Improve the pole-lock-camera

Discussion in 'Support!' started by Schulti, October 8, 2013.

  1. Culverin

    Culverin Post Master General

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    Well, it's like a compass. You don't always stare at it, but when you get lost, it's there.
    Just like in real life as a person, where you can't "zoom out".

    I agree that it is not the most intuitive solution and that it is adding yet another layer of GUI that might seem useless. You might call it addressing the symptom instead of the cause and you're right in a way.
    But right now, the player gets lost because he has no context.


    I'm making the cube suggestion for 3 reasons.

    1. It seems to go hand-in-hand with the "saved views".

    2. If picture-in-picture can "Link" 2 windows, then techwise, it pretty much already exists in their code.

    2. A planetary grid overlay can give context without having to zoom out.
    earth.jpg
  2. Schulti

    Schulti Active Member

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    For me the context is my base and the terrain around it.
    I start at a point on the planet, build my base up and "get used" to the tarrain that is there. For example: There is are many mountains on the left side of my base. in progress of the game it would be confusing if these mountains are always in another direction. Thats why the most people who play not with the pole-lock always hit the n-key.

    I think as orientation it is absolutely enough to have the planet surface with als the features and buildings etc.
    But as a condition there must be a camera that is not rotating while scrolling.

    I get your point with the compass-thing, but everything i have to look at is a bad thing for my gameplay. when i have to move my eyes of the battlefield to the right top corner of the screen and back, then there is a chance to miss somehing important.
    The same happens when you look at the build bar - therefore i try to play with shortcuts when possible.
  3. corteks

    corteks Active Member

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    To be fair, you'd probably only look at it when you were uncertain where you are on the planet. Like right now if I go scouting across the globe and eventually find the enemy's base I'm often forced to save that view, then go scrolling round the globe back to my base for context of where they actually are. If I could just look at a UI element and go okay I'm on the "left face" of the planet, and they're on the "front face", then I could save a bunch of time instead of spending it scrolling around. As far as how I play is concerned, it'd reduce my chance of missing something, not increase it.

    Oh and personally I hope I can set my options to keep pole lock as it is. I'd personally find it more confusing if it didn't always keep up as north and down as south. Never had a problem at the poles myself.
  4. little0nix

    little0nix New Member

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    With multiple monitors you rarely need to move your screen
  5. kryovow

    kryovow Well-Known Member

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    omg you are right. I never thought of that. Ill get 20 monitors, one for each part of the planet, up to 5 planets. for bigger games ill have to get even more ;)
  6. Culverin

    Culverin Post Master General

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    That's why we're getting multiple windows and picture-in-picture.
    That's the exact argument people are using for not having a projected view.
  7. mikeylow

    mikeylow Member

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    Isn't there like a hotkey to reset the view so that North is up and South is down?
    So hard to keep the proper orientation on the planets when your moving around a lot

    I like the viewcube idea though! Would make panning across the world a lot easier as you would not have to keep dragging your mouse all over the screen, just grab the cube and turn baby turn
  8. Culverin

    Culverin Post Master General

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    You have 2 options.
    1. Pole lock found in options menu prevent your planet from getting flipped upside down.

    2. Hit "N" to reset the view to North is up, and "South" is down


    Cheers! :cool:
  9. mikeylow

    mikeylow Member

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    cool thank you, saves me the trouble of trying all the keys on my keyboard to see what they do
    But seriously , the viewcube, that should be in there! (with a nice reset view button next to it ;) )
    Navigating the world is just a lot of hassle at this point in time ..
  10. Culverin

    Culverin Post Master General

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    The reset button would be that "home icon".
    Or one of your saved views.

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