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Compass change

Posted: 2010-08-05 03:24
by Bringerof_D
changing it from degrees to mils seems appropriate to me since you are pretending to be a soldier, and soldiers generally dont use degrees in their compasses. For anyone who doesnt know how to use mils on a compass, it doesn't matter since no one actually uses the compass for navigation anyways.

advantages:

- While calling out directions of targets or what have you, the number you give would be more precise than if it were to be in degrees.

- you have more increments while using less space to mark the numbers for them on the compass itself (ie. in degrees you are required to say 270, where as with mils you can say 48 and the last 2 digits are assumed 00 thus taking up less space)

- assuming that mortars are coming soon this would allow for more accurate fire since between 270 and 280 degrees there would be 10 marks however within that same angle using mils you can have a possible 177 marks which gives you a more accurate reference when sighting

Disadvantages:

- i currently cant think of any but please do post any you may see

Re: Compass change

Posted: 2010-08-05 03:32
by Excavus
no.

degrees are fine. I don't know how to use mils, but I know how to use degrees.

Re: Compass change

Posted: 2010-08-05 04:07
by boilerrat
I can see it now.

Forums flooded with "how use mills?"

Re: Compass change

Posted: 2010-08-05 05:03
by Bringerof_D
Excavus wrote:no.

degrees are fine. I don't know how to use mils, but I know how to use degrees.
well thats the thing. considering that no one actually uses the compass for navigation in game, it makes no difference whether you know how to use it or not. the only difference then for them is that there are more increment markers on the compass

Re: Compass change

Posted: 2010-08-05 05:10
by dtacs
Yes, more increments however they aren't needed. Simply saying '255 plus one' or something similar is adequate.

There's also the SL markers and usually the squad is close enough to one another to be looking in the same direction when one calls out a contact.

Re: Compass change

Posted: 2010-08-05 07:33
by Excavus
Bringerof_D wrote:well thats the thing. considering that no one actually uses the compass for navigation in game, it makes no difference whether you know how to use it or not. the only difference then for them is that there are more increment markers on the compass
Where did you get this "no one uses the compass for navigation". That is quite a generalization you made there. I use it quite a lot for navigation, especially when flying. You can't speak for the entire community.

Maybe YOU don't use the compass, but some of us do.

Re: Compass change

Posted: 2010-08-05 08:28
by Dev1200
I'd like to see whatever most military units use. Otherwise, keep it as it is.

Re: Compass change

Posted: 2010-08-05 08:42
by Truism
It should be mils, no doubt about it. With indirect finally coming into the game it's crazy not to be using mils.

Re: Compass change

Posted: 2010-08-05 10:49
by killonsight95
nope its accurate enough, you won't even be able to see any of the 177 marks.... and you also won't be able toget it exact enough in game rto use it since every time you move you move your gun by 1 pixel and thus probs about 25-45 marks with mils

and i use the compass alot when fly aircraft such as heli's/jets and even the UAV, also i'm sure new players would be confused as tbh i've never heard of mils before and if i saw it in-game i'd be like wtf? why can't they just use a compass. Also remmeber mils won't be used that much anyway for indirect fire as the maps are only 4 KM across at maxium so its not gonna be that needed and i think the top rnage of mortors will be sometihng like 1500 from the video they showed us a while ago.

Re: Compass change

Posted: 2010-08-05 11:59
by ralfidude
Everybody in our clan is required to use the compass to navigate, somebody who says, enemy over there, gets laughed at.

Re: Compass change

Posted: 2010-08-05 13:22
by Jigsaw
If it's not broken, don't fix it springs to mind from this idea...

Re: Compass change

Posted: 2010-08-05 15:20
by Truism
You're completely right. If it's not broken, don't improve it.

With indrect coming into the game, I actually would want to be using mils and would find it useful. 1 mil subtends to roughly 1m at 1000m range. Therefore with a clued in spotter (military trained mebe >.>), perhaps some mil incremented binocs and a reasonable control system a mortar could walk rounds with very reasonable accuracy in close support of ground forces.

This would also have the benefit of actually making snipers useful because their rifles should mostly have mil-dot sights. This would also serve to enhance the awkward and poor distinction between snipers and DMs.

No one is saying Mils are easy to use without practice and training, but shit, that's the point of PR isn't it? You get assets and tools that do more but are harder to use and require more patience and investment of time from the player to get the desired effect from. In return players are rewarded with greater capabilities which build into a richer, more complex and more realistic game. Degrees aren't realistic and are rapidly going to become undesirably simple with indirect fires finally getting into the game.

Re: Compass change

Posted: 2010-08-05 15:20
by Hotrod525
Excavus wrote:no.

degrees are fine. I don't know how to use mils, but I know how to use degrees.
Mils is easy just like degrees, 360 → 6400. It the way compass work irl ( well military one )

N : 6400 / 0
S : 3200
E : 1600
W: 4800

Re: Compass change

Posted: 2010-08-05 15:25
by DankE_SPB
This would also have the benefit of actually making snipers useful because their rifles should mostly have mil-dot sights. This would also serve to enhance the awkward and poor distinction between snipers and DMs.
Mil-dot things most likely wont work due to different resolutions\aspect ratios, where one would see 1 mil, another will have different value in same situation on same scope.

Re: Compass change

Posted: 2010-08-05 15:28
by Booyak
im fine with the compass really useful tool

Re: Compass change

Posted: 2010-08-05 16:03
by dtacs
Hotrod525 wrote:Mils is easy just like degrees, 360 → 6400. It the way compass work irl ( well military one )

N : 6400 / 0
S : 3200
E : 1600
W: 4800
Regardless of how simple it is I don't find myself wanting to have to say 'one thousand four hundred' as opposed to '300'
If it's not broken, don't fix it springs to mind from this idea...
This.

Re: Compass change

Posted: 2010-08-05 17:49
by Bringerof_D
dtacs wrote:Regardless of how simple it is I don't find myself wanting to have to say 'one thousand four hundred' as opposed to '300'


This.
thats the great thing about mils, you dont have to say one thousand four hundred. the military standard is you say fourteen hundred or just 14 and the last two are assumed 00 but if you want a more detailed heading you can say 1455


now i dont think this is absolutely necessary i just thought it would be a nice addition since we are getting mortars. As mentioned if it aint broke dont fix it. just wanted to throw it out there for consideration.

Re: Compass change

Posted: 2010-08-05 18:12
by Jigsaw
Truism wrote:You're completely right. If it's not broken, don't improve it.
Thats not what I said and the sarcasm isn't appreciated. In my view using mils would not improve the system, only make it more complex.
Truism wrote:No one is saying Mils are easy to use without practice and training, but shit, that's the point of PR isn't it? You get assets and tools that do more but are harder to use and require more patience and investment of time from the player to get the desired effect from. In return players are rewarded with greater capabilities which build into a richer, more complex and more realistic game. Degrees aren't realistic and are rapidly going to become undesirably simple with indirect fires finally getting into the game.
No, that's not the point of PR. The objective is realistic gameplay on the BF2 engine, so this statement does not stand up at all. The only situation in which this change would become a benefit is in the application of indirect fire weaponry, in every other circumstance it is more difficult and cumbersome to use and therefore is a detriment to gameplay.

This is a videogame, not everyone who plays has military experience/knowledge.

Re: Compass change

Posted: 2010-08-05 18:52
by Redamare
I think this is a repost of a nother thread that was JUST avtive ... the main idea i think should be used is ..

you bring your map up and the degrees of the map show / pop up... when you put down your map the degrees stay up for a few seconds then fade away... simulating you bring out your compass to figure out where you are heading .... from the position you are at ... then when you put your map away you still have a bit of direction when you beging walking a few steps then the compass goeesa away and you continue in that general direction...

personaly i LOVE the compass BUT it isnt fully realisitc .. soldiers dont walk around all day with compasses out saying .. Enemy Directly North or at 145 , 245 or 5 clicks left of North lol.... ..

If compasses are brought to being used like this i think that it will help improve the gameplay in spotting enemys and engaging using actual map references suchas ..buildings and trees to attack and engage bad guys :D

Re: Compass change

Posted: 2010-08-05 19:30
by DankE_SPB
personaly i LOVE the compass BUT it isnt fully realisitc .. soldiers dont walk around all day with compasses out saying .. Enemy Directly North or at 145 , 245 or 5 clicks left of North lol.... ..
Not being able to look around without moving whole body, not being able to point at direction, language barrier, the list goes on, are not realistic at all too and current compass helps to solve those problems pretty good. Remove it - your squad is now a helpless mob.

Current system is fine and work well.