Forums » Suggestions

Very useful & extremely easy to implement : randar object range indicator

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Apr 09, 2010 Kierky link
Christ, if you want specifics, have you tried targeting? I don't think we need much more to make this game any more confusing, and I don't like the thought of having to explain one more thing to a confused newb.

However, I like the original idea, however this must be an option, and default OFF. Some of the games problems with newbs is that they don't understand what something means, or what something does, they give up, rather than asking because, either they don't know how to, ironically, or they just figure it's going to get harder. Even if they do ask, some questions don't get answered, by being lost in the banter of 100, or they get trolled mercilessly.

This would just become a feature that newbs could do without, however, should be available as a convenience. I'm all for the OI, however.

PS: I am not a hardcore gamer, just a long time veteran looking to improve the game, and help people (especially newbs) have more fun.
Apr 18, 2010 PaladinOfLancelot link
Bumping topic.

Would anyone help me pass this idea to the devs perhaps ? I mean this is only few hours work (at most a day or two), so maybe somebody of the devs would find this worthwhile.
Apr 18, 2010 Whistler link
Please don't bump. These forums are THE way to pass ideas along to the devs. They don't read the forums daily, and they frequently don't comment, but they do read them.
Apr 19, 2010 PaladinOfLancelot link
@Whistler

Please don't bump.

Roger that.

Bumping ray disengaged.
Aug 29, 2010 Keybounce link
It is less than a year, so I am bumping.

Yes, something like this is very noob friendly.

People (and trolls): Your new players have only 8 hours to learn the game. I'm probably putting more into learning Vendetta than most new potential players do.

I see lots of complaints on these forums about how empty the game feels, and the low population base. If you want to grow the population, then you have to make the game more attractive to new players.

Saying "You'll learn", or "I'm hardcore, everyone else should be", or "The game is too easy, don't make it easier", etc, all miss the point:

From the standpoint of the technology of thousands of years in the future, why is it that if we can do it now, it isn't done then? Why not do things to make the displays easier to read? Why not say "Everyone recommends using addon X for feature Y, so lets put feature Y in the core system"?

From the standpoint of new players, why not make the game easier to get into and learn?

Up for getting closer, and down for moving farther away is a wonderful idea. In fact, two thin lines -- one for distance, and one for delta-R (or should it be delta-Y?) (up/down) is a useful, simple extension. Being able to quickly scan what's around is just lovely and nice.

Making it configurable? Sure. Just tell the new user how to adjust it in an early tutorial.

There is a bit of a problem with the radar right now. If something is at y+1 inch, it will appear on the front radar. If it is at x+1000 meters, it will appear way off to the side -- accurate. But will it have the "distance" indicator of something of 1 inch, or of 1000 meters? If I turn in place, do I want the color intensity / distance indicators to alter? (As I turn, it goes from x+1000m / y+1 inch to x+0, y+1000m straight ahead.)

Yes, for a new player, that radar isn't as useful as it could be.

Some of the games problems with newbs is that they don't understand what something means, or what something does, they give up, rather than asking because, either they don't know how to, ironically, or they just figure it's going to get harder. Even if they do ask, some questions don't get answered, by being lost in the banter of 100, or they get trolled mercilessly.

So pay more attention to when new players try to post their initial impressions. Don't flame them, but listen and be supportive. Trolling is 100% social, and 98% under control of the playerbase. Come up with ideas on how to improve the initial tutorial missions -- I understand that this game actually encourages players to make new missions.
Aug 29, 2010 Alloh link
if you really want distance in radar, more simple and elegant solution would be tie it to dot size.

pixels distance
01 4001..5000
03 3001..4000
...
12 1...600

or a number near dot with distance in km.
Aug 29, 2010 Dr. Lecter link
Wow, all these inarticulately stated ideas are SO TOTALLY NEW TO VO!!!!!1111
Aug 30, 2010 PaladinOfLancelot link
@Alloh

[[[if you really want distance in radar, more simple and elegant solution would be tie it to dot size.]]]

Perhaps ellegant, but nowhere near the precision of lines.
Also With lines, You can not only read the distance, but read the CHANGES in distance much more precisely too.

2nd: the faded out small dots of objects far away would be almost completely invisible, making them useless. Unless You want to turn off the fading, and just leave dot size.

@Dr. Lecter

[[[Wow, all these inarticulately stated ideas are SO TOTALLY NEW TO VO!!!!!1111]]]

New or not new, still not implemented.

----------
BTW, if this game was Open Source, i would have implemented this months ago. This is maximum few days work, even for me (non-C/C++ programmer).

It really hurts me that nobody cares about such an useful & easy to implement feature.
Aug 30, 2010 Dr. Lecter link
Well, we're all very troubled about you being hurt. DIAF, TYIA.
Aug 30, 2010 Alloh link
I hate fading as distance indicator!

Size or number would make easier reading, including variations. Like, number on the left for km and on the right for hundreds of meters. 3* 3km, *3 300m.

The lines are frequently used to represent 3D in single flat radars, in many games, as above/below the ship (relative). So it could be confusing. But dot size and number are universal.

You can use [.i] and [./i] without the dot for italics.

About lelecter, he is playing a game where he scores every time he is an idiot
Aug 30, 2010 PaladinOfLancelot link
@Alloh

While i also hate fading, i like lines definately better than larger/smaller dots.

Well, maybe both options could be implemented at one time ? After all its little work to actually do both of them. If You do the first and touch the application's radar code, it's time & cost effective to do them both.
Aug 30, 2010 peytros link
BTW, if this game was Open Source, i would have implemented this months ago. This is maximum few days work, even for me (non-C/C++ programmer).

It really hurts me that nobody cares about such an useful & easy to implement feature.


Aug 30, 2010 Whistler link
While I find statement "easy to implement" extremely presumptuous, given that the writer usually hasn't the slightest idea how complex VO is, I don't agree with attacking the OP rather than his argument. Surely the opposition can articulate an argument without all the other BS?
Aug 30, 2010 Dr. Lecter link
When the author has failed to articulate an idea, much an idea without additional BS, why should we do any differently?
Aug 31, 2010 incarnate link
I'm familiar with this radar model, I've seen it used in some other games. I've stated in the past that I support us having a variety of different, configurable ways of displaying the radar data. I'm not against this being one of them, but it's not a priority right now.

We have several months worth of "things that should only take a couple of days" that are much more important right now.
Aug 31, 2010 PaladinOfLancelot link
@Whistler

[[[While I find statement "easy to implement" extremely presumptuous, given that the writer usually hasn't the slightest idea how complex VO is, I don't agree with attacking the OP rather than his argument. Surely the opposition can articulate an argument without all the other BS?]]]

Drawing a few more lines or dots is not a problem in almost any language, no matter how complex the Vendetta code is.

I can tell as I'm an experienced programmer. And no, this is not a douchebaggery - I'm just stating the fact. I've written code for more than 13 years in a dozen of different languages.

.
@incarnate

[[[We have several months worth of "things that should only take a couple of days" that are much more important right now.]]]

Now, this is what i call a satisfactory answer.