Interface discussion

[LJF 0]

Agreed:

+ Command menu from ArmA1 needs to come back and replace the ... the THING we have now.

+ Those annoying Action Icons need to go, honestly, they're just plain bad, if anyone remembers the "grenade icon" from the CoD series ... it's like that except bright green and RIGHT on your sights ...

+ Furthermore, I'd like to see the left mouse button not select highlighted actions in the menus, we've already got the middle mouse button for that. Died so many times when using the menu - you can't shoot :(

[T.S.C.Plage 0]

I've noticed the following things related to the interface of aircrafts (especially helicopters) and would like to ask if something can be changed here.

At first the "Hud Off" dialogue is always shown by default in helicopters which have this option available (at the start of a mission or if you get into one). This is simply annoying because you always have to deselect it manually (via backspace) or have to wait till it automatically disappears after a couple of time. Can't this be turned off by default?

Then you've this "square" indicating your groupmembers are in the helicopter. This is not really a "functional" problem but simply not necessary as you already have the icons at the bottom of the screen. Infact it simply disturbs the view and should be disabled in/on aircrafts.

When you scroll through the actionmenu you always get the annoying icons (symbols) shown which isn't necessary for aircrafts and just distracts (at least me).

Any chances to get this fixed/reworked?

Edited July 22, 2009 by T.S.C.Plage

[nominesine 0]

Having the radio/watch/map/compass/GPS as fully working inventory items was a brilliant addition to the new game. One that I would like to see developed in future versions of ArmA2.

Presently, having a radio in your inventory system gives you access to all radio channels (group, side, global, etc). Why not introduce another long range radio to go with the soldiers personal intercom.

Merely carrying the small intercom (taking up a pistol magazine slot in the inventory) would then limit the player to group channel only. The long range radio (taking up a secondary weapon slot) would give access to the side- and global channels.

A group member carrying the long range radio should automatically relay all side commands as group radio. Your team would then need a radioman, to communicate with other squads on the same side, but will still be able to maintain a proper chaon of command internally, even if the radio bearer get's shot.

[mrcash2009 0]

A spin of from this thread:

http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=80032

The ability to split up your fireteam into colors, but then if you switched to command mode those colored teams would then fall under their own command icon for more global control. Again you could then regroup, flip back and have a single team again.

The above thread started it all of with a script that does a basic version but wont group then dynamicaly.

Would love BIS to implement this in a later patch as a new feature.

[King Poulet 1]

I don't know if it has been mentioned, but I want a PAIN direction indicator like most of games. Since the sound is broken poor on this game, I can't tell where the bullets are coming from.

[sabre4809 0]

Why o WHY do we have to have left click as a input that can control the action and radio menus. Middle mouse button is fine. I try to shoot but select my side arm instead because my action menu was open. I can't even remove that functionality in the control settings.

I understand that it may be so that when selecting units and giving orders now you use the context sensitive menu so clicking on map or ground to tell a guy to 'move' or 'get in' works buy left click which is actually selecting the appropriate option. BUT can we have it mappable so that I can change it to middle mouse button only. Or just change it for the action menu. Pleeease.

[LukeB 10]

Why is it that for commands 1 to 0 each item has a corresponding number which makes it easy to select a command BUT in the most used Action Menu (space bar initiated) there are no numbers making it necessary to use the stupid mouse wheel that is so sensitive that I always over shoot the wanted selection. I just dont get it? Why not just shoe a mouse pointer to select as well as numbering each command?

Cheers,

Luke.

[dale0404 5]

I don't know if it has been mentioned, but I want a PAIN direction indicator like most of games. Since the sound is broken poor on this game, I can't tell where the bullets are coming from.

Play COD mate, simples.

[4 IN 1 0]

the idea of putting a head instead of the old way is stupid, it take up too much space even if i using the small mode and i dont really know what unit i am ordering is

the use of left mouse buttom is beyond stupid as above few post said

there is still a lack of fire(colour) team management, why cant we have fire team member sorted into one single key under their team leader position? aint double tabing is added for some reason? we can still open it up with F2x2(or whatever number your team leader is in) and close it with the same way, right? And why they still staying in a big 48 people line formation with you in the center when team is assigned? wouldnt breaking into numbers of their own formation following their own small team leader be a better way to do things?(and i yes know there is a script that put fire team into HC mode recently, but what we really want is that part of control isolated from HC without the need to add gamelogic)

i would be delighted to see team member and leader gives enemy position IAW waypoint/movement orders or the player facing direction if none of them above is there

and last but not least, find yourself some better voice actor who can keep their tone as the same as possible when doing voice acting

Edited August 15, 2009 by 4 IN 1

[zubzub 10]

The orange indicator shouldn't fade out when you face it.

[stealthbanana 10]

May have been mentioned before but I cannot find it...

With the stupidly long "Fast Travel" times in 1.03, sometimes this means that the player has to save the game. On restarting you are presented with an overhead view of somewhere, no map view, and no feedback on how near you are to your target. How about some ETA time, or some indication of position.

[Alex72 1]

Originally Posted by King Poulet

I don't know if it has been mentioned, but I want a PAIN direction indicator like most of games. Since the sound is broken poor on this game, I can't tell where the bullets are coming from.

What i have found out in ARMA2 regarding sound problems is that the sound arc around a shooting rifle is too big. This is hard to explain without images, but when a rifle is being fired from a distance you have a hard time pin point it. You think you turn to look at it when in fact the shooter is even more left or right. So the sound arc around the rifle is bigger than in ArmA1 where it was pretty easy to hear where the shots came from.

This is something i want to be changed in the core game and im planning to do some work to show exactlly what i mean to BIS as it is hard to explain. But i think its another important feature that has to be fixed to up ARMA2's quality gameplay wise. Right now it leaves you too confused along with the "sticking" sounds.

With this taken care of there is no need for graphical indicators. And this is what this series always have been about - no indicators at all, and still you know exactlly what is going on. We didnt need indicators for sounds in ArmA1. ;)

Alex

Edited August 19, 2009 by Alex72

[WhoCares 0]

In the Gear menu, e.g. in the mission briefing, as squad commander it would be nice to directly switch between the soldiers if we feel like swapping arms and/or equipment. Currently you have to take it from one soldier, close the Gear window, switch to the next soldier, open the Gear menu, give/swap the stuff, close, return to the first guy,.....

Some arrow buttons left and right of the character name like they are there for the different kind of equipment would simplify this.

[-=seany=- 5]

Can we please have map zoom functional when in Tactical (NUM Del) mode?

[krondl 10]

I'd like to see mouse y axis reverse selectable for individual control schemes, i.e.: Aircraft / reversed , On foot / normal.

Oddly, I can't get used to pulling back on mouse for view up, nor pushing forward to pitch an aircraft up.

With only one master setting, either flying or looking up/down is counterintuitive (to me at least).

[EricM 0]

@Krondl :

I think you can do that already if you change your pitch up by mouse -Y in one and mouse +Y in another.

[Rapier 10]

sitting inside the plane FOV needs to be adjusted. I end up doing it myself and when I zoom on to the HUD, it's still off and unnatural and hard to see what I'm doing.

Functional MDF displays would be nice too.

[JuggernautOfWar 1]

In the Gear menu, e.g. in the mission briefing, as squad commander it would be nice to directly switch between the soldiers if we feel like swapping arms and/or equipment. Currently you have to take it from one soldier, close the Gear window, switch to the next soldier, open the Gear menu, give/swap the stuff, close, return to the first guy,.....

Some arrow buttons left and right of the character name like they are there for the different kind of equipment would simplify this.

omigawd PLEEEEEAAASE!?!

[hurzwa 10]

As already mentioned in the other part of the forum:

Please bring back the clock when team members report contacts (like on OFP)! It will make orientation much better than now.

[CarlGustaffa 4]

No! Absolute direction only. Anything relative will be broken at least until formation direction updating is broken. Absolute wouldn't be affected by that bug.

[rübe 127]

see how you can `click and command` teams in highcommand?

• click-and-command for single units: How about `click-and-command` (on the map) for single units? That would come in very handy, esp. since you won't need to translate an arbitrary unit-number to a unit on a map.
  
• selection tool: Second, a selection-tool (again on map-screen) to select multiple units together. Make it add/remove units from the selection with some key-mapping (ctrl/shift).
  
• Assigning subtasks/special behaviour: Third, how about this: given one or multiple units are selected (on the map-screen), default-action is ordered to them if one quickly clicks on the order-target (which is the behaviour we have now). The suggestion: a menu/list should apear if the mousebutton is held down - first entry in this list is again the default action like go-there or attack-that. The real deal is now to find really usefull quick-command actions here. It wouldn't be very usefull if this would amount to standard waypoint-definition... too complicated, too slow. What I have in mind (after an hour Badlands/warefare) is more abtracted behaviour. What comes to mind is:
  
  • defend this area. (how about a scalable circle appears the moment one clicks on this order at the desired location, scale the circle as desired to mark the size of the area, second click to confirm, done. The selected units would defend that area (some clever script to handle smaller and bigger teams, maybe have an auto-patrol for some units, if the area, aswell as the selected team is big enough.)
    
  • attack and secure this area. (maybe again with a circle-selection to define an area where the selected team ensures that no enemy is left there.)
    
  • patrol. (once clicked, you could select as many positions as you like, after every click you could choose to continue selecting more positins or to complete the command.)
    
  • hide. (either offensively used to prepare for an ambush, or defensively to hide from any enemy. The "ambush/hide"-behaviour, no shooting/screwing around, should kick in the moment the units arrive at the desired position. Thus if you need to run and hide, they would still be allowed to shoot until the selected position is reached, though priority would be to run and not to gun. On the otherhand, given your selected units are already the the location and click on this command, they should behave as needed to ambush anyone/thing: stay put, no fire, etc. maybe even "looking" for really good positions.)
    
  • ...
    

Yes, the latter suggestions could be (to some degree) be done now already as an addon, for it's only a bit interface to fire some scripts as described. But I feel such a higher layer of commanding is really needed, especially for high-command stuff. Yet it would be a great help too to command three fireteams, thus non-high-command level.

Completely separate the High-Command interface from to standard-squad interface and banish the HC to the map-screen, where it belongs and where it should be elaborated.

Another idea would be to have some kind of additional command interface on the map-screen. In fact, I'd suggest that the bottom/standard unit-interface is NEVER used for high-command. Instead, high-command should be on the map-screen only. I mean, who really orders squads and other assets in the 3d-game-world around? You do it on the map-screen. Keep it there! So we don't have to constantly toggle the standard interface between my units and high-command, I can command my units in the 3d-game-world aswell on the map, wheras highcommanding other squads and assets is only on map-screen, where elaborated tools are present to do that well.

Also I don't think that we need to be able to immediately command HC-assets per default keyboard-mapping (again, standard interface). I'd be happy if I could select the HC-asset(s) on the map-screen only per mouse (click to select/deselect plus selection-tool behaviour). They just need to be listet in an additional map-asset (like the radio, compass or gps).

Who's with me? :D

[tron 10]

For me, the first thing I'd change is the way you select things. The scrolling method they use now is too hard to control....it's very easy to select the next thing down or up. And somehow, the one you want to select is always right above something quite destructive. (I have laid mines on the ammo box a couple times...) I'd suggest, as others have already, using a pie which appears right where you're looking. The list appearing to the side of the screen isn't the best either. At least with the pie, I dont have to look away from the center of the screen. Ok, or at least make it optional. Maybe some people do like it at the side, since it doesn't interfere but another thing that could help would be to make the actions activated by pressing a key. Since numbers are used for the different menu's, maybe use shift+number. So I'd look at the ammo box, and not only the list would show up, but numbers beside the list and I'd hold shift+3 and it'd bring me to the gear stuff or shift+1 to place a mine, etc. Anything to make that whole procedure safer.

[LJF 0]

I just think there needs to be a much more intuitive interface, I don't mind the old fashioned scroll thing myself, but the layout of it needs to be rethought somewhat. I liked ArmA1's one much more, you could assign teams and then actually use them ;) Now it's harder to use fireteams than to remember each unit and select them individually with the Fkeys.

Also, as much as references to OFPDR are ... not liked (:D) ... I really liked the idea of being able to tell your guys to suppress a location, why on earth has this not been in ArmA yet? I know that mostly the AI will do it of their own accord, but not if they haven't spotted anything, or you want to initiate the fight.

Edited November 24, 2009 by LJF

[Flash Thunder 10]

I liked the little notepad you had for objectives and such in Armed Assault, maybe they could bring that back.

I know this is just a fantasy but it would be freaking sweet if there was more than one loading screen (us version) only have the screenshot of the Soldier with the AAVP and the Ospreys in the background need some variety :D

Incorporating Voice Recognition software in Arma 2 would save me alot of confusion of where F5 and 7 are on my keyboard yes im that nooby give a guy a break. :p

News slider at the bottom of the screen telling you latest mods, patches, beta patches notes, tips something like this is simple to make, adds polish to the interface in my eyes.

While where in the interface discussion can we please get working interfaces for missle systems, they are currently to simple and not very engaging, also the Javelins computing module.

Statistics: Not necessary but its nice, seeing how far you traveled percentage done of campaigns, time played, favorite class, weapon, accuracy, leadership, if you're a teamplayer or not, Also displaying these during Loading screens would be cool.

Being able to cancel file downloads from custom servers, last time I did this I didnt remember seeing a cancel those files sometimes take forever to download, because I have a shitey connection.

Good Luck BIS, much support.

[radical.ghost 0]

Hi,

one suggestion I would like to make is:

A ArmA2 server browser integrated dialog or maybe just a simple scrollable popup window that shows the content of a text file belonging to the corresponding server.

Server Admins could write down server rules, used addons, allowed addons, links to download neccessary addons, links to Clan - Websites, TeamSpeak adresses, etc. for each hosted gameserver.

For that popup window a new button would be needed called "server info" or so.

The usage would be:

1. highlight the server of interest in the ArmA2 server browser

2. click the "server info" button

3. read the contents of the now shown popup window (with scrollbar for longer text)

4. click "OK" in the popup window to close it

All a new uninformed player had to do would be to click the "Server Info" - Button in the server browser, check out the provided info for the server of interest and maybe download the required addons and/or join the TeamSpeak server whose address was written inside the server info popup window aswell.

Also text formatting support to be able to show colored and otherwise highlighted text inside that dialog / popup window would be lovely to have.

Edit:

I created a ticket for this at dev heaven:

http://dev-heaven.net/issues/10116

Thanks for your attention,

r:g

Edited April 15, 2010 by radical.ghost