Feature request: Easier distinguishable selected unit

[Kzer-Za]

Before creating

• This is NOT a gameplay feature from Civ VI, BNW, or outside - see Roadmap
• This is NOT a gameplay feature from Vanilla Civ V or from G&K - If so, it should be a comment in Missing features from Civ V - G&K #4697

Problem Description

Currently it is nearly impossible to tell which unit is selected, at least for me. I mean the visual cue for it is very hard to notice. To make it easier I have currently set "Unit icon opacity" to 40% but it still is very hard. (I have found 40% to be the optimal balance between still seeing the icons of non-active units and seeing some difference between an active (selected) and other units).

Of course, it is not completely impossible to tell which unit is selected, but its very hard, while it should be very easy.

Related Issue Links

No response

Desired Solution

Make the selected unit blink: like a cursor in a text editor or the selected unit in Master of Magic (1994).

Alternative Approaches

Make the selected unit have a brightly-colored semitransparent background that is overlaid over its tile.

Additional Context

No response

[asphyx0r]

I agree, I have the same problem here.

[najevi]

I am a new user to this game. Absolutely awesome work thank you very much!

(Update appended at bottom)

I also struggle with not recognizing/remembering that the currently selected unit has a "silver lining" style aura/corona framing it's icon. (I assume that this is the intention of that aura - to highlight the selected unit.) As the map is panned by mouse movement it is all to easy to unwittingly click a tile (e.g. to query what stats that tile has) and of course this click pops up the "Move to" arrow (with turn count) ... and so, to at least some degree, this does serve as a reminder that a unit has been selected (somewhere!) however,

it occurs to me that the fundamental reason for forgetting a unit is currently selected is the fact that the cursor is a plain old arrow sprite ... i.e. just as it is when no unit (whether mobile unit or stationary settlement) has been selected.

Suppose that the cursor arrow somehow incorporated a miniature version of the icon/sprite for whichever unit is currently selected ... and then (for probably significantly extra effort) either:

1. a ribbon/rubber band line from the cursor to that selected unit is displayed OR
2. a tiny arrow on the miniature icon points in the direction (relative to the cursor current location) of that selected unit

I think I prefer the second notion over the first but perhaps one is easier to implement than the other.

• Even simpler (to implement) might be to do away with a miniature icon for the selected unit and simply give the standard arrow cursor an aura matching the aura given to the currently selected unit. In this scenario there is no longer a need for the unit type to be identified however, it would still be desirable for the unit location to be indicated with either a line or a pointer.
• Even simpler than either of the above might be to include the name of the nearest city below the name of the currently selected unit in the lower left-hand corner of the UI. Incidentally, moving the (x) ... unit close/deselect button ... for that unit-related action-menu (from top-right of unit name to top-left) would facilitate deselecting a selected unit in those instances when an attack/bombard popup is obstructing that unit's close/deselect button.

A slightly more disruptive (unwitting) action is to right-click somewhere (while a unit is selected but forgotten) because that action moves the selected unit with no popup prompting for confirmation of this move. An audible cue is heard and the Undo feature/button is available so ... it is a recoverable mistake, when noticed.

I fully appreciate that what can be easily said is not always so easily implemented so the above suggestion is offered up as merely one possible resolution to consider rather than a feature request.

Offered in the spirit of constructive feedback.

Updated/Feature request WITHDRAWN:

• After considering the UI for a lot longer I realize that the relatively easy workaround for this dilemma (i.e. to locate the currently selected unit) is to click the "Unit name pane" (labeled "8" within the Civilopedia description titled "World View") which then causes the "World screen" to recenter on the currently selected unit in the process of popping up the "Unit rename" dialog.

[najevi]

separate issue opened