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bluedrake42

New Action Menu

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I like the scroll. I can move my mouse about and keep eyes on my environment while I scroll to find what I want.

Way I see it, the problem is the lack of static shortcuts when commanding. The number key system is a bit to contextualy sesitive and some of the broader commands need to be pinned in a set order instead of varying from moment to moment.

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Remove the menu, no more scrolling.

Introduce the commo-rose from Battlefield 2. Or simply press 1 key "E" or "F" to interact with things player is looking at.

It needs to be simpler and easier to use.

Its been 10 years, BI, its time...

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Remove the menu, no more scrolling.

Or simply press 1 key "E" or "F" to interact with things player is looking at.

It needs to be simpler and easier to use.

Its been 10 years, BI, its time...

You do realize that most objects in Arma can be interacted with in multiple ways? If you press F on a satchel charge you want to disarm, how do you know you're not going to accidentaly set it's timer on 10 seconds? :rolleyes:

The commo rose, on the other hand, may be of some use.

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The list menu is simply and efficiently shit. I have to remove my hands from movement keys to order my AI. Or I can't fire my weapon while using the mouse wheel.

And when I use the menu, it takes me around 2 seconds to order a single command which means a good modern gun has shot around 15 bullets at me. Meanwhile I can't respond to the fire nor I can move if I wish to order the AI.

Also I often misclick the number keys and I have to start all over again, even revert the command which takes me a shitload of time and gets me killed.

Then with the BF2 radial menu I can't fire but I can order everything I NEED to, in 0.2 seconds as it has only 8 (/16 PR) options per commo-rose button.

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You do realize that most objects in Arma can be interacted with in multiple ways? If you press F on a satchel charge you want to disarm, how do you know you're not going to accidentaly set it's timer on 10 seconds? :rolleyes:

Well, that's the point. We need more buttons, i.e. functional interfaces that are represented in the ingame-world.

That stachel simply needs some "real" buttons and maybe even a small display (a functional interface)... all on the model itself.

Everything else is just lazy ;)

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The list menu is simply and efficiently shit. I have to remove my hands from movement keys to order my AI. Or I can't fire my weapon while using the mouse wheel.

And when I use the menu, it takes me around 2 seconds to order a single command which means a good modern gun has shot around 15 bullets at me. Meanwhile I can't respond to the fire nor I can move if I wish to order the AI.

Also I often misclick the number keys and I have to start all over again, even revert the command which takes me a shitload of time and gets me killed.

I recommend taking some time to learn the hotkeys for issuing orders. Key ones like All Return To Formation: ~ 1 1, All Hold Fire: ~ 3 2, All Open Fire: ~ 3 1, All Engage At Will: ~ 3 5, All Take Cover: ~ 1 8, All Go Prone: ~ 7 8, All Keep Low: ~ 7 9, etc. They are really fast ways of issuing quick orders to your whole squad. And then, of course, you can issue individual orders using the Function keys. Also, make good use of Backspace to close menus, and you'll be all set. :)

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I recommend taking some time to learn the hotkeys for issuing orders. Key ones like All Return To Formation: ~ 1 1, All Hold Fire: ~ 3 2, All Open Fire: ~ 3 1, All Engage At Will: ~ 3 5, All Take Cover: ~ 1 8, All Go Prone: ~ 7 8, All Keep Low: ~ 7 9, etc. They are really fast ways of issuing quick orders to your whole squad. And then, of course, you can issue individual orders using the Function keys. Also, make good use of Backspace to close menus, and you'll be all set. :)

Ah, that 7 8 9 34 98 is so old and not very intuitive.

What ArmA3 needs is a fresh looking, very intuitive & fast squad command and action menu (like the one DR had). Everything else would be really disappointing.

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Remove the menu, no more scrolling.

Introduce the commo-rose from Battlefield 2. Or simply press 1 key "E" or "F" to interact with things player is looking at.

It needs to be simpler and easier to use.

Its been 10 years, BI, its time...

You do know that removing the action menu would have severe consequences on community content right?

Ah, that 7 8 9 34 98 is so old and not very intuitive.

What ArmA3 needs is a fresh looking, very intuitive & fast squad command and action menu (like the one DR had). Everything else would be really disappointing.

And how do you propose that is done? A radial menu would suffer library syndrome just as the current interface does, the only difference would be selecting from a circular menu, click one option which takes you to the next so instead of say F2 4 1 to get the AI to disembark, now you open radial, select unit, select action. I'm sure this sounds good at first but consider also where this would be, the center of the screen would be horrible because this interface is used in all types of warfare be it vehicle or infantry and nobody wants that, hell even though it is more straightforward than pressing number keys it is in fact less intuitive because it takes more time to select the necessary action not to mention when in commander view you have to do all that on the spot, no longer having the ability to move the mouse while issueing commands.

I realise that many people look to BF2's commas rose as a great source of how it should work but you have to remember that squad mechanics between that and this are vastly different and far more indepth.

Edited by NodUnit

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my coins for a scroll menu with submenus... if done rightly it will work. eg in plane: instruments->electronic jammer. the submenu opening on the right and the main moving to the left. scrolling out(up/down) of the submenu closes it.

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What ArmA3 needs is a fresh looking, very intuitive & fast squad command and action menu (like the one DR had).

I hope you are joking. DR single submenu based compass fast, with only cardinal directions? Even the current number system was faster than that, and offers space for a whole lot more useful commands than the DR shitterface could possibly deliver.

And that's me as a number system hater speaking.

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my coins for a scroll menu with submenus... if done rightly it will work. eg in plane: instruments->electronic jammer. the submenu opening on the right and the main moving to the left. scrolling out(up/down) of the submenu closes it.

A second menu for more complex actions would be nice, rather than turning on a key function and having the rest of the menu flooded with the extra commands until you turn the primary function off.

The biggest problem I could see there is how it could be used to work with infantry, the way it seems right now is action menu being an all in one, a by product of OFP's take on vehicles which were more back seated than they are today, with FLIR and RTT as well as the new physics I hope the devs reconsider the importance that vehicles could play in the popularity..anyway it's certainly not quite the right way to go and certain functions such as opening nearby doors shouldn't be present as well as turning normal lights on since L covers that function, the same as they did with Salute by taking it from the menu, or sit down.

Really what would be the best to see is in terms of vehicles, interactive integration, as it stands it is possible but when motion comes into the mix the feature is far less precise, requiring a larger area..if it would be so much as possible to assign X function to X point and have it work with such precision it could be an individual knob or button, then that would remove the need for action menu's in vehicles period.

Of course some casuals will complain that it's too much and takes time to learn the controls but at this point screw em, they are just holding back the games potential, it should be moving forward to a deeper simulation and expanding on it's legacy not getting closer to mainstream.

Edited by NodUnit

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A radial menu would suffer library syndrome just as the current interface does, the only difference would be selecting from a circular menu, click one option which takes you to the next so instead of say F2 4 1 to get the AI to disembark, now you open radial, select unit, select action. I'm sure this sounds good at first but consider also where this would be, the center of the screen would be horrible because this interface is used in all types of warfare be it vehicle or infantry and nobody wants that, hell even though it is more straightforward than pressing number keys it is in fact less intuitive because it takes more time to select the necessary action not to mention when in commander view you have to do all that on the spot, no longer having the ability to move the mouse while issueing commands.

I'll post a quote from someone who is developing a radial system for ArmA2:

One thing I've found from using this daily for a while: It is so much easier to use AI. Not just "oh I can issue commands faster" but it actually made more complex combat possible. Working with a basic four man squad in open terrain is, for lack of a better term, beautiful. I've played missions designed for small high command operations using only a basic squad. You're moving, changing your squad's stance, lining up shots, moving your AT soldier into that perfect spot and then drawing fire. You don't have to fiddle with the dang scroll wheel. The AI behave. They don't die from secret hidden enemies (actually standing in plain sight) because they marched off on their own. I found myself using tactics and commands that I never would before, simply because it was so simple to do so. I've been playing the ofp\arma series for a long time, and lots of my most memorable combat moments have come from using this mod.

Sakura_Chan won't be the only player to benefit from a visual mouse controlled system.

I realise that many people look to BF2's commas rose as a great source of how it should work but you have to remember that squad mechanics between that and this are vastly different and far more indepth.

It's not about squad mechanics, that's only the content of a UI, the point is the UI itself.

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Oohh? Well after reading that I hope that she (or he?) gives us all a demonstration, it sounds quite lovely, thanks for the heads up DM, I'll be sure to look around and watch closely.

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Yeah I'm pretty excited about it too, just tapping my fingers & waiting around now :)

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Sakura_Chan's radial system sounds awesome, I would love to play ARMA like that.

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I'll just throw in idea.

It's about current scroll menu; what if (by default) we had just basic stuff in scroll menu instead of all possible actions, and then, the ones related to the object of interest, we could "explore" to "sub-menu" for that particular object?

Example:

1. Having M16 (handgun holstered), standing in front of vehicle

2. Scroll menu shows "Secondary" and "Vehicle"

3. By left clicking either, it would perform default action (switch to pistol or get in car as driver)

4. By middle clicking it would "explore" additional options (switch to pistol, grenade... get in car as driver, gunner...)

5. Right click would return you back to main scroll menu

If you placed satchel, and look at it on the floor, you would still have just "Satchel" action, which would by default disarm it and put back in gear. By middle clicking you could get more options for that object. I think this would make menu cleaner and let you perform default actions faster yet keep the look and functionality. Might not be exactly what you're looking for, but it might be better than what we have now.

Edited by Minoza

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