Weapon scroll menu in vehicles

[ma21212]

Im not sure if you know what I mean, but you know when your inf. when you scroll through your weapons you can see pics of what you have (m16, grenades, smoke etc) well cant that be added for tanks, APCs Helis etc? I think that the field gun that Chechs get, have something like that
this is what gave me the idea...

[Tim270]

I thought it already was? or just press 1-4....

[LoneSniperJim]

If you press 1-4 you just switch weapons, that little scroll selection menu doesnt come up

[ma21212]

I thought it already was? or just press 1-4....

if your in a tank lets say it gives you the name of what your using thats all.

[Silly_Savage]

I think some of you are missing the point.

All he's asking for is to have a menu cycle similar to the infantry's weapon cycle; where you can scroll through the various armaments pertaining to whichever vehicle you happen to be in.

I like this suggestion, as I believe it to be more intuitive and visually pleasing than simply pressing a button.

This suggestion has my support.

[BloodBane611]

The current setup shows the weapon you currently have equipped, and it does it realistically. Having a little scroll-menu just ruins the realism

[Silly_Savage]

The current setup shows the weapon you currently have equipped, and it does it realistically. Having a little scroll-menu just ruins the realism

You could use the same reasoning to denounce the infantry's weapon cycle; same concept.

Rather than replacing the current system, I think it could compliment it.

[LoneSniperJim]

We used to have this back in .3ish No?

I remember it vaugely

[snooggums]

Vanilla PR has the scroll menu for vehicle weapons. I would guess it was removed either because it was low priority or for 'realism'. I would actually like to have it back just so I know what each weapon on a vehicle does at a glance without having to just 'know'.

For example the BMP-3 has a TOW equivalent that is named something like A333MV or something cryptic for a non-military weapon buff. It would be nice for new players to have a little projectile picture to know what it did.

[Ninja2dan]

Vanilla PR has the scroll menu for vehicle weapons. I would guess it was removed either because it was low priority or for 'realism'. I would actually like to have it back just so I know what each weapon on a vehicle does at a glance without having to just 'know'.

For example the BMP-3 has a TOW equivalent that is named something like A333MV or something cryptic for a non-military weapon buff. It would be nice for new players to have a little projectile picture to know what it did.

In all honesty, I think most players wouldn't be able to distinguish an AT round from an AP round if they saw just the image. Seriously, I'm guessing that 60-80% of the community doesn't even know the difference visually between a 120mm APFSDS and HEAT round without having to look it up on wikipedia. So if we go back to just throwing images on screen for everyone, the only time it would prove beneficial is the identification of calibers such as on the BMP-3 being able to see the difference between the main gun rounds and the ATGM.

Basically, my opinion is that anyone using a vehicle in PR should at least read the minimal information regarding that vehicle in the manual or Wiki guide, as well as spending some time on a training server to become familiar with the specific vehicle. And it only takes a few minutes to do so. Hopefully all of the munitions are labelled in such a way that basic knowledge will allow you to determine which is what. If you plan to gun on an MBT for example, you better know the difference between Sabot and HEAT. Even my 10-y/o nephew knows those two already.

And you won't just see something labeled "9M117". Instead, the weapon should have "AT-10" or "ATGM" within the title, which will tell you clearly what it is (example 9M117 ATGM).

In the image shown on the first post, those titles are both simple and confusing. While the "AT-9" should be obvious, the FGM-172 is not. The FGM-172 is the munition fired by our SRAW, so I don't know why that munition would even be selectable. But for the most part, the parent weapon or individual munition should have a designation within its title that identifies what it does. AT, AP, HEI-T, HEDP, etc, etc. As long as the basic code/acronym is within the title or label, you don't need a picture.


As for the "realism" aspect, sure it's more realistic not having a visual display. In real life you select your ammunition via a switch, but in some MBT's all that really does is tell your FCS which round you are using so it can match its calculations for you. The loader is the one actually responsible for the ammunition, excluding auto-loaders. Did the team make this change though for realism? This was done before my time here, so I'm not certain, but I would guess not. I prefer it how it is now, it's less distracting.

[Rudd]

I prefer just using the hud

[PLODDITHANLEY]

I see the posters point, in one vehicle, I can't remember which, the AA is M133 from memory, I am not always sure, so quite often I ask a fellow crew member...but most of the time the answer is 'I don't know' so I just fire ONE if I'm not sure.
It comes down to the old 'problem' again, realism or more simple for less experienced players, abit like the RP debate.

[R.J.Travis]

I like the OP idea you could simply put the rounds name under the photo.

[snooggums]

And you won't just see something labeled "9M117". Instead, the weapon should have "AT-10" or "ATGM" within the title, which will tell you clearly what it is (example 9M117 ATGM).

What does ATGM stand for? Anti-Tank Gerbil Missile? Another Tank Ganking Munition? I had to google it just now.

I've been playing the game long enough that I have either figured out what everything is or am not afraid to ask when something new comes up. I'm used to people calling every attack choppers Apaches, all ATGMs TOWs (I do for simplicity of communications). Even if not everyone knows the lingo or knows which names are which it was way easier for me to remember the pointy tank shell was anti-tank when I first played (visual differences are easier for people to remember when they are new).

What I'm saying is if the HUD is what tells you what you have available in a vehicle and that is preferable then it would be logical to do the same with infantry and simply see what you have when you put it in your hands. Of course I would then never learn the different weapon names

I know that there will be a wiki, and was one in the past, but there isn't one available at this time.

[ma21212]

I dunno... i mean if you dont know whats the difference between an AP and a HE round I dought that your gonna stay alive long in a tank even with pictures. also when your sitting in a tank and you wanna change ammunition your gonna see what your choosing (its not like PR when you press a button and a different round magically pops into the cannon) so the scroll menu would substatue for you "looking" at what kinda of ammo your choosing. also I posted the pic just to reference so ppl could better understand what i mean. (and in the case of tanks, APCs etc. you dont scroll using the mouse, you use the "1,2,3 etc" just to clear that up) ... now going back to my first point, if i was new to tank in PR and i would see this from my weapon selection
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ ... mm_lav.jpg
i would mostlikly go like "ooo ima choose the bigger round cuz itll cause moar dmg!" so, it wont really save you if your new to tanks and its not gonna be like a "quick start guide" lol.

[Ninja2dan]

Most vehicles that have selectable munitions stores are currently using auto-loading cannons or self-loading weapon platforms. Obviously MBT's like the M1 Abrams still have a manual loader, but the gunner is not watching him load those rounds. Vehicle crews do not select their ammunition based on what it looks like.

also when your sitting in a tank and you wanna change ammunition your gonna see what your choosing (its not like PR when you press a button and a different round magically pops into the cannon)

Actually, that's about how it does work. The gunner selects the munition he wants and the auto-loader does the rest. If there is a manual loader, the gunner/TC simply yells out "Sabot" "HEAT" etc. They don't point at the rounds and yell "That one, with the pointy tip".


The point is that you only need to know the name of the round. While some munitions are easily distinguishable, most of the players aren't going to know the difference. Instead of teaching players to match the picture with the boom, they should be learning what the acronyms stand for. The PR guide will be updated, and if necessary I will personally write up a guide immediately after the next update. Vehicle crew members need to learn their vehicle and its weapon systems before just hopping into a live server and trying to play tank man.


Here's another point. What's to say that the artist placing those images is actually using an image that is of the actual munition being loaded? The artist could be labeling a 120mm M829A2 APFSDS-T with the image of the 125mm 3VBK25 HEAT round. And I'm willing to bet that over 80% of the players wouldn't even notice the difference. The only time you are really even going to see a difference is between calibers. And the only vehicles with variable-caliber weapon systems in PR are the APC/IFV such as the M2 Bradley. And do you really need a picture to tell the difference between a 25mm and the TOW?

I will look into the labels currently in use on all vehicles to make sure they are all marked correctly, and to ensure they have something in their title to clearly distinguish what type of projectile they are firing. But I personally don't see the need for adding pictures.

[Wolfguard]

This is something, that I remember I thought they should have kept in the game, back then when they took out the feature. What they should have done instead, was to let people choose for themself. Just create an option in the "Option" -> "Game" menu, so people can disable the feature.

In addition to the image of the ammunition: have some kind og symbol next to the image, that illustrates the purpose of the ammunition. This helps new players and those who once knew but later forgot.

[ma21212]

hehe, ok sounds like a deal! cant wait to read the new manual btw