32 replies to this topic

[aniviron]

Yeah, this was amazing! I like your choices for camera control and framing. The sort of odd way that it jerks and the image distorts as you move and look around makes it look as though you're actually in a drone observing the match.

I also enjoy that from such a high up view the scale of the game becomes evident, and the map actually looks fairly large, as do the mechs. The volcano looks much more real from up there as well.

As someone else said, I could watch this all day. Game looks great from this angle, I'd love to have this as an intentional feature.

[Karl Berg]

Looks like, somehow, due to latency you've spawned outside of your mech! Since you're unattached you're getting partial spectate controls. Since you don't have spectate entitlements, you're not getting full controls. I'll bug the gameplay guys to check this out and see if they can get a repro.

Sorry you ended up out of that game.

In the meantime, that was some pretty good footage!

[Hatchet Jack]

Karl Berg, on 13 April 2014 - 05:33 PM, said:

Looks like, somehow, due to latency you've spawned outside of your mech! Since you're unattached you're getting partial spectate controls. Since you don't have spectate entitlements, you're not getting full controls. I'll bug the gameplay guys to check this out and see if they can get a repro.

Sorry you ended up out of that game.

In the meantime, that was some pretty good footage!

Imagine what the community could do for the game if they did.

Knowwhatimeanvern? Nudge nudge, wink wink.

[GutterBoy5]

This would be great feature as a after match replay/review. Great for teams with training & or solo players seeing how they faired on battlefield .

[xengk]

MoonUnitBeta, on 13 April 2014 - 03:40 PM, said:

I love it when you're rotating around the caldera, and seeing mechs from afar pelt others with ballistics. Very cool.

I notice it looks different though than the other spectator view. I like this one better. The motion seems smoother and easier to control.... in PGI's official spectator view, theirs seems fixed at a very high movement speed and it's very jerky (even if it was a low movement speed). So I really think the smoothness of this bug really makes watching a match more enjoyable. It seems like the bug is still tied to mech acceleration, which probably contributes to a smoother spectate.

The video was originally quite jerky and moves at high speed, something along 130kph.
Youtube offer to smooth out the video and this is the result.

[xengk]

Karl Berg, on 13 April 2014 - 05:33 PM, said:

Looks like, somehow, due to latency you've spawned outside of your mech! Since you're unattached you're getting partial spectate controls. Since you don't have spectate entitlements, you're not getting full controls. I'll bug the gameplay guys to check this out and see if they can get a repro.

Sorry you ended up out of that game.

In the meantime, that was some pretty good footage!

I don't mind getting this bug from time to time, please keep it as an ester egg or intended feature in the future.
It is nice to kick back and watch other people play for once.
I'll have Fraps running the background for whenever this bug pop up again.

If the gameplay guys need any information to help with reproducing this bug, please PM me any time.

[9erRed]

Greetings all,

Again great video, a bit choppy on some of the Mech's movements, but you can see where the delay happens between the client and server correcting the Mech's locations.

There is a precedence for this function from within the BattleTech Lore, as the BattleROM that resides in all Mech's cockpits.

- The BattleTech equivalent of the real-world "Black Box" and "Event Data Recorder" devices installed on many vehicles, the BattleROM records and stores hundreds of hours of all sensor data from a ’Mech, from its internal and external sensors and communications.
- BattleROM information can be reviewed as simple visual and audio data, but when plugged into a suitable simulator the information as well as the full monitor and instrument output can be played back and displayed exactly as the pilot saw it.

Thus we have an actual system and data that Company Commanders can collect from each Mech and combine within a suitable simulation to review the battle and tactics. Allow units to conduct after action debriefings and plan future tactics, allow for the review and training of new Pilots, conduct tactical flyovers of future battlefields or just update views of defences.

- It was stated by PGI that there were new and different "sensors" in the works, some that could be dropped and deployed, others that conduct flyovers of the Battle field. Assume that these can also be linked into the ROM system.

Now whether this could be handled in real time and transmitted to field commanders may be tricky.
- possibly a great feature for the unused "Command Console". Digitally linking all the company for that Battle Field Overview in it's simulated "Command Environment".
(issues like ECM, BAP, NARC, EMP weapons, loss of Mechs, all effect what info can be observed.)
- There may even be a location where the ROM information can be used in our current battle modes, any map that contains a Forward Mobile Field Command Post, as seen on some maps, could be the location of this 13th player. Actually build a "Battlefield Management Cockpit" inside that unit, and bring a real need to keep it protected.

PGI had mentioned in past Podcasts and announcements that they were toying with the idea of allowing Pilots that have had there Mech's destroyed to be able to "spawn" either back at there DropShip or possibly at some defensive structures. Say manning base turrets or weapons systems, this could work well if the Command Center was actually also manned.
[just a thought, as we currently "spectate" most battles now, and actually having an additional role to play after a Mech loss could be great to retain players during conflicts. Still contribute to the battle even after your Mech is lost.]

Conclusion:
I really think PGI should spend resources and time to bring this tool into the players arena. For those conducting video replays and movie makers it's an excellent tool, add in a few specialized tools for them like slow motion, blur, you get the idea. For the general public just being able to save a replay after the battle would suffice, enable a setting within the options menu to turn on "capture the battle" with various quality settings, open an option from the Mech Lab to "view a replay" would be a great start. Giving the free flight view from that closed environment.

9erRed

Edited by 9erRed, 14 April 2014 - 04:02 AM.

[MoonUnitBeta]

xengk, on 13 April 2014 - 11:40 PM, said:

The video was originally quite jerky and moves at high speed, something along 130kph.
Youtube offer to smooth out the video and this is the result.

Oooh I see. That also explains some interesting transitioning/zooming I saw as well.

It definitely made it look more dramatic though for sure! Haha

[Grendel408]

I need the ability to do spectate mode like that! Would make my recruitment videos so damn cool too! plz, PGI... not as a priority, but make available? Maybe 1 spectator slot per team?

[R4wdigga]

Adding this as a replay feature (some kind of replay function with spectate mode) would be godlike. I can see so many machinimas on youtube, would help the game alot i think!

[Goosfraba]

Can we have this on the training grounds please?

[Grey Black]

DO WANT.

[Iron Hand]

I think that would be great to have as a after mission review, that way it would not allow cheating via 3 rd party voice over coms, but you could use it as a training tool. Also people could make awesome promotional videos which will help boost more people's interest in playing MWO.

Another thing that could be used along those lines that would be awesome is: when a teammate launches a UAV everyone on the team would have an arial view of the battlefield at the fixed location of the UAV while it was functional, using one of the non- functional screens inside our mech cockpit.