Author Topic: An Icon Idea.... (Read 395 times)

SKurj · « **on:** October 03, 2001, 08:27:00 PM »

Ok the vast majority of us agree that icons are still neccessary due to the limitations of the monitor. One of the justifications is that plane type and allegiance cannot be seen until the aircraft is MUCH closer than it would be in reality.
I propose this... All icons the same colour!! With enemy icons only able to display plane type or chess piece icon, and some form of range indicator.

Now you take off from your field lots of greens milling about, and you start your grab. NO LONGER can u scan so quickly and easily because the red enemy icon stands out so boldly.

Perhaps this is a suggestion for the CT or scenarios in the beginning. I can understand that some new players would find the system possibly confusing at first.

Give it some thought

SKurj

AKIron · « **Reply #1 on:** October 03, 2001, 08:53:00 PM »

Or, how about a way similar to how one of the other sims does it. Icons for friendlies only, none for enemies. This would keep it easy to distinguish between friend and foe but make it more difficult to spot and track enemies.

eskimo2 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 03, 2001, 09:02:00 PM »

Great Idea!
Sounds just plain wrong at first, but after a bit of thought, I think it makes sense.

Definately worth trying in a scenario.
I think I would like plane type and Icon/Country together though - same colors for all.

Good thinking.
<S>

eskimo

jpeg · « **Reply #3 on:** October 03, 2001, 09:02:00 PM »

Keep the icons just the way they are, trust me on this!

One of the big reasons why ppl stopped playing WBIII is because they first turned off icons then they enabled friendly icons only.. the game lost about 50% of ppl in under a month, I know 11 ppl personally that stopped playing because of the icon change.

IMO until we can have real life graphic realisim the icons on both enemy and friendlies are needed.

Karnak · « **Reply #4 on:** October 03, 2001, 10:57:00 PM »

I see a problem with this idea.

In reality if you were German or Japanese and found yourself 100 yrads back of a P-38 after executing a hard turn you knew it was a target. Under this proposed system you'd have no easier time identifting the nationality of a target at 100 yards than you do at 6000 yards.

Tac · « **Reply #5 on:** October 03, 2001, 11:33:00 PM »

OR make icons appear at d1.0

CJ · « **Reply #6 on:** October 04, 2001, 12:38:00 AM »

Great idea about changing the icons to all the same color. How about just naming the aircraft type, and then making the pilot get close enough to see the MARKINGS on the plane to determine friend vs foe? Since it's not real combat, and we're all using the same combination of aircraft, we can't just identify the aircraft type to identify enemies, but at least it would necesitate getting close to find out instead of setting up for a 1 mile HO. There would be a lot more "clean first pass" fights. Things could sure get confusing in a dogfight! I think this would make things a lot more exciting and uncertian!

CJ

Pepe · « **Reply #7 on:** October 04, 2001, 02:45:00 AM »

I like WWIIOL approach.

Cheers,

Pepe

eskimo2 · « **Reply #8 on:** October 04, 2001, 07:59:00 AM »

Pepe;
What is the WWIIOL approach?

eskimo

Westy MOL · « **Reply #9 on:** October 04, 2001, 08:00:00 AM »

IMO even the WWII Online method is lacking. The analog curve indicating range still dies just that, it indicates the targets range from you. As it stand current icons all current online sim/game still give away all contacts in an exact and never erring way.

I've always been a proponant of an icon with varying translucency. Not a total removal of enemy icons is needed. Just an improved method that removes us from the current implemenataion that is as old as online WWII aircombat itself.

Icons are absolutely needed with current computer grpahics technology but icons are also the one factor that severely diminishes the immersion and simulation of realistic WWII aircombat.
In the meantime one colour would make people learn to scan and think about what they see more. And there would still need to be no range indication cause folks will just quickly adapt to the change and we'll still talk about billboard icons and the need for something better.

Westy

[ 10-04-2001: Message edited by: Westy MOL ]

Pepe · « **Reply #10 on:** October 04, 2001, 08:41:00 AM »

eskimo,

As Westy points, WWIIOL icons indicate range by means of a closing circle, without showing numeric evidence. Besides that, (now I'm talking by heart, so maybe I'm wrong on this one) I think the icon colour is more persistent the more you look at it, simulating better perception of the con if you fix your attention on it.

I think Westy's idea of varying trnasucency is great to simulate attention: i.e. the more you have the con within your field of view, the less transparent it becomes. If you stop looking at it, it would fade again until, eventually, the icon disappears. The closer you are to the con, the faster the icon colour becomes aparent, and the more time it takes to vanish.

Still I think some kind of indication about the range is needed, as most of people seem to agree here, to overcome limitations of our "virtual" environment. Could be a system like WWIIOL's one, but instead of continouos variation, have the same divided into discrete steps, for instance, range (bar or circle) shows from 1000 yds to zero divided into 4 quarters meaning 250 yds. each.

Anyway, I think this is wishful thinking. If my memory suits me well, HT stated some time ago that the icon system is here to stay, and I can't remember him saying It could be subject to revision.

Cheers,

Pepe

Am0n · « **Reply #11 on:** October 04, 2001, 08:54:00 AM »

First off, pat on the back for posting an idea of yours. Any idea to change seems to be shot down buy countless/pointless flames that detiorate the post until no one wants to read it any longer.

I will agree that the icon system should change, being new to AH i have a "out side looking in" kinda veiw of the game, most of you have played for some time so all the aspects of the game are "normal" to you.

I must say when i first noticed the icon system i was looking for my mavericks and locking systems to take the boogie down, what im saying is it is to far advanced for the time era of the air crafts.

As far as making them all the same color i do think that could add some great realism to the game, it would make it more like hunting and less like chasing red boxes around shooting at them.

Having them turned off all together is unrealistic in a essence, being that we have much other unrealistic things abroad having the icons will make up for lack of communication with each other ("boogie spotted, 3k high heading, bla bla bla"). Since we dont have a actual radio to speak to each other at all times its good to have the essence of one (radio) buy making a tracking system that makes up for lack of communication.

One thing i think would accompany this greatly at no cost of game play value is to make enemy air craft not tracked buy the icons until they are 1.5k or less to you. At the present 6k range, even with the idea of it conpincating for lack of communication, is entirely to far. No one should be able to identify an air craft at 4-5 miles out.

Even more so they could make it so that having friendles close the the enemy would give you a much longer range to identify it. this could simulate your buddy "radioing" you so to speak. (using this only if they would lessin the range of which you currently see them in game)

just brain storming, sorry for blabbing so much!!

fly high hit um hard!

[ 10-04-2001: Message edited by: Am0n ]

Karnak · « **Reply #12 on:** October 04, 2001, 02:04:00 PM »

Another problem that I see in this system would be the lack of community. You'd just be flying with a bunch of N1K2s, Spits, P-51s and La7s. No more names. One of the things I like is seeing the same people flying Rook over and over, it gives a sense of community.