Easier Squad/Side Identification

[Turkmenbashi 0]

In OFP and subsequently in ArmA I know that alot of people when in game amongst a large [or just squad sized] bundle of units have unecessary trouble finding their squad leader who they're supposed to follow. In alot of missions I've experienced the following:

"Ok squad, form up on me we're going to move out."

"Which one are you?"

"errr... The one with x weapon at x direction doing x."

"I still can't see you"

... etc

Basically unecessary difficulty finding your squad and squad leader and when you're in the middle of a large group of guys getting yourself organised starts to eat into the time you could be spending on mission. This affects organised groups on Teamspeak as well as normal public coop games.

It also affects you when you are in combat. After concentrating on killing the enemy when you need to find the squad or fire team leader quickly, you cannot do this. If you can't do this in the middle of a vital 'move out' order the time used trying to find your squad/team leader or just another soldier can possibly cost you the game.

The suggestion is simple and is based on the fact that in a game, Armed Assault, you simply do not have anywhere near the total situational awareness that you would if you were actually on the field. IRL, you'd be able to instantly identify individual members of your squad: squad member x would be a bit tubby; squad member y would carry himself in a certain way and not to mention facial recognition.

This'd be made alot simpler and, yes, alot more 'true to life' by this example:

A togglable on/off switch button [so it doesn't appear at all times and only when you want it to appear] that you press when you want to see the names/classes of friendly units in the area . The system would be ideally range activated: you would not be able to identify friendly units more than, for example, 30 metres from your position.

Why I, and others, are asking for a different method is that we don't want to be able to automatically identify either friendly or enemy units at range as you are able in Cadet [regular?] mode as this removes the essential 'target ident' element from the game. But we do want a simple, easy and more 'true to life' method of identifying who is who in our squad and team to avoid wasting time during the mission.

This suggestion has been posted on the Bug Tracker as well in the same word form and your vote, if you agree, would be appreciated.

Link: http://bugs.armed-assault.net/view.php?id=2382

Thanks for reading.

[b1sh0p 0]

This problem is at it's worst on "realism" servers.   Guys playing on veteran mode, with all of the Hud information invisible.  

I like playing on those servers cause I don't like crosshairs, but it's impossible to tell who is who, since you can't mouse over them and find out their name.  

Ironic that they call these "realism" servers, yet you can't even tell who you're standing next to. Not very realistic, if you ask me.

Something definately needs to be done.   I like the idea of people's names being visible when you're within 30 m or so.

[Jack-UK 0]

Yup i completely agree and it will also let you find out the TKers...

[opteryx 1562]

Good idea, I say make it with no dark gray box, toggable and with a blue font to make it contrast better to vegitation...

Oh and range activated of course.

[Shifty-16AAB- 0]

plz merge this with this thread: http://www.flashpoint1985.com/cgi-bin....2;st=60

[dob 0]

Yup i completely agree and it will also let you find out the TKers...

when the tkers kill you, u see "you are killed by xxx"