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Posted: 2008-03-27 13:25
by bosco_
Grimmijow wrote: PS: why can't I ever download battlerecorder videos! so annoying, sometimes there are moments in PR that I just have to be able to see again. E.g. when I blew myself up, one teammate and 6 enemys with an IED on Op. Archer.
You have to download the BR files as soon as possible after the round, most servers delete them within hours.

Posted: 2008-03-27 22:33
by Jester_Prince
No i too agree, in real life you have surround sound, you have a wider vision range and you have more feelings of the environment. The problem is I often cant see where my squad mates are or even have a genral idea of where they are, part of this would be easily combated with decent squad comunication but its rare I get a squad other then the two i play with regularily, that keeps in visual range or is in anyway organised because half the time they like to go off and rambo it no matter what orders you give them. Its kinda punishing the rest of us for their behaviour.

I think adding the minimap back in but only marking your squad members in would make all this alot easyer. Perhaps people will stay with their squad if they can see where they are moving.

Its not about having a map, its about having situational awareness.

Posted: 2008-03-27 22:38
by Rudd
Grimmijow wrote:PS: why can't I ever download battlerecorder videos! so annoying, sometimes there are moments in PR that I just have to be able to see again. E.g. when I blew myself up, one teammate and 6 enemys with an IED on Op. Archer.
Some servers like T&T ask you to DL from their site instead, the br listed in community doest really exist sometimes.

Posted: 2008-03-27 22:49
by Jaymz
milsims.blogspot.com wrote:Yes, situational awareness is a tough one to simulate in a game. Leaving the map as you said would definite help with that but I am pretty sure others will see it as a step back in the other direction.
Exactly, we also upped the nametag distance so you get the green squad indication arrows over a longer range which helps you keep formation/spacing/awareness.

Posted: 2008-03-27 22:52
by Jester_Prince
True having the name tag distance increased was a big BIG boost, makes life alot easyer. Id still like to have the mini map personally.

EDIT:

Even if the minimap is ONLY for the SQL it would make squad organisation alot easyer.

Posted: 2008-03-27 23:27
by VipersGhost
Only concern with SL getting the minimap is that a bunch of idiots might just grab a SL kit just for the minimap ASAP thus messing up the server and attracting idiots to an important position. It might not be that bad though, PR in general has a good community and I sure like the idea of a good SL having it.

Posted: 2008-03-28 03:26
by DarthDisco
Though I personally would like to see the minimap come back with only friendlies displayed. I am not naive enough to believe it can happen.


What I think IS a more realistic (in the sense that the DEV's might consider it) is to continue adding more information to the 3D map aka, the HUH itself. The extension of the nametag appearance was a good addition, but I think other things should also be displayed on the 3D map as well.

In the current game, Squad leaders use attack markers to denote enemy locations, rally points, and just about anything else they want their squadmades to look at. I think the DEV's should implement an independent system of symbols to serve this function. For one thing, since the removal of the minimap, using the Spotting function, now limited to Officers, Snipers, and Spec-Ops, has been nearly useless except to aide Airborne assets in tracking ground targets.

I would have spots appear on the 3D map so that when your squad leader spots an enemy sniper in the trees, you actually SEE something on your screen to indicate the spot.

Also, CAS and LGB markers should appear on the HUD as well just like attack markers.

Ideally I think this system should be implemented as follows: Spots from SL's, Snipers, and Spec-Ops should only appear on the HUD of a soldier within a set distance, lets say 25m, of the spotter. I would even just use the existing Spotting Icons, and just put them on the HUD with a range below, just like an attack marker except that it only lasts for a short time. I would not limit it to only fellow squad mates because Snipers and Spec Ops are meant to assist the whole team, not just a single squad.
Spots should still appear as normal on the main 2D map.

CAS and LGB markers should ideally only appear on the HUD's of people in Jets and Helicopters, but I don't know if this is possible with the engine. Assuming it is not I would have it appear to anyone within a set distance of where the marker is placed. Lets say 750m as this usually close to the maximum visual range on larger maps. The point of this feature is to allow pilots to better hit targets on the ground. They would have to use their minimap to get to the general target area, but then have something to actually shoot at when they get there.

To address some of the concerns I know will be expressed against this idea. I don't think either of these additions is unrealistic. The spotting system currently really is useless in aiding other infantry, and in real life a soldier would be able to use language to direct the vision of a fellow soldier to whatever he was spotting. By having an icon appear on the hud this does that in game in a simple, effective manner.

Some might say this could risk cluttering the HUD. To those I give two responses. Firstly, you can always chose to use your ALT key to hide the 3D map. Secondly, with the range limitations on the spotting system, and the fact that spots only last a short time, the odds of a screen full of spots are slim. However, just to make you happy, We can limit the number of spots a person can issue simultaneously to one. So if a SL spots a soldier and then spots another before his first one has disappeared, it automatically removes the first, just like placing another attack marker.

Lastly, some will say "this seems to be the same thing as using attack markers, leave it at that." To those I say, the attack marker system is not meant to represent this kind of direction. The objective markers are meant to give a squad general strategic goals (i.e. Move Here! Attack This! Build That!) not specific tactical instructions (i.e. Look over there! Shoot that guy! Check out this Rally!). So while yes, this spotting system would work very similarly to the objective markers, it is separate from them, and serves a separate function. Additionally, do not forget that it is to be used by more than just the SL.

And thats my idea for spotting.

EDIT: I just thought of one more objection with relation to the SL ability to place spots on the map itself. These spots should not appear on the 3D map as they represent a more strategic level of communication in the game. The only spots that should appear on the 3D map are those made with Line of Sight spotting.