John Kettler Posted September 20, 2000 Share Posted September 20, 2000 Dear BTS and all you rabid and thoughtful CM types, The more I play this incredible game, the more I miss having a military topographical map for battle planning. This is particularly true in larger battles, in which unit count is so high that it becomes frighteningly easy to get units dangerously intermingled. In the real world (where I used to be a military analyst) such problems are significantly reduced by such marvels as phase lines, assigned sectors, no fire zones, etc.--graphical control measures (GCM). I fully appreciate that a "proper" map is asking way too much, but is there a way to give us a hot keyable tactical overlay, a sort of super Shift-P command? We can already show all fires and movement paths this way. What I'd like to see is a way to designate unit sectors, axes of advance and related military matters. I think a simple tool to click and drop a line from here to there, a minimal freehand drawing tool, an eraser and perhaps a dozen or so tactical symbols (optional) would make planning and fighting the battles much easier. Implementing this would also enhance the game's immersiveness. Instead of simply seeing the map, you might now get a scenario which showed objective goose eggs superimposed on the 3-D map. The briefing could be text and graphics. "Major, you are to attack on an axis of X with force Y in order to seize Objective Zebra NLT than 1400." Of course, we'd need a user settable game clock (in military time) to get the full effect. I feel that this would go a long way toward eliminating the unfortunate Capture the Flag feel the game now has. I, for one, have repeatedly found it extremely perplexing and sometimes vexing to relate QB flag locations to any conceivable military rationale behind their positioning. With graphical control measures (GCM) available, we would then have something much closer to reality, with options such as cutting supply routes, defending from successive positions, holding road junctions, overrunning assembly areas, raids and much more. Those are my ideas. What do you think of them? Sincerely, John Kettler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uedel Posted September 20, 2000 Share Posted September 20, 2000 sounds funny ! But dont think u get it before CM 5 ?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbott Posted September 20, 2000 Share Posted September 20, 2000 I think your suggestions are very good. I doubt that we will see them but I would enjoy seeing the capture the flag issue dealt with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olle Petersson Posted September 20, 2000 Share Posted September 20, 2000 The GCM seems to be exactly what I was thinking about a few minutes ago. It's the (only) way I'd like to assign orders, leaving the rest to the TacAI. How wonderful to just mark a full platoon and order them to "follow this general route" (drawing a line) then "set up firing positions within this area" (drawing a figure) to "cover this field of fire" (setting an arc from the figure). The the TacAI decides on exact movement lines and speeds to the objective, find covered or hull down positions for all squads/vehicles and point them in the right direction. See also my comment in the "My grape with CM" thread; http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/Forum1/HTML/010685.html Cheers Olle [This message has been edited by Olle Petersson (edited 09-20-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Aitken Posted September 20, 2000 Share Posted September 20, 2000 You could take this to different levels, from a simple ability to scribble on the map, to an acutal new control mechanism for the game. The former would be easier to implement, but ultimately of limited use. The latter would involve a lot of (re)programming, and would probably create a whole new set of problems to overcome. A good idea, I have to say, but maybe something (as Uedel says) for CM 5 or thereabouts. =) David ------------------ They lost all of their equipment and had to swim in under machine gun fire. As they struggled in the water, Gardner heard somebody say, "Perhaps we're intruding, this seems to be a private beach." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Los Posted September 20, 2000 Share Posted September 20, 2000 I would be VERY MUCH in favor of being able to added graphical Control measures overlay. In fact anything that can help impart the scenario designer or commanders intent to the player is a major plus. Los Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hakko Ichiu Posted September 20, 2000 Share Posted September 20, 2000 I see this adding a lot of value, even as a simple graphical overlay. If you can recall your tactical overlay at anytime, it makes judging your progress against your objectives very easy. It also allows you to remember exactly what those objectives are -- something that often gets lost in the press of battle. I imagine that the graphical overlay alone, w/o any link to unit control or the AI, could be implemented relatively easily. It would also look cool. Barring that, I would love to have an in-game "print map" function for view 8 (any other view would be too large/complex). ------------------ Ethan ----------- Das also war des Pudels Kern! -- Goethe [This message has been edited by Hakko Ichiu (edited 09-20-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kunzler Posted September 20, 2000 Share Posted September 20, 2000 What, a map are you kidding?! That would take away the seat of the pants feel! OK, I was just kidding. I almost always sketch out a map when I play a scenario. I map out my strategy and update it in different colors as matters progress. It would be great if CM would a tool for doing this as part of the game, and it would be even greater if broad brush commands could be given through it. I also hate having to turn those flags on and off all the time, so I like the goose egg overlay suggestion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coralsaw Posted September 20, 2000 Share Posted September 20, 2000 Excellent idea the overlay, but I doubt if it can fit in the developers' schedule. Maybe if all of us asked at the same time? Even simpler would be the facility to export the map into a gif format, so that we can draw over it in Paint Shop pro, Photoshop or other program. CoralSaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slapdragon Posted September 20, 2000 Share Posted September 20, 2000 I know this is not what everyone really wants, but I always set my battle to view 7 or 8 and take a screen shot, then put it into photoshop and despeckle it then run unsharp mask to bring out the detail. No elevation data of course, but I usually take two or three photographs from different points to help visualizing maps. I have posted one of my old tactical maps at http://www.slapdragon.org/combat/skorpvslapmap.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Michael emrys Posted September 20, 2000 Share Posted September 20, 2000 I too am in the camp of "this would be great to have but I don't expect to see it anytime soon". In the meanwhile, I play with a kind of mental overlay. At the beginning of a game I figure out what my strategy is going to be, where I want my units to end up and which route I want them to take to get there, phase lines, intermediate objectives, etc. All this has to be adjusted on a turn-by-turn basis in response to the enemy's actions of course, but it does at least lend a certain coherence to what would otherwise be a mere jumble of units milling around not able to figure out what to do next. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aka_tom_w Posted September 20, 2000 Share Posted September 20, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Michael emrys: I too am in the camp of "this would be great to have but I don't expect to see it anytime soon". Michael<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Me too cool maybe for CM2 but I'm glad to hear TCP/IP is the current priority and I am looking forward to the feature more than any other. Map overlay? I can live without it but I sure would be happy to use it if it was an option. -tom w Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elementalwarre Posted September 20, 2000 Share Posted September 20, 2000 this would give some great depth to scenarios. in http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/Forum1/HTML/009289.html i suggested a similar facility, albeit only for players and i didn't give it a cool acronym thing is, short of integrating it into scenario objectives i do this now in roughly the way slapdragon suggested. so... how about setting up some conventions so we can have this in a file for each scenario? [This message has been edited by elementalwarre (edited 09-20-2000).] [This message has been edited by elementalwarre (edited 09-20-2000).] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midnight Warrior Posted September 21, 2000 Share Posted September 21, 2000 I think this would add tremdously to the realism of the game. Perhaps BTS can add this capability a little at a time so we won't have to wait to CM5 to get it. ------------------ In War: Resolution In Defeat: Defiance In Victory: Magnaminity In Peace: Good Will Winston Curchill Moral to His History Of WWII Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbaro Posted September 21, 2000 Share Posted September 21, 2000 I am considering a makeshift ploy to gain the ability to draw boundries designating unit sectors, that is to use a handfull of snipers crawling forward. Their path and waypoints could serve this function albeitly not too well, perhaps better than nothing or faster than making a sketch map. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Michael emrys Posted September 22, 2000 Share Posted September 22, 2000 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Bobbaro: I am considering a makeshift ploy to gain the ability to draw boundries designating unit sectors, that is to use a handfull of snipers crawling forward. Their path and waypoints could serve this function albeitly not too well, perhaps better than nothing or faster than making a sketch map.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Nobody could claim you lack innovation. I'm not sure I couldn't find better things to do with a sharpshooter/scout though. Keep the ideas coming anyway. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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