commander mode: support a second screen

digital

While in commander mode, enable a second monitor to provide

-map overview
-team member details
-organize squads
-provide current updates on game situation changes such as players leaving and joining through a game update list
-show current upgrade tree

Also, as far as team member details, a ranking steam per steam_id would be amazing, so as to show the commander who has the most experience, perhaps using a five star system.
Also, when a commander enters chat, make his text more noticeable by centering it on a players lower screen and making it larger.
Also, when dividing a team into squads auto-assign a color to the different squads and highlight each member with it on the minimap and in game.
Also, when a room is conquered with buildings, highlight uncapped res nodes in red.

Thanks for checking out my ideas! Love what you've guys got so far and I'm an avid player!

Laosh'Ra

i don't like the idea of 2nd screen support. leaving the fact aside that it might require quite some effort to get all these displays done (which could be invested in other things), it will basically be a disadvantage for anyone who cannot afford a 2nd monitor.

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Also, when a commander enters chat, make his text more noticeable by centering it on a players lower screen and making it larger.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
i like the idea of somehow pointing out the com's chat. a different color could help too.

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Also, when dividing a team into squads auto-assign a color to the different squads and highlight each member with it on the minimap and in game.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
not sure if this will work out, squads can change very quickly as people are seperated and/or killed frequently.

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Also, when a room is conquered with buildings, highlight uncapped res nodes in red.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
sounds good. i think this could be as simple as having at least one other building (for marines) or infestation in that room.

digital

I do agree that it will give those with a second monitor a slight organizational advantage, but I don't think it will be that great of an actual gameplay one as it would not be a serious requirement. All of the features required for a comm to operate would still be fully functional with a single monitor. It would, on the other hand, enable a more immersive environment for those who do have that hardware and, I would imagine, that a command chair would have multiple screens observing the status of each soldier under their command.

Im no pro at programming, but I have a little experiwnce and a fair general underlying understanding. Of course I don't know exactly how ns2 has been built, but I can't imagine a simple on screen status system of variables already predefined within the engine would be difficult to redisplay elsewhere.

Love you guys! Just picked up a headset w/ Mic for comm play today! I'm constantly telling my friends and strangers about ns2 being THE game of the future.

DarkOmen

I think that this could be a great feature, though I'm not sure how much work UWE would want to put into managing multiple rendering contexts. I'm willing to bet that rendering setup in the game is pretty canonic, not needing much flexibility beyond fullscreen/window support. For what it's worth, I don't think it would be too hard for the benefit it could provide.

I think it would be useful to have a full-screen minimap for EVERYONE, not just Commanders.

autograder

Holy crap, future of RTS?

glimmerman

As much as I would love this, I doubt they will include it. A man can dream though!

LV426-Colonist

Unnecessary. Cool? Yes.

Rautapalli

Supreme Commander had a feature similar to this:
<img src="http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/3341/attachmentvuv.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
I wish more games would do something like this.

Kurrine

<!--coloro:#aadd00--><span style="color:#aadd00"><!--/coloro-->Oh yes.. I love Supcom, great RTS, I'd love to see a multi-screen support along those lines as well. Definitely something that'd have to be held off til post-release polish.<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->

Feha

How would this work for ppl who play windowed mode?

Ryne

<!--quoteo(post=1910344:date=Mar 5 2012, 06:46 PM:name=Feha)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Feha @ Mar 5 2012, 06:46 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1910344"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->How would this work for ppl who play windowed mode?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
two windows?

Ryne

How awesome this would be aside (and not just for comm!), it would really give NS2 some bragging rights. Surprisingly few games have supported multiple monitors.

<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_monitors#Games_support" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_monitors#Games_support</a>

DarkOmen

<!--quoteo(post=1910360:date=Mar 5 2012, 10:25 PM:name=Ryne)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ryne @ Mar 5 2012, 10:25 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1910360"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->two windows?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That's an interesting thought. If it can be built to run in two windows in parallel, then the extra monitor thing is EZPZ.

<a href="http://www.rchoetzlein.com/theory/2010/multi-monitor-rendering-in-opengl/" target="_blank">http://www.rchoetzlein.com/theory/2010/mul...ring-in-opengl/</a>

Feha

I meant more like, would we get to change the resolution of each window, or would they use the same?

And ns2 got a "feature" (to me its a bug, but i know for a fact the devs added it on purpose) where it locks the mouse to the game window even if you are comm, which cause problems if you are to use the second window.
In 2 fullscreen monitors, it would simply let you move the mouse over to the next screen I suppose, as then noone would complain about accidently clicking stuff unrelated to the game, but it wouldnt be quite so easy in windowed. Maybe you set an edge on the windows you can move your mouse through, which will "teleport" the cursor to the other windows selected edge?

Rautapalli

I can move my mouse to the other monitor fine when I'm in the menu. I haven't tried it in commander mode, but I assume it's just a variable they have to change to make that happen.