Wishlist..

[esb77]

On 3/28/2022 at 7:35 PM, Callsign112 said:

But if you want to operating the vehicle in any way, you have to take control to do that, which I don't think should be a problem because if you want to use the vehicle as a JTAC for example, I imagine you would need to get the vehicle in position first.

And there is also an autopilot feature that allows you to divert your focus to other tasks while the vehicle moves. 

If clever in route planning often you do not need to actively reposition the vehicle before lazing, operating radar, or shooting.

The way it works now is: 1) enter vehicle, 2) vehicle stops 3) player takes control or 4) goes back to map 5) resets route 6) commands vehicle to follow reset route, 7) return to F1 view  8: puts vehicle in gear 9) engages autopilot 10) finally get to laze, irradiate, shoot etc.

 

The way I want it to work is to go from step 1 directly to step 10, skipping everything in between by having the autopilot defaulting to stay on rather than turning off.   It doesn't take long to do all those intermediate steps, but it's long enough to interfere with a CA operator's ability to be sneaky, devious, and downright evil, especially in some air defense applications.   If you have autopilot default to stay on, and have it turn off at player steering/throttle/brake inputs, then the player gets to go from step 1 to step 3 or from step 1 to step 10 without an administrative hassle that allows AI or human opponents time in which to shoot them.   It's not a huge deal, but it is a minor to moderate annoyance if you want to push the limits of what Combined Arms can do.   Basically for times when you need that one unit to be smarter than the AI for something like 5 to 15 seconds.  Jump in, help, jump out is really useful, but it would be more useful if you didn't have to spend half of the time you intended to be in the vehicle redoing a waypoint route in F10.

 

On 1/30/2022 at 1:48 PM, Silver_Dragon said:

That axis has only applicable if ED implement Tracks phisics, and actually, the tank moving as a car.

It has nothing to do with physics.  It has to do with wanting finer input resolution than a binary 0% or 100% with no intermediate values.  Driving precision is better if you can continuously adjust input amounts instead of just stuttering between 0 and 100 to make a very crude discrete approximation to analog inputs.   I want to have input curves, not input stairsteps.  Mostly looking for making it easier to avoid overshoots when driving fast in tight urban environments.   I'd love better vehicle physics, but this isn't ARMA, and I'd settle for improved control input for the game "physics" we currently have.  CA is interesting, but really the ground vehicles in DCS are just targets/objectives for aircraft to do things to.  Physics for them may not be reasonable.  Improved control interface for what they already do, may also not be reasonable, but it's maybe a smaller more practical request than proper physics.

 

 

[Callsign112]

1 hour ago, esb77 said:

If clever in route planning often you do not need to actively reposition the vehicle before lazing, operating radar, or shooting.

The way it works now is: 1) enter vehicle, 2) vehicle stops 3) player takes control or 4) goes back to map 5) resets route 6) commands vehicle to follow reset route, 7) return to F1 view  8: puts vehicle in gear 9) engages autopilot 10) finally get to laze, irradiate, shoot etc.

 

The way I want it to work is to go from step 1 directly to step 10, skipping everything in between by having the autopilot defaulting to stay on rather than turning off.   It doesn't take long to do all those intermediate steps, but it's long enough to interfere with a CA operator's ability to be sneaky, devious, and downright evil, especially in some air defense applications.   If you have autopilot default to stay on, and have it turn off at player steering/throttle/brake inputs, then the player gets to go from step 1 to step 3 or from step 1 to step 10 without an administrative hassle that allows AI or human opponents time in which to shoot them.   It's not a huge deal, but it is a minor to moderate annoyance if you want to push the limits of what Combined Arms can do.   Basically for times when you need that one unit to be smarter than the AI for something like 5 to 15 seconds.  Jump in, help, jump out is really useful, but it would be more useful if you didn't have to spend half of the time you intended to be in the vehicle redoing a waypoint route in F10.

 

It has nothing to do with physics.  It has to do with wanting finer input resolution than a binary 0% or 100% with no intermediate values.  Driving precision is better if you can continuously adjust input amounts instead of just stuttering between 0 and 100 to make a very crude discrete approximation to analog inputs.   I want to have input curves, not input stairsteps.  Mostly looking for making it easier to avoid overshoots when driving fast in tight urban environments.   I'd love better vehicle physics, but this isn't ARMA, and I'd settle for improved control input for the game "physics" we currently have.  CA is interesting, but really the ground vehicles in DCS are just targets/objectives for aircraft to do things to.  Physics for them may not be reasonable.  Improved control interface for what they already do, may also not be reasonable, but it's maybe a smaller more practical request than proper physics.

 

 

I am actually glad to see that you're using CA. And I wasn't opposing the request you made, as much as I was trying to help you find a solution close enough to what you would like to do.

Based on my experience, the first recommendation I would give anyone is keep using it in different ways, and a solution might just present itself. I can't count the number of useful things I found buried in the CA interface as I used it. I also discovered a lot of things that could be changed/improved/updated, but a lot of neat things I had no idea about.

But again, I think you made an interesting observation about CA, and out of interest I would like to work with/help you to find a solution.

I completely get what you said, and what you would like to see, but maybe try considering this from a different perspective.

For me, targeting a vehicle whether setting up the gun sight to shoot, or binoculars to laze is easier and more accurate while I am stopped. And the thing about marking a target for a plane, I imagine it works best when you are stopped in a concealed position, especially for MP game play.

But aside from that, you should review the steps you listed, because I think you can make some improvements there.

For example, step 1 and 3 are the same thing. When you click the "direct control" icon on the F10 interface, you are already in control as you enter the vehicle.

And you don't have to go back to the map to set a way point when your in control, unless your talking about the other vehicles in the group. In this case, simple take control of the lead vehicle, and the other vehicles will follow you without having to reset any way points.

So it is possible to 1) take control of the lead vehicle, 2) set autopilot to go to desired destination followed by pressing "B" to open binocular view to laze.

You could also try what I suggested previously, and use just the F7 vehicle view to see if it is closer to what your looking for.

Like from the F10 interface, you select the vehicle you want to view from and then hit F7. Now you will be viewing the game world from that vehicle without interrupting its preset way points. When you find it is in the right location, go back to the F10 interface and click on "direct control". Hit "B" once your in and start marking the target. 

By using the options that are available to you now, I'm certain you can get the flow in game play to feel more natural/comfortable as you use it more.

The point you are making is interesting though because I think it is one of the unseen obstacles that users have to overcome while using CA.

It does take a little work to get use to the transition from the F10 interface to the game world and back again even though it is one of CA strongest features. So in other words, depending on whether the mission is intended for SP, or MP and how the CA mission is actually set up can also affect the flow of game play. This basically starts in the ME and how the grouped vehicles are set up, and continues on with the number and type of CA slots provided.

[Rick50]

On 2/1/2022 at 2:28 AM, Shadow KT said:

I wish that they can gather the most knowledgeable people from the CA community, hear us out once, implement the small features we want... most of which are just tweaks and modifications of already existing features, do them once and leave to be happy, with the occasional bug fix

 

I hope so, as it's got a lot of potential for the Hind  and Apache modules... 

I think general improvement to the overall AI behaviors and pathfinding might go a  long ways.

[Callsign112]

Yeah they really  need to start working more on ground units in general, and nothing is highlighting that better than the rotary-winged aircraft. They did mention about 6 months or so ago that they were working on new Ai behavior that would first be implemented on the SC deck crew before being ported to infantry, so that should help a bit, but yeah CA really does deserve more love.

[Schismatrix]

Popping in my list in case anyone out there is taking notes:

 

Different color range circles for weapon/sensor range

polygon selection of groups

infantry transport (load/unload)

unit bookmarks (ctrl+1, ctrl+2 and so on..) with zoom to unit

more keyboard shortcuts for commands (move, unload, fire, combat move, stop etc)

line of sight indicator (like in good old Close Combat)

better UI commands for different units (unit state and stance for infantry, radar mode for SAM's for example)

fortify buildings with infantry

combat move (stop and fire when in contact with enemy)

unit lost indicator/message

better targeting function (target snapping defined by unit type -no snapping for arty for example)

unit state/condition indicator (ready, deployed, aiming, firing, moving, reloading, repairing, re-arming, engine failure, turret failure, ammo box hit, immobiilized etc)

window panning by moving mouse to the edge of the screen

window zoom keybinds (mousewheel is getting too much action...)

ground unit orientation function (make units point in the right direction)

repair/reload/re-arm menu when close to logistics

deployment timer (indicate how much time until unit is fully deployed)

[303_Kermit]

-Fix sound bug in T55, and some strange anomaly in T55 ride on Caucasus map. (Sometimes it stops for no reason while driving on road)

-Make columns actually able to travel faster than 30 kph. Currently if you set column of BRDM + UAZ + some Ural trucks and give them 60kph they will lost all the waypoints and column will fell into uncommandable chaos.

Edited April 27, 2022 by 303_Kermit