New Mini Map Zoom Levels

[Hamma]

https://twitter.com/mhigby/status/309753562278293506

https://twitter.com/mhigby/status/309783201054875650

http://www.planetside-universe.com/media/album/mp52rz6sp6/20130307_51390c506dc06.png

http://www.planetside-universe.com/media.php?view=2334

[Rbstr]

I like that.

I would also like the ability to make the mini-map markers smaller or larger. The current squad markers drown everything out if you've got a platoon around you.

[stargazer093]

GREAT! wonder if it`s dynamic?

[RWJP]

I'd like to see this as dynamic... On foot = Automatically very zoomed in, slow vehicles = current zoom level, fast vehicles and Aircraft = very zoomed out.

[Neurotoxin]

Sweet, now having a radar flash to spot enemies in a tower is going to actually work, instead of just mixing yellow and red dots in with the mass of green terminals. I'm really looking forward to this feature!

[ChipMHazard]

What sorcery is this?

[ringring]

Nice, but yea, things like squad and platoon markers need to scale. Currently they can obsure things you need to see.

[Ghstmarauder]

Scaling would be a nice touch, but slow and steady wins the race. As long as it doesn't break anything, i'm fine with them taking their time to make it better.

[Pyldrvr]

This is awesome.
Rather than only scaling the friendly tag icons, we need to be able to completely filter them out so that only enemies show up. That would be very useful.

[maradine]

my god . . . it's full of stars . . .

[Hamma]

He didn't mention if it was dynamic, that would be awesome though.

[Saintlycow]

:) so happy

[Mastachief]

Needs more zoom in

[camycamera]

about time. now all we need now for maps and stuff is a COMMANDER MODE.

[Pella]

Should of been in at Launch..

But better late then never.

Most annoying thing in PS2 is the Minimap. The recent changes have helped, And this zoom function is much needed.

[Belhade]

Excellent news.

[TaintedPaladin]

I'd like to see the zoom be capable of going in closer. To the point a player could use it to monitor a single building and keep other items off the mini map.

[Gonefshn]

YEEEEESSSSSS!!!!

Who could possibly argue this is a bad idea! cant wait!

[Electrofreak]

He didn't mention if it was dynamic, that would be awesome though.

Everything is better dynamic! :D

[Phreec]

Aww, no I need to rebind my N key again. :(

Glad to see it implemented. This game really needs it.

[Koadster]

About time.

[Lonehunter]

THANK GOD!

I mean Higby!

Now pilots will have a usable minimap, still not great though. Need to add some elevation markers

[Canaris]

scratch off another of my must have UI features, great to see Dev's thank you! :)

One small point I hope can be added in with this update when you make the minimap bigger (expand it as a whole by pressing H as default) you loose the ability to see the area you are in and the faction influence bars, can they also moved to above the minimap when it increases in size please?

[Shamrock]

Good work, now add a simple CE counter to the UI please :D

[Fishy]

My comments:

http://www.planetside-universe.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1076&d=1362756633

http://www.planetside-universe.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1077&d=1362756633

[Hamma]

Good points :D

[NewSith]

Needs more zoom in

True that. They don't need to scale the icons, they actually need to have the highest level of zoom even higher.

[Canaris]

since this is a minimap thread I won't make another thread but I want to say while playing last night I noticed with some alarm just how bad the bugs on the minimap have become. I know have said this before but last night made my eyes pop over how bad it's gotten

We had gathered the TRAM last night, TR Alliance Miller and were roaving across Easamir in an epic massive scaled war.

However I couldn't tell who was in my platoon or the even enemy as the whole lot was a complete mess of the enemy showing up in platoon colours as well as other non platoon terrans showing up in the same colours. If it was essential to use the MM to help coordinate your squads and platoons to help destroy enemy assets like Sunderers then it's impossible to use.

If it's getting worked on then it needs to be debugged and soon, I don't try to say this to much (maybe I do though) but system in it's current form is HORRENDOUS :(

I will love to see the minimap zoom but if you're not working on fixing the colour bugs then your working on the wrong thing first.

[BIGGByran]

Allow us to toggle on/off icons on the mini map to make it less clustered.
Toggle:
Platoon
Squad
Vehicle Terminal
Infantry Terminal
Air Terminal
Capture Points
Generators
Etc etc..

[Fishy]

Allow us to toggle on/off icons on the mini map to make it less clustered.
Toggle:
Platoon
Squad
Vehicle Terminal
Infantry Terminal
Air Terminal
Capture Points
Generators
Etc etc..

nice idea.

[Babyfark McGeez]

Needs more zoom in

This.


True that. They don't need to scale the icons, they actually need to have the highest level of zoom even higher.

And that. Which is basically also "this".

EDIT: The direction pointer also seems changed judging by the pics(?). If so, more solid please. BUT it's getting there, appreciated.

[Erendil]

I'm really psyched about this. The lack of control over the minimap in PS2 has always really bugged me. I guess I got spoiled by the huge number of cust-om-aye-zay-shuns available in PS1's minimap. The lack of zoom is one of the larger features missing, but I'm hoping they'll consider adding a bunch more options. To expand on what's already been mentioned, here's my list of things I'd like to see added:


Ability to turn on/off different data/feature layers
Toggle to switch between manual/automatic zooming
Player-set custom zoom levels
Resize the minimap to a custom size on the screen
Move the minimap anywhere on the screen
Custom transparency levels
A hotkey to hide/restore the minimap (maybe just a 3rd toggle added to the current Large/Small option, so it's Large/Small/Minimized)
The option for a circular compass circumscribed around the edge of the minimap instead of the current bar compass
A unique minimap icon for MAXes (worked well in PS1)
Option to display interior floorplans when indoors for the level you're on
Option to display all friendly CE on the minimap

[Figment]

My comments:

http://www.planetside-universe.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1076&d=1362756633 (http://www.planetside-universe.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1076&d=1362756633)

http://www.planetside-universe.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1077&d=1362756633 (http://www.planetside-universe.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1077&d=1362756633)

Well let's compare it to what PS1 did. :)

(Dundunduuuuuun!)

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f236/ry_44/editPSScreenShot0128_zps865f7efe.jpg (http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f236/ry_44/editPSScreenShot0128_zps865f7efe.jpg)

1. Terminals wern't on it, instead it only pointed out rooms (if you were indoors).
2. Arrows of allies and enemies were plain dots and much smaller.
3. Platoonmembers were just coloured numbers, not dots overlapping other map information.
4. The map showed the level of the building you were in and automatically resized when you were inside or outside a building.
5. In some backgrounds the contrast was pretty poor between the brown terrain and red dots.

http://www.skins-wot.net/Mods/MiniKarta/MinimapLazer.jpg (http://www.skins-wot.net/Mods/MiniKarta/MinimapLazer.jpg)

World of Tanks does some more things. Targeting someone as a unit (in this case, the artillery in the lower left hand corner targets someone in the north east) draws the attention of everyone on the same team to the mini map. In WoT, the units are listed on the minimap by type, not in detail. It provides a bit more guesswork, although you can often link the information quickly to the information known on the composition of your enemy team (depends on composition and units known to be left). It also shows the direction your tank hull and turret are facing indepently.

http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/1201/shot197.jpg (http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/1201/shot197.jpg)

Then there's the little tank hull/turret angle indicator itself. Very handy. It shows which of your systems and crew have been damaged, if it's on fire and that sort of thing. But not only that, it shows the widest angle your gun can fire at before the turret or the hull has to rotate and basically how much health you have left. PS and PS2 have something similar to this, but the angles are a bit less noticable, while the health is more obvious.


Which lessons can we learn from these minimaps?

1. Auto-resizing can be a very handy thing. Outdoor fights need the highest zoom level as default due to facing more long range and vehicle threats (especially aircraft). Outdoor base fights require medium detail by default due to the rooms and terminals in the area, mixed with longer range engagements. Indoor base fights even more default detail.
2. Obscuring vision is not handy, so ensure symbols are as tiny as possible without losing the most relevant information.
3. Many symbols frequently cause information overload, toggles would be nice.
4. Plain dots did not provide vector information, PS2 arrows do, but also tend to take more relative space.
5. Contrast is very much needed (previous map update did wonders there already)
6. Shape icons provide clear information on what unit is facing in what direction (both games, PS2 more so)
7. If we'd have spotting info and who is doing the spotting, then we'd get spammed to oblivion with information overkill in PS2, this only works for low numbers.
8. If we have icons for allied players, we need to be able to relate to who it is (ie. a full list of names of platoonmembers).

I think they need should create toggles you can set as defaults for each situation (zoom level, amount of detail listed, perhaps some options for the icons).











But of course, most the time, the minimap shows this (in any ES colour):

http://i.imgur.com/OlPt5G8.jpg (http://i.imgur.com/OlPt5G8.jpg)

Luckily this forum has taught me there's no such thing as tank spam and this sort of one hit kill unit composition can easily be ignored to reach any control point. :)