17 replies to this topic

[Shock Jockey]

First, I'd like to state that I'm impressed that MWO works so well out of the box at "non-standard" resolutions. As surround becomes more popular it is seeing support slowly come. With the huge number of available resolutions, I normally expect only the "standard" ones to work. Yet this works almost flawlessly using a larger bezel corrected widescreen resolution.

I'm so used to gaming like this after a year, that I have been requiring my mechs to have good perepheral view. Since I cannot find a good compilation of screenthots comparing cockpit visibility for us super-wide-guys, I'm making one.

This post will be edited as I get more screenshots, and I will be adding some comparison shots to show you guys just how much difference this makes in some mechs. I don't own many mechs yet, so I'm adding these as I see new ones in spectator mode.

These shots are in 6000x1080 which is 5760x1080 (3x 1920x1080) using bezel correction. That means that the 120 pixel width "between" the monitors are rendered by the computer, but end up sitting "behind" the bezels of the monitors. This makes a straight line going off one monitor meet up where you expect it to on another. But since peoples monitors have different size bezels, resolutions will vary with individual setups.

I am also using the default FOV as it suits me fine. There are other threads using non stock FOVs that I don't feel represent an "ideal" example. However, some may prefer a higher than default FOV, so feel free to follow the links provided below for comparison.

Here are a few rough ones I have so far.

Spider - 5/5 - Great


Battlemaster - 5/5 - Great


Thunderbolt - 5/5 - Great


Trebuchet - 5/5 - Great


Cataphract - 5/5 - Great


Raven - 4.5/5 - Very Good


Catapault - 4/5 - Good


Locust - 4/5 - Good


Cicada - 4/5 - Good


Kintaro - 4/5 - Good


Blackjack - 4/5 - Good


Hunchback - 3/5 - Average (4/5 - Great for the 4SP)


Dragon - 3/5 - Average


Victor - 3/5 - Average


Orion - 2.5/5 - Below Average



Centurion - 2.5/5 - Below Average


Highlander - 2/5 - Bad


Jagermech - 1.5/5 - Very Bad


Jenner - 1.5/5 - Very Bad


Shadow Hawk - 1/5 - Terrible


Atlas - 1/5 - Terrible



After I get most/all of them done, I'll be sorting them from best to worst view. As you can see, Some are CLEARLY better than the others.

More to come...

Edited by Shock Jockey, 25 November 2013 - 09:04 PM.

[BP Raven]

At the request of the OP, i put some up in this thread:

http://mwomercs.com/...-mech-cockpits/

If you want to nix any you don't have if it saves you some work, feel free.

[Bront]

Nice thread, and interesting pictures.

Now all I need is a new computer and 3 new monitors so I can enjoy this too

[Marmon Rzohr]

Great screenshots. I have never seen the cockpits from such an interesting perspective. Really shows off the differences between mechs.

[Macbrea]

Man.. the Locus-1V(P) might be playable with that cockpit view. Now, I just need to acquire a third monitor...

[BP Raven]

Macbrea, on 25 November 2013 - 06:38 AM, said:

Man.. the Locus-1V(P) might be playable with that cockpit view. Now, I just need to acquire a third monitor...

One problem though, when you fire the machine guns you can see the muzzle flash on the side screens, so you either get blinded or have an epilectic fit. The Raven with MGs has the same issue.

[Shock Jockey]

BP Raven, on 25 November 2013 - 08:01 AM, said:

One problem though, when you fire the machine guns you can see the muzzle flash on the side screens...

Yeah it took me about 2 dozen screen shots to get the one I used above because that little locust was spamming it's machine guns. The muzzle flash really does fill up the side monitors.

[Xmasterspy]

I have a 3 monitor setup using Eyefinity. It is awesome to show my friends the game running across all 3, but it's not really playable for any amount of time. There is a little bit stretch as you get to the far sides, and after a bit, that starts to make me sick.  
But its still really cool.
Also, does modifying the system.cfg with cl_fov = 75 still work?

Edited by Xmasterspy, 25 November 2013 - 08:43 PM.

[Shock Jockey]

Xmasterspy, on 25 November 2013 - 06:25 PM, said:

does modifying the system.cfg with cl_fov = 75 still work?

No you need to put that line in a new file called "User.cfg" in the same folder

[Koniving]

Shock Jockey, on 23 November 2013 - 06:46 PM, said:

I am also using the default FOV as it suits me fine. There are other threads using non stock FOVs that I don't feel represent an "ideal" example. However, some may prefer a higher than default FOV, so feel free to follow the links provided below for comparison.

With non-stock FOVs it allows us single and twin monitor users to get results similar to yours on fewer monitors and without having to do the extreme resolution. Personally run 100 as my FOV and can fit most of what you see on a single monitor. I'd probably have to set my FOV to 125 to 140 to get identical left to right visibility.

That said, good shots. It'll feel a lot more natural across 3 screens so that I can turn my head in real life instead of the pilot's head.

[Shock Jockey]

Koniving, on 25 November 2013 - 09:02 PM, said:

It'll feel a lot more natural across 3 screens so that I can turn my head in real life instead of the pilot's head.

Believe it or not, this is the FIRST thing you need to learn NOT to do when using a multi-monitor setup. It takes WEEKS of use to train yourself not to watch the side monitors. They are there STRICTLY for perepheral vision. No more, no less.

Still totally worth it, but not for the reasons people think.

[Koniving]

Well aware. This is FOV 100.
On the Thunderbolt, the peripheral vision comes in handy.

[Shock Jockey]

Honestly I never understood why people who DO use a surround setup crank their FOV. If you already have the Peripheral vision from ACTUAL periphery then the small advantage you get is overwhelmed by the lack of precision in the focal point.

I'd say that once you have a wide enough field, set your FOV as LOW as possible to maintain that field, and increase precision.

This is not ideal in all cases, but mid-long range you should see a benefit. It does make chasing huggers more difficult though. And it can also cause motion sickness.

[Lordred]

Cockpit. Commando.

[RX 187]

Macbrea, on 25 November 2013 - 06:38 AM, said:

Man.. the Locus-1V(P) might be playable with that cockpit view. Now, I just need to acquire a third monitor...

Locust 1V(P) works quite well in eyefinity, allows you to keep an eye on the sides so no one flanks you and instantly takes out a leg. But with max engine and speedtweak (actually anything decently fast (120+)) you can get quite disorientated if you twitch twist and turn. But next quote is what eliminates this.

Shock Jockey, on 25 November 2013 - 11:39 PM, said:

Believe it or not, this is the FIRST thing you need to learn NOT to do when using a multi-monitor setup. It takes WEEKS of use to train yourself not to watch the side monitors. They are there STRICTLY for perepheral vision. No more, no less.

Still totally worth it, but not for the reasons people think.

I agree, only focus on the center monitor, and use the sides for peripheral vision, just to note if anyone is flanking you or not.

Shock Jockey, on 26 November 2013 - 09:52 AM, said:

Honestly I never understood why people who DO use a surround setup crank their FOV. If you already have the Peripheral vision from ACTUAL periphery then the small advantage you get is overwhelmed by the lack of precision in the focal point.

I'd say that once you have a wide enough field, set your FOV as LOW as possible to maintain that field, and increase precision.

This is not ideal in all cases, but mid-long range you should see a benefit. It does make chasing huggers more difficult though. And it can also cause motion sickness.

+1, I was running a pretty high FOV with a single monitor. But as soon as I setup eyefinity, I removed the FOV command from user.cfg. I wonder how low of a FOV you can set.
I only used FOV to give me more peripheral vision, but with eyefinity its no longer needed. Also without FOV the picture is bigger and clearer, allowing you to be more precise. But I would use a higher FOV with a single monitor.

Edited by RX 187, 12 January 2014 - 03:12 PM.

[Buckminster]

I can't wait for them to add the cockpit glass stuff. It'll make these wide displays AWESOME.

[Viscount Hood]

Until recently (after watching a you tube video) I had no idea you could even look through your side window panes. I have a old square LCD monitor in 1280x1024 resolution and you can only see through the centre window so I have no peripheral vision. It doesn't affect gameplay though....

[Buckminster]

A lot of it also depends on the mech - you don't really have any peripheral vision in a Shadow Hawk, so it won't matter, but in the bubble cockpit of a Griffin, it's significant.

I'll be really curious to see how the upcoming cockpit glass update affects this. If they actually get all the HUD info onto the monitors in the cockpit, than that wider monitor will be helpful.

It can also make a big difference on arm mounted weapons. If you free look (left ctrl), your arm weapons will follow your crosshairs, giving you a much wider arc of fire.

Edit: I am dissapoint in cockpit glass. I thought they were actually moving the HUD elements to all those monitors, and not just adding a layer of dust.

Edited by Buckminster, 22 January 2014 - 01:01 PM.