Hitech, a view system suggestion.

[miko2d]

 Lack of the peripheral vilion is a huge detractor from realism, especially for the new players.

 Could you consider implementing a relatively simple feature that addresses this problem. It was used in the Dawn Patrol, IIRC. Here it is:

 Nearby planes that would have been seen in peripheral vision, say 15 degrees in any valid direction, are represented by gray dots on the edge of the screen corresponding to the position of a plane. You cannot tell if it's an enemy of a friendly or anything else about it, but you would know that something is there. Of course if there is only one enemy and you lose him from view, you could follow him without switching views a few seconds longer.
 It is not a big deal to switch view for an experienced player but a newbie is constantly losing contacts where in real live it would have not happened.
 It may save some wear an tear on the view hat and most people would never rely on it anyway once they are accustomed to the view-switching. It does not offer any advantage because you do not see what the other guy is doing - only approximately where he is.
 A guy ready to shoot will notice a dot on top of his screen and have a chance to look up and see that kill-stealer swooping in in time to avoid shooting himself via the killshooter.
 You will have to heare much fewer kill-shooter complaints then.  

 Alternatively a dot would get bigger if the other plane is really close.

 I am not talking about a 360 degree look-around radar like in space sims or mechwarrior - just extending a field of view from 90 to 120 for planes withing 300 yards without actually showing the planes.

 miko

[lazs]

hmm... if i understand this correctly it seems to have some merit.
lazs

[Wlfgng]

not a bad idea..

question:  what happens when you look a direction other than straight ahead ?  does the peripheral vision dot thingie still work to simulate the wider field of vision?

I really like the idea in terms of avoiding the self-kill due to killshooter

[miko2d]

 

Originally posted by Wlfgng:
not a bad idea..
 question:  what happens when you look a direction other than straight ahead ?  does the peripheral vision dot thingie still work to simulate the wider field of vision?

It doesn't matter which direction you look - just imagine that your screen is extended by a few inches in any direction. If a plane would have been seen in that area (no cockpit details obscuring the view), then you get a gray dot on the edge of your real screen.

 miko

[Vulcan]

Might be hard with AHs 3D views to figure out the blocking (ie, planes hidden by control surfaces, wings etc).

IMHO its just a crutch. AH views are snappy and easy to use. You can modify them to get reasonable FOVs, and with the stick hats that nearly everyone has by now flipping views is quick.

If you're not checking 6 regularly then maybe you need this. I prefer AH without it so I can bounce 'sleepers'  

[moose]

well, its a new suggestion and if i understand it correctly, then a con on say my 11 oclock will show up as a grey dot against the left side of the screen. (almost like the radar in all of the Tie Fighter games - never lost contacts, they just moved to edge of screen)

Hmm... i wonder, i'd be interested to see it.

[Citabria]

to bad the ranges we detect planes in AH in the real world are detectable only in a 10 degree fov in mkI eyeballs.

so if anything detection in Aces High is better than in reality.

[Qnm]

Did not other flight sims use this? Or was it Wing Commander?..

[Degas]

I don't fly fighters hardly at all, because of this very thing.

I've flown 172's, 210T, and P-Baron IRL.

The view system in fighters in AH actually gives me motion-sickness.  I can skirt storm cells and get bounced all over the sky without losing it IRL, but gimme 10 minutes in an AH fighter on my 21-inch monitor, and I have to get up and go outside to focus on the horizon.

And, yup, I realize I'm in the minority here  

[Wlfgng]

Have you increased your frame rate and monitor refresh rate ?

I have a 21" and have no problems with it.

Just a suggestion.

[miko2d]

 

Originally posted by moose:
well, its a new suggestion and if i understand it correctly, then a con on say my 11 oclock will show up as a grey dot against the left side of the screen. (almost like the radar in all of the Tie Fighter games - never lost contacts, they just moved to edge of screen)

Hmm... i wonder, i'd be interested to see it.

 If you think that adding 30 degrees to your 90 degree view (15 on each side) is almost like adding 270 degrees to total 360 wraparound like Tie Fighter, you better check your math.
 In any case, why would anyone rely on a gray dot on the edge of a screen to locate the enemy plane when we have 360 degree inflight radar?

Vulcan:
If you're not checking 6 regularly then maybe you need this.
 The same. What does extra 15 degrees of firward view has to do with rear view?

 Guys, not only I am accustomed to using my view-hat, I made extracted a sensor from MS Strategic Controller and mounted it on my headphones. So now I control my UP/Down views (or UP/Zoom) with a slight inclination of my head. I may even make my views completely head-controlled if I find time/inspiration.

 Using thumb is much more convenient then actuially turning your head - as anyone who flew aerobatics in a real plane will tell you. Those white silk scarfs the pilots wore were not for show  - they protected the neck from damage too much rubbing on the collar.

 But have you ever tried to offer a stick to a new guy? They just cannot use it! You need at least a couple of weeks and a desent stick with a hat to begin. Most of you may not really care if the game is not easily accessible to new players, but the HTC should be.
 We may be used to it but it is obvious to any novice that you do not lose a plane from sight if it's not 45 but 50 degrees to your right. You could see it even with your left eye for god's sake!
 Human has field of view of about 150 degrees, not 90.

 Dawn patrol was one of the best WWI sims and that feature in no way detracted from realism or served as a crutch - just as a small compensation for deficiencies of the monitor.

 Alternatively, if HTC could rework the game to display on myltiple monitors (let's say 6), I would run to buy a stronger desk, more monitors and would nevr bother HTC vith view issues again.  

 miko

[This message has been edited by miko2d (edited 05-08-2001).]

[Wlfgng]

Multiple monitors ???   (droool)

I'd like to see that implemented for sure.
I'd like it for reasons other than views though.. like maps and that damn engine gauge on the 190  

[fats]

Degas,

I have a friend who cannot play many games, such as quake or some auto games, because he gets horrid headache from just watching.


// fats