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HUD compass


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#1 StaIker

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Posted 13 March 2012 - 07:13 PM

I'd like to suggest a minor change to the way the compass displays information in order to make it easier for large groups to coordinate.

Quick Summary: The Compass needs digital bearings for navigation so that players can move together as a unit.

Like this:

Posted Image


In more detail:

When moving in close formation it is essential that each player is moving on the same bearing, ideally the exact same bearing. Any non parallel paths will eventually result in collisions and with perhaps a dozen mechs in close proximity it would require exceptional concentration by each player to avoid contact. If engaged in combat the workload of having to fight and maintain a bearing is simply too much when the information is not easily accessable. As it stands the current compass does not provide the necessary accuracy to allow a group to move in formation, nor does it allow easy bearing calls. The commander would have to manually count the compass divisions and then further estimate the gaps between to provide a heading which is +/- 3 degrees. Each player then has to repeat the process making navigation overly difficult, especially if there are frequent course changes. Only digital indicators for both torso and legs can provide the necessary accuracy and clarity to allow rapid movements by a group.

Secondly, for any group of mechs moving together the referance bearing is going to be the direction of movement, as it is common to all. If a player calls out "Targets to the right" he is going to mean on the right hand side relative to the direction of movement, as the warning will be meaningless based on torso twist, as everyones is going to be different. Therefor I would suggest making the leg bearing the fixed position in the center of the compass and the torso twist as the variable indicator.


The before picture.


Posted Image


And after, with the suggested changes.


Posted Image

Edited by StaIker, 17 March 2012 - 08:47 PM.


#2 Silent

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Posted 13 March 2012 - 08:01 PM

I would even suggest removing the cardinal directions from the compass and replace them with degrees, or at least allow a player to toggle the display so it can either read as cardinal directions or degrees.

#3 Specter

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Posted 15 March 2012 - 08:08 PM

I also have to agree whole heartily with this compass revamp. Anyone who has played as part of a team from any number of the old mechwarrior leagues would agree as well to get this change implemented. Moving in formation in proximity to one another is simplified a lot by simple easy to read bearings. When you have four mechs or more traveling together they are not going to be all looking in one direction or whether their paths are intersecting. They will be actively searching for targets all around them on visual, because lets face it, your eyes are still the best instrument out there. If you are busy watching the guys around you, you will miss the mech that just walked over a ridge 800 meters away and was passive so it wasn't caught on radar.

Edited by Specter, 15 March 2012 - 08:11 PM.


#4 Seabear

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Posted 16 March 2012 - 09:01 AM

Agree that the info should be more readily seen. With the appearent focus on taem work and co-odination, we will need this easy to see and read!

#5 Belisarius1

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Posted 17 March 2012 - 07:26 PM

I can't stress how essential this is.

Stalker, I fear your OP might be a bit dense, because this absolutely has to get noticed. Maybe put the picture and a tl;dr at the top, and zoom in on just the change? We can't afford to lose it because someone important went "whoah wall of text" and closed the tab...

#6 Rayge

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Posted 17 March 2012 - 07:28 PM

These times we're in, when 3 paragraphs are 'whoa wall of text' ;)

Still, good suggestions

#7 Dras Black

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Posted 17 March 2012 - 07:52 PM

I could see this as a pretty good thing to implement.

Low impact to pretty much everything and has a good impact to team coordination. I'm Pro teamwork, on top of that it would be useful for spotting on compass directions, instead of saying on the right, saying "at X Compass" is way more accurate.

#8 DRevD

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Posted 17 March 2012 - 08:07 PM

Stalker's suggestion is how the compass needs to be done. Its loads more useful for team coordination than whats shown in the videos currently.

#9 Belisarius1

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Posted 17 March 2012 - 08:10 PM

View PostRayge, on 17 March 2012 - 07:28 PM, said:

These times we're in, when 3 paragraphs are 'whoa wall of text' ;)

Still, good suggestions


On this forum - full of people who've had a whole ten years to brood over their perfect mechwarrior experience and another two to write a post outlining it - I'm not sure I'd read any OP longer than a picture and two lines either, if I were a dev.

#10 StaIker

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Posted 17 March 2012 - 08:49 PM

View PostBelisarius†, on 17 March 2012 - 07:26 PM, said:

I can't stress how essential this is.

Stalker, I fear your OP might be a bit dense, because this absolutely has to get noticed. Maybe put the picture and a tl;dr at the top, and zoom in on just the change? We can't afford to lose it because someone important went "whoah wall of text" and closed the tab...


As you say...

#11 StaIker

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Posted 17 March 2012 - 08:52 PM

View PostBelisarius†, on 17 March 2012 - 08:10 PM, said:


On this forum - full of people who've had a whole ten years to brood over their perfect mechwarrior experience and another two to write a post outlining it - I'm not sure I'd read any OP longer than a picture and two lines either, if I were a dev.


I don't know who you mean.

#12 Belisarius1

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Posted 17 March 2012 - 08:56 PM

lol. Yours at least was worth writing.

Also I've lost you on MSN, somehow. Stopped using it forever ago and i can't remember who is who.

#13 Rayge

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Posted 17 March 2012 - 10:22 PM

I have to say that a compass bearing for both legs and torso is realyl growing on me, the more I think about it.

Commence operation: Bump Until Paul Posts? (BUPP)

#14 Togg Bott

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Posted 17 March 2012 - 11:16 PM

i would say go one step further and make the HUD customisable for people like me (read OLD) who have a hard time seeing things thin like that. give us the option of changing the layout colors and positions.

damn.... another WOT

#15 Belisarius1

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Posted 18 March 2012 - 12:26 AM

View PostRayge, on 17 March 2012 - 10:22 PM, said:

Commence operation: Bump Until Paul Posts? (BUPP)


Gladly.


View PostTogg Bott, on 17 March 2012 - 11:16 PM, said:

i would say go one step further and make the HUD customisable for people like me (read OLD) who have a hard time seeing things thin like that. give us the option of changing the layout colors and positions.

damn.... another WOT


A fully customisable HUD would be about the strongest case of TAKE MY MONEY PGI that I can think of.

Edited by Belisarius†, 18 March 2012 - 12:27 AM.


#16 SirDenOfYork

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Posted 18 March 2012 - 12:41 AM

View PostBelisarius†, on 18 March 2012 - 12:26 AM, said:


Gladly.




A fully customisable HUD would be about the strongest case of TAKE MY MONEY PGI that I can think of.

I agree if you could change a couple of things to suite yourself would be GREAT.... ;)

#17 trycksh0t

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Posted 18 March 2012 - 12:42 AM

I like it. It's simple, clean, efficient, fits the lore beautifully, and would be unquestionably useful. Shouldn't be terribly hard to add either, although I'm no programmer.

#18 Nemises

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Posted 18 March 2012 - 12:48 AM

Agreed with OP, and for the same reasons..

It might seem over the top to some people, but, coming from a flight sim perspective, heading data is essential both in an out of combat...

#19 LordDeathStrike

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Posted 18 March 2012 - 01:21 AM

why not toss in altimeters while we are adding all these flight sim things ;)

#20 MrDred

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Posted 18 March 2012 - 01:49 AM

*nods* in MW4 this was later introduced by the modding community and i cant stress how useful bearings are in team combat, later when people realize its better to play tactically rather than simply running into the fray. A very good suggestion.





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