Customizable Soldier Load ( seriously?? )

[Drumheller 19]

Dear OP.

There are lots of diversified types of Units that play this game. Some simulate US Army, Some USMC, some US Navy, some BAF, some German, Finnish, etc, etc, etc.

Being able to select your own uniform will make it so that not every single type of gaming unit will have to create entire new units in order to simulate their home nation. With all the different uniforms already present everyone will be able to simulate their home units right off the bat.

Edited June 15, 2011 by MacScottie

[antoineflemming 14]

I dont play many games, can you move around when using a radial menu like you can with the system we have now?

Yeah, you could move around. Theoretically it should work. Just most FPS games that have radial menus don't let you move. The main thing would be turning with the mouse, but that's no different than with the current menu system that brings a cursor on screen.

[160thSOAR 10]

I would like the ability to mess around with what type of load-bearing equipment you're carrying, what type of bullet-proof vest you're wearing, that sort of thing.

I do not want the ability to put modifications like M203's on your weapons. In the real military, attachments are distributed by position. Only the FTL gets an M203. I don't want a CoD-like sort of thing regarding weapons.

It would be nice though if the scopes were more realistic. So an ACOG scope doesn't take up your whole screen, instead it's more like a Holo sight where you can see around it as normal view.

[antoineflemming 14]

I would like the ability to mess around with what type of load-bearing equipment you're carrying, what type of bullet-proof vest you're wearing, that sort of thing.

I do not want the ability to put modifications like M203's on your weapons. In the real military, attachments are distributed by position. Only the FTL gets an M203. I don't want a CoD-like sort of thing regarding weapons.

It would be nice though if the scopes were more realistic. So an ACOG scope doesn't take up your whole screen, instead it's more like a Holo sight where you can see around it as normal view.

Building on this, I'd like an actual platoon/squad role system, kinda like America's Army for example, mainly for multiplayer. Not just different types of units to play as, but actual squad roles, maybe even as big as platoon roles (PL, 2 SL's, 4 TL's, etc).

[CarlGustaffa 4]

I would really like to be able to carry additional CSW magazines, belts or rounds (mortar), rather than having them being fed by an ammo truck. When cool, the ammo truck isn't even a target (should they? not sure, I'm split on that one). The 80'ish mm mortar rounds being as effective as they are, it makes it very hard to have them in a mission with an ammo truck.

Maybe one ruck can have up to 100-150 rounds of .50 cal, 20-30 40mm rounds, or 4 mortar shells or something? I don't care that much that ammo is somewhat built into the weapon, but it would be nice if reloading these was more laborish than putting them next to an ammotruck allowing (nearly) infinite spamming.

So in relation to soldier load - should "ammo bearer" have special equipment related to what they carry, or "one model fits all"? Note that I'm not talking about backpack here. Should it be maybe in the basic rifleman vest? Meaning that a rifleman have some additional "multi purpose slots (incl. magazines)" compared to a grenadier (lots of M203), team leader (some M203, but also more grenade slots), or SAW gunner (2x200 round pouches) who have reserved slots for other uses?

Yeah, you could move around. Theoretically it should work. Just most FPS games that have radial menus don't let you move. The main thing would be turning with the mouse, but that's no different than with the current menu system that brings a cursor on screen.

It can't. Not convincingly. You might be able to have a keyboard activated radial which takes mouse input, while holding the movement keys, but it will then take away the mouse input. Unless you make it key based, which will take away the possibility to move. Or two handed, which takes away the mouse.

Personally, I'd like to see it just as an on screen graphical dialog that is shown while you hold a key. Keep in mind we're asking for animations for this, so ability to move while changing weapon mod I certainly hope is not a concern (unlike certain aspects of AI commanding where I can understand it). If it's done old school using action menu, I hope it's a single "weapon mod" action which expands the selections and only those, and then only if you have the mod items on you. As a mission maker, I need to stay in control over what mods I give the player (if any, if you catch my drift here :D). This action menu system also needs to be fully transparent, and available also in vehicles.

As for radials, I've earlier proposed a key based qualifier to open specialized 16 slot (max) radials. Obviously less screen impact than those shown by antoineflemming in #91, my idea revolved around muscle motoric memory, color coding (where appropriate) context sensitivity and consistency. Some of the commanding options could very well fit into a radial. But it won't work with 4/8 slot based radials, or radials opening up other radials, as it will be too slow to operate (proven by OFP DR).

If we have to make such radials ourselves for commanding (kinda possible, at least for experimentation), we need access to the low level commands as they work in the number commands.

[antoineflemming 14]

It can't. Not convincingly. You might be able to have a keyboard activated radial which takes mouse input, while holding the movement keys, but it will then take away the mouse input. Unless you make it key based, which will take away the possibility to move. Or two handed, which takes away the mouse.

Personally, I'd like to see it just as an on screen graphical dialog that is shown while you hold a key. Keep in mind we're asking for animations for this, so ability to move while changing weapon mod I certainly hope is not a concern (unlike certain aspects of AI commanding where I can understand it). If it's done old school using action menu, I hope it's a single "weapon mod" action which expands the selections and only those, and then only if you have the mod items on you. As a mission maker, I need to stay in control over what mods I give the player (if any, if you catch my drift here :D). This action menu system also needs to be fully transparent, and available also in vehicles.

As for radials, I've earlier proposed a key based qualifier to open specialized 16 slot (max) radials. Obviously less screen impact than those shown by antoineflemming in #91, my idea revolved around muscle motoric memory, color coding (where appropriate) context sensitivity and consistency. Some of the commanding options could very well fit into a radial. But it won't work with 4/8 slot based radials, or radials opening up other radials, as it will be too slow to operate (proven by OFP DR).

If we have to make such radials ourselves for commanding (kinda possible, at least for experimentation), we need access to the low level commands as they work in the number commands.

Makes sense. For me, I think it'd be good if there was a mixture of action menu and radial menus. For certain things, I think a radial menu could be beneficial. But, the discussion is more about customizable soldier load rather than the interface. I think it's a good idea, as long as servers can regulate what is customizable and what is not. Some servers could disable customizable uniforms, weapons, lbv's, and/or helmets. If there was that multiplayer functionality then I'd say the system could work very well.

[Drumheller 19]

I would like the ability to mess around with what type of load-bearing equipment you're carrying, what type of bullet-proof vest you're wearing, that sort of thing.

I do not want the ability to put modifications like M203's on your weapons. In the real military, attachments are distributed by position. Only the FTL gets an M203. I don't want a CoD-like sort of thing regarding weapons.

It would be nice though if the scopes were more realistic. So an ACOG scope doesn't take up your whole screen, instead it's more like a Holo sight where you can see around it as normal view.

If you guys want stuff like this, join a realism unit. But don't try to keep stuff out of the game for others because you "think" it is or isn't realistic. The USMC isn't the only unit type in this game that people play. I just happen to be in a USMC realism unit and yes, weapon restriction is strictly enforced during our trainings and ops.

That said, when I'm playing on a public server or in a special forces mission or a surreal mission(aliens, zombies, post apocalyptic) I don't want to see those restrictions. I want the maximum amount of freedom possible.

Even while in my USMC realism unit we have the ability to remove our ACOGs and go to ironsights(via ASC weapons mod), which is 100% realistic.

[dmarkwick 261]

I do not want the ability to put modifications like M203's on your weapons. In the real military, attachments are distributed by position. Only the FTL gets an M203. I don't want a CoD-like sort of thing regarding weapons.

That would be a mission design thing, not a gameplay feature thing :)

[Aussie_Osiris 10]

FYI for changing textures on uniforms. DirectX 10/11 has the ability to have the same model with a completely different texture and use significantly less RAM then DirectX 9 did so if BI do let you choose your uniform there will be a very minor RAM usage even if you had 50 different uniform textures on the same model.

[chris64 0]

FYI for changing textures on uniforms. DirectX 10/11 has the ability to have the same model with a completely different texture and use significantly less RAM then DirectX 9 did so if BI do let you choose your uniform there will be a very minor RAM usage even if you had 50 different uniform textures on the same model.

Is that true? Wow the new DirectX's are pretty freakin awesome.

[Aussie_Osiris 10]

Is that true? Wow the new DirectX's are pretty freakin awesome.

Yeah. It was the start of Microsoft actually getting feedback from a community (the game developers and hardware manufacturers) to make their product better. It's also the reason why if BI made ARMA II DirectX 10/11 and properly programmed it for that API it would us faaaaaar less CPU just because DirectX 9 liked to get all that CPU ass for itself

[Tonci87 163]

I have to agree DX10 is awesome, and DX11 is even better!

[Aussie_Osiris 10]

Yes. DirectX 11 made the API multi-threaded. And the good news is that it's backwards compatible. If you have a DirectX 10 card it just limits you from using those features while still being able to use the multi-threaded API and other performance benefits that affect the API :D

[SPC.Spets 21]

as I said, it would be nice if you can customize or chose from a box your equipement, like belts, backpack, maybe armor plates, helmet, etc and with this, depending on the gear you select you can carry more or less ammo clips, grenades, etc and ofcourse it has to affect your movement/speed/stamina

[WingmanSR 10]

I like the ability to alter how your weapon in configured, however, I really hope that you can't change optics in the field. You should have to do it at an armorer or some sort of supply point, being that the optic would have to be bore-sighted every time you changed. Same thing with m203 and laser marker, though you could choose to remove/add laser without having it accurately sighted in the field, if you so choosed. I would LOVE to see the IR laser have all the different modes as in IRL, like flood, adjustable brightness, AND hopefully the beam will not abruptly end at 200m like now in A2. I believe the m320 GL can be removed and replaced at will, as the leaf sight is integral.

That reminds me; BIS, working leaf/quadrant sights for grenade launchers, as well as working adjustable sighting systems for AT weapons, as in RPG-7 and AT-4. Pretty please....with sugar on top?

I love the idea of removing/adding a suppressor at will, though, as well as other gadgets like a taclight. A different inventory system, similar to the way ACE handles rucks now, would also be welcome =D

Seeing as I've gone all ADHD in this post, I'll suppress the urge to continue with other technical, gameplay-oriented improvements that I would love to see....it's difficult though....

Edited June 15, 2011 by WingmanSR

[maturin 12]

There's absolutely no reason to remove a suppressor. It has no drawbacks, except for the fact that you need to rezero everything once its gone.

[WingmanSR 10]

There's absolutely no reason to remove a suppressor. It has no drawbacks, except for the fact that you need to rezero everything once its gone.

fixed... In that same vein then, I hope subsonic 5.56 rounds are gone, and suppressor simulation is closer to reality. In all the firearms material I've read, the only subsonic 556's cartridges I've heard of are custom handloads, which would be almost useless in an engagement. Might as well be shooting a Ruger 10/22 with a can screwed on the end.

[aart112 12]

i dont mind beeing able to choose how my character looks. however i do mind them putting in wacky options. like wearing a funny hat or other stupid stuff to make the codcrew happy.

they should stick with the general design each faction has for its infantry but make you able to change what type of vest you're wearing and if you want those extra ammopauches or not. dont allow people to choose their own camo/colors/looks just give them the option to swap stuff out and it should work fine.

[Steakslim 1]

Actually no, give us the option to choose camo colors. If the mission maker doesn't want us to wear certain camo, then don't have it in the ammo boxes. I'd rather have full freedom under the mercy of the mission maker than under the game's core itself.

[CarlGustaffa 4]

I'd rather have full freedom under the mercy of the mission maker than under the game's core itself.

Agree with that.

[Millenium7 0]

my thoughts

[jhoson14 10]

Dont recall if it was because ACE magic box, but there was a really awesome script i saw on a mission wich limited the weapons on the box to each class.

The AT was only visible to AT soldiers, AR for machinegunner, rifle+gl for grenadier and so on. Can be limited by mission maker (as stated by Steakslim)

Probably the same can be done to hide some atachments from others class.

[CarlGustaffa 4]

If attachments are regular inventory items, that shouldn't be a problem. Crate content visibility can only be utilized by using crates that are local to each client. Domination have such crates but everything is filled equally (it was done to overcome problems with global crates and JIP issues originally), but I expanded on it so that each client had his crate filled depending on his class (Dominatrix/ACE1 and Domino for A2/OA). But then you have to do unpopular decisions to prevent weapons to multiply on the battlefield (AT gunners keeps getting killed, suddenly everyone has AT - kinda breaks the mission).

But, this approach is not always the best. A2/OA in later patches have received some new (global variants of crate) commands that make global crates more feasible to use. I don't want to see limitations of this sort enforced by the engine, this should be up to what the mission maker wants.

[heroes maker 10]

Dont recall if it was because ACE magic box, but there was a really awesome script i saw on a mission wich limited the weapons on the box to each class.

The AT was only visible to AT soldiers, AR for machinegunner, rifle+gl for grenadier and so on. Can be limited by mission maker (as stated by Steakslim)

Probably the same can be done to hide some atachments from others class.

i hate this script, for the custom about the uniform, i don't really give a single f*ck about it, i like this kind of stuff

[b00ce 160]

I don't know why people think of extremes like Rainbow 6: Vegas or Halo where people can have bright pink camo with crazy armor pads. What's probably going to end up happening is it's selectable at the mission screen OR, what's more likely in my opinion, the classes will have values in the .cfg to determine what parts the model will have. It will probably be modifiable with the init in the editor too. It may end up being done with ammobox items at that.

As for the weapon attachments, I'm more than willing to bet my pay check that they're inventory items.