Feature Request: User/Player Map Tags

[DaddyO]

As I peruse terrain in order to make battle plans, I always wish I had the ability to tag map locations and buildings with my own custom tags, that is in addition to the ones provided by scenario designers. This is especially needed on large or complex maps. If I check sight lines and so on, I need notes to help me remember what I've learned before moving on to something else. I know many use map screen prints and then overlay them using graphics programs, but I would prefer tags made by me appearing on the map as I play, either as a mouse-over popup or as something that can be toggled on/off.

 

Am I the only one who would like to see this?

[Lt Bull]

Incredible timing on your post.  I was doing a setup for a QB ME on the biggest map I have ever played on last night and was thinking exactly that!

The map was so large and my force so big that trying to get an overview of the map and remember where I may have located key locations and who was going where etc was something that had kept me back from actually doing my setup.  I ended up having to sketch the map out rough on paper and do it that way (printer not working).  As a work around, I also just used teh movement lines as temporary markers to remind me of important locations etc.  I investigated whether you could do any "export" function on maps in the Scenario Editor but as I expected, none that I could see.

 

I think I may have brought this up in CMx1 days but I always thought that it would be great if there was some kind "export map to print" function that could even have rough contour lines etc so that players could print them off and mark up etc.  Would be awesome for marking up attack/defence/deployment plans.  PS, I am not expecting ti to be super detailed/high res stuff...just something as block and as simple as what you see in the map editor.

 

So yeah, you are not the only one who would like to see something like this, but as with lots of other suggestions that bet put forward, I really doubt it.

Edited March 17, 2015 by Lt Bull

[womble]

It would be great. It would certainly help with games where the turn rate is slow, and it can be months between formulation of plan and execution of its later stages (or at least the modified version of the plan), or when you come back to a game that you had to set aside.

 

It would also address the "tentative contact icon disappearing into the hedgerow when you get close" a bit if you could tag the location from a distant view that clearly shows the icon. Ought to be more in-current-code ways of fixing that though.

[MOS:96B2P]

Yes player map tags  would be a good idea.  Anything that helps with terrain analysis.  On off toggle for contour lines would also be cool.

 

I ended up having to sketch the map out rough on paper and do it that way (printer not working).  As a work around, I also just used teh movement lines as temporary markers to remind me of important locations etc.  I investigated whether you could do any "export" function on maps in the Scenario Editor but as I expected, none that I could see.

 

When I first started playing I did a map sketch on graph paper, drew in contour lines and had the kids color in the appropriate terrain with their colored pencils.  Medium size map and a lot of work.  Only did that once.  

 

I now take a screen shot or three and save them to the desktop.  I open them with paint and and complete an intelligence preparation of the battlefield (IPB).  I will normally have one map/screen shot I use as an operational overlay to mark my planned avenues of advance etc.....  Or battle positions & counter attack routes when I am on defense.  Then I refer to them during the game.  A lot quicker than doing maps by hand.            

[A Canadian Cat]

trying to get an overview of the map and remember where I may have located key locations and who was going where etc was something that had kept me back from actually doing my setup.  I ended up having to sketch the map out rough on paper and do it that way (printer not working).

Yeah it can feel daunting.  I do the make my own map thing - although I recommend using @MOS:96B2P's method of using screen capture

 

As a work around, I also just used teh movement lines as temporary markers to remind me of important locations etc.

 

I have done that before too - just don't for get to remove them or some of your assets will drive off in strange directions.

[womble]

As a work around, I also just used teh movement lines as temporary markers to remind me of important locations etc.

 

 

I have done that before too - just don't for get to remove them or some of your assets will drive off in strange directions.

I sometimes use that; if I do, I try and remember to put an "indefinite pause" on the unit I'm using for a "pathfinder" so they don't go running off, even if I forget to cancel the movement.

[A Canadian Cat]

I sometimes use that; if I do, I try and remember to put an "indefinite pause" on the unit I'm using for a "pathfinder" so they don't go running off, even if I forget to cancel the movement.

 

Oh that is a great idea.  I'll try to remember that next time.

[kohlenklau]

Use the dead bodies of 2-man scout teams?

[Baneman]

I sometimes use that; if I do, I try and remember to put an "indefinite pause" on the unit I'm using for a "pathfinder" so they don't go running off, even if I forget to cancel the movement.

 

Yeah, I do that too - at setup I plot quite extensive moves for all units, giving indefinite pauses to any that aren't getting involved immediately.

 

This helps me remember "the plan" later in the battle. The early change in CMBN to allow waypoints to be moved helped a lot with that since you can rejig the plan on the fly.

 

Of course, my setup turn can take days !

[Bulletpoint]

On/off toggle for terrain grid would be GREAT. I know there's a mod for that, but it's not toggleable, and I wouldn't want it on at all times. Just for a quick look to see why my guys can't draw a target line.

[DaddyO]

On/off toggle for terrain grid would be GREAT. I know there's a mod for that, but it's not toggleable, and I wouldn't want it on at all times. Just for a quick look to see why my guys can't draw a target line.

 

 

+1. 

 

I understand, or at least I think I do, that Battlefront is greatly constrained in the programming tasks it takes on, and that a rather tight prioritization must be maintained. I would argue, and others may disagree, that some form of terrain grid should be built into the stock game, with the ability to toggle it on and off as you suggest. The very nature of CM games and the environment in which players operate is a rather compelling argument (to me) for this. Terrain contours are a key element of gameplay. Since I'm sure there are those who just won't want it, make the default "off," with a toggle to turn it "on."

 

(This may be a historic first. I am contributing to my own thread being hijacked!)

Edited March 18, 2015 by DaddyO

[womble]

It's not programming time that constrains a toggleable terrain grid. It's the basic architecture of the terrain mesh. Like hedges, craters, fences etc can't be dynamically hidden, neither could a grid. Perhaps this will be fixed when they leave OpenGL, but I get the feeling from what Steve has said that it's an intractable problem without a complete redesign from literally the ground up.

[A Canadian Cat]

I would rather have contour lines (that were toggle able). I don't find the grid lines to be very helpful.  Now if we actually could see contour lines - that would help.

[WinOrLose]

I sometimes take pictures with my phone, quick and simple and easy to scroll back through them during the game.