Changes to icon-switching text

[Yossarian]

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.

[Krusty]

I think that's a sound request. It's filled my buffer many a time, and can be a tad annoying.

[gyrene81]

- 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.

[321BAR]

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

[Spikes]

I do end up filling my text buffer with icon switching.

I like this.

[Old Sport]

+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.

[Ghosth]

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.

[Old Sport]

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

[321BAR]

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?     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"

[Yossarian]

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.

[Krusty]

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.

[gyrene81]

  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.

[Krusty]

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.

[curry1]

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.

[SlapShot]

Funny ... I use that function to clear the buffer of BS.