Forums » Suggestions
HUD stuff
Did some stuff in a group today.
It'd be nice if, when someone in your group isn't in the same sector, it showed their current sector. That way you'd know where your folks were, even if they were docked.
Obviously, if they're out of system, we can still have that little gap.
I'm not so happy about the fact that you lose your percentage status indicator when you're in a group; loss of data is something I don't really approve of.
The more I mess with it, the more I think the targetting system could use some feature-love..
It'd be really nice to handle more than one 'target'. Multiple reasons..
One, the ability to have a 'secondary target'. That is, target someone somehow, then hit a secondary toggle key or something, which either a) moves your current target to the secondary slot (if you don't already have a secondary target), or b) swaps the secondary and primary targets (if you do already have a secondary target).
The purpose of this would be able to target something, keep it stored while you deal with another problem, then return to your original target without having to go -find- it.
For example, I was hunting Siepos T38 Transports today, and they were escorted by a pair of DenTek's each. If I could have targetted the T38, set it as my secondary target, I could then have dealt with the denteks without losing track of the T38.
The visual mechanic could be something simple, like it showing up with only the name, and a blue circle around the target on your radar, instead of a red circle. Perhaps a smaller chevron around the center hud elements, to indicate where it has gone relative your view, like you get for your primary target.
Obviously, if you got out of sensor range, the lock would be lost as normal.
The next thing would help -massively- with group fighting.. The ability to designate a 'group target'. Target someone, hit a 'group target' key, and for everyone in your group that target gets (for example) a yellow outline on the radar, and perhaps a chevron around the center HUD area. This way concentrating fire doesn't become, "Target the transport!" "..uh, which one!" "The one I'm fighting!" "...uh, where?" Depending on how group stuff works long-term, it's possible group targets might only be settable by the person who runs the group, or someone who's a lieutenant in the guild, or something.. Wouldn't want -everyone- able to set group targets.
Also, I wouldn't expect lead indicators to show up on secondary or group targets; you'd need to actually target them for that. But with both of these, if you're hunting something that you don't want to leave, and a group target comes up, you can try to drop your current target to secondary, lock on the group target, and deal with that.. Then, return your secondary target to primary, and get back to what you were doing.
On that note, it would be pretty handy if -- maybe with a toggle -- group mates had boxes around them to designate their position visually. Like how you get a red box around enemy targets.. Maybe if you got a white or light grey box around group mates..
It -might- also be worthwhile to have a similar toggle for people in the same nation as you, so they get a green box around them.
When I'm setting up firing angles, it'd be nice to be able to tell easier if someone is in my line of fire..
And being able to -see- without relying on the radar to extrapolate where your group mates are will make it easier to engage whoever they're fighting, going back to the targeting thing, and bailing people out.
Me, rambly. Hope that makes sense.
It'd be nice if, when someone in your group isn't in the same sector, it showed their current sector. That way you'd know where your folks were, even if they were docked.
Obviously, if they're out of system, we can still have that little gap.
I'm not so happy about the fact that you lose your percentage status indicator when you're in a group; loss of data is something I don't really approve of.
The more I mess with it, the more I think the targetting system could use some feature-love..
It'd be really nice to handle more than one 'target'. Multiple reasons..
One, the ability to have a 'secondary target'. That is, target someone somehow, then hit a secondary toggle key or something, which either a) moves your current target to the secondary slot (if you don't already have a secondary target), or b) swaps the secondary and primary targets (if you do already have a secondary target).
The purpose of this would be able to target something, keep it stored while you deal with another problem, then return to your original target without having to go -find- it.
For example, I was hunting Siepos T38 Transports today, and they were escorted by a pair of DenTek's each. If I could have targetted the T38, set it as my secondary target, I could then have dealt with the denteks without losing track of the T38.
The visual mechanic could be something simple, like it showing up with only the name, and a blue circle around the target on your radar, instead of a red circle. Perhaps a smaller chevron around the center hud elements, to indicate where it has gone relative your view, like you get for your primary target.
Obviously, if you got out of sensor range, the lock would be lost as normal.
The next thing would help -massively- with group fighting.. The ability to designate a 'group target'. Target someone, hit a 'group target' key, and for everyone in your group that target gets (for example) a yellow outline on the radar, and perhaps a chevron around the center HUD area. This way concentrating fire doesn't become, "Target the transport!" "..uh, which one!" "The one I'm fighting!" "...uh, where?" Depending on how group stuff works long-term, it's possible group targets might only be settable by the person who runs the group, or someone who's a lieutenant in the guild, or something.. Wouldn't want -everyone- able to set group targets.
Also, I wouldn't expect lead indicators to show up on secondary or group targets; you'd need to actually target them for that. But with both of these, if you're hunting something that you don't want to leave, and a group target comes up, you can try to drop your current target to secondary, lock on the group target, and deal with that.. Then, return your secondary target to primary, and get back to what you were doing.
On that note, it would be pretty handy if -- maybe with a toggle -- group mates had boxes around them to designate their position visually. Like how you get a red box around enemy targets.. Maybe if you got a white or light grey box around group mates..
It -might- also be worthwhile to have a similar toggle for people in the same nation as you, so they get a green box around them.
When I'm setting up firing angles, it'd be nice to be able to tell easier if someone is in my line of fire..
And being able to -see- without relying on the radar to extrapolate where your group mates are will make it easier to engage whoever they're fighting, going back to the targeting thing, and bailing people out.
Me, rambly. Hope that makes sense.
Personally, I find it refreshing that everything on the HUD is not marked out crystal-clear as a friendly target or an enemy target. It's neat to see all these ships flying to and fro without knowing what they are until you match them up with the dots on the radar.
IMO, the game is enhnaced by this since you actually have to pay attention to your radar and use some thinking in order to pick the best targets.
If everything was immediately visible to you as friend/foe etc, then misfires would never happen, and that's part of the game. Afterall, if your friend is stupid enough to get in your way, he deserve to be shot =P
IMO, the game is enhnaced by this since you actually have to pay attention to your radar and use some thinking in order to pick the best targets.
If everything was immediately visible to you as friend/foe etc, then misfires would never happen, and that's part of the game. Afterall, if your friend is stupid enough to get in your way, he deserve to be shot =P
Except it's -really- hard to tell which is which when the dots are stacked on top of each other on the radar.
Needing thinking would still apply if you knew at a glance which was what.. Because you'd need to think about who is moving where, and what the overall situation of the fight is.
Misfires can -still- happen if you can tell immediately who is enemy and who is foe. Ask anyone who's played Planetside. :)
I'm of the opinion that accidents that happen because you don't have enough readily accessible information should not happen. There's no real reason for the HUD to -not- indicate these things, and having it not do that does not enhance the gameplay. The radar's primary purpose should be detection and rough determination of direction/distance. Your actual view on the main portion of the screen should be your primary data source of what's going on before you.
And additionally, due to how targeting works, and the -great- imprecision of position indication with the radar system.. It's not just a matter of 'being stupid' if you cross into line of fire. If you're both due to circumstances near each other, it's sometimes difficult to tell if it's a foe that's crossing your line of fire, or your friend. Sometimes, they may be backing away to get distance from their enemy and -cannot see- that they are crossing line of fire.. In which case, it's on the firer to see that someone they don't want to shoot is getting there, and pause in firing for them to pass.
Again, there is nothing added by having this difficulty here, and it makes teamwork harder.
Needing thinking would still apply if you knew at a glance which was what.. Because you'd need to think about who is moving where, and what the overall situation of the fight is.
Misfires can -still- happen if you can tell immediately who is enemy and who is foe. Ask anyone who's played Planetside. :)
I'm of the opinion that accidents that happen because you don't have enough readily accessible information should not happen. There's no real reason for the HUD to -not- indicate these things, and having it not do that does not enhance the gameplay. The radar's primary purpose should be detection and rough determination of direction/distance. Your actual view on the main portion of the screen should be your primary data source of what's going on before you.
And additionally, due to how targeting works, and the -great- imprecision of position indication with the radar system.. It's not just a matter of 'being stupid' if you cross into line of fire. If you're both due to circumstances near each other, it's sometimes difficult to tell if it's a foe that's crossing your line of fire, or your friend. Sometimes, they may be backing away to get distance from their enemy and -cannot see- that they are crossing line of fire.. In which case, it's on the firer to see that someone they don't want to shoot is getting there, and pause in firing for them to pass.
Again, there is nothing added by having this difficulty here, and it makes teamwork harder.
Well, if this does get implemented, make sure it can be toggle-able.
Frankly the game's scenery is breathtaking (flying around as a station just begins to peak over an asteroid is really cool looking) and I think that it would be ruined by these HUD icons.
Also, how would they work? Would the ocmputer "guess" based on the radar or would it look for the actual ships? The reason I ask this is what happens if a ship goes behind an asteroid (or anything else big), do you still see the icon?
Frankly the game's scenery is breathtaking (flying around as a station just begins to peak over an asteroid is really cool looking) and I think that it would be ruined by these HUD icons.
Also, how would they work? Would the ocmputer "guess" based on the radar or would it look for the actual ships? The reason I ask this is what happens if a ship goes behind an asteroid (or anything else big), do you still see the icon?
Not so sure about the extra HUD information, but a group target feature would be good.
I think it would be useful to move the info about the currently selected target somehwere near the center of the screen.
Then it would block your view of the actual, um, universe.
PS: Use & nbsp; to space things out (no space between the ampersand and the n).
PS: Use & nbsp; to space things out (no space between the ampersand and the n).
Of course it should then be adjusted so it does not block too much of your view.
Being in a group doesn't take away your info. Type /hudmode. I have it bound to "z." You can do that by typing "/bind z hudmode"
Why are you flying by radar to begin with? The radar is supposed to give you a rough idea of object's positions relative to you. Too much info just makes things unexciting. You have to be alert. The game is predominantly visual. That's one of the caveats of it being twitch based.
<I'm of the opinion that accidents that happen because you don't have enough readily accessible information should not happen.>
That's the fun of combat though. Having the game give you God-like presience takes away from the necessity of being alert and on your feet. A little ambiguity is a good thing.
Why are you flying by radar to begin with? The radar is supposed to give you a rough idea of object's positions relative to you. Too much info just makes things unexciting. You have to be alert. The game is predominantly visual. That's one of the caveats of it being twitch based.
<I'm of the opinion that accidents that happen because you don't have enough readily accessible information should not happen.>
That's the fun of combat though. Having the game give you God-like presience takes away from the necessity of being alert and on your feet. A little ambiguity is a good thing.
I'm not flying by radar; I use it to glance at every now and then. Orion_Prime was telling me to use the radar to tell what's going on. I don't agree with that approach, for the reason you stated -- it's there for general information purposes.
A little extra info on the radar (being able to mark a secondary target and a group target) would not clutter the radar, and would not provide immediate combat information, only general tactical information. (you've marked this guy for later. Someone in the group says to blow this other guy up pronto.)
When it comes to the HUD, I don't think marking your own teammates and possibly other people in your nation (and I did say that as a 'possible', and not something really important) would grant a 'god-like presence'. It's just being able to tell, at a glance, who my teammates are. Which I should be able to do, but -cannot- at present.
This does not magically grant you the ability to tell if there's rocks around you not in your field of vision. This does not magically grant you knowledge of everyone's exact velocity (which you have to watch their movements on your main screen to do). This only lets you know who is your buddy, and who is not.
Basic information we should already have.
A little extra info on the radar (being able to mark a secondary target and a group target) would not clutter the radar, and would not provide immediate combat information, only general tactical information. (you've marked this guy for later. Someone in the group says to blow this other guy up pronto.)
When it comes to the HUD, I don't think marking your own teammates and possibly other people in your nation (and I did say that as a 'possible', and not something really important) would grant a 'god-like presence'. It's just being able to tell, at a glance, who my teammates are. Which I should be able to do, but -cannot- at present.
This does not magically grant you the ability to tell if there's rocks around you not in your field of vision. This does not magically grant you knowledge of everyone's exact velocity (which you have to watch their movements on your main screen to do). This only lets you know who is your buddy, and who is not.
Basic information we should already have.