Testing the gameplay without minimap

[mammikoura]

Okay, one question. Would it be possible to release a serverside patch which removes the minimap? That way, you could just patch a few servers and do the testing there. Since then no one would have the minimap, so we would see how it goes.

If this is possible I'd love to try it.

[Cheeseman]

Will the thing is, tanks and aircrafts need the Minimap (it represents the navigation system of the vehicle) so I don't know how this can be done.

[paco]

MrD']

renderer.drawhud 0

to turn it all off, change variable to 1 to turn it back on.

Thanks! I don't care if they remove it or not. It's going from my game. Can I type this into the PRMM-icon shortcut? So, that I don't have to do it manually every time.

[$kelet0r]

I've set my transparency to 100% - it doesn't affect my game at all. If I need a map I press enter or caps and I have a clean HUD for unobstructed vision when I don't. It's much nicer and better.

The only thing it changes is the cheating of a non squad player half way across the map spotting a hostile right beside you that you were unaware of for a cheap kill. And the minimap is cheating full stop. 'Situational awareness' my ***.

[Clypp]

OK, I tried this for a few hours the other day.

The increased screen room was nice but was not really advantageous. The minimap takes up quite a small area in the grand scheme of things.

I found squad cohesion to be much harder. I kept losing track of where the squad leader was without being able to glance at the minimap. I had to pull up the main map each time and check. Friend/foe confirmation was much harder to leaving me with a few deaths because I was hesitant to shoot at first. Normally I glance at the minimap to see where my teammates are so I am cautious firing in that direction. Now I have to be cautious in all directions. Needless to say my K/D did not improve.

After this testing I think I want the minimap to remain more than ever. It may be slightly unrealistic (although future warior systems are around the corner) but it replaces things that in real life would be very easy. For example I can turn my head and check squadmates behind me much faster IRL than in game. I have perefial vision IRL but not in game. I can talk to people much easier IRL as to our next move. VOIP is not as good in this respect because it does not have direction so you can never be sure who is talking from where.

As a compromise, jam the map a little more into the corner if possible and do not show spotted enemies movements, just their location at time of spotting.

[$kelet0r]

I found squad cohesion to be much harder. I kept losing track of where the squad leader was without being able to glance at the minimap. I had to pull up the main map each time and check. Friend/foe confirmation was much harder to leaving me with a few deaths because I was hesitant to shoot at first. Normally I glance at the minimap to see where my teammates are so I am cautious firing in that direction. Now I have to be cautious in all directions. Needless to say my K/D did not improve.

1. Pulling up the map should require you find cover to read it at all times anyway. Hell even the 'm' map is cheap and is an affront to a realism mod. Take cover and press enter instead (or if you want to cheat caps lock)
2. Identifying Friend and Foe IS dificult in combat and should be ingame. Your game will probably improve without the artificial crutch that is the minimap.

Lastly, there are better ways of having actual squad cohesion than a magic radar - my preference is the implementation of an invisible circle around the squad leader, so that if you stray out of its radius a prompt appears on screen to remind you to return to formation.

[Guerra norte]

OK, I tried this for a few hours the other day.

Try it for a few weeks instead

My experience when playing without it was exactly the same as yours, but I was interested in seeing if I could adapt to it, so I stuck to it and after a month or so I had gotten so used to it that when I tired turning it back on, I found it annoying as hell.
Major changes like these take time to adapt to, so don't expect to see any befits from it after 3 hours of play, also bear in mind that you weren't at an equal disadvantage in relation to the rest of the players.

Anyway, I would still like some feedback on what people think about THIS suggestion as compromise to the whole deal.

[Armand61685]

In terms of squads on foot, make it so that only squad leaders have a minimap or access to the large map so this forces people to join squads and USE teamwork! If they dont listen and communicate with the SL, then they will be lost throughout the whole game. Omg pat myself on the back. lol.