Configuring the Belkin n52 for Starcraft 2 (Part 3)

In this section, I will cover probably the most controversial tool, repeating macros. This is where you can have the Belkin software repeatedly issue a set of keystrokes at predefined intervals. This is something you probably want to save only for single player or custom games, as it may be seen as an unfair advantage on Ladder.

Now it may seem like a good idea to have rotating macros for each building, but I can tell you right off that this is a terrible idea. If you have too many macros going off automatically very frequently, it gets too distracting and you cannot control your troops. So I have one repeating macro at a time, maximum. If I decide I need more things built, then I cancel that macro, and activate another one that builds more troops all at the same time. The last thing you want is a bunch of staggered macros interrupting you constantly.

As of this writing, I actually have very few different macros, but I am thinking of developing more. I keep my repeating macros under my Red Shift (pad down):



Here is an example of a repeating macro:



What this macro does is builds 2 SCVs (accounting for possibly an Orbital and a Planetary being in same group) and 4 marines. As you can see, the recording goes: "0 s {tab} s 7 a a a a 1". The command center/orbital/planetary is group 0, and barracks are group 7. I put a 1 on the end to give me back control of group 1, which is probably what I am moving around on the map with. I have the macro go off every 30 seconds, which is actually more time than is required to build these units. So I am not relying 100% on the macro for early troop/SCV production, but rather as a supplementary crutch. I prefer the macro goes off fewer times than more times, as it is interruptive to play, but if in the frenzy of battle I totally forget about production, at least some stuff still gets made.

When I reach a point in the game where this macro is insufficient, I will cancel this macro (I bind the wheel down on the n52 to be Cancel Macro) and I activate another one, say that builds 2 SCVs, 8 marines, 2 marauders and a tank. There are plenty of keys on the Red Shift, so there is room for a plethora of different macros for most situations.