ArmA Compass

[l etranger 5]

Hello

On the 5 minutes footage from MagnumLand we can see the current ArmA compass :

I hope they will improve it, because N,W,E,S isn't enough. Best would be to have clear readable Rad and ° written on it (they could size up compass if needed since it is not something always displayed on screen but an item you call only when need it).

You know so when you are playing with your friend and voicecomm, you can shoot "contact 270". Way better than "9o clock" based on the speaker pov.

[Guest Ti0n3r]

Preview version does not represent quality of the final product. 75% complete

[brataccas 0]

nuff said lol

I actually dont mind that compass

[max power 21]

Another limitation on the amount of information that's being presented on little doo-dads like that is the amount of texture definition you're willing to spend on the compass. It would take a mighty large texture to have 36 little degree marks on there read legibly. I mean, anything is pretty much possible, but as with any other kind of engineering, you must always consider the resources at your disposal.

That said, I would imagine that if that compass reaches the final game unchanged, they considered that a low-priority redesign- so like, man resources rather than gpu clock time.

[l etranger 5]

I think it is important to have an accurate compass, the Ofp WGL compass is a great one, and there is some custom skins to make the OFP one readable :

I think it's pointless to just have N,S,W,E direction on a compass because you can already have them with your watch or the stars. So the Compass must really be for accuracy.

I know the game is only 75% that is why i made this topic, so the devs can read it and not forget

[bravo 6 0]

Actually you don't need the compass to know wheres N, S, W, E anymore.. you can use the sun or the stars. (only use compass in extreme situations like fog, heavy rain etc..)

It would be nice to use it to detect faster the enemy positions..

I like the last compass cause they have NUMBERS!!!

BIS MAKE A compass that might be able to come closer (BIGGER) with numbers, Degrees and ARC like this one

Nice thread.

[l etranger 5]

I did some comparive screenshots.

On left is the original Ofp compass (number unreadable), on the right is the WGL mod compass, they increased the size of the compass and refined the texture, so you can clearly see numbers.

All the compass screenshots hasn't been rescaled and are taken with a resolution of 1024x768 (the compass should be still readable for lower resolution like 800x600)

[Big Dawg KS 6]

Hehe at least the BIS compass is more simple, with nice big yellow letters, a small radius and lots of different shapes for reference (easier to mentally measure direction), good for glancing at briefly, while it takes longer to get a pointless "number" reading on the WGL one (honestly, I can tell where I'm going with the BIS compass just by glancing at it for half a second, it's very straight forward). I find it suits me better than anything else I've seen (which all look more like clocks, all them numbers and crap).

[xela89 0]

Original ofp compass is readable with a higher resolution

screenshot with a 1280x1024 res

[brataccas 0]

VBS1 compass

[Lou Montana 101]

Original ofp compass is readable with a higher resolution

screenshot with a 1280x1024 res

Yes, but still hardly.

It would effectly be fine to find a way to see it better;

but as the note pad in-video, there's a lot of things that aren't done yet cause of importance

[strango 5]

pointless "number" reading on the WGL one

For those of us who play co-op or slower paced adveserial play, having those "pointless" numbers is helpful to relay bearings to your human teammates. Lets say you see a sniper off in the distance. You don't have a scoped rifle, but your buddy near you does. If you tell him the sniper is in a bush 600m away at 305 degrees, he's going to find him a hell of a lot faster than if you tell him to look NW.

[DaSquade 0]

Currently i prefer the VBS compass (seen Barts picture). Not only it is who a good (military) compass should look like, afaik. but those who have the artillery module know why. I don't know the latest news regarding ArmA and any possible artillery (module) integraded in it. Somehow i hope Dinger had some input or continues with CoC (and hopefully leans thoughwords the VBS artillery...offtopic offtopic..i know).

Anyway, to return to the compass. The reason why i like (and need) the VBS compass layout, is it is much accurate for target direction info. Since the use of artillery module (just mentioning it, as for accurate arti calls you had to give accurate mils directions), our clan actually adopted the mils system (black numbers on compass, read as "X"00 mils, x= number). Imho this is the most accurate and best info that can be provided when informing your team members (offcourse depends on other players position). But def. better then...enemie N-E.

I also prefer it more then the WGL compass (VBS compass base is 2D, with see-through 'arm' in front view) as it reads mils and N-E-S-W better imho.

[SHWiiNG 0]

I know this is completely off topic, but i cannot get those compass textures,

[gonk 0]

maybe add the ability to use it (Lensmatic compass) properly. ie like a 3D sight

[the unknown 0]

Mabey its me but if you just take the time to look at the numbers on the BIS one they are readable at that first picture.

Just tink the effort of takeing a closer look at the numbers represents the time to get the compas out and let it stop spinning around like crazzy atleast thats what all the real compasses do i have seen.

Also for anybody that still cant read it try double clicking on it with your mouse it makes it like 2x bigger.

I just hope they keep it sort of this way.

The Unknown

[Journeyman 0]

If that compas can be made twice as big by double clicking or by using the zoom feature that should solve the problem surely.  

[Espectro (DayZ) 0]

Hmmm, the compas we used during service was a bit bigger, and had 3600 bearings in it... It was called "TS-retning". Dont know the english term.

You used a string from the upper half of the compass to align it with the bearing that way giving your a precise bearing.

[joey_45 0]

that would be 3600 mils then...... not bearings

[bravo 6 0]

In the "new screen shots series" the compass looks the same..

hope BIS change it, make it more professional and usefull as said before so we don't have to mod it.

source

[meyamoti 0]

Oh yeah sure less effort for us,why not,you just really made that sound bad for us,a compass is a compass ffs,it has mainly north,south,east and west,it may also have the cardinal or whatever directions you call em,all you do is use it to find your berrings,use that and your map and your set. Its not hard to read a compass and because it probably won't be used too much why make it uber pretty? All you need it for is to show you simple directions,thats good enough for me.

[chipper 0]

both screenshots are from the same demo so why would you expect it to change?

[Timblesink 0]

Who cares, anyway? A compass just needs to tell you which way you're facing. This compass is easily readable, funky and does just that. If you want a TOTALLY realistic one, then join the army. They have plenty there.

[Metal Heart 0]

That's just utter bullshit. It's very useful to have accurate numbering on a compass, even in a game. Like accurately reporting enemy positions, triangulating a position, giving targets for mortar and so on.

WTF is your problem anyway, it almost seems that you would want a compass that looks like a *****ng toy. Would it be cool to have the guns look like super soakers too? Without scopes and ironsights of course, it's good enough since you see that it represents a gun and see what direction it's generally pointed at, right?

[Timblesink 0]

Woah, settle down, tiger.