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[font=Arial]1 - After further thinking through some of these points and reviewing some feedback, I think, and many others do as well, displaying info on the main view hud can be a fine line to walk. On one hand, in a game like Hawken, you need all the information you can get, as quickly as you can get it, and then you need to be able to put that information to use just as quickly as you receive it. On the other hand, too much information can clutter or distract your view of whats going on in front of you. Our attentions are already split enough between the cross hairs, peripheral, and map respectively. Would adding more info about spotted enemies, or teammates in need, clutter the screen too much_ Or would it provide information that could help you make tactically appropriate decisions in combat. [/font]
[font=Arial]2 - Command rose - seems to be one of the more popular options out there, as it is the most commonly implemented. This could add to hud clutter, but could also add a safe familiarity with the team work dynamics. There could be a problem with implementing enough commands in a command rose without it becoming too cumbersome and difficult to use while near or in combat. [/font]
[font=Arial]3 - Sylhiri's individual command system (scroll down)[/font][font=Arial] - This would be very nice in team play as it would allow one player to essential go first person commander mode for the squad. However, we would have to take a long look at how long it may take to issue a command to each player, and with how ttk will be going down in the next patch it may take as long to issue commands to a squad this way as it would for that squad to get killed. Would a command to an ally expire when he/she dies_ If so would it be worth it to have to re issue commands every 10 seconds because of inevitable deaths_ We need a command system that is just as fast paced as the game itself. Being able to issue commands to each player individual would be a nice addition to the map once full functionality to that feature is restored. Maybe even combine it with a notemap sort of thing like LoC_TR suggested. So when your squad leader spawns he can pull up the map and lay down some battle plans for the squad. (SS position on highway, Brawler under AA, Infils on top, use these attack paths, mark enemy attack routes, etc)[/font]
4 - Tribes system - It could be nice, but I am not experienced enough with the system to really comment on functionality. From first glance it seems very spam oriented and may lose its effectiveness the more it is used in game.
5 - How do you guys feel about this idea: You spot an enemy, via whatever system, a small mech icon pops up (with a small crosshair icon in the upper right to indicate if it is marked as a priority target), somehow it indicates health of the target and distance to target (maybe even time to intercept via straight line distance and max mech boost speed). On your main view the target is highlighted red like it is now and if there is an eliminate this target command on it there is a thin semi transparent rotating crosshair around it to indicate it is a priority target. If you are out of view of the mech in question and father than 150m (farther than most radars) an arrow at the peripheral of your screen points you in the general direction of the target. The mech remains highlighted on both main view and on the map as long as the mech is within pov of a teammate. If a target is marked as priority a quick command should come up, in the cockpit somewhere (dat immersion), with the prompts: affirmative, or negative. A small icon will appear next to the priority targets icon on the hud indicating which mechs are prioritizing the target, that way you can avoid over committing forces to a target.
When an ally calls for help an icon pops up much like the enemy spotted, it shows health and distance (maybe even calculate an estimated time to intercept via mech max boost speed and distance to, ofc then have robot voice lady announce it to you), on the main hud view there should be a blue arrow in the peripheral to indicate rough direction (if you are out of radar range). The ally should be highlighted blue much like spotted enemies are highlighted red. A quick command should come up with the prompts: affirmative, or negative. If you select affirmative an even smaller mech icon indicating your mech shows up next to the icon of the ally in need on your hud, it will be small and green, indicating you are coming to help. This allows you to see what sort of mechs if any going coming to help. If you are the one calling for help maybe even have a pop up visual/audio prompt indicating what type of mech, or who, is coming to help you and their estimated time to intercept. I feel this would give you a better idea of how long you need to stay alive or if you should disengage.
ex. (give it a mech AI feel) Oh god I need help ZZzzzZZZz, Xacius hits affirmative Robot voice lady - "Roger, ally notified, 15 seconds to intercept" , Robot lady - "Ally, 15 seconds to intercept, hang in their pilot". or Oh god I need help ZZZzzzZZZ, ropefish hits affirmative, "Roger, 45 seconds to intercept, make haste pilot your ally is in trouble", for me "Ally 45 seconds out, suggested pilot action: fall back". Always display the closest ally to intercept and then maybe a small list of times to intercept of allies coming to help in a small screen down in your cockpit. Maybe have different variations on what the ai lady says depending on distance to intercept and the health of the pilot.
Maybe to keep it organized, teammates icons show up on the right, enemies on the left, and to keep clutter down only use small semi transparent mech icons with names and distance (and maybe time to intercept) in small font, with color shading to indicate health. Better yet maybe even put all this information down in the cockpit on cool screens, like the awesome items screens_
I realize this is all very low on the priority lists of the devs but its a good discussion to have as it expands the list of ideas to draw from when the time comes to implement these kinds of features.
Edited by CounterlogicMan, February 03 2014 - 11:54 AM.
