Unit Ranges Vs Zoom

Discussion in 'Planetary Annihilation General Discussion' started by acey195, September 11, 2012.

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What do you think of unit ranges and zoom levels

  1. I want my units to be practically melee range to be able to see everything on one screen.

    3 vote(s)
    4.3%
  2. I want to be able to see groups of medium range artillery units firing at each other, without having

    15 vote(s)
    21.4%
  3. I want to be able to see groups of assault units firing at each other, without having to use icon re

    21 vote(s)
    30.0%
  4. I just want to be able to see my units firing or the targets, I don't need to see both without using

    14 vote(s)
    20.0%
  5. I almost never zoom in, Icon representations are fine.

    17 vote(s)
    24.3%
  1. torrasque

    torrasque Active Member

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    Yes, I remember playing with a friend computer with a 800*600 screen.
    Not really enjoyable.
    But with 1280x1024 or in FullHD now ( > 1000 pixel in height ) it's nearly perfect for me.
  2. zordon

    zordon Member

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    Not our fault if debating someones post makes them look like a moron.
  3. PKC

    PKC New Member

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    i know right?

    in all fairness i don't think i deserve all of the credit. it's a team effort by me and the quoted offender.

    i don't think i have ever said people cannot express their opinions. i am just rude and blunt by nature. and irritable i guess. i can appreciate some people not liking the zoom. i want them to appreciate that they are stupid. just a fair and frank exchange of ideas.
  4. TheLambaster

    TheLambaster Active Member

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    Erm... this poll is bad... why is there no "I prefer the strategic zoom, as t covers ALL the zoom levels and every one can choose his own preferred level of zoom." option?
  5. kryovow

    kryovow Well-Known Member

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    worst poll ever.
  6. mushroomars

    mushroomars Well-Known Member

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    I agree with the previously stated opinions. The point of Strategic Zoom is to be able to use a single control (the mousewheel) to get anywhere you need to without taking your attention off the battle.

    It really is a personal preference thing. I think Uber, if they have the time, should add a toggle-able minimap, as well as keep Strategic Zoom. That way, our Starcraftians and Total Annihilatarians can be happy with a super-restricted zoom, while us SupComians can jump around the battlefield at will.
  7. Veleiro

    Veleiro Member

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    Honestly, when are these 90s RTS & starcraft yuppies going to stop trying to limit OUR RTSs? At least this time, we don't have to deal with the consoles.

    If you want fixed zoom, go play 10000 other RTSs that are out there with fixed zoom. Total annihilation has been remade like 20 times, go play any of those remakes. The only reason that TA didn't have strategic zoom at the time was the limit of technology and it may have not been thought of at the time. Now it would be just stupid to limit it, e.g. no matter what blizzard says, I am still on the stance that Starcraft II is Starcraft but prettier, which is totally not something that attracts me. I played Starcraft in the 90s. Need something new.

    And from an user interface point of view, the minimap is horrible and old. You mean I have to go all the way to the corner of my screen and CLICK and move it all the way back to the scene of battle? OLD DESIGN, BAD DESIGN. Minimum effort, maximum results required.
  8. Kogies

    Kogies New Member

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    Its not just prettier! You can now select more than 12 units, AND, get this right, you can Ctl+Num them into a group, which pretty much means you can control your army!

    [Just for kicks!]
  9. acey195

    acey195 Member

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    O really guys, apparently you do not get my intentions with this poll. Of course I am not against strategic zoom or anything, I am only trying to imagine what would be good to do without having to use it.

    Of course you will use the appropriate zoom level in each situation. This Poll is about what you think you should be able to do when you can still see the units. The maximum you think should be possible without using the icon representations.

    Again, I am not against this entire strategic view thing, I just want the game to be playable without it as well.
  10. teju__

    teju__ Active Member

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    Oh dear, looks like I completely misunderstood the point of this thread, just like most others.
    Thanks for enlightening us.
  11. thefirstfish

    thefirstfish New Member

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    Please could everyone discuss this thread in context?

    It's not about strategic zoom or not. From what I've seen there are only a tiny minority of people who don't like strategic zoom. For the record I am 100% behind strategic zoom.

    Clearly from the OP quote, this thread and poll are about what ranges units have, and whether ranges should be short enough so that you see all of two fighting forces when at a natural zoomed in view, just one set of units because the ones they're shooting at are all so far away that they're off screen, or whether it doesn't bother you because you only ever use icons.

    I prefer ranges to be more like TA than SupCom, in fact more like ZK than TA (maybe I'm a fanboi but... ZK is damn good). How about everyone else?
  12. TheLambaster

    TheLambaster Active Member

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    Now I get it. You better edit the start post or copy this last message of yours into it.
  13. Techubus

    Techubus New Member

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    ITT: People stuck in the 90's angry that they aren't being taken seriously.

    There are a couple good ideas about split screening that could improve the functionality of strat zoom. I think those should be explored more. Any attempts to restrict or neuter strat zoom will be met with (well deserved) hostility and mockery.

    In fact, strat zoom is such a great feature in rts (and 4x) gaming that it deserves it's own epoch, the A.S. era. Everything that came before is obsolete, and trying to play any "modern" rts that lacks this feature is a game breaker.

    Naturally, the era that came before will be known as B.S. :p
  14. yinwaru

    yinwaru New Member

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    Boy, if that's not a divided result, I don't know what is. I'd say leave this one up to Uber's best judgement and let modders take care of the rest.
  15. thefirstfish

    thefirstfish New Member

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    Another one?
    Last edited: September 11, 2012
  16. thefirstfish

    thefirstfish New Member

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    I do actually trust Uber's best judgement so far.

    I think the poll results don't mean much though.

    If the thread is anything to go by almost no one understood what the poll is about.
    Last edited: September 11, 2012
  17. Techubus

    Techubus New Member

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    Precisely. Nobody understood the poorly worded poll, so this thread has turned into an entirely different discussion. I only popped in here because I saw there were still people arguing against strat zoom. I will happily beat that horse till I'm sure its been killed twice over.
  18. mushroomars

    mushroomars Well-Known Member

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    Ohhh I get it. It appears my internet-borne hypercritical attitude kicked in...

    I want an option for 'always display strategic Icons without degrading performance'.

    Barring that, the first option.
  19. acey195

    acey195 Member

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    It's just that not everyone takes the time to read the poll twice when they do not understand it, and directly assume the worst. After that everyone starts to hammer down on something that wasn't even the point of this topic.

    I could have been clearer, but I never mentioned anything about removing the strat zoom or anything.
  20. thefirstfish

    thefirstfish New Member

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    I have to say I find it hard to see how anyone can argue against strat zoom. It's just so natural.

    Thing is I'm not sure I've seen anyone say anything against strat zoom except for 1 or 2 people in that huge thread and I haven't seen them post again.

    Maybe we could take ~99% agreement as a done deal and move on? :)

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