Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Wishlist => Topic started by: Yossarian on March 30, 2010, 01:37:35 PM

Title: Changes to icon-switching text
Post by: Yossarian on March 30, 2010, 01:37:35 PM
Ok, I'm one of those compulsive 'must-see-repeatedly-what-everyone's-flying' sort of people, and as a result I tend to switch between the various icon labels a lot.  The side effect of this is that my text buffer fills up very rapidly with the "normal icon mode" "plane type icon mode" "friendly only icon mode" "icons off" messages, and with 4 lines being taken up every time I switch, other messages vanish quite quickly.

I'm not quite sure what a good alternative for this would be, but perhaps something along the following lines:
- get rid of the "Friendlies only" icon mode?  Not sure about everyone else, but I can't remember ever having used this.
- stop showing the messages altogether, but replace them with some info elsewhere on the screen (maybe in the Ctrl+I info area) that says what icon mode you have

Whatever the solution may be, I think that being able to see what others are flying without filling up your text buffer is very important, and that the messages should at least be relocated.
Title: Re: Changes to icon-switching text
Post by: Krusty on March 30, 2010, 02:07:22 PM
I think that's a sound request. It's filled my buffer many a time, and can be a tad annoying.
Title: Re: Changes to icon-switching text
Post by: gyrene81 on March 30, 2010, 02:33:41 PM
- stop showing the messages altogether, but replace them with some info elsewhere on the screen (maybe in the Ctrl+I info area) that says what icon mode you have
That would be a better idea than having the text buffer fill up with the status messages...same thing for the other things that toggle on/off.




- get rid of the "Friendlies only" icon mode?  Not sure about everyone else, but I can't remember ever having used this.
There is a use for this and I use it a lot...no enemy icons.
Title: Re: Changes to icon-switching text
Post by: 321BAR on March 30, 2010, 03:13:15 PM
Ok, I'm one of those compulsive 'must-see-repeatedly-what-everyone's-flying' sort of people, and as a result I tend to switch between the various icon labels a lot.  The side effect of this is that my text buffer fills up very rapidly with the "normal icon mode" "plane type icon mode" "friendly only icon mode" "icons off" messages, and with 4 lines being taken up every time I switch, other messages vanish quite quickly.

I'm not quite sure what a good alternative for this would be, but perhaps something along the following lines:
- get rid of the "Friendlies only" icon mode?  Not sure about everyone else, but I can't remember ever having used this.
- stop showing the messages altogether, but replace them with some info elsewhere on the screen (maybe in the Ctrl+I info area) that says what icon mode you have

Whatever the solution may be, I think that being able to see what others are flying without filling up your text buffer is very important, and that the messages should at least be relocated.
1 times me minus 18 = 1    +1 and wasnt yossarian in a B26? been a few years since i read catch22
Title: Re: Changes to icon-switching text
Post by: Spikes on March 30, 2010, 03:17:54 PM
I do end up filling my text buffer with icon switching. :P

I like this.
Title: Re: Changes to icon-switching text
Post by: Old Sport on March 30, 2010, 04:02:04 PM
+1 on putting this in the CTRL+I info pane.

I seem to recall requesting a long time ago the ability to select which icon views appear in game. In other words, leave all current icon options, but put in a page in the clipboard in setup to be able to select which icon views you want to see in game. For example, I only want Normal and Plane Mode and nothing else. Why do I have to keep pressing the extra two toggles to get back to my original Normal view? And then, when there is a lot of traffic in the text buffer, your last icon status is quickly lost. I've been shot down because I thought I was back to Normal icon view, but in actuality was in Icons Off and didn't know it, so putting the status in the CTRL+I pane is a great idea. But anyway, why do I want Icons Off in the MA pray tell? So if we could select which icon statuses we want, I think that would be helpful too.

Best.
Title: Re: Changes to icon-switching text
Post by: Ghosth on March 30, 2010, 04:20:33 PM
I think the answer would be a new page in the gui for it and other controls. Have a radio button that if checked shows changes in text bar, if unchecked doesn't show changes in text bar.

Personally  I change stick modes for my views and often scroll up the text bar in a fight.

Let us select what we want sent to the text buffer and what we don't.
Title: Re: Changes to icon-switching text
Post by: Old Sport on March 31, 2010, 05:59:17 AM
Another idea might be to change the Normal icon display so that every 3 or 4 seconds it automatically adds a line in the icon for one second that tells what plane type it is.

So that the icon would be Distance, Name, and then every four seconds it would automatically add a line telling what kind of plane.

Best
Title: Re: Changes to icon-switching text
Post by: 321BAR on March 31, 2010, 06:41:38 AM
I think the answer would be a new page in the gui for it and other controls. Have a radio button that if checked shows changes in text bar, if unchecked doesn't show changes in text bar.

Personally  I change stick modes for my views and often scroll up the text bar in a fight.

Let us select what we want sent to the text buffer and what we don't.
why are you talking about me? :noid    but yes. i agree. or why not set up a small icon in the bottom right that is semi transparent saying "friendly icon" or "normal icon" or "icon off" or "plane icon"
Title: Re: Changes to icon-switching text
Post by: Yossarian on March 31, 2010, 08:31:43 AM
Another idea might be to change the Normal icon display so that every 3 or 4 seconds it automatically adds a line in the icon for one second that tells what plane type it is.

So that the icon would be Distance, Name, and then every four seconds it would automatically add a line telling what kind of plane.

Best

I really like this one.  If we could have an option to change how long it displayed each icon for, that would be even better.  Perhaps ALT+I could then be reserved for switching icons on/off altogether.
Title: Re: Changes to icon-switching text
Post by: Krusty on March 31, 2010, 10:28:34 AM
Ever since we saw a screenshot years back with HTC showing something off on the front page I've asked for another icon mode that has player name AND plane type (one below the other), as their screenshot showed.

I, too, toggle plane type a lot. A lot of folks ask what I'm flying in, or don't know who's in what (in their area, I mean) because most don't bother to toggle the icons to see. I'm just curious, I guess. It helps my SA and threat assessment skills to know this, so I am almost always doing it.
Title: Re: Changes to icon-switching text
Post by: gyrene81 on March 31, 2010, 11:16:56 AM
 :confused: didn't even think about that...friendly icon plane type and name at the same time? That would be a worthwhile change and cut down on some of the switching people have to do...if there is a way to do it where the plane isn't hidden by the icon info.
Title: Re: Changes to icon-switching text
Post by: Krusty on March 31, 2010, 11:20:55 AM
It's the same as we have now, just an additional line. Same distance away, doesn't cover the plane itself, etc. At least, that's how it looked in the one tantalizing screenshot way back when I saw it.
Title: Re: Changes to icon-switching text
Post by: curry1 on March 31, 2010, 11:22:11 AM
Ok, I'm one of those compulsive 'must-see-repeatedly-what-everyone's-flying' sort of people, and as a result I tend to switch between the various icon labels a lot.  The side effect of this is that my text buffer fills up very rapidly with the "normal icon mode" "plane type icon mode" "friendly only icon mode" "icons off" messages, and with 4 lines being taken up every time I switch, other messages vanish quite quickly.

I'm not quite sure what a good alternative for this would be, but perhaps something along the following lines:
- get rid of the "Friendlies only" icon mode?  Not sure about everyone else, but I can't remember ever having used this.
- stop showing the messages altogether, but replace them with some info elsewhere on the screen (maybe in the Ctrl+I info area) that says what icon mode you have

Whatever the solution may be, I think that being able to see what others are flying without filling up your text buffer is very important, and that the messages should at least be relocated.

Story of my life its always filling up my text buffer.
Title: Re: Changes to icon-switching text
Post by: SlapShot on March 31, 2010, 11:38:56 AM
Funny ... I use that function to clear the buffer of BS.
Title: Re: Changes to icon-switching text
Post by: 321BAR on March 31, 2010, 11:40:31 AM
Funny ... I use that function to clear the buffer of BS.
:lol i do this sometimes too
Title: Re: Changes to icon-switching text
Post by: Krusty on March 31, 2010, 11:42:38 AM
And many a time it clears my buffer for me, making me miss stuff. Would be nice to have an option. That way folks that want it can have it, folks that don't, wont.
Title: Re: Changes to icon-switching text
Post by: smoe on March 31, 2010, 12:26:48 PM
+1

I would like some other option to aid in identification of friendlies also. Maybe a smaller text size for the plane type to keep these at a minimum.

While we are on the subject, I would like to request adding the plane type in the radio box next to each pilot's call sign. This would be big bonus for mission flight leaders.
Title: Re: Changes to icon-switching text
Post by: SlapShot on March 31, 2010, 12:28:07 PM
And many a time it clears my buffer for me, making me miss stuff. Would be nice to have an option. That way folks that want it can have it, folks that don't, wont.

I have the icon toggle on my throttle along with a switch on my throttle that will expand/shrink the buffer if I feel I missed something very quickly.
Title: Re: Changes to icon-switching text
Post by: Yossarian on March 31, 2010, 03:34:20 PM
I have the icon toggle on my throttle along with a switch on my throttle that will expand/shrink the buffer if I feel I missed something very quickly.

But at the end of the day, cycling your icons just once still fills up four lines of your text buffer, when you don't have all that many lines to spare.

While we are on the subject, I would like to request adding the plane type in the radio box next to each pilot's call sign. This would be big bonus for mission flight leaders.

+1 on this too.
Title: Re: Changes to icon-switching text
Post by: TonyJoey on March 31, 2010, 03:41:23 PM
+1 I've filled my buffer plenty of times doing this. I routinely fill it up with CT on/off too, as I'm very fidgety. :lol
Title: Re: Changes to icon-switching text
Post by: Yossarian on April 02, 2010, 05:23:21 AM
+1 I've filled my buffer plenty of times doing this. I routinely fill it up with CT on/off too, as I'm very fidgety. :lol

That would definitely be one thing that could be removed from the text buffer :P
Title: Re: Changes to icon-switching text
Post by: Yossarian on April 02, 2010, 04:06:46 PM
1 times me minus 18 = 1    +1 and wasnt yossarian in a B26? been a few years since i read catch22

Nope, it was a B-25.  Also, I'm Phalanx =)
Title: Re: Changes to icon-switching text
Post by: 321BAR on April 03, 2010, 09:51:07 PM
Nope, it was a B-25.  Also, I'm Phalanx =)
:rofl oh god this made me laugh! <S>