Request : Add more drawing options to Map

[Universel 0]

Markers are ok if we want to mark a point on map.

But what if we need to mark something else (area, arrow...).

The most basic feature I'd like to request here is a freehand drawing on Map.

Feel free to vote on the BTS if you agree with me : http://bugs.armed-assault.net/view.php?id=2622

[mr burns 131]

But what if we need to mark something else (area, arrow...).

Create a map marker, type nothing, hold shift and use the arrowkeys

[fasad 1]

If your really want to draw on a map, you can create a custom map dialog and use the drawLine etc commands. It might even be possible to use drawLine etc on the default ArmA map.

[ManDay 0]

Uhm - has that been another game or... it is possible to draw free-hand with the shift key pressed down and drag the mouse - isnt it?

[Universel 0]

But what if we need to mark something else (area, arrow...).

Create a map marker, type nothing, hold shift and use the arrowkeys  

Do you really understand what I need ?

I want for example to circle a zone of the map, or to draw an arrow from point X to point Y.

[ManDay 0]

Yes, And no: I was wrong - must have been some other game where you was able to draw lines one the map... man... which one was it again??!

I agree: Arrows and area-markers would be nice.

Why not support the full palett of markers with a gui? like double clicking the map will create a marker and open a diag which let you chosse evrything you can choose in the editor.

wouldnt be difficult to script at all. but please include it by default!

[ShrubMiK 0]

EDIT: ignore me...didn't read carefully enough before posting!

[smellyjelly 0]

Heh, it would probably be spammed too much on public servers. Either way BIS should work on the giltches before starting on this.

[frederf 0]

Freehand drawing starts to take quite a bit of resources but drawable arrows, lines, circles, and shaded regions are much lighter on the information that creates the.

Currently we can select:

1. Marker shape

2. Marker color

But we cannot select:

3. Marker size/scale (you can in editor)

4. Marker rotation (you can in editor)

The purpose of the map marker system (on the fly) is usually to tell your teammates about an enemy location or a plan of attack or something. Don't get me started about how I would like the map marking-up system to be. You'd be able to send "layers" of map data as well as briefing docket notes pages (with working links) to other players of your choosing, display/hide several layers, be able to move, rotate, resize markers, select markers from a big grid display instead of a linear list, draw circles, rectangle, lines, shaded regions, and more crap I can't even think of right now.

[fish44 0]

We just use a string of 'dot' markers, to create a hatched line if we need one. Its a little more time consuming but works.

An arrow which could be dragged into the correct direction would be a great addition, and not add too much overhead.

Would not be on the top of my items to improve/rectify.

[ManDay 0]

Freehand drawing starts to take quite a bit of resources but drawable arrows, lines, circles, and shaded regions are much lighter on the information that creates the.

Currently we can select:

1. Marker shape

2. Marker color

But we cannot select:

3. Marker size/scale (you can in editor)

4. Marker rotation (you can in editor)

The purpose of the map marker system (on the fly) is usually to tell your teammates about an enemy location or a plan of attack or something. Don't get me started about how I would like the map marking-up system to be. You'd be able to send "layers" of map data as well as briefing docket notes pages (with working links) to other players of your choosing, display/hide several layers, be able to move, rotate, resize markers, select markers from a big grid display instead of a linear list, draw circles, rectangle, lines, shaded regions, and more crap I can't even think of right now.

Takes quite a bit of resources? This is absolutly wrong with regards to our current situation. What we are talking about is a game that requires 3 Ghz Machines with at least 2 Gigs of Memory and 512 Megs of VRAM. A internet connection with at least 6 mbit. etc. etc. Those arguments dont work any more today. This might have been a reason some years ago when there havent been good enough processors for this stuff.

but today this is simply not true - since arma is consuming loads of resources itsself in its current state, using a freehand drawing for the map (which works great with older games as well) will not use up anything.

[Universel 0]

Freehand drawing starts to take quite a bit of resources but drawable arrows, lines, circles, and shaded regions are much lighter on the information that creates the.

Currently we can select:

1. Marker shape

2. Marker color

But we cannot select:

3. Marker size/scale (you can in editor)

4. Marker rotation (you can in editor)

The purpose of the map marker system (on the fly) is usually to tell your teammates about an enemy location or a plan of attack or something. Don't get me started about how I would like the map marking-up system to be. You'd be able to send "layers" of map data as well as briefing docket notes pages (with working links) to other players of your choosing, display/hide several layers, be able to move, rotate, resize markers, select markers from a big grid display instead of a linear list, draw circles, rectangle, lines, shaded regions, and more crap I can't even think of right now.

There is a great RTS game (open source btw) : Total Annihilation Spring, which has implemented pretty well the free hand drawing.

You can freeley draw anywhere on the 3D terrain (not on the 2D minimap ! by holding a key (*) + left mouse button.

Same key + right mouse button makes it an eraser.

This has 0 impact on performances or lag.

And here we just need this kind of tool for a 2D map.

Please BIS make an effort.

[the unknown 0]

To make the map markers useable we first need the old ones back cause the arma markers are way to big example the dot is more like a big square.

[sickboy 13]

Before coming up with these kinds of features you might want to think about the impact on Multiplayer etc..

Sending over an icon size, type and position is a little different from syncing ppl's custom-built figures etc.

I think a good marker addon should become available which could be a nice standard for all usages.

If you want to draw on a paper, get a pencil and a blank page

[ManDay 0]

There is a great RTS game (open source btw) : Total Annihilation Spring, which has implemented pretty well the free hand drawing.

Yeeeeeeeees. Right. Mrc! That was right the game I was thinking off when I said there was that oppurtunity in ArmA as well.

[OrLoK 20]

Hello,

I think a standard pallete of images (like the existing markers) and curves, lines, right angles etc. so folk can build the "image" or zone etc that they need would be more than enough.

Also, to limit spamming, only let squad leaders use it.

rgds

LoK

[frederf 0]

I move meant the network resources not the computational resources. But of course free hand drawing might only use 5000 points per image. That's only a few dozen KB of info to transfer to everyone.

More off I just would rather have shapes that have only a few parameters. A figure composed of 100 lines would only need 100 x (position, length, rotation, color) pieces of information. Very tiny compared to freehand drawing.

While "spamming" can be a problem, limiting the feature to only group leaders is shortsighted. With 10 or so "layers" you could hide/show certain ones, send layers to each other, auto-accept others to write on your public layer, etc. Basically you could be in charge of your own map symbols. I'd have to write for paragraphs exactly how this worked to explain it properly.

[jasono 0]

I would see competitions of people trying to draw the mona lisa popping up on public servers.

Yes it would be good, but it could always be limited by the server or the mission editor.

[maddogx 13]

Might be best to limit the amount of lines someone can draw. A bit like the bullet impact decals, only a couple more. Basically so you can draw simple things but can't get carried away on an artistic spree...