Planetside Idea Lab - Page 13

EarlyDawn · 2004-06-13, 07:42 PM

It just occured to me... what do the comtechs have that would warrent a new window? It seems everything that cert offers would run through the game world or chat box.

Indecisive · 2004-06-13, 07:52 PM

The player money thing was in like pre alpha stuff. It was scrapped when everyone realized it sucked.

I wish the old idea of deconstructing your vehicle into your inventory was there. That was leet.

Hayoo · 2004-06-13, 08:05 PM

Originally Posted by Gohan

The player money thing was in like pre alpha stuff. It was scrapped when everyone realized it sucked.

I wish the old idea of deconstructing your vehicle into your inventory was there. That was leet.

I can say with a massive, no... gargantuan, no...collossal degree of certainty that my money concept wasn't the one used in pre-alpha.

As I recall, that system was used to buy all the weapons and vehicles in the game which is why it would suck. It cateres too much to powergamers. My concept is completely different. You read the whole concept right? I hope you didn't just see the words "salary" and "money" and then comment.

How would you fit an AMS in your backpack?

I can hear the pickup lines now: "Is that a Prowler in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?"

Hayoo · 2004-06-13, 08:21 PM

Originally Posted by EarlyDawn

It just occured to me... what do the comtechs have that would warrent a new window? It seems everything that cert offers would run through the game world or chat box.

Think of it as the CUD window that pops up when you activate the equipment. Same with the Comtech radio/device/whatever.

HART timer: Sure you could have a player type /harttime, but I wanted a countdown clock because it looks cooler and you don't have to keep spaming the command.
Squad bind point: Requires map interface and I think the continental map might already be a little too crowded to add a GUI to pre-select spawn points. Best to allow a Comtech window to do it, imo.
Squad respawn timers (if I don't include it in the squad window): If I did include this info in the squad window, things would get kinda crowded because of the Command Squad improvements I also want to add - showing active vehicles, certs, etc). Again, Comtech window good place to keep things out of the way.
Encode/Scramble: A Comtech would need someplace to toggle between Encode unit leader's chat or Scramble unit leader's location. You can't do that anywhere currently, as far as I know.
Assigning targets to unmanned phalanx turrets: This one has become "iffy". They might as well hop into the turret themselves. Plus the GUI necessary to control multiple turrets would be a nightmare. Consider this one on hiatus for a couple centuries.
Strike waypoints: this is more of a 'virtual pop-smoke' feature that doesn't require a laze point but also doesn't put a shaft of light for artillery to target on, only a ground-based marker. It's mainly for targets of opportunity such as a spotted AMS. This wouldn't be in the Comtech window, but a Cont Map function

EarlyDawn · 2004-06-13, 08:52 PM

I was thinking, why not make the comtech stuff a backpack? You would pick one up from an equipment terminal. Maybe, if you wanted to expand the idea, have medical/engineering/hacking/command backpacks as well, and prehaps some ligh/medium/heavy packs for storage. They could offer different abilities for each skill.

Don't know if you like that, just thought it would be cool to have a mission specific backpack avaliable to you.

As far as the HART display goes, when you have the radio / pack / equipped, you can toggle the window that used to be in way back in the game's life, telling you the HART's current cycle and time left. Gimme a minute and I'll look for a screenshot of what I mean..

Firefly · 2004-06-13, 10:51 PM

Originally Posted by Hayoo

I use Fireworks, Flash, and Photoshop for graphics. When I start making models they will be done with Lightwave or Inspire 3D. To assemble the site I used Dreamweaver. I've done things the old fashioned html way rather than use php or coldfusion. It's just regular pages and server-side includes. It was much quicker to get the site going.

Sweet- with the exception of Photocrap, I use all that stuff too. Do you do the whole carving images up on Fireworks as slices, and exporting the whole thing as HTML and Images to DreamweavAr?

Hayoo · 2004-06-14, 12:26 AM

Originally Posted by EarlyDawn

I was thinking, why not make the comtech stuff a backpack? You would pick one up from an equipment terminal. Maybe, if you wanted to expand the idea, have medical/engineering/hacking/command backpacks as well, and prehaps some ligh/medium/heavy packs for storage. They could offer different abilities for each skill.

Don't know if you like that, just thought it would be cool to have a mission specific backpack avaliable to you.

As far as the HART display goes, when you have the radio / pack / equipped, you can toggle the window that used to be in way back in the game's life, telling you the HART's current cycle and time left. Gimme a minute and I'll look for a screenshot of what I mean..

While a cert-specific backpack is interesting and certainly would look cool, it's simpler for me right now if I go with a handheld device that takes up inventory space or pistol slot. And remember, I already have several kinds of packs and inventory options on the Wishful Patch Notes too.

Oh, I have copies of the HART screenshots you mentioned.

But remember that its purpose was singular: only showing the HART timer. It didn't show anything else my Comtech can do, so there's really no need for me to bring back the original pane at all. I'd have to redo it anyway to accomdate new features.

Hayoo · 2004-06-14, 12:35 AM

Originally Posted by Firefly

Sweet- with the exception of Photocrap, I use all that stuff too. Do you do the whole carving images up on Fireworks as slices, and exporting the whole thing as HTML and Images to DreamweavAr?

I use Photoshop for it's powerful filters to alter images such as making TV scan lines or it's blur tools. I prefer Fireworks for actually assembly of graphic elements and making mock-ups of webpages. Sometimes I'll scan sketches, import them to Fireworks, and either clean them up the the Curves tools or redaw it by hand using the Vector tools so I can use the fill and texture features to greater effect.

I don't use the html/slices export tool on Fireworks. It puts some weird code in Dreamweaver that I don't quite trust. I prefer to slice up the images and export them to an images folder, then import them into Dreamweaver personally for maximum control (I don't have time to triple-check generated code). I also build the tables in Dreamweaver myself and don't use layers because my computer getting along in years and I don't get a more reliable comp till later this fall (hopefully).

FatalLight · 2004-06-14, 10:29 AM

Cant wait for what you have thought up for outfit barracks, it sounds interesting. Also will you put on the front page of your site when you add new things to the ideas?

EarlyDawn · 2004-06-14, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by Hayoo

While a cert-specific backpack is interesting and certainly would look cool, it's simpler for me right now if I go with a handheld device that takes up inventory space or pistol slot. And remember, I already have several kinds of packs and inventory options on the Wishful Patch Notes too.

Oh, I have copies of the HART screenshots you mentioned.

But remember that its purpose was singular: only showing the HART timer. It didn't show anything else my Comtech can do, so there's really no need for me to bring back the original pane at all. I'd have to redo it anyway to accomdate new features.

Yeah, I remember the custom storage items, if you recall I suggested those custom properties for each one.

And I didn't really make what I meant by the HART timer clear. I'm not saying that would be the total interface, I'm just saying it would be cool if that were the HART timer part of the Comtech window. Showing you what stage the HART is in and how long it'll be in that stage for.

Hayoo · 2004-06-14, 04:37 PM

Originally Posted by FatalLight

Cant wait for what you have thought up for outfit barracks, it sounds interesting. Also will you put on the front page of your site when you add new things to the ideas?

Yes, newly released concepts and their updates will go on the front page.

7ruth · 2004-06-14, 06:09 PM

For OFP was it multiplayer based? As in your squad made up of players? Or was it players controlled their own seperate squads?

OFP was the most Tactical multiplayer(single player mod too) game EVER! The AI was excellent, least i liked it. You could have a max of 64 people, there are squad leader*s* and can have AI or People under their command. SLs could also be AIs, but that didn't work out well as I recall...

When you commanded a player/AI you could give them a precise location just as long as you could see it. SO you can tell them what to target, with say a tank or a A-10 WartHog. You could split your squad into fireteams, if you really want to micromanage(weapons loadout more so). Command them to land, eject, take cover, go into formation, ect.

It was that and the player addons that kept me playing for a few years. I also liked how you could make your own missions, I figured out how to stack objects and started making forts =P It was pretty damn fun...

FatalLight · 2004-06-14, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by Hayoo

Yes, newly released concepts and their updates will go on the front page.

Cool been ther a few time clickin on the same links that still say comming soon, never did say tho good site, good ideas, I liked most of them except the tech points, it would make the game WAY to unbalanced.

Hayoo · 2004-06-14, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by EarlyDawn

Yeah, I remember the custom storage items, if you recall I suggested those custom properties for each one.

Oh, that's right.

I don't know about having cert-specific backpacks though. I'm not sure I want comtech equipment to be so big it requires something the size of a backpack. I know it would look cool and all, but the devs (unfortunately) have already given CR5s a backpack with that antennae on it. Adding another kind would take away that visual uniqueness from the CR5s. Not that I care, but the devs probably wouldn't go for that unless they made it look totally unique. It's just easier as a hand-held device right now. Also what would you put in a backpack for Engineers, medics, or hackers?

Now what I can see happening is the ability to display your designated role, such as Engineering, Communications, or Medic (rather than just having an icon pop up when you're using something). By choosing a designation, any armor, vehicle, or backpack would display an engineering, comm, or red cross icon on it like an outfit decal (maybe only visible to your empire). I know that's not the special-ability pack you were looking for, but I don't know if the support units warrant a whole functioning backpack for things. I'll have to think on that some more.

I'm just saying it would be cool if that were the HART timer part of the Comtech window. Showing you what stage the HART is in and how long it'll be in that stage for.

Oh, I see what you mean now. Then the answer is yes, the Comtech pane will have the beta-style timer included.

Hayoo · 2004-06-14, 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by FatalLight

Cool been ther a few time clickin on the same links that still say comming soon, never did say tho good site, good ideas, I liked most of them except the tech points, it would make the game WAY to unbalanced.

Thanks

Could you be more specific though about tech level points?