Combat awareness - Line of sight

(Nuggie) #1

One thing that bothers me in “modern” FPS (read Xbox/PS ready made) is the “Hovering Info Markers” everywhere. CS didn’t need it, RtCW didn’t need it and ET really didn’t need it. Old ET used “info on aim” to see who is who in your Line of Sight and that worked like a charm. Added with the in-game quick key voice com it was brilliant.

As it is, with the “modern” FPS combat awareness, I can now see all my objectives (and how far they are from me and what they are) together with all my teammates (everywhere on the map including what class) as soon as I spawn. Why?! Isn’t it enough to get a general direction, and as I get there I’ll see whats what and who is who?!

I have three screens of BF3, CoD:BO and MW that I show when friends ask me why this bothers me - I call them all “Find my enemy” as they are littered with hovering icons so that’s basically all you see. Combined with a “Hey, you managed to pull the trigger achievement-pop up” I’d say that the actual environment view is about 30%, the rest is HUD-bling.

Now, some people cant play without these features, but personally I don’t need the game to hold my hand and point out the obvious every time I play (and no, I don’t need to be reminded to reload or jump with every clip or by every obstacle either, thank you).

All I’m really asking is for an option to turn those elements OFF (or at least tweak it).

Ex:

Objective Markers = on - OFF
Player Markers = ON - off
Name-tags = on - OFF
Info on Aim = ON -off

Etc.

This way the New Gen players will have their “Sci-Fi-see-all-go-here-awareness” and the Old School Wardogs will have their “Elite-line-of-sight-awareness” and everyone is happy :wink:

Just a thought anyway.

(Loffy) #2

Agree. Options to fade, make smaller and to switch off completely.

(en2ie) #3

Yeah I agree completely. I much prefer games that have no hud elements at all, although admittedly there are some hud elements that can’t be ignored with multiplayer.

(jazevec) #4

Because it is assumed that people are stupid. There are probably more stupid people than you, so catering to them makes more sense from financial perspective.

(Nuggie) #5

I wouldn’t go as far as calling people stupid for being catered. Spoiled might be the word tho. In any case, Making these things optional would benefit all gamers, thus increase the number of players, hens beef up sales and then we all get a better game that (if done correctly) will last a long time.

(Abner45) #6

I also like such type of games, Which have less or no hud elements or anything like that…

(Scarhand) #7

The more options, the better. Add everything, and then leave it optional. Stuff like this would be client side, but I like server-side ability to customize as well.

On Enemy Territory you don’t have markers showing where you are getting shot from (although there are grenade markers). Instead of markers of who is shooting at you, the screen shake is dependent on where you are being shot from. I am able to easily turn around and kill people who shoot me in the back. I love this about ET, and the fact that it isn’t shooting first that guarantees a kill.

(biggyyyb) #8

Agree 100%. Modern titles have way too many in-game markers, notifications, pop-ups etc going on. BF4 beta is a great example of going too far, I have actually seen newbies shooting at 3D spotting markers thinking they were aiming at enemy players.

If you give a player more than 3 pieces of information at any one time they will get confused or worse, distracted. If they continually die due to perceived interface distractions they will form a negative view of the game pretty quickly.

(Englander) #9

Yes it’s the norm now to have numerous icons wallhacked on to the screen. I think overall it can be a good thing when playing a game that you have never played before, they do accelerate how quickly you are able to learn the objectives and when you don’t have a lot of spare time to play ( which many don’t ) this can help and might be the difference between some playes sticking with it or never coming back. Also for pub play it definitely helps increase more team work particularly if there is an influx of new players, at least they can find their way to the objectives rather than aimlessly running around a confusing map. Seeing an enemy marker over a players head is something that should never be done though.

The problem begins when you know what you are doing and you don’t need them anymore or you don’t want them from the start, I too would much prefer an option to turn them off rather than being stuck with them. At least make it an option in the server config to turn them off, obviously that’s if the game allows you to run your own servers.

(DarkangelUK) #10

I watch RtCW matches every Sunday hosted by WarWitchTV and I’m constantly amazed at how little information is displayed on the HUD and screen… and I love it. Time to get crucified but I think that’s part of the appeal of CoD’s ‘hardcore’ game mode to me, very little info on the screen and just relying on your wits to get you through the match.

(Englander) #11

You’re right about RTCW, I loved that there was no radar as well, makes it much more about reflexes.