would like for zoom panning to make it back into the game

OZONEX-STYLE STRAT ZOOM

so after the tidal waves D) this thread caused in the PA community, the uber devs decided to cave in and make a united plane for the planet view and the celestial view.

Code:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SviKPpSd5WI#t=464

AND patch 58197 came out now we get to toy with it.

My final impressions are that I would never EVER go back to the view from before, this is undoutably better. but I miss scrolling around the planet with scroll wheel, it still does rotate the planet but only if the cursor is within the on-screen planet's effective surface, this is very crippling for rotation with the mouse wheel as you won't be able to operate turns without scrolling in and out and moving the mouse alot.

this feature is not necessarily subject to conflict with the zoom out feature. for one: Obviously you don't want to constantly look at the celestial view. (we may yet, but as I feel orbital combat may not become that much more intense....) TWO: there is clearly a pop-out distance (at which the planets paths appear) at that distance scroll rotating could be halted. Three: oxonex's pa does it.

lastly, as a last little feature.
I know space bar now brings you to the old top down view, but it would be neeto fajitos it you could simply center camera on the sun by scrolling in on it, just like other orbital bodies. currently you cannot have the sun as camera focusing point.

oh man....
I wasn't even going to bother bringing this one up....
But since you started....


The current celestial view is locked to top-down 2D view isn't it?
Maybe Uber's got something bigger at play here, but I found it very odd for them to go "backwards" to a 2D view.


I find the experience as player from a fluid 3D view to a top down "locked" view actually quite jarring, it is an inconsistent what information is shown and changes how it is conveyed.
It is similar to "clicking a spot on a traditional minimap, and having to reorient yourself and figure out where everything is on the screen. Except now, you have the added burden that the Control experience changes as well.


I'm wondering why there isn't a true 3D strategic zoom out to the celestial level.
Is it because space is black and the player would get lost?

If the player had context of the "solar equatorial plane" projected out in a grid, the player would have context while maintaining a true 3D strategic zoom.


My secret wish is that you would see this on all your planets, but that's just asking for the moon... (no pun intended)

With a full strategic zoom , You could go right from your watching your Commander in your base to the entire solar system in 1 fluid motion.


Not so relevant, but food for thought anyways....
In fact, but doing that, the a full 3D strategic zoom at the Celestial level, we could introduce 3D orbits (down the line of course). But the UI could already scale that way.




This is the solar system I have in my GUI mockup is actually modeled in 3D.
I threw in the orbit lines
And yes, it behaves with "full strategic zoom".


Is there some sort of video screen capture software I should so I can demo this?

I say we were told about itteration, time to get dat itteration on!

http://sourceforge.net/projects/obsproject/files/OBS_0_571b_Installer.exe/download

The transition from planet to planet indeed works way easier in that thing. The snapping really needs to leave in PA.

gawds. I feel like a nagging nanny.
You guys and Uber are probably sick of me spewing my GUI all over the forums...

Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnope.
I was going to make a thread myself but considering I have so much less time since my studies I'm super-glad you came along. I can't even update my own mod.

Is http://ozonex.pl/planetaryannihilation/ just a system zoom demo or are there units? I could never get a game started that had any units.

EDIT: just mock ups, there arn't any units.

I like how a lot of the ideas from that thread ened up being implemented.

I would be hesitant to suggest the camera rotation/tangential movement mechanic.
It would have to be tested to oblivion.

If it worked as intended, it could be revolutionary.
If even a little wonky, it would become the bane of our existence.


Think about all the 3D programs you know and use.
Cursor Zoom location is tied to pan (like SupCom and the professional software I use).


I get the intent, but if it goes wrong, we're going to be face-palming why we didn't go with the tried, tested and true.


I would urge careful deliberation and strong caution on this one.

it's already in to my understanding.

oh now I get what you mean yea it was for tha tblue ring, actually, why not have that system in PA?

Yes, the blue ring.
Tying zoom to the mouse wheel already isn't perfect. Programs have to zoom at set increments.
Usually, mousewheel zoom is tied to "camera distance to object".
Quite often, the user there are mistake with zoom level or location of zoom.
This means the user must either zoom back out, or do small pan adjustments.

By tying camera rotation to mouse wheel as well sounds great in theory, but when mistakes happen, having 2 functions tied to the mouse wheel causes a bit of continuity of control issue.
The user is sometimes left thinking, oh, did I just zoom in? Or did I end up rotating it.
Then by "zooming back out" which is likely now within the blue ring could mean they zoomed out, when they were just trying to fix the camera zoom distance.
I am not saying it can't work.
It looks really great on paper, but inconsistent control makes for wrestling the GUI.

This is the same reason people turn off mouse acceleration. So they have a consistent control scheme.
Overshot the target a little? Then adjust by the same amount in the opposite direction.


Who designed that initial camera zoom/rotate diagram?
Maybe they can shed some more light on which professional program it is adopted from.

This is what full celestial strategic zoom would look like.
Having a 2D top down celestial view breaks the continuity principle of UI design.


Now you have an entirely smooth and fluid experience zooming from a view of the solar system, looking at your units on 1 planet, zooming back out, the looking at your units at another planet.

Shout out to @maxpowerz for helping to supply me the planet skins.

I can make textures any resolution for you,
What can your CAD software handle for maximum texture size?
4096x4096 or 2048x2048

I'm not sure, haven't hit a cap yet.
Go big or go home?

p.s.

Currently, when on planet, we already have multiple zoom levels, but they are seamless.
At some point the units fade and we only have icons.
If we extend that design in display, you can minimize graphics load.

So we have zoom levels
- Units visible
- Ground icons
- Ground and orbital units (and commander)
- Orbital icons and interplanetary transports (and commander)
- Interplanetary transports only (depending on the game engine, this might not even be needed).

see this is the way the game should be played, no zoom lock just zooming around the planetary sytem the same way you would around the planet.

Uber please take a look at this.

Uber might not have the same budget as SupCom or other AAA RTS, but they have fans that are ready to help them.
A lot. And with good ideas.
(yes Culverin, i've readed all your threads, and they are not annoying. They might break the pride of a few designers through ;-) ).
I hope the devs give all this a look and even consider some of the things done here.
This would really make true the motto said in almost all videos : we are building this game with YOU.