Line of Sight as Commander

[MeatEtr]

The problem with a "restrict to unit's viewpoint at level 1" mode is that simply restricting camera position to a single point location for each unit doesn't work all the time -- sometimes, you have to move the camera at least a little bit, because a tree branch, flavor object, low wall, or whatever, prevents you from seeing the exact spot where you want to plot a waypoint.

The old Franko Iron Man rules has a provision to deal this -- basically, once you had moved your camera to the viewpoint of a certain unit, you were allowed to nudge the camera a few meters on way or the other, as needed.

In order to create an "official" Iron Man viewpoint restriction, all of this would have to be coded. Not impossible, to be sure. But not trivial, either.

Yeah, units could use some wiggle room, that would be the more tedious thing to code. Like a 5m circle of movement around a unit for these moments. But you could also use alt-T to remove the tree coverage. Then again that leads to another thing that should be forced onto the player. The inability to change the trees/foliage below the moderate setting, or something like that.

[noob]

Then again that leads to another thing that should be forced onto the player. The inability to change the trees/foliage below the moderate setting, or something like that.

I could live with invisible trees

[Danny Chung]

Just sounding out ideas.

How about different ranks having different range of levels available?

NCOs - get level 1 only.

lieutenants - level 1 and 2 maybe 3

and so on up to

Commanding officer gets the full range of levels until he gets killed or put out of action.

Units such as anti-tank guns, assault guns, etc get only limited range of levels.

All this with lock level switch on which also puts the camera-lock-on-unit switch on.

So the commanding officer can get a birds eye view but only from where he is located he can't roam around like a bee. Watching an artillery bombardment on enemy positions from up above is more exciting, of course.

If players want the lock level switch off in order to fully roam the battlefield to his heart's content, then he can do that.

The option is there and default is in off position. If the player wants to test/torment himself, then the option is there to switch it on to last the entire game.

Dan

[Ryujin]

To do this properly, you really need a topographical map (so you can give orders to location's you can't see), be locked to your CO only, and to play real time with first person controls (floating camera still gives you an advantage as you won't be prone hugging the dirt under fire with foliage getting in the way).

You can do this in games like steel beasts/arma (especially if you have enough human players) and it's a whole other experience from CM. Notably you'll get a better sense of fog of war from ground level as having to hit the dirt/button up under fire can make it really hard to spot anything. As if it isn't hard enough to start with.

Personally I don't think CM is the game to do this style of gameplay justice without completely rebuilding it from the ground up.

[MeatEtr]

To do this properly, you really need a topographical map (so you can give orders to location's you can't see), be locked to your CO only, and to play real time with first person controls (floating camera still gives you an advantage as you won't be prone hugging the dirt under fire with foliage getting in the way).

You can do this in games like steel beasts/arma (especially if you have enough human players) and it's a whole other experience from CM. Notably you'll get a better sense of fog of war from ground level as having to hit the dirt/button up under fire can make it really hard to spot anything. As if it isn't hard enough to start with.

Personally I don't think CM is the game to do this style of gameplay justice without completely rebuilding it from the ground up.

Your kinda missing point, it's just about giving the players more options to play the game. As long as it's not a huge coding burden, why would anybody be against having more options.

Just look at other simulation type games of any genre, they tend to have more robust options. CMx1 and now CMx2 pale in comparison. Not that it's a dealbreaker, but the more sandbox feel the better.

[noob]

Just sounding out ideas.

How about different ranks having different range of levels available?

Interseting idea Danny but being an officer, unlike Red Bull, does not give you wings

It's an added layer of complexity for a function that is unrealistic, the whole point of camera / level lock is to create a more realistic perspective on the battlefield and to make high ground even more valuable and in RL officers are as restricted as anyone else when it comes to LOS unless they have a higher vantage point.

[eniced73]

Why not take it one step further and include a FPS mode? You can do what you guys want and then even control your man or vehicle in a FPS style. Even so I am not sure I would play that way very long. I mean they are putting alot of detail into the game and playing like you say would be like going to your favorite 'girly' bar with blinders on that restrict your view to the cranium area only?? Some things are made to be appreciated as a whole. Not saying more options should not be included - the more the merrier - but the novelty of this would not last long for me at all.

[noob]

Why not take it one step further and include a FPS mode? You can do what you guys want and then even control your man or vehicle in a FPS style. Even so I am not sure I would play that way very long. I mean they are putting alot of detail into the game and playing like you say would be like going to your favorite 'girly' bar with blinders on that restrict your view to the cranium area only?? Some things are made to be appreciated as a whole. Not saying more options should not be included - the more the merrier - but the novelty of this would not last long for me at all.

FPS style, that's even better, and as for what you say about the potential unpopularity of the LOS restrictions, i agree, thats why i want it as an "option"

[Danny Chung]

Interseting idea Danny but being an officer, unlike Red Bull, does not give you wings

It's an added layer of complexity for a function that is unrealistic, the whole point of camera / level lock is to create a more realistic perspective on the battlefield and to make high ground even more valuable and in RL officers are as restricted as anyone else when it comes to LOS unless they have a higher vantage point.

Looking back on it, I suppose the idea was a bit of compromise. Still I agree with you why there can't be a level /camera lock as an option.