FEATURE request: Compass

[darktatka]

Hi, couldnt find anywhere obvious to post it, pls move if you know where:

Compass.

What I lack from the game time and time again is some way to read out heading for infantry or vehicles. Possibly by overlay, or in some table...

My example would be Armed Assault.

Screen overlay with compass. Point it where you want, read out the numbers. Still requires skill (precission would be about 2 degress) and time (you have to concentrate) and it adds to gameplay greatly.

I know there is way to guesstimate my heading - minimap. But it just doesnt cut it in my eyes. You can read current heading from the minimap. The thing is, precission is in 10s of degrees. That means I cant measure azimut to buildings for no line of sight firing with forward observer. I just dont have anything solid to remeber - just the picture on minimap which can change with slight push to my mouse.

Compasses were standard issue IRL from what I can tell, and it can benefit gameplay - mortars, long range combat, mortars, heavy machineguns, even driving a tank would be better with compass. When we switch from commander to gunner, where do i put my gun? slightly left. Compass can solve that. 275 degrees is much better.

So, food for thought. Can we get a compass?

[GOPHUR]

Does it have to be a 3d overlay? I can probably do something 2d much quicker.

[branko]

Just put the old one back in the mini-map space, GOPHUR?.

Shift-F4 toggle mini-map and/or compass. (Or another hotkey of your choosing).

Everyone is happy.

[darktatka]

In no way it has to be anything special - simple digit in minimap will do - just posted a picture of what works elsewhere. Thanks for taking the time to reply.

[GOPHUR]

Ticketed. I liked the compass too. We built one for RA that was cool. We might be able to just add that. Hate adding more keys though.

[OLDZEKE]

Ticketed. I liked the compass too. We built one for RA that was cool. We might be able to just add that. Hate adding more keys though.

Maybe just bring back the old round compass/minimap? The one you simply clicked to change from map to compass rosette?

[hick]

Maybe just bring back the old round compass/minimap? The one you simply clicked to change from map to compass rosette?

Only if they fix the compass from that hud element. The old one worked backwards and was confusing as hell.

[ratatosk]

GOPHUR, as long as we are on the topic of compasses and minimaps, could you please fix the minimap range circle? It's still off by about 20% and this is a bug with some age on it.

I confirmed it is still broken today when I was in DD with circle at 6.8km, another DD came into view when a few hundred metes outside of the circle and is supposed to render at 6km, thus the circle overstated the range by 1km+.

Thanks.

[GOPHUR]

I'll update that ticket and see if we can get some traction on it.

[raven4]

I'm all for realism and stuff, but can't you tell direction by the mini map or big map? Compass is cool if they have time, and like Gophur says he may already have a useable one, just some food for thought. Though I suppose some people might click off the map stuff and just go blank screen, so a compass would be useful there if it was a selectable item by the soldier.

Edited October 6, 2011 by raven4

[GOPHUR]

Time for your best compass ideas. SHEF is looking at writing a spec.

[hick]

Needs to have clear letters/numbers

Required:

"Up" needs to be straight ahead

Needle needs to always point North.

Candy:

The bezel rotates to align with the target waypoint

[coda]

I'd suggest the UP always points in the direction you're heading. The bezel rotates to give you the direction you are facing. What about the dial already in use on the ships?

Other optional things:

Origin and target ticks so you don't need the floating thingies on the screen.

Marker ticks. ie. if I mark something it puts a tick on the compas in that direction.

Bonus feature: Since a compass is magnetic, another tic that points at the strongest and closest magnetic source, as long as it's enemy. (A pointer to the closest enemy armor)

Edited January 13, 2012 by coda

[branko]

1. Compasses (is there a plural?!) ALWAYS point NORTH.

2. The idea of it being just large enough to have (on the face/dial):

(fantastic idea, coda)

• Blue dot for target
  
• Yellow dot for Origin
  
• Pink dot for Mission Leader
  

Would be awesome and (might?) lead to the remove of said dots "on the screen"???

If you had the player's notional point as the very center of the compass dial, you could then have the dots spread out from it, to indicate the distance to those targets/positions (which would be even cooler) ... You'd still need the positions on the map, though

3. The bevel is also a good idea, marked with NE/SE/SW/NW & N/S/E/W with a small indicator to show your current heading (for those not able to work it out from a north pointing needle).

Plenty of gfx about to get an accurate model dial & bevel image from WWII (though the one shown in the image up above is extremely lovely, it's not exactly period ...)

[delems]

How about a simple topo map first?

[hchris]

How about a simple topo map first?

How about we keep on topic and bring up suggestions so CRS can create a nice compass which we like and is useful?

[fxmmauser]

I don't understand the priority for this since we don't really need one ingame.

Just keep it simple and that doesn't eat more FPS

- Make it open with a separate key independent of the map

- You can drag it and drop it where you want and it will stay there forever unless you change it.

- Make it always overlaying the map

I'm still waiting for news about the map update thats what I'm really looking for.

[messtin]

I liked the old compass we had at the beginning which was on a gyro effect.

It showed which way was north and so forth and also told you if your gun platform was level.