Radio/C2 simulation msg box

[HintJ]

I'd like to stay at ground level, and have a msg box simulating a radio/C2 loop telling what is going on!

CMx2 already has an awesome C2 feature, so if a unit is within the C2 loop, let him post messages in a msg box to simulate friendly relayed messages! For example, "We are under fire! Enemy armor spotted grid XXX!" etc. Yes, soldiers often suck at reading maps, so put in an error factor on the location. Also consider suppression levels, and if there is even time to relay a message or a grid.

Please make it so that I can play the game near ground level, and let my paranoid imagination run wild of what is happening!

Of course, keep it a Combat Mission game so I can change my point of view to any unit in the game on the fly.

The best feature (IMO) of CMx2 is the relative spotting/C2. Please use it for more than just spotting/morale.

[Ryujin]

Yeah, that was a great feature in steel beasts when playing it as an RTS. Let you keep track of the battle without having to carefully watch every unit to see if their status changed. Had voiced audio too so you didn't have to watch the message box. Would be very handy for real time players.

Though if you factor in C2... just what unit is the player? In my opinion you seem to play every leader, so in theory C2 limits on these messages would be a bit odd. Or least make it as an option separate from difficulty for people who want to try and play from just the company commanders perspective or whatever.

[HintJ]

Yeah, that was a great feature in steel beasts when playing it as an RTS. Let you keep track of the battle without having to carefully watch every unit to see if their status changed. Had voiced audio too so you didn't have to watch the message box. Would be very handy for real time players.

Though if you factor in C2... just what unit is the player? In my opinion you seem to play every leader, so in theory C2 limits on these messages would be a bit odd. Or least make it as an option separate from difficulty for people who want to try and play from just the company commanders perspective or whatever.

It doesn't matter what unit is the player. The message bar could represent the local radio chatter--all units w/a radio could access it.

[Ryujin]

It doesn't matter what unit is the player. The message bar could represent the local radio chatter--all units w/a radio could access it.

Ok, so you mean the C2 doesn't effect the player, only which units can put messages in the bar. Sorry if I misread that first post, a bit obvious in hind sight.

In which case it would be handy if messages could be passed up, i.e. any unit without a radio but in C2 to a unit that does have one.

[HintJ]

Currently, if a player wants to play CMx2 in RT, he should stay above the action (zoomed out) so he can see everything.

If we had a message box for units withing C2 (perhaps simulating radio chatter), then we could play the game constantly at ground level and *try* to understand what is going on from the messages.

A better example:

If I'm playing real time, focusing on one point of the map, and something happens on the other side of the map, then I get a message saying (for example) "this is unit XYZ we are under fire" or "we see armor coming" or whatever is happening.

Only units within the C2 loop should send in the msg box.

This way, a player could play a game in the clostrophobic (sp?) atmosphere of wonder what in the hell is going on from a ground level point of view!

Message boxes are a standard in many RTS's. In Wego, where it isn't so important.

[MG TOW]

great idea. No need to include an error factor IMO. Consider the ground christened before the attack anyways. Or its a game feature because the human player can't see all parts of the map and give orders at the same time to all units simultaneously.

The most successful PC games are those which clearly relay game information to the player. Auditory information is seldom exploited to its full potential. And no, WW2 squadlings did not have motorolas so its a figurative tool used in place of a soldier saying "hey sarge, that's 2nd squad over there getting zapped from the farmhouse"

[HintJ]

great idea. No need to include an error factor IMO. Consider the ground christened before the attack anyways. Or its a game feature because the human player can't see all parts of the map and give orders at the same time to all units simultaneously.

The most successful PC games are those which clearly relay game information to the player. Auditory information is seldom exploited to its full potential. And no, WW2 squadlings did not have motorolas so its a figurative tool used in place of a soldier saying "hey sarge, that's 2nd squad over there getting zapped from the farmhouse"

I watched a bunch of AARs on youtube, and I was struck that the player was always zooming out and deselecting his units to understand what was happening.

I don't want to play that way, and a msg box would be a great tool to help experience real time closer to the ground.

[Erik Springelkamp]

I don't want to play that way

That would be a problem, because that is the way the game is designed.

[MikeyD]

I can't quite imagine two full infantry companies and a couple tank platoons all chattering away at once as the enemy first comes into view. Talk about data overload!

As to zooming out to select then zooming back in, if you don't want to play that way don't play that way. Seriously - Stay on ground level or level 1 and move by '+' comand jumping from unit to unit. If you combine that with a high FOW setting and realtime play even the simplest scenario will give to a run for the money. You'll probably have more fun playing than the rest of us 'cheater's hovering godlike over the battlefield.

[HintJ]

I can't quite imagine two full infantry companies and a couple tank platoons all chattering away at once as the enemy first comes into view. Talk about data overload!

As to zooming out to select then zooming back in, if you don't want to play that way don't play that way. Seriously - Stay on ground level or level 1 and move by '+' comand jumping from unit to unit. If you combine that with a high FOW setting and realtime play even the simplest scenario will give to a run for the money. You'll probably have more fun playing than the rest of us 'cheater's hovering godlike over the battlefield.

You'd stomp me in RT if I played and ground level, while you hovered above your units.

You bring up a good point about info overload. Imagine being able to choose between (w/a hotkey perhaps) a platoon level radio/msg box and a company level msg box, like changing frequencies on the radio.

[JonS]

I'd like a pony.

[HintJ]

I'd like a pony.

Isn't there a peng thread to absorb this sort of response?

[LJFHutch]

A generalized "guy next to you telling you the situation" would be good.

"Our forces east are engaging what appears to be an infantry company!"

"Second platoon is taking heavy casualties!"

"Enemy advancing in the west, our forces are being overrun!"

I would just turn off anything that said "first company, second platoon, third squad, team one has just fired three shots at the enemy from an M1 held by Scott Peters in a trench and he almost hit a German soldier 134m to the NNE in a bush!" Ideally you should only get the picture, not the individual pixels of info

[Vinnart]

You'd stomp me in RT if I played and ground level, while you hovered

You are absolutly right, you would get stomped as RTS games are not designed to be played so much at ground level. From what I get you are looking more for a FPS or RPG type of experience wanting to stay at ground level. "Theatre of War" has more of what you are describing, and has excactly that feature of a messge box. You should check it out if you are not familiar with it. It is a good game, but must have lots of PC juice to run it.

[gibsonm]

Well I did float an idea a few years ago about a "tactical map" in the lower left hand corner of the screen depicting which units were in contact (say they glow red when firing or being fired at), etc.

But there were issues with monitor space in that what was a blank space for me with a larger screen may not exist for others with smaller screens.

BTW: Steel Beasts is still around so no need to refer to it in the past tense.

[HintJ]

You are absolutly right, you would get stomped as RTS games are not designed to be played so much at ground level. From what I get you are looking more for a FPS or RPG type of experience wanting to stay at ground level. "Theatre of War" has more of what you are describing, and has excactly that feature of a messge box. You should check it out if you are not familiar with it. It is a good game, but must have lots of PC juice to run it.

I've got TOW2, and yes, it has a msg box similar to what I think CM needs.

[Ryujin]

Well I did float an idea a few years ago about a "tactical map" in the lower left hand corner of the screen depicting which units were in contact (say they glow red when firing or being fired at), etc.

But there were issues with monitor space in that what was a blank space for me with a larger screen may not exist for others with smaller screens.

BTW: Steel Beasts is still around so no need to refer to it in the past tense.

Maybe make any sort of tactical map an option? Or even a hot key to quickly bring it up full screen? I could see it being worth that effort. Even for a large WEGO scenario to save some time spent checking up on every unit.

And yeah, you're right, I'm a Steel Beasts Pro PE owner myself, so that was just a odd turn of phrase by me, I was thinking about SB1 at the time for some reason or other.

[Vinnart]

If you want to see the map as a tactical map all you have to do is zoom out, or use camera views 8,9.

[para]

It is an interesting idea and has some merit. As mentioned, keep the messages to a minimum and the ability to select which unit messages to receive. An on or off buttom would be useful too. I'm suprised a tactical map showing contacts has not made it in.

[Vinnart]

If I'm playing real time, focusing on one point of the map, and something happens on the other side of the map

Check this out regarding generic enemy icons. http://www.battlefront.com/community/showthread.php?t=95987

Not excactly what you have in mind, but still adresses the problem of missing info.

[MikeyD]

"We are under fire! Enemy armor spotted grid XXX!"

Well, the game not being played on a grid would probably make that difficult.

Your eyes can't be everywhere but your ears can. Audio cues are a tremendous help. You're marching your men up a hill and hear distant gunfire - that's a broad hint that something bad's happening elsewhere. Earlier this evening I was indeed marching my men up a hill, I heard 'boom boom boom', noticed that my own mortar barrage was still prepping, so I turned around to see the AI was merrily mortaring all of my trucks back on the road! :eek:

[permanent666]

it would be great to add something like this in your future releases. i know you don't like "close combat" very much but a cc like message box/log would help a lot in realtime play! Now at least in CMSF i often lose track of my troops actions

For everyone who doesn't know cc here is a screenshot of the messagebox:

[HintJ]

Yes indeed, and if I'm not mistaken, if you click on a particular msg, you select that unit. Also, messages are sent when a unit finishes movement, along w/a radio cue "in position," for example.

[Vinnart]

I think the biggest challenge for lobbying for such an enhancement is where would you put it given CM's GUI without having to do a major redesign of the entire thing?

[leakyD]

I can't quite imagine two full infantry companies and a couple tank platoons all chattering away at once as the enemy first comes into view. Talk about data overload!

Agreed!

There's a LOT of info to keep track of as is...That's the problem when you have accurate modeling.... and a good UI to display the data (which, I must say, we have a pretty dang good UI).

WeGo is pretty straighforward. Plenty of time to get intel!

If you play realtime vs AI, players can just pause. Again, plenty of time.

If realtime vs human, lack of intel, I feel, is part of the gameplay.

The pressure is on, you'll miss some things, and, yeah, mistakes will be made. By both sides.

Just like in Real Life!