layouts + infrastructure to convert &check&release from for .SC2Hotkey master seeds
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The Core Lite v2.3

Table of Contents

Repository description

This is the Github repository for TheCore Lite Starcraft2 bindkeys.

How to get TheCore Lite installed:

Project goals

Coverage and checks

Resources

Beside this README.md file, some graphic resources are available in Reference directory. Please download the following .pdf file:

Online community help, please follow netiquette:

Legacy resources:

Other resources:

Acknowledgments

Loads of thanks to:

TheCore Lite features

Implemented TheCore tips

TheCore Lite extras


TheCore Lite Command spirit

In this section, keys used to describe command mapping are using US QWERTY standard keyboard layout. This applies as well to the groups and cameras mapping in the rest of the document

Unit keys

All Units:

All workers:

All CC/Hatch/Nexi:

Transport/Bunker

Terran:

Protoss:

Zerg:

Building Consistency

Building consistency between race, allows better off-race and random play. Hereafter are the principles

Basic buildings:

Advanced buildings:

Bridge method

Bridging method is used to try to facilitate learning. Research will tend to have the same key as unit production key, so as the building enabling the production of this unit.

Feel free to report inconsistencies in the GitHub project's issues

Unit Production

Some mnemonics:

Zerg larvae

Hatchery/Lair/Hive "Select larva" has many alternates to prevent waste of time producing new units en masse:

In this way all keys of the dense cards are useful for hatcheries, lairs and hives. Alls units are covered apart from:

For those units, they are either spellcaster or situational, or you simply don't want to accidentally make too many of them. (i.e. Mutalisk in current meta, just one round to harass and force reaction from opponent is enough, dumping accidentally all larvae on overlords could easily turn into a disaster)

Rapid Fire and Precision keys

RapidFire keys

There are now far more Rapid Fire Hotkeys than in the first TheCore Lite release: Space, R, T, Y, D, F, G, H. All warp-inable units are bound to Rapid Fire keys. If you don't know what rapid fire keys are, please check out JaKaTaK's videos on Youtube. You can keep those keys pressed and just move point on the target, as RapidFire key hold will select target with no click needed. After the target being selected the ability will be called again and you just have to point at the next target. This property is also known as "smart cast"

source: JaKaTaK's Rapid Fire Hotkeys thread on TeamLiquid.net

RapidFire Static Defence

All workers have Space for "Basic building". Air defence strutures are mapped on this key To build static air defence:

Precision keys

"E" and "C" keep on being non Rapid Fire, because they are precision keys. They are used for precision spells/ability, and have been chosen because of ease of access. You can keep those keys pressed and just click on the target. After the click, the ability will be called again and you just have to click on the next target.

Note: like legacy TheCore Lite, some spells have 2 alternates; one on "rapid fire" key, the other on "precision" key

After precision key usage

Holding precision key for multiple cast, you will end up to have to cancel targeting. For this there are several option:

The 2 last save you APMs if some others unit/building need action

High Templar group example

(experimental, fun fact)

Case study assuming HTs in a group following some ranged units not to run into enemies.

Important to know:


TheCore Lite User Interface keys

Compared to legacy TheCore Lite, many changes occured in User Interface keys.

Function keys

Other tips

Select All Army on Tab key

This makes sense considering synergy with mouse clicking and group creation

Browsing subgroups

Ping allies !

Fight against invisible

Immobile invisible units can't be seen with static camera. Camera rotation allows to spot invisible static units. Alternate Alt+T and Alt+G to rotate the camera and send detection at the right place. Alt+RightClick pings the invisible unit location to allies.

More Town cameras

AI keys now supported

Moved out of the dense keycard and Function keys


TheCore Lite Macro groups

History

Legacy TheCore Lite comes with suggestions of control groups. Q is intended for production facilities or inject queens. W is intended for CC Nexus Hatcheries + Tech.

Find the original suggested control group suggestion here

Nexus/CC/Hatch group = W

Group content:

Tip for additional expansion and related alternates:

Production group (or inject queens) = Q

Group content:

Tips for rally point | warp-in pylon:

Related alternates:

Race specific:

Utility group = 1

Group content:

Alternates for "recall utility group":

Usages:

Trash group key = Grave

Grave is an alternate for ControlGroupAssignAndSteal6, to be used for creating with steal a CapsLock group from current selection. With this direct access key you can remove units from any group, and get a temporary control group for microing those

Group display

The 2 "macro" groups are positioned in the center to split the remaining groups by 4 keys. This facilitates the visual representation of existing groups. The 10 groups are displayed in this order (| figures the separation):

123|QW|CapsLockASZX

Note: the icon representing the group seems to be the best selectable unit at group creation. If you wanted to update the icon, select the group and recreate it.


TheCore Lite Group/Cameras modifiers

History

Compared to legacy TheCore Lite:

LoTV introduced steal behavior, for Archon mode. "Steal" enables to remove the selection from any other groups, including Archon partner or your own groups. TheCore team concluded that this property worths using it by default. JaKaTaK explains pros and cons in this video: To steal or not to steal

For TheCore Lite, here are the modifiers:

Groups and mouse synergies with Ctrl and Ctrl+Shift

Those behaviors are similar if Alt is pressed simultaneously:

In case you want to split a group, just box some units then appendsteal them to another group with Ctl+click+#groupnumber.

In case you want to remove a unit type from a group

Shift+Alt would be recommended if you want to remove some units from control groups. Just recreate group with Shift+Alt after shift clicking the units supposed to stay at their place (or execute the last command - read next section).

Some examples with "Select All Army":

Additional group for easy caster selection through Ctl+Alt

You may want to have units in both a main army group and a caster group. It is the case of the Stalker group in JaKaTaK's video on Protoss control groups.

There is a documented "combined production group": it uses the recommended production group, with easy recallable for factory/robo and air. Z and X would be recommended for this usage, as they are easier to combine with Control+Alt.

Easier cloning through Shift+Alt

Shift+Alt+LeftClick acts as Shift+LeftClick when deselecting a unit from the selection. Shift+Alt+RightClick is an alias for Smart Command, it inhibits the queuing. As a consequence Shift+Alt could be hold during a typical cloning routine. More info at the following URLs.

Shift+Alt+#groupkey is used for create/non-steal group. It could help in creating groups after unit deselection. Please refer to JaKaTaK video for more details.

sources:

Warning: Alt+Shift is an alternate for center on selection. It could mess up your cloning, if you don't press exactly Shift+Alt. You could think about unbinding it, as there are enough other alternates.

Shift/Control and camera synergies

History

TheCore Lite keeps on having Shift+cam# for cam# recall. It chains good with queuing, allows sending worker back to work, easy cam access for multiprong defence

Compared to legacy TheCore Lite:

Additional cameras alternates on control

3 "Control" camera alternates:

Camera creation:

Those aliases allow easy save/recall locations. Same modifier is applied for save and recall. Using them you have a finger on Ctl: Ctl+LeftClick on a units selects all visible units of this type. It is particularly useful for spreading creep.

Still experimental, feel free to adjust to your needs. Current implementation is for 2 creep cam and easy jump from cam 1 to 2

Related aliases:

Note: control cam could be used for warp gate with a proper alias for

Other features

Quick Cam

(not implemented but practically working, kept for hotkey hack documentation)

This cam is updated each time you press Shift. You can recall to base and be back at last position if you don't press Shift twice Camera 2 and 3 are kept in case you want to use them for harass.

Note: previous quick cam implementation was removed, kept in readme in case you want to reintroduce it in your local copy


Use case scenarios

Use case: Start Sequence

Note: during cam creation, your CC/Nexus/Hatch keeps on being selected, just follow launch next production when ressources available. For terran and protoss you see the worker production timer. For zerg, best is to spawn an overlord at 100 minerals after 1st drone.

Use case: expansions cameras

Recommended:

Use case: send worker back to resource gathering after queued commands

Use case: army production + rally point (optional warp-in pylon)

Use case: warp-in pylon

with Shift camera

Other tips

Use case: TheCore Lite inject initiate

Use case: Telegraph inject (Backspace family)

The "Telegraph" inject is an implementation of the Backspace inject. It relies on:

Method:

Note: In case of wandering queen, release shift and press V

Use case: TheCore inject

The TheCore inject benefits as well of TheCore Lite inject initiate.

Suggested camera locations:

Use case: Camera creep spread

This step benefits from holding Ctl. Ctl+click acts as select all units of the same kind. Control click on tumor to select all that appear on the screen. Creep tumor spread has a RapidFire alias (Space).

This section is outdated, control camera hotkeys are practically not that convenient to use

Note: keep in mind that selecting another group cancels the action

Use case: hatching eggs

Easy hatch eggs:

Overlord map control "W+Space+E+Right click on minimap":

Use case: zerg macro routine

Extra:

sources:

Use case: Easy MULE/Chronoboost

Protoss and Terran have also some macro optimization with TheCore Lite \o/

Variant 1

Variant 2

How to end

After usage of the variant 1:

Otherwise please read "After precision key usage" section.


Further optimizations

TheCore Lite is a consistent set of commands which could see further optimization. Without changing the [Commands] section you can easily play around with [Hotkeys] section

The Control key placement

The biggest weakness is Control key placement. Here are 2 ways of dealing with Control key:

Changes implemented at my local copy:

Other possible tweaks

Device inputs:

User Interface:


Changelog for the code

Compared to upstream project: