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[Sir Wolfenx]

It is cumbersome to switch to the battlemap and the in game view. It is more cumbersome to pilot a mech and operate the battlemap on two separate screens. In larger maps, switch to the battle grid is required, the small cockpit minimap doesn't do i.


Zoomable Battlemap
Is the intention of the small map on the middle center screen is to decrease tactical awareness by offering a local map? If not, then zooming in and out on the minimap in cockpit might be useful to improve teamwork in game.

Another addition could be edge of map pings at the current zoom level which would make the player aware of targets off map.

Streaming Battlemap
Streaming to a touchscreen device which could be placed near the computer is another idea. These days PCs can stream to other devices such as touch pads(iPad..) and cell phones. How about streaming the battlemap? Everyone has a cellphone. The lance and squad leader could quickly glance at the side map during play and assign waypoints and commands there with a few touchs and drag and drops. It would be easier to play commander and pilot at the same time. Players could pinch zoom to see their battle map, and not feel like they're out of cockpit.

My idea for this came from seeing the old mech commander intro.

Example
Mechcommander 1 intro movie: Jump to Time: 2:18



http://www.thesixtha...alMap_620px.jpg

https://images-na.ss.../ruse.07.lg.jpg

http://www.safran.cn...png/sitel-2.png

Cockpit Player Portaits when VOIP or Text Chat
It also came to my attention that just showing the player name makes it hard to understand the context of who's saying it. 12 teamates is alot of who's who in 15 minutes for some of us. ITs even harder still to know our teamates battlemechs, and loadouts, It would be easier to identify pilots if they had more to identify them then text and name. Say an icon or a face or a streaming low def videoclip? Remember old Wing Commander, enemy pilots would pipe in through the comms with their portraits? (in addition to friendlies)
Players could choose a portrait (personalized or possible another in game purchase opportunity???$$$$) or steam from webcam(preferabely the cosplayers and not the just random joes XD ) ?

I think this would add to player immersion, which seems to be PGI's development focus.

http://img.jeuxvideo...f-the-tiger.jpg

Edited by Sir Wolfenx, 09 April 2015 - 07:36 PM.