Spatial Awareness Improvements

[fn_Quiksilver 1636]

Yes that would be a great idea. For suppress and watch direction

 

This is a 10/10 idea

 

Allow to grab the world position of the tactical ping and use for AI positional suppression

 

"ok mens, fire at the dot"

[djotacon 190]

 

Especially the colored indicators, it's weird having them white now, while they are colored in the squad radar.

 

Use your common sense, all the APEX content is WIP right now.

[serjames 357]

Good to see a common place Mod feature make it to Stable !

 

Feedback:

 

Needs some sort of background or contrasting colours, (like Shacktack hud. Simple white or black wireframe won't work as it's always gonna blend into something that makes it hard to see.

 

Pointing... Please ensure that the a "point" is visible for all players around the pointer NOT JUST those in the same section.

 

love this.. 

 

 

 

Consider flexible configuration for the player names and positions as per Goodson's suggestion. i.e. configured using Eden placement or in the Missing init.

 

:-)

[Grombald 11]

Is there any way to turn this on and off by mission parameters? We're playing a Domination on Tanoa where the squad radar is turned off, though nobody knows why.

[x3kj 1247]

Use your common sense, all the APEX content is WIP right now.

If there is no feedback it will release as is. Claiming "But it's WIP" is worthless in devbranch subforum. no report->no fix apart from maybe obvious bugs.

[Bill Door 7]

RE: Tactical Ping

 

A few issues with it currently:

 

- It can be seen from any distance, meaning if a spotter and pilot are in the same team it eliminates the need for laser designation for anything other than bombs and also eliminates the need for any kind of proper communication between the two.

 

- The current icon can easily hide the target you are pointing at, even worse if several people point at the same time an enemy unit can be completely masked by the markers.

 

 

Some suggestions:

 

- Put a maximum distance on who can see the ping, e.g. 5-10 meters so it does actually function as a 'pointing' tool and not just a way to eliminate the need for communication and proper spotters.

 

- Change the icon to the simple circle (preferably with a slimmer outline) so a spotted target can actually be seen and reduce the amount of time it is visible to 3-4 seconds.

 

 

I honestly feel making these small changes will vastly improve this feature, everything suggested is currently possible in simple mods so I assume it's not impossible for our lovely developers to implement.  

 

 

 

In other news Tanoa is awesome.

[tupolov 520]

Please add a keybind to toggle squad radar on/off

[ian-c 10]

Please add a keybind to toggle squad radar on/off

Totally agree with this, there will be situations where you need a clear screen without ui elements cluttering it up. Also some people don't like using them so would be good to be able to turn off.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

[lexx 1386]

Also some people don't like using them so would be good to be able to turn off.

 

For that you can disable it in the options menu.

 

 

I am still thinking the radar should disappear if the player isn't in any squad.

[Belbo 462]

For that you can disable it in the options menu.

I am still thinking the radar should disappear if the player isn't in any squad.

That makes it a server-wide setting, so no client based customization.

But I'm with you on the last one.

[danny96 80]

That makes it a server-wide setting, so no client based customization.

But I'm with you on the last one.

That's really questionable.. The radar is compensation for your "sixth" sense - spatial awareness - you are aware of your surroundings which is something that radar shows us.

[taro8 806]

Please do remember about SP-only players who have to exclusively deal with AI squadmates. Having enhanced tool for pointing them around telling them to move to this and that position, fire at this and that would be incredible.

 

Also there are people like me who are pretty crappy at understanding AI shouting out targets, especially when they say stuff like "behind us" when they are in front really.

 

That is why I will attach a post from  a thread I created:

 

Here's couple of ideas for improving the new squad radar feature:
 
Ability to keep radar hidden unless a key is pressed, radar is shown as long as the key is pressed. Ability to toggle radar on/off with a keybind also should be included. Kinda the same way you can do with UAV feed with TAB and 2xTAB.
 
Something you could call a "Spot Ping", when enemy is spotted a red bar is flashed around the direction enemy is spotted, the bar gets shorter the further enemy is from your position. The bar always points to the enemy from your position even if you turn around. The "ping" would fade after some time (I think it should be configurable after what amount of time it does). See the image for visualisation of my idea. Of course this feature should be an optional extension to squad radar with can be turned off in options menu.
 
I'm the kind of player that really sucks at understanding AI calling out targets, this kind of feature would be a blessing.
 

[CaptainAzimuth 714]

Also one small request, and it's not crazy because we already have a Salute, and Sit button  in the game. But when using the Tactical Ping, can we please have our character model point as well? Because usually when i ping, my team makes are constantly asking "where? I don't see it". Essentially, they're look at me, when i ping, thus adding a quick finger point animation as well would also provide an immersive, and un-miss-able extra guidance to where i am referring to, as you would do in real life.

[en3x 209]

Also one small request, and it's not crazy because we already have a Salute, and Sit button  in the game. But when using the Tactical Ping, can we please have our character model point as well? Because usually when i ping, my team makes are constantly asking "where? I don't see it". Essentially, they're look at me, when i ping, thus adding a quick finger point animation as well would also provide an immersive, and un-miss-able extra guidance to where i am referring to, as you would do in real life.

 

Perhaps testing bigger semi transparent circle is better implementation than small icon.

Since is harder to miss.

[dragon01 902]

The new squad radar is nice, but I do support the idea of putting it on tactical glasses/Defender helmet. Indeed, on high difficulty levels, this could be made mandatory. In that arrangement, I think that squad radar should be limited to squadmates equipped with GPS or UAV terminals. Of course, this would only apply to the high difficulties as well.

 

In fact, ArmA needs more diegetic interface elements. For example, wearing either tactical glasses, Defender or Viper helmets they should grant you additional UI, with actual, physical "bits" in your sight on which it would be displayed. That means they should be made to look like actual HUD (the current UI design is rather game-y). Ideally, they'd differ between helmets/glasses, as well. The glasses would project the HUD onto the eyepiece (well, I assume this bit on them is a gizmo for that, not the display), Defender would be similar, but sharper (as it seems to display it directly on the glasses) and Viper would have something not unlike the current HUD (as it covers your entire FOV anyway).

 

Diegetic HUD should include squad radar+compass (it's an actual feature of some "future soldiers" programs), GPS (the CTRL+M UI element for it should be redesigned into something more like a PDA, or perhaps a car navigation system) and a waypoint display. Possibly also an UAV feed and visual cues to your squadmate locations. It'd be both logical and realistic. 

[serjames 357]

+1 for a point animation !!

Ask ACE team.... They already exist

[tupolov 520]

Quick feedback:

1. Be able to force this off from server side, so that no player can turn it on.

2. Be off by default and toggled on by a player using a keybind.

3. Be configurable in settings client side so that client can have it on by default (unless forced off by server)

4. Admin can override server setting in game

5. Don't link this feature to Difficulty settings. Some milsim groups use radars, some don't - regardless of difficulty settings.

[bad benson 1733]

i'd love a range setting for this. i understand that some people want to use this as compensator for some "feeling" or whatever but i'd rather use this as a radar and get rid of the 3d icon group diamond marker thingies. if i want to know, if my buddy is pretty close to me i usually listen for foot steps and gun shots or ask him/her, i don't need telepathic powers for that :P

 

just as an option. as i said elsewhere, with such short range and such a large size of the HUD element i'll just turn it off since it the pay off of having so much screen covered isn't worth it...for me personally.

[en3x 209]

i'd love a range setting for this. i understand that some people want to use this as compensator for some "feeling" or whatever but i'd rather use this as a radar and get rid of the 3d icon group diamond marker thingies. if i want to know, if my buddy is pretty close to me i usually listen for foot steps and gun shots or ask him/her, i don't need telepathic powers for that :P

 

just as an option. as i said elsewhere, with such short range and such a large size of the HUD element i'll just turn it off since it the pay off of having so much screen covered isn't worth it...for me personally.

 

Agreed.The reason why some people want to have option to turn it off/on per server side is that it

squad radar takes away attention from looking at the environment and looking and scanning and

actually decreases communication when squad radar/shack tac is present.Another thing is over

focusing on perfect formation (which is bad).You should adapt on terrain over perfect formation.

[S.Crowe 142]

@en3X I agree that there needs to be an option to turn this off server side. It should already by adjusting server profile, but I don't run a DEV server so I cannot confirm.

 

When I started playing Arma, I joined a group that required Shacktac HUD. I never used my compass and in general got very spoiled. Later, I dropped the HUD, and I found it extremely hard to navigate because there wasn't an always magic compass in front of me. I also had to get better at communicating with my guys.

 

Personally, Squad Radar, Shacktac HUD, or BlueHud are kinda borderline cheats. However, the less cheaty of the three is BlueHud because you can turn off that silly compass, and the range is a lot shorter.

[lsd 147]

Radar - Needs some kind of gradient shadow (like the other GUI elements) as it's too hard to see on a bright background.

 

Ping - The name of the player who made the ping should be shown, (or maybe set the icon to their team color?) if a few members of your group use this in multiplayer you wouldn't have a clue where to look specifically.

 

The animation of the ping is a little too obvious, I'd be happier if it just appeared and faded out after 1 second...

 

If the above was configurable in the description.ext etc it would be even better.

[JSquared 12]

I always preferred my Arma locked to first person with zero on screen overlays (ok, maybe the stance indicated that fades out...)...   I always found it more immersive garnering situational awareness from the sights and sounds around my character.  To me Arma really seems to deliver that awareness through the environment quite well.  I just hope that kind of environmental development is always a top priority over screen overlay enhancements such as theses (No doubts that they are).   That coupled with first hand experience in playing with different milsim squads; one that forced the first person viewpoint with no on screen overlays, and one that used the ShackTac HUD...  The experience was night and day different...   I always found the players in the group that didn't use the HUD were typically far more aware of what was going on around them than the ones in the group that did...  That being said  here's my two cents...

 

Radar Feedback:

 

- I agree with some other that have posted here, that this feature could be linked to the use of certain types of equipment (Tactical Glasses & GPS, ect...).  For me, realism and immersion is key.  I think being incorporated as a technical feature of a piece of equipment would be neat.    

 

-Definitely needs to be able to force this off from server side, so that no player can turn it on.   

 

Tactical Ping:

- I'll echo whats been said above...  Make this a simple pointing animation for your character. instead of superimposing anything on screen and hearing piano key sound.  Simply have the character lower his gun and point with his support hand...   Perhaps even have the character say "Look over there" as he points instead of that piano ping...   In doing so, that characters voice could easily be stopped in Multiplayer for the groups who wish to do so.   I think that would be most realistic when combined wit other realistic ways to tacticaly point stuff out (i.e. IR lasers, ect.).  

 

- For single player,  have that above suggested animation tied to getting AI squad mates to look in that general direction for a short period of time.   Done... 

[en3x 209]

Offering some constructive feedback on tactical ping:

 

Cons:
 

Too small

 

Hard to find

 

Who did tactical ping?

 

Improvement:

 

Make it circle like

 

Because in real life pointing at something in distance can't tell us exact

pinpoint landmark so tactical ping interface would have to bi bigger thus

replacing icon with suggested semi transparent circle.

 

Circle size should be big enough to be noticed but not small enough to pinpoint

tree in a distance.Again in real life we don't know what pointing in the distance

is directed at.

 

What we do know is the general location and person pointing.

 

For the reason of identifying animation would be best to play out and direct

attention of players to person who is pointing.

 

Duration:

 

Should be about 3-4 seconds.

Is longer duration option needed?If so here is suggestion.As long as you hold

key that long mark stays up + 3-4 original seconds.Dependent on feesability of

implementation.

Note:Toggling and staying up without disappearing should be best avoided.

It may stay up too long (too artificial) or be forgotten (obstructing GUI) if and

when toggle would be used.

[bad benson 1733]

Circle size should be big enough to be noticed but not small enough to pinpoint

tree in a distance.Again in real life we don't know what pointing in the distance

is directed at.

 

i personally don't mind the lack of realism there but i like the idea of tweaking the size.

 

maybe having it go bigger the further away it is to simulate the decrease of accuracy with increase of distance. although it's tricky since then it gets more in your face. maybe combined with increased transparency.

 

just brain storming here.

[Variable 322]

Any chances to see the tactical ping being put to good use in SP?

It could be a very convenient way to order the AI to watch a location for a minute or two - it would be so usefull & intuitive. <3

Select an AI unit, hold ALT and click on a position. This issues a "Watch that position" command.