Customize field of view!

[Sneakson 1]

I would like to see the option to customize our:

Default field of view

Zoomed in field of view

Zoomed out field of view

Customizing this would allow players to create their own settings as they want.

Humans can see about 180-200 degrees horizontally though each eye can only see about 150 degrees. The area which both eyes can see simultaneously and thus in depth is about 120 degrees. Each eye can turn to look at things within about 90 degrees without turning our heads. We have relatively good vision within 60 degrees of where we are looking though we have the very best within only a few degrees. All these values vary depending on your source.

Sitting 50 cm away from a screen that’s 50 cm across horizontally your field of view should be 50 degrees to make it appear like a window and not be any warped.

Currently on a 1920x1200 (16:10) screen I have a field of view about 84 degrees. Zooming in gives me about 50 and zooming out gives me about 110.

What values are realistic and not superhuman are quite debatable but I would very much like at least to be able to set my values to 50, 90 exactly and exactly 120 (the field that both our eyes can see).

If I had the choice I might even set the zoomed out option to 180 degrees which undeniably any person can see however in the outer 60 degrees or so we wouldn’t have any sense of depth which we still would in game though I would consider this a minor issue for the sake of realism.

Naturally having a centered field of view makes spotting enemies at a distance easier and more realistic while having a broader field of view makes CQB easier.

Currently changing your default field of view is the only thing here possible and it is only possible by changing values using notepad and even then the values entered don't seem to match at least compass readings in game perfectly.

Here's a request:

http://feedback.arma3.com/view.php?id=11249

There's been a bunch of similar requests earlier and none seem to have been taken seriously.

[Mac 1]

You can tweak it in the config files but there is no in game option to do so yet. I play with a fov around 105. I'd also like to see this implemented into the game for easy use

[Sneakson 1]

You can't configure the zoom fovs though can you?

I'm thinking 50, 100 and 200 could be pretty nice though I really don't know what the game looks like using 200...

Anyways notepadding my values doesn't do a thing at the moment... not sure what I’m missing.

[Harzach 2517]

First, this: http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?156973-Utility-Arma-FOV-Changer

As for being able to tweak zoom FOV irrespective of your default FOV, that sounds a bit...exploit-y.

[Sneakson 1]

First, this: http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?156973-Utility-Arma-FOV-Changer

As for being able to tweak zoom FOV irrespective of your default FOV, that sounds a bit...exploit-y.

No more exploity than zooming out already is for the people that use it compared to those who don't really. And it would add realism.

By the way that program doesn't seem to give any more accurate values than the game already has if I measure it using the compass. Not sure if that is an improper measuring method but if I set it to 90 I only get like 84 degrees fov and it’s a bit of a difference.

[big_t 1]

I most Definitely support your suggestion.

I think having the ability to quick change your FOV in game would really help with situational awareness in 1rst person view and hopefully lessen the need for the immersion killing 3rd person.

( I know about the "-" key but even more)

Just played a few games of multiplayer PVP and the server actually had 3rd person disabled: It WAS AMAZING!!! Very intense like a whole new game.

[sqb-sma 66]

I most Definitely support your suggestion.

I think having the ability to quick change your FOV in game would really help with situational awareness in 1rst person view and hopefully lessen the need for the immersion killing 3rd person.

( I know about the "-" key but even more)

Just played a few games of multiplayer PVP and the server actually had 3rd person disabled: It WAS AMAZING!!! Very intense like a whole new game.

Yup, 3rd person really breaks the experience, I'm surprised so many servers allow it.

[toiletguy 1]

Dayz pre alpha has a slider.

[big_t 1]

Yup, 3rd person really breaks the experience, I'm surprised so many servers allow it.

it's not so much break the experience but really takes the edge and excitement off. Playing 3rd person is sort of like lounging back on the couch and cracking a beer to play a console, fun still but not really intense gaming, it's sort of like you are looking down on an avatar of your character, whereas in 1rst person you become the character. I know you can switch to 1rst person but why loose the advantage of omnipotent vision around corners, over walls and hills ;) zing!

If there was a hot key in conjunction with say mouse scroll to toggle the FOV that would be really great although not sure if technically possible. Say hold alt and scroll back to widen the FOV.

Imagine though: Always in 1rst person but quickly zooming far out (still same vertical perspective) to see your immediate surroundings like rock surfaces you may be hiding behind.

[pooroldspike 129]

Regarding Default Field of View

Everybody probably already knows how to tweak the file with Notepad, and here are the figures for quick reference, they all work, I tested them-

In 'Documents' go to your 'Arma3 Profile' and scroll to near the bottom to fovTop and fovLeft

Default gives a '70' field of view and is-

fovTop=0.75;

fovLeft=1.34;

(Don't worry about a string of decimal places that sometimes tag themselves on, you only need the first 3 numbers as shown)

'65' FOV is-

fovTop=0.68;

fovLeft=1.22;

'60' FOV is-

fovTop=0.61;

fovLeft=1.10;

'55' FOV is-

fovTop=0.54;

fovLeft=0.98;

'50' FOV is-

fovTop=0.47;

fovLeft=0.86;

Notice the 'Top' figures are in steps of 7, and the 'Left' figures are in steps of 12.

Personally I don't like default 70 FOV because it's too fisheyed, I prefer 55 FOV which is more zoomed in, but it cuts off some of the watch and compass, I'm trying to find a way to re-position them on the screen and also find a way to make them smaller. Anybody know how?

Edited April 15, 2014 by PoorOldSpike

[St. Jimmy 272]

Does changing FoV break some scopes like in A2? Some of the markings weren't accurate anymore if you tweaked the FoV.

[Greenfist 1863]

Regarding Default Field of View

Everybody probably already knows how to tweak the file with Notepad, and here are the figures for quick reference, they all work, I tested them-

...

Personally I don't like default 70 FOV because it's too fisheyed, I prefer 55 FOV which is more zoomed in, but it cuts off some of the watch and compass, I'm trying to find a way to re-position them on the screen and also find a way to make them smaller. Anybody know how?

There's also good tool for setting those values more automatically: http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=21179

I think there's no way to modify watch and compass with any other way but via a mod.

[pooroldspike 129]

Does changing FoV break some scopes like in A2? Some of the markings weren't accurate anymore if you tweaked the FoV.

That's what I've been wondering too but there are so many different scopes and zoom levels that it'd be impossible to test them all, so all we can do is stick with our favourite weapons and see if adjusting FOV affects their sights etc.

PS- regarding the 1st or 3rd person view that was being discussed earlier, I HATE 1st person because you can't see yourself!

All you see is the barrel of your weapon and therefore you forget whether you're crouching or standing, and you can't see whether you're bleeding, or even what your uniform looks like, it's like playing with horses blinkers restricting your view.

By comparison, 3rd person gives us a nice view of ourself from behind and we get a good realistic sense of situational awareness.

Edited April 15, 2014 by PoorOldSpike

[ratszo 17]

....Just played a few games of multiplayer PVP and the server actually had 3rd person disabled: It WAS AMAZING!!! Very intense like a whole new game.

Is why it's called a 'first person shooter'. Man, its sad a long-time PvP player would just discover 1p: only.

As to fov, nah. We have 3 settings now --any further zoomed-out is fish-eyed; any further zoomed-in is an exploit without optics.

A slider to default the current fov range would be handy.

[Greenfist 1863]

here are the figures for quick reference, they all work, I tested them-

You should add that those values work only for 16:9 aspect ratio. Anything other will be messed up.

[pooroldspike 129]

You should add that those values work only for 16:9 aspect ratio. Anything other will be messed up.

Thanks, there are truckloads of variables so all we can do is experiment according to our own prefs and setups etc.

"Perhaps you'd care to step into my laboratory for a moment; I'm conducting an experiment that may interest you"- Boris Karloff

[Greenfist 1863]

No thanks, Boris. My wife already puts me through enough.

[chrisb 196]

POS is right, definitely experiment with your FOV, not only will it make for a custom outlook which can be better than staying with the standard ones, also it may help fps for those with problems.

Going in too far like POS has (just imo), although comfortable for him, is the reason you only see the barrel of the gun, but it should help with fps, also its your game and it’s a case of whatever is comfortable to play with for you. That however would be too far in for me.

I always test in 3rd person but play only in 1st. 1st person is much more immersive for me, doesn’t work for everyone though.

If you like playing 3rd person, a good method is ‘dfs_3rdPerson’, play with the settings in the user config and it will give you a custom 3rd person view too. I use a drawn back view for testing, gives a better perspective.

But yes fov settings are good to experiment with, try and keep the ratio right, but whatever is comfy, that’s the main thing.

:)

[pooroldspike 129]

And a good tip for FOV experiments is to conduct some at night so that we can use the moon as a scaling reference point.

Basically if we get the moon looking the same size on our screen as it does to our eyeballs in the real world, we're on the right track to achieving a realistic FOV level.

[ceeeb 147]

There is a lot of incorrect information around regarding FOVs in Arma 2/3. I spent a fair bit of time with them, and found posted my findings here : Some facts about zoom and Field of View (FOV) in Arma.

[Vasily.B 529]

Well i was using great values but i forgot them and dont wanna test it again (spent hour again on this). Problem is i see everything bigger on the left and right screen edge (using default FoV, 16:9, 1920x1080). What degree i should use? I remember some things from UI was closer to the center of the screen, not further.

[pooroldspike 129]

Well i was using great values but i forgot them and dont wanna test it again (spent hour again on this). Problem is i see everything bigger on the left and right screen edge (using default FoV, 16:9, 1920x1080). What degree i should use? I remember some things from UI was closer to the center of the screen, not further.

 

 

AA3 Default gives a '70' field of view and is-

fovTop=0.75;

fovLeft=1.34;

(Don't worry about a string of decimal places that sometimes tag themselves on, you only need the first 3 numbers as shown)

See my post on the previous page for different zoom numbers.

 

PS- adjusting those numbers doesn't seem to have any effect on the airborne planes and helos FOV, does anybody know if there are some other numbers somewhere that we need to juggle for that?