Zoom Ability

[SmokinLoon]

I'd like to see the ability for aircraft to zoom in their sight reduced by about half.  I know with the gv's, it seems they all can zoom in to about 2.5X regardless of which position you are view from.  I have not really tested the zoom magnification in the aircraft, but I know it makes shooting tanks with the IL-2 and Hurricane IID a lot easier as well as shooting down bombers while in a fighter. 

One has to wonder if the amount of zoom was reduced or removed just how different the game would be.  That, and reduce the gv icon to 1000 yards for aircraft.  I've always wondered why there is so much zoom capability for the aircraft when they didnt have anything but the naked eye to work with in the real deal.

The thread about tank guns shooting down aircraft finally made me make a wish thread on the matter.   

[guncrasher]

I zoom in all the time, but it is more to be able to distinguish the aircraft from the background objects.  specially if it is a dark skin against the tree line.  since it seems the maps only have two colors, dark green and darker green it would make it harder to aim at low flying aircraft.

there a lot more use of this zoom against other fighters than against tanks or buffs.  also remember you wont be able to see the base, town, cv unless you are at 1/2 the distance that it is now.  specially for cv's you would really need to fly over it and have basically no time to adjust to be able to sink it.  currently there's about 15 to 20 second window from the time you see a cv till you are able to drop, to adjust course, calibrate, drop.  reduce it by 1/2 and sinking becomes a lot harder.  also jabos at 20k may not be able to see the cv either.  actually you probably wont be able to see the base/town from 25 or 30k.

not a very good wish.

semp

[Blagard]

Previously, I rarely use the Zoom in fighters. I have started to use it now and then recently, when going for long tail shots, which are difficult anyway.

I would not miss it if it was removed from fighters. I would miss it in a GV. In the end there are so many downsides in using a virtual world there has to be compromises to make it playable and offset what you cannot replicate. Its a balance that you will never get a full agreement on, but then we do have judge, jury and adjudicator in the form of Hitech and his team. Overall, I think it is a good balance.

[SmokinLoon]

I zoom in all the time, but it is more to be able to distinguish the aircraft from the background objects.  specially if it is a dark skin against the tree line.  since it seems the maps only have two colors, dark green and darker green it would make it harder to aim at low flying aircraft.

there a lot more use of this zoom against other fighters than against tanks or buffs.  also remember you wont be able to see the base, town, cv unless you are at 1/2 the distance that it is now.  specially for cv's you would really need to fly over it and have basically no time to adjust to be able to sink it.  currently there's about 15 to 20 second window from the time you see a cv till you are able to drop, to adjust course, calibrate, drop.  reduce it by 1/2 and sinking becomes a lot harder.  also jabos at 20k may not be able to see the cv either.  actually you probably wont be able to see the base/town from 25 or 30k.

not a very good wish.

semp

So basically you are saying that the zoom gives you/us an advantage to do things in AH that could not be done in the real deal?  Like, level bombing CV's?  Like, precision bombing from 30,000 feet?.  Etc.  In WWII, level bombers did not sink cv's or any other combat ships (merchant/supply shipping yes).  From 30,000 heavy bombers did what they called carpet bombing and hope they hit something. 

I can see bases etc from 30k without zooming in, only the detailed precision would be missed.  Only the bomb sight would be you guide.  I'm not saying we need to remove it completely, but perhaps reduce the amount of zoom we currently have for aircraft.  Also, jabos from 20k wont have any trouble finding their target, especially cv's.  If it did become an issue, HTC could increase the wake size and brighten the wake up a bit, that is how scouts found enemy shipping in WWII. 

Im just beginning to think that the accuracy is a bit too good for certain things, namely the IL-2/Hurricane IID, etc.  Also, there are player positions that didnt have access to optics that have the same zoom as a TC.  Fighter pilots didnt have optics.  Bomber defensive gunners didnt have zoom.  Tank/M3/gv drivers didnt have zoom.   

[mensa180]

No, zoom makes up for what pixels on a monitor cannot convey, real human eyesight.

[guncrasher]

So basically you are saying that the zoom gives you/us an advantage to do things in AH that could not be done in the real deal?  Like, level bombing CV's?  Like, precision bombing from 30,000 feet?.  Etc.  In WWII, level bombers did not sink cv's or any other combat ships (merchant/supply shipping yes).  From 30,000 heavy bombers did what they called carpet bombing and hope they hit something.  

I can see bases etc from 30k without zooming in, only the detailed precision would be missed.  Only the bomb sight would be you guide.  I'm not saying we need to remove it completely, but perhaps reduce the amount of zoom we currently have for aircraft.  Also, jabos from 20k wont have any trouble finding their target, especially cv's.  If it did become an issue, HTC could increase the wake size and brighten the wake up a bit, that is how scouts found enemy shipping in WWII.  

Im just beginning to think that the accuracy is a bit too good for certain things, namely the IL-2/Hurricane IID, etc.  Also, there are player positions that didnt have access to optics that have the same zoom as a TC.  Fighter pilots didnt have optics.  Bomber defensive gunners didnt have zoom.  Tank/M3/gv drivers didnt have zoom.  

this is a game, not real life.  and this game gives us an advantage over real life.  fine are good the way they're are.  parts of what you are arguing about have been discussed to death.

semp

[AWwrgwy]

No, zoom makes up for what pixels on a monitor cannot convey, real human eyesight.

Zoomed in gives you an actual 1:1 view. You have no peripheral vision on a computer monitor, however.
"Normal" view gives you that peripheral vision that is otherwise lacking.

So, when you are "zoomed in" your view isn't actually magnified.



wrongway

[Karnak]

Zoomed in view ratio varies depending on the monitor.  I think it was 1:1 on a 17" CRT, which was as I recall the most common monitor in 2000 when AH was released.  On my current 19" widescreen it is a bit better than 1:1.  On my next screen, a 27" widescreen, it will be much better than 1:1.

[Lusche]

Zoomed in gives you an actual 1:1 view. You have no peripheral vision on a computer monitor, however.
"Normal" view gives you that peripheral vision that is otherwise lacking.

So, when you are "zoomed in" your view isn't actually magnified.

Full zoom in an aircraft has the same magnification level as the tank gunner's sight in a Panzer (or any similar GV), which is supposed to be 2.5X. So either it IS magnified, or the tank gunsights are broken. Your call.

[Blagard]

Zoomed in view ratio varies depending on the monitor.  I think it was 1:1 on a 17" CRT, which was as I recall the most common monitor in 2000 when AH was released.  On my current 19" widescreen it is a bit better than 1:1.  On my next screen, a 27" widescreen, it will be much better than 1:1.

Well it also depends on how close you sit to the screen in that case!
While I understand what you are saying - the information in view remains unchanged.

[Blagard]

Full zoom in an aircraft has the same magnification level as the tank gunner's sight in a Panzer (or any similar GV), which is supposed to be 2.5X. So either it IS magnified, or the tank gunsights are broken. Your call.

If I remember correctly I think you posted some images from both aircraft and GV's that showed the the same size view when zoomed in. Thus the, aircraft view is 1.1 when not in zoom. But are we shown more artwork than we should be in the cockpit when not in Zoom ?

[AWwrgwy]

Full zoom in an aircraft has the same magnification level as the tank gunner's sight in a Panzer (or any similar GV), which is supposed to be 2.5X. So either it IS magnified, or the tank gunsights are broken. Your call.

After compairing TC zoom versus gunsight zoom in some gv's last night, I think the TC zoom is broken in that it is the same as, or really close as the default gunsight zoom.

It seemed that the TC zoom in the M-3 GMC is a little less than the 1.6x gunsight zoom. Trees looked about the same size zoomed in all the way in TC position in a Tiger as the default gunsight zoom. Same for the M-4/76.

So I would say that at the very least TC zoom is not consistant between different gv platforms. It seems consistant for different aircraft which I have always assumed is 1:1.



wrongway

[Tank-Ace]

That, and reduce the gv icon to 1000 yards for aircraft.

600yds. IMO, it should just say "GV" no ID on the tank model. If you can't tell the difference between a Tiger and an M3, you don't need to be bombing.

[guncrasher]

600yds. IMO, it should just say "GV" no ID on the tank model. If you can't tell the difference between a Tiger and an M3, you don't need to be bombing.

like it will make a difference when you drop a bomb?   lol

semp

[SmokinLoon]

After compairing TC zoom versus gunsight zoom in some gv's last night, I think the TC zoom is broken in that it is the same as, or really close as the default gunsight zoom.

It seemed that the TC zoom in the M-3 GMC is a little less than the 1.6x gunsight zoom. Trees looked about the same size zoomed in all the way in TC position in a Tiger as the default gunsight zoom. Same for the M-4/76.

So I would say that at the very least TC zoom is not consistant between different gv platforms. It seems consistant for different aircraft which I have always assumed is 1:1.



wrongway

All of he TC's have 2.5X zoom (ditto w drivers when applicable).  It is easy to see on the Panzer IV (it has 2.4X in the gun sight), M4/75mm has 2.5, both T34's have 2.5.  The M3 has a 1.6 (iirc) and the M8 is about as bad.