18 replies to this topic

[tenderloving]

Will this game support multiple monitors? (As in Front, Left, Right views)

[Rejarial Galatan]

It might, but they havnt said for sure, and also, why would you need that? the game POV is from your pilot and his neuro helmet. Id imagine look keys or a hat switch would accomplish what your looking for, IF i read this all right that is.

[tenderloving]

I would rather have the views persistent without using a hat to look around. It would be much more immersive.

[Rejarial Galatan]

can you explain how basically fish eye vision would be immersive? seems like information over load imho. especially since you or more specifically the pilot in the machine can only look in any one direction at once with any real clarity. im not trying to be snide or anything, just tryin to understand

[Johannes Falkner]

I think the determining factor is whether you can set the angles the various views are created from. Ideally, they would reflect your actual monitor setup. There is a big difference between ___ and \_/ with regard to view. If you got just a super wide view it would be different than the angled view in terms of field of view. The first is maybe a 90-100 degree FOV while the second could approach 180 degrees (probably more like 140 for most reasonable setups). It would be awesome to have the second for simulator pod type systems.

[Rejarial Galatan]

well, idk about anyone else, but i was gifted a flat wide screen lcd, so, who knows what kinda view ill get.

[FrostRaven]

From where I am sitting (lol jokes) the benefit of having three monitors (set up like this \_/) would be a benefit only on certain mechs.

Benefit - Raven, Catapult.

Not so much of a Benefit - Hunchback, Centurion.

Now before you shoot me, hear me out:

For example say your piloting a Hunchback, the cockpit has three view ports or windows call them what you will.



And as you would see it from inside



So riding in a Hunchback with three monitors on your RH side all you would see is the massive AC20 mounted on his right shoulder (and if they release the Hunchback MKII, all you'll see is both of them ). One way to turn this into a bonus would be if you could perma setup your rear mounted camera on the RH side, so no one can sneak up on you.

But on other mechs, say the Raven, who will need to have above average situational awareness (and have a conventional aircraft like cockpit to take advantage of it) three monitors could be invaluable. I have nothing against using the hat key but looking that way, and having it always there to be glanced at, or provide better vision in a close quarter battle could mean differance between life and death.

So in closing I am pro-multi screen... now if there is anyone who wants to buy me some please feel free to PM me

[Motionless]

Quote

For example say your piloting a Hunchback, the cockpit has three view ports or windows call them what you will.

But on other mechs, say the Raven, who will need to have above average situational awareness (and have a conventional aircraft like cockpit to take advantage of it) three monitors could be invaluable. I have nothing against using the hat key but looking that way, and having it always there to be glanced at, or provide better vision in a close quarter battle could mean differance between life and death.

Generally games that are competitive multiplayer like MWO only allow a maximum field of view (FoV). Meaning you get a crazy fisheye effect that streaches the sides of what would normally be on your main monitor across the side monitors, not a way to look out the front, left and right window all at the same time. If they do allow you to see thru all three windows at the same time, then the same thing must be achievable on a single screen.

Although some games do allow you to do something like move UI elements to one screen while keeping the main game focus on another.

[soulfire]

I was in a room with Paul when thsi question was put to him. His reply was the best way to view the game would be with one large monitor or hd tv infront of you. Something like if you look at the picture of the friends and family playing you will see the one large tv set up.
The program itself would have to have a method to show all three pooints of view at once special coding just for a few players most of us can onoly afford one monitor . Most likely frame rate would drop off....ah to see in beautiful 190 degree view of mechs lagging by and killing you at 5 fpm quite the emersion. Devs are going to put into programs what the average person has, most of the people I talk to are hoping that their computer will just run the game at a decent frame rate at a good resolution.

Edited by soulfire, 28 April 2012 - 11:02 PM.

[LordDeathStrike]

who says there are rear mounted cameras to have perma on another screen? previous mechwarrior games have not had rear view mirrors even in the 32nd century mechs.

mech 4 had a down cam, for dfaing i guess. otherwise in 2 and 3 you torso twisted and looked left or right to see behind you.

hehe just noticed the hunchback has a collosal blind spot on its right shoulder, itll be funny seeing an ecm atlas sneak up in passive on that right side and then WHAMMO ac 20 go bye bye.

Edited by LordDeathStrike, 28 April 2012 - 11:03 PM.

[BattleFalcon]

Actually, according to official fluff from the olden days, all 'Mech cockpits were equipped with a 360° field of view fitted into a 160° monitor or something equivalent. This was from the Tech level 1 era, without any Star League tech, and seriously implies that there are sensors deployed all around the 'Mech, instead of a simple physical field-of-view limit. Something like the top monitor on each side in the Hunchback cockpit a few posts up.showing the horizon where the cockpit view obviously is blocked. Rather necessary in fact, since a number of 'Mechs such as the Atlas, Dragon, Centurion and more have weapons mounted expressly to fire into the rear arc, which would be hard if you had no FoV there.

Which makes me wonder how this game will deal with those rear-mounted weapons.

But on-topic: I hope there will be support for multi-monitor setups. But I'll be running a triple-monitor Eyefinity setup anyway. Also, having the single-monitor display simply fisheyed over more monitors would be silly AND ugly. World of Tanks is one of the most lenient games I've come across, and that is highly competitive. You can even expand the game window there over multiple, non-eyefinity (or equivalent) monitors, and it works perfectly, giving you peripheral vision. Hope they'll do much the same here, even if all I get is to see the cockpit interior and monitors without shifting the view.

Edited by BattleFalcon, 29 April 2012 - 01:41 AM.

[Sen]

I only pop into the forums occasionally, but this question has come up once or twice that I'm aware of. I can assure you I am most definitely in the camp of "support eyefinity", as gaming in eyefinity is a simply superior experience. . even with the occasional fish-eye stretch on the LH and RH side.

As an eyefinity gamer with a seriously overbuilt computer, wanting nothing more than to see them do this game RIGHT [especially as this is the simulator I've been dreaming of since the originial MW series vanished] . . .I'd have to bet against eyefinity support.

Quote

The program itself would have to have a method to show all three points of view at once special coding just for a few players most of us can only afford one monitor.

I doubt it would be overly complicated to port the other views to the LH and RH screen (I'm not a programmer, I could be wrong) but the common excuse made for not supporting eyefinity is that it's a specialized setup for a few chosen elite, and thus not worth supporting.

Which I personally think is phenomenally stupid, if only because the 1% with expensive eyefinity setups generally have enough cash to pay back into the system to effectively make the support worthwhile, Native, well implemented eyefinity support could be a cash gold mine to the right service based program, be it a monthly fee, micro-transactions. . even possibly donations.

I personally would pay $50+ for an extended edition of MwO with eyefinity support. . even knowing I could play it for free sans eyefinity.

Quote

having the single-monitor display simply fisheyed over more monitors would be silly AND ugly

My fear with this is that it'd cut off the top/bottom bad enough you'd lose your radar/other indicators, warning lights, heat gauge, etc.

Edited by Sen, 03 May 2012 - 01:01 PM.

[Orzorn]

I wouldn't be able to find the thread, as it is now several months old, but one of the developers said the FOV is not changeable (that garnered many lamentations, including me).

This tells me that multiple monitors do not likely increase the FOV, meaning you will get a fish eye effect.

Edit: They said the reason was for purposes of competetiveness. Being able to change the FOV would allow some players to see more of the battlefield than others who could not support higher FOVs.

The same logic would apply with multiple monitors.

Personally, I think this is one case where I could live with some players having competitive advantages. I get very used to playing on higher FOVs (usually set it to 90). Low FOVs mess with me now, they just look so restricted.

Edited by Orzorn, 03 May 2012 - 01:08 PM.

[Rnadmo]

In many PC games, the FOV is what it is due to restrictions on consoles (meaning, they are set to work on consoles which has a more limited FOV, and remains the same for PCs because of reasons). So, speculation on my part, it may not be as big of an issue on this game which has no console imposed restrictions.

[MadBoris]

The FOV in the game right now is set at 90 degrees, not sure if that has come up.

First off, if they are building MWO to be competitive 95 percent of this current hardcore Battletech community may have to find their own servers and won't likely be satisfied with the game mechanics. Traditionalists and those who game for fun have different needs in a game than those who play for competitiveness sake. I've not seen the two matched with any longevity too well.

As for competitiveness on PC, it has always had layers of separation of those with better hardware had better experiences and some increased potential. 120hz makes a difference.
Monitor real estate, framerate, mouse input all have huge impact for competitive gamers.
How about my joystick with 12 buttons mapped easier to use than a keyboard, what of that advantage?
What if mouse (sacrificing superior immersion) is far superior to joystick (like MWLL is often). What of that advantage?
Better hardware gives an edge, always has, those with a GTX690 might have a bit of potential advantage.
I don't see the problem, it's part of what "allowed" the PC to advance in different areas by gamer demand (CPU's, sound cards (when PC's weren't getting chopped at the knees), onboard sound/video compared to dedicated, etc).

NVidia Surround FTW (has come a long way). So I can get a 680 .
Multi-monitor only adds peripheral vision, hardly anything consequential for all the extra money, except the most important part to some gamers, "immersion".

Edited by MadBoris, 03 May 2012 - 02:30 PM.

[Mason Grimm]

Moved to Hardware

[cyberFluke]

If it really is immersion we're after and not a clear "I want an advantage 'coz I've got more money than you", TrackIR support *has* been confirmed.

One large screen and a head tracker is both cheaper and arguably more immersive.

Fluke

[Suicidal Idiot]

TrackIR sounds interesting, but am I correct in thinking that it would be worthless with a big screen? I'd think that changing the view in relation to head direction with a fixed monitor would be very strange.

It reminds me of the 3D IMAX, where the glasses only worked when my head was absolutely vertical. Neckaches and headaches were the result.

For the "extra monitors would be worthless" crowd, take another look at the hunchback cockpit layout. Or any modern jet fighter layout. It's much, much faster to flick my eyes to the side to see a status display, than to work a hat on a joystick. Not to mention, by using pirepherial vision, I could see everything at once.

Count me solidly in the "multiple monitors" camp.

If it's verboten for "play balance" reasons, then how about a software switch that enables and disables it, so we can have "fair balance" and "unlimited" games.

As to the hardware being able to handle it, you can always get more hardware. I know people who race in the "cheap" class of 'Spec Miata', where you have to have a roll bar, and otherwise the car is bone stock. So these guys only have to spend $3000 to $10,000 for the car, go through about $100 of tires and pay $200 entrance fees each weekend race. Oops, I forgot fuel to, from, and on the track. And fireproof clothes, and a $250 minimum helmet that's only certified good for 2 years.

Mechwarrior is cheap.

Goodness, have any of the MWOnline staff priced a BABY recently? Like I said, even with an unbelivable hardware budget, this is CHEAP.

[Zephirus]

Suicidal *****, on 07 May 2012 - 07:40 PM, said:

TrackIR sounds interesting, but am I correct in thinking that it would be worthless with a big screen? I'd think that changing the view in relation to head direction with a fixed monitor would be very strange.

At first I was skeptical too, but then I tried it. It's actually rather shocking how quickly you're brain/eyes adjust to the sensation. Also, much of the time you're not using the trackIR for giant sweeping head motions, but instead small subtle ones just to get a slightly better angle on something. I highly suggest you try FreeTrack with some flight sims before making the investment, but do try some head tracking setup before knocking it. I for one will never go back.