Visual Buddy System

[instagoat 133]

The AI is quite capable in Arma 2, and while it still has some problems here and there, the new system is showing a lot of promise. Something just occured to me while reading another thread (http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=97196), that the AI does use a Buddy system, with two squadmembers always moving together as long as their buddy is alive.

However, while this feature is working well for the AI, I think it represents some problems for players because it is lacking an interface "plugin" so to speak. You neither get told who your buddy is (Are they even strictly assigned? As far as I can gather from real life documentation, they should be.), nor can you really tell where he is.

My question would be if a visual buddy system, giving cues of some sort as to who you´re supposed to work together with, is A: Desireable, both in Gameplay and Realism terms, B: Actually implementeable and C: How it could be done. I´m slapping together a few pics with rough Ideas that come to mind, and will update if there turns out to be some interes in this. :>

Cheerio

Insta

EDIT: Came up with some suggestions, just to start this off.

First suggestion is a permanent Diamond marker, very basic, located over your buddy. This could fade in/out depending on for how long the Buddy didn´t report anymore, wasn´t seen anymore or how far away he is. The icon of the Buddy could indicate things such as low ammo, injury, as well as his role inside the squad. Example here: http://img690.imageshack.us/i/arma2diamond.jpg/

Second suggestion is a hovering Tag over the head of your buddy. This only pops up briefly when looking in his direction, and only after a short while or never (for example if he has his back turned to you and is far away, you won´t recognize him. To simulate this, the tag won´t show up.), and then fading out again so as to not clutter the screen. Example here: http://img7.imageshack.us/i/arma2floating.jpg/

Third suggestion is a triangle tracking along the edge of the screen. If it´s on top of the screen, your buddy is in front of you, if it´s at the bottom he´s behind you etc. The icon would fade in and out depending on distance, last report, last seen location. Example here: http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/3301/arma2edge.jpg

This is probably coming way too late to be implemented in Arrowhead, if it´s even a viable/desired suggestion at all. However, in my humple opinion, the potential advantages would warrant at least a basic implementation of a system like this. The advantages would be that you would indeed could be sure who you´re supposed to move with, and who to look out for in particular. A tag would be only the most basic starting point, however, the possibillities for extending this system could be virtually endless. (You opened a can of worms in my head there BIS. :D) For example, you could replace the standard commands with Buddy team commands, for example "Stop" to prevent your AI buddy from charging around a corner recklessly, or telling him things like "Suppress there so I can move" or "Stay low until I give the clear sign". The AI would do the same with you. (I think this would even be necessary, as it makes the player put more effort into keeping his buddy alive if he actually has the -chance- to do so.)

Hope this illustrates what I was going for with this.

Cheers

Insta

Edited March 29, 2010 by InstaGoat
Update

[[frl]myke 14]

I have no prove yet but i guess to remember several occasions when i was advancing with AI Team set to "Danger" mode that the Buddy system worked pretty well automatically. As far as i remember i always had some advancing and some covering although i can't say that one AI unit was my own buddy or not.

I guess it works well as long also player follow the rules of this advancing tactics and doesn't just rush straight forward but kneels down here and there to cover his AI Teammates.

[CarlGustaffa 4]

You find your own number i.e. by opening map and checking the group page. So, I find out that I'm #7 (automatic rifleman in a USMC rifle squad). Who is my buddy? Seems to be dynamic, oddly enough. In one target assignment it was 7 and 13, in the next one it was 7 and 12.

So I think some underlying mechanics needs to be updated first. I haven't been able to make AI commander using high command give proper orders, but I could just be making it wrong.

[SteveJA 12]

I would love to see some sort of way to know who you buddys is (Goodbye to constant covering messages lol) however i dont know wether im a fan of having some sort of marker, i think id rather have to learn WHO is my buddy is, like in campain you can tell whos who, i know this could be difficult with the standard marines but there could be like a slight diffrance, maybe a certain colour arm cloth or something. Just an idea.