Can you centre on player property without selecting it?

[Brinnie]

There is the icon that can be clicked to centre the map on the player (I am not sure but I think it looks like an eye). It does that but it doesn't actually select the ship/station that the map is centering on (the one the player is at).

Can the same be done with other player's assets? For ex.

I would like to centre the map on a ship from my property list but I want to keep my current selection active.


There are several situations where I would find the above quite handy, like to quickly view sectors by using my assets as shortcuts.

Right now I click on the ship from my property list, then on the icon that centres the map on it (or just double click on the unit to get the same result). It does the job but doing so my selection changes to the new asset, no big deal, I just select the previous asset again if I need to. Since it is something that I do quite often It be nice to streamline the thing.

I am assuming that there is no such function, though I hope to be wrong, if that is the case I would like to turn this into a request/suggestion for a QoL thingy.

for ex. "Shift+Click" on an asset in the property list (menu) centres the map on it, leaving the current object selected

[Targ Collective]

Double-clicking any object will cause the map to track it, and so long as you do not move the map or centre on a new object will continue to track it. Keeping the selection active while recentring the map is, I think, not possible. You can rename ships and stations, so that you can tell them apart for recentring, though.

Yes, this would be a nice UI refinement. I'm not personally aware if this is currently possible.

[Brinnie]

Double-clicking any object will cause the map to track it, and so long as you do not move the map or centre on a new object will continue to track it. Keeping the selection active while recentring the map is, I think, not possible. You can rename ships and stations, so that you can tell them apart for recentring, though.

Yes, this would be a nice UI refinement. I'm not personally aware if this is currently possible.

There was a mod by Mycu that let you do that by means of assigning hotkeys but it is not working since the game updated to version 7 (I think).
I am aware of the tracking feature, but what I am referring to is more to quickly navigate the map say if you want have look at a sector to issue a command to the currently selected unit or even to just consider whether to do it or not.

As I said it can already be done by double clicking but as it is now you have to reselect the previously selected unit, not a big deal but in the long run it makes a difference.

[flywlyx]

for ex. "Shift+Click" on an asset in the property list (menu) centres the map on it, leaving the current object selected

That approach doesn't seem very user-friendly, as it creates a hidden selection that the camera centers on without any clear indication. If there are multiple units within the camera view, there's no way to tell if the hidden selection is targeting the correct one.

A more intuitive solution might be to allow multiple property pages to be open simultaneously. This way, players could select several targets at once and focus on whichever one they choose.

[Brinnie]

for ex. "Shift+Click" on an asset in the property list (menu) centres the map on it, leaving the current object selected

That approach doesn't seem very user-friendly, as it creates a hidden selection that the camera centers on without any clear indication. If there are multiple units within the camera view, there's no way to tell if the hidden selection is targeting the correct one.

A more intuitive solution might be to allow multiple property pages to be open simultaneously. This way, players could select several targets at once and focus on whichever one they choose.

I disagree, it is not a way to select a unit or a station (a double click on it does that already) but rather a quicker way to focus on it by centering the map on it while still controlling another object. You might just do that to check something in the sector where the asset is without actually wanting to interact with said asset, you just use it as a one click shortcut to that sector.

Ex. 1 - You have your map opened focused on one sector, your property list on the left of the screen shows where each ship/station is located, by shift clicking (or alt or ctrl) on any of them you would instantly open that sector without the need to scroll or search the whole map. That IMHO is already very useful, the reason why I would like it to not change the current selection is that most of the time the change is not needed (if it is then I just use double click).

Ex. 2 - You have your map opened focused on one sector (again ), you may select (single click) one of your pilot from your property list (even in another sector) to tell him to go and do/check something in another sector.
You could bring this "operating" sector into view by simply Shift clicking on an asset/station from the property list in that sector and the pilot, still being the selected unit, would be ready to take the orders.

Like I said earlier, think of the way that the map behaves when you click on the eye icon to the right of your name on the top left of screen. The map centres on where you are but the selected object does not change.
So, imagine that every object/asset in your property list would have its own icon (the eye icon), clicking on it would do the same.

But since eyes are very precious, I wouldn't want to put one on every single unit, expecially not on a satellite. That is why I suggested a mouse click + a modifier. I know shift +left click and alt+left click are already in use but it was just an example.



ps . I see your intuitive solution a useful idea but a totally different thing.

[flywlyx]

Like I said earlier, think of the way that the map behaves when you click on the eye icon to the right of your name on the top left of screen. The map centres on where you are but the selected object does not change.
So, imagine that every object/asset in your property list would have its own icon (the eye icon), clicking on it would do the same.

But since eyes are very precious, I wouldn't want to put one on every single unit, expecially not on a satellite. That is why I suggested a mouse click + a modifier. I know shift +left click and alt+left click are already in use but it was just an example.

The principle is simple: whenever a player makes a selection, there must be a way to verify it. This could be through the selected unit lighting up with its name and ID, or by highlighting it in the property panel.

In your example, the eye icon represents a selection, but it provides no feedback about which unit is actually selected. Highlighting the name or property bar could conflict visually with the current target selection. A better solution might be to allow multiple target selections or add a separate tag showing which target the camera is following.

[Brinnie]

The principle is simple: whenever a player makes a selection, there must be a way to verify it. This could be through the selected unit lighting up with its name and ID, or by highlighting it in the property panel.

In your example, the eye icon represents a selection, but it provides no feedback about which unit is actually selected. Highlighting the name or property bar could conflict visually with the current target selection. A better solution might be to allow multiple target selections or add a separate tag showing which target the camera is following.

Well I can't really argue with you as my technical knowledge is 0 but If you have tried "Map Hotkeys" by Mycu you would maybe see what I am trying to explain.
With his mod, although differently, he took my concept to a higher level by use of hotkeys, he did it in reverse. With the user assigned hotkey you could select a unit with one click and a second click would centre the map on it.
I mentioned the eye icon just as an example.

However if your solution would achieve the same result it would be just as good for me, if not I am sure it would still be useful.