Command Power & Interface

Chaos_XeroChaos_Xero Join Date: 2004-06-04 Member: 29112Members
<div class="IPBDescription">Too Difficult to Use?</div> Scenario:

You are the commander.

You want to set up a base at point A, and 3 marines are willing.

While you are helping keep the base defended and getting it built, your other marines decide they will rush the hive. You have your hands full at the base, but all you hear is
"Medpack!" and "AMMO" and "Comm where are you!?" You calmly explain that you want them to set up a base and (Comm ejected).

Sound familiar? I've seen it happen before. Sometimes more extreme or less, but it happens. A few suggestions : Give the commander the ability to put up permanent HUD messages for all marines such as "Aid unavailable", and other such messages.

My second point:
Make the Command Interface faster and easier. I know that I personally have difficulties selecting certain things at certain times b/c I pressed the wrong key and had to back up, or i cant find a request b/c another one came thru.

My suggestions:
1. Have HUD notifications for Requests.
2. Have a binding set up similar to the binding set up for regular players
(Not the Set Command Hotkeys :|____________| thing.)
3.Simplify the selection. Dont remove things, but make it simpler and faster to access things.

Feel free to post any suggestions or thoughts you have.

<!--emo&::marine::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/marine.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='marine.gif' /><!--endemo--> Huah!

Comments

  • SaltzBadSaltzBad Join Date: 2004-02-23 Member: 26833Members
    Huh? Theres a HUD display for requests already.
  • VeetsVeets Join Date: 2004-02-05 Member: 26089Members
    I think he was more suggesting a set of hud notifications that the commander can set for the marine's (ie. a "meds not avail." or even a "no rambo's" symbol would be keen and probably achieve the same message - I just want to see a little symbol with a crossed out rambo in the game I guess ><)
  • TOmekkiTOmekki Join Date: 2003-11-25 Member: 23524Members
    u just need to learn to be faster :| and knowing the hotkeys by heart also helps.
  • ZekZek Join Date: 2002-11-10 Member: 7962Members, NS1 Playtester, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    You need to play on a server where the marines don't eject comms for stupid reasons...
  • LuckyLucky Join Date: 2003-11-16 Member: 23001Members
    edited June 2004
    1. Not only do they already exist, you can press jump button (as long as it's bound to keyboard, not mouse) or click the request icon and your map will be automatically moved over the spot where request came from. It doesn't get any easier then that, unless you want the AI to medpack/ammopack/catapack the marines automatically, which is obiviously not going to happen.
    2. Do you have any actual suggestions? Commander hotkeys are about as innovative and easy as it gets, and if you want a different system, suggest one instead of a vague "binding set" which is basically the same as commander hotkeys as far as I'm concerned.
    3. Same as 2. Suggest something, as just dissing the existing system without suggesting anything that would be better isn't exactly the best way to crisize.

    And generally, players don't eject commanders for no reason on good servers. I would suggest you find a few to play on, before blaming these ejects the commander controls.
  • Slow_SmurfSlow_Smurf Join Date: 2004-04-03 Member: 27702Members
    well, one person got what he suggested with the first thing. If you missed it, he was suggesting the commander be able to leave a permanent(and changeable) message on the marines HUD, ie "Meds unavailable". I think it could work, and certainly wouldn't hurt, but I doubt it will be implemented as the gains wouldn't be great even in a best case scenario. Not to mention the game seems to be balanced more for the clan side than pub, and this would be nigh useless to clans.
  • freebirdpatfreebirdpat Join Date: 2004-04-10 Member: 27826Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    <!--QuoteBegin-Slow Smurf+Jun 5 2004, 06:07 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Slow Smurf @ Jun 5 2004, 06:07 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> well, one person got what he suggested with the first thing. If you missed it, he was suggesting the commander be able to leave a permanent(and changeable) message on the marines HUD, ie "Meds unavailable". I think it could work, and certainly wouldn't hurt, but I doubt it will be implemented as the gains wouldn't be great even in a best case scenario. Not to mention the game seems to be balanced more for the clan side than pub, and this would be nigh useless to clans. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    definitely possible with a plugin.... someone should make it, if it isn't out already...
  • BuggyBuggy Join Date: 2003-11-08 Member: 22400Members, Constellation
    One of the primary tasks of the comm is being aware and dropping meds the second they get bitten, and ammo the second they call for it. Even if you are doing something, the maximum time any comm should take to drop meds/ammo on request is about seven seconds. If you cant do that, stay out of the chair.
  • MrBenMrBen ns_eclipse, ns_veil caretaker Join Date: 2002-11-14 Member: 8575Members
    If i ever saw the words meds not available on my hud i'd eject you so fast.
  • Rapier7Rapier7 Join Date: 2004-02-05 Member: 26108Members
    Meds are overrated in pub play.
  • SaltzBadSaltzBad Join Date: 2004-02-23 Member: 26833Members
    Yeah, winning is overrated.
  • SinSpawnSinSpawn Harbinger of Suffering Join Date: 2002-11-12 Member: 8359Members
    I can't COMM, I'll break down under pressure! Thats why I'm gorge instead, still wanting to contribute to the team.

    lol just the fact that if you loose, all your team blames you!! If you were realy bad you'll never comm on that server again...than your COMMing abilities are scarred for life!..
  • LuckyLucky Join Date: 2003-11-16 Member: 23001Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Mr.Ben+Jun 5 2004, 03:09 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Mr.Ben @ Jun 5 2004, 03:09 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> If i ever saw the words meds not available on my hud i'd eject you so fast. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    *nods in agreement*
    Meds are ALWAYS available. They're only 2 res apiece, and often save you tens in structure costs and RT revenue, not to even mention the obivious effect on survival ratios and map control. If I ever see "meds not available" and we're not locked in our base, I'm going to be the one starting the vote <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='asrifle.gif' /><!--endemo-->
  • k1ndredk1ndred Join Date: 2003-11-30 Member: 23790Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-"CHAOS XERO"+--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> ("CHAOS XERO")</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->"Aid unavailable"<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Ha I Loved that one

    well.. here in brasil we just don't aid marines that dosen't follow the schema

    if marine A is not willig to follow your waypoint, then die rushing fagget!

    I think that everytime a commander is ejected, the voce eject should be reset so all players can vote again for another comm, and increase the rate for ejecting a comm for sure
  • MaianMaian Join Date: 2003-02-27 Member: 14069Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Gold
    He does have a point tho. Commanding is difficult. Good commanders are rare. In a way, it's even more difficult than playing a full RTS game like Warcraft or Empire Earth. I find it a bit similar to random teaming in Warcraft 3 - you have to constantly communicate with and shout at teammates of questionable competence, with those same teammates bitching at you.
  • Chaos_XeroChaos_Xero Join Date: 2004-06-04 Member: 29112Members
    Sorry it took so long for me to get back.

    Meds and ammo are a waste when people in this situation ask for them.

    <!--emo&::asrifle::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='asrifle.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::lerk::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/lerk.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='lerk.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&::onos::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tiny.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tiny.gif' /><!--endemo-->

    People ask for meds and ammo, then die.
    I feel no obligation to give aid to a marine who is in a situation where he is going to
    a. Die instantly
    or b. Rambo/ignore a WP

    Also, Do you have any suggestions of good servers to learn to comm?

    Um... also, the question about the key binding i meant change it so its like this:


    Basic Structures: Q
    RT : A
    etc...
    I dont like the guesswork...

    Do any of you have suggestions or thoughts on the interface?
  • Slow_SmurfSlow_Smurf Join Date: 2004-04-03 Member: 27702Members
    Jeeze, could you guys get more easily distracted?

    That was just an EXAMPLE(not mine I might add). Yet every subsequent post talked about the example and nothing else. Fine, put something else there, ie plan is to take cargo. That way when someone joins the game or dies they will instantly know what they are expected to do.
  • TakelTakel Join Date: 2002-11-07 Member: 7496Members
    No interface can save a comm from being crap. That's what I feel rather bluntly. Not making any accusations but the interface has improved drastically from the 1.x days and I feel that it's just about perfect in terms of raw usability. Sure, you can addd bells and whistles to it but everything you NEED is there.
    Hotkey groups? Check
    Building Hotkeys? Check
    Alert Jumps? Check
    Minimap? Check
    Audio Alerts? Check
    And the biggest one of them all, even though it's built-in: Voice Comms.

    I don't find the QWER;ASDF;ZXCV format hotkeys to be that much of a problem. It sure beats the pants off using a hacked up script to use the Numpad as a version of it for sure. I don't consider myself as a good comm, but I'm a decent one and I learn not just by sitting in the chair and slugging it out but I watch and learn how things are done and prioritised by being on the ground as a marine, seeing the other view point as a skulk and observing stuff via spectator mode. I get my chance to comm when no-one else is willing to and I also get to practise hotkey speeds when a game is in the bag and the comm hops out to have a bit of fun...
    Losing is part of the learning process so don't be afraid to lose. Some of the best games I played were when I lost since I saw what went wrong, how the kharaa picked apart my plans, what I could had done right and most importantly, I know what to do as a kharaa should similar circumstances happen with another commander!
    If you really want practise, then try to find a large server (yes, large) and get a feel for how everything works together before you try it on smaller servers because everyone knows the marines are overpowered on large servers... (sadly enough...)
    Basic RTS skills are of course a pre-req if you want to be a decent comm though, especially in the skill of managing multiple spots at the same time, which fortunately is a lot easier due to the hotkeys.
  • JNighthawkJNighthawk Join Date: 2002-11-11 Member: 8160Members
    I believe he has a legitimate gripe with med packs and ammo packs. The interface is just fine, but other things should be added.

    The hotkeys don't always work. If I have 3 marines in a squad, shouldn't hitting that squad's key jump from marine in the squad to marine in the squad? When will shift-selecting (your current selection + whatever else you select) be put in?

    Also, someone suggested that when you get an alert to use the spacebar to immediatly jump to the alert. However, this doesn't work all the time. A marine could easily be dead by the time you figure out where the jump placed you and trying to find said marine.

    No new features really need to be added, but stuff needs to be fixed/expanded upon. There needs to be more available squads with a less buggy/laggy squad interface. The commander's jump to alert needs to be worked on so that when I jump, I don't jump somewhere a marine died 10 seconds ago.

    And how about those sporadic alerts? Thanks for letting me knew a skulk bit my res node once, but failing to signal an alert when an Onos destroyed half our base.
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