Page MenuHomeFeedback Tracker

User interface for APCs, helis and guided missiles looks dated, is incoherent and un-immersive
Reviewed, WishlistPublic

Description

Hello,
arma 3 is already playing and looking splendid. It is apparent that the devs plan to deliver a more polished product and proof of that is the beta, which already plays and looks amazing most of the time.
But while basic infantry combat and light vehicle gameplay easily surpass prior arma games in every aspect (bugs aside), there are still some aspects of arma that truly need more refinement:

1.) Helicopters have two conflicting GUI elements. There is the nice looking HUD which is native to the helicopter (or the pilots helmet in reality)and there is the white arma interface used for targeting. The proper Helmet HUD is still bugged (in free-look hud-elements like crosshair and target-boxes move with the view), so the white game UI is the only way to target enemies.
The proper Helmet HUD should be improved, so that it can replace the generic game UI at least for targeting.
Furthermore, like in reality, the HUD could help with navigating, showing waypoints even when waypoints are turned off via the generic arma UI.
It could also be considered to tie the HUD to the pilot's helmet, so that the Helmet would be required to effectively fly the vehicle.
Please also see this ticket for considerations about helicopter targeting: http://feedback.arma3.com/view.php?id=10323

2.) The driver, commander and gunner view in the APCs is still a disappointment. Not only concerning GUI, but also gameplay. Even without having detailed interiors, it should be possible to give them a more authentic feel.
Make the crew feel like they are in command of a high-tech vehicle. Kill the ugly black mask and build a new UI. Not necessarily proper interiors, but only GUI. Incorporate pip-elements like rear view, or gunner's view, or custom views, to give the driver more situational awareness.
Incorporate more vehicle specific information like digital heading and turret bearing indicator. Make the GPS part of the UI and most importantly give it some kind of look, some kind of feel!
The game battlefield 3 did a good job in conveying a certain feel with their tank sights.

3.) Same for the sights of the portable guided missiles launchers. They look dated and the combination of semi-functional sight and overlayed, generic white arma UI for targeting (dull white diamond) is an immersion-breaker. Ace-mod in Arma 2 did a good job in making targeting with javalin missile more realistic and more immersive by using the actual seeker sight and audio feedback for seeking and lock confirmation without any dull white diamonds.

4.) Some general thoughts:
<b>Try to get rid of the white, generic arma ingame UI for everything that can be visualized through HUD or GUI systems specifically designed for each vehicle or item.</b>
Consider using the pip-capabilities of the rv-engine as a gameplay-element to realistically enhance target identification and locking with guided weaponry.
Use generic arma UI only for info, that could not easily be communicated through other means of feedback.
Use audio feedback in vehicles and guided missile launchers.

Thank you for reading. {F20580} {F20581} {F20582} {F20583} {F20584} {F20585} {F20586} {F20587} {F20588} {F20589} {F20590} {F20591} {F20592}

Details

Legacy ID
1115322589
Severity
Feature
Resolution
Open
Reproducibility
N/A
Category
Feature Request
Additional Information

man-portable guided anti-tank missile sights and locking:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hv6kyvicBGc&t=0m12s

Event Timeline

twistking edited Steps To Reproduce. (Show Details)Jul 1 2013, 4:54 AM
twistking edited Additional Information. (Show Details)
twistking set Category to Feature Request.
twistking set Reproducibility to N/A.
twistking set Severity to Feature.
twistking set Resolution to Open.
twistking set Legacy ID to 1115322589.May 7 2016, 3:12 PM
pops added a subscriber: pops.May 7 2016, 3:12 PM
pops added a comment.Jul 1 2013, 4:28 PM

Signed. Especially the bugged helicopter HUD and the absence of some simple directional infos as a driver or gunner bother me.

LOWCZ added a subscriber: LOWCZ.May 7 2016, 3:12 PM

Can we see some images of modern vehicle HUD?

Uploaded an Example picture of how the RCWS screen could (should) look.

It assumes working Lasers (No Tab-lock or right click button-press-to-win mechanics), complete ingame UI (no overlay at all.) which contains all information an actual RCWS would display.

Remaining Rounds in selected Weapon, State of Weapon (Charged or Empty in game terms), Selected Range, Laser ready/permanent/off display, Vehicle heading, Turret heading, Zoom factor, selected Vision mode, and a malfunction warning at the top (which would show up if the Vehicle gets damaged.)

I used this among others as reference: http://www.murdoconline.net/pics/strykerweaponsscreen.jpg

ok. thanks for uploading the picture. looks authentic!

additionally elements could be added besides the sight. working GPS, pip-elements and so on.
but on the other hand, these additional elements would make more sense for gunner and commander view.

*edit* instagoat, i reuploaded your picture, so that it is displayed immediately. hope that is ok for you!

AD2001 added a subscriber: AD2001.May 7 2016, 3:12 PM
AD2001 added a comment.Jul 5 2013, 4:37 PM

How do you make it displayed immediately?
/upvoted

i don't really know. i assume, because it is "my" ticket and that's why it is shown instantly. perhaps it has also something to do with size. i re-sized instagoats picture, because at first i thought it was size-related.

I have a feeling the lack of 3D interior on the current APC's are just temporary or they better be.

unfortunately NO, the devs said, that there WON'T BE be modeled interiors for APCs and tanks.

that is sad news, but to be fair, tank crews would look through their sights most of the time, so i guess lack of modeled interiors wouldn't be too bad, if the tank sights or the mfd-views (or whatever you call them) would have a better look to them. not only aesthetically, but also concerning gameplay - incorpertaing more information: bearing indicator, gps, pip etc. ...
thats what the ticket is about!

perhaps someone could make a ticket begging for modeled interiors;)
i would vote on it!

but as i mentioned above, tank crews would look through their sights most of the time, so having at least very cool sights with lots of infos, pip etc. and a nice, authentic UI-design would be o.k. for me.

here is a ticket about modeled interiors for tanks/APCs.
http://feedback.arma3.com/view.php?id=9875

Wait, they are not planning on making the interiors? My hopes for this game are getting lower and lower.

no, not planned atm. was stated by project lead at this year's e3.

still, we might be able to change the devs minds.
here is the ticket for modeled interiors:
http://feedback.arma3.com/view.php?id=9875

Bohemia added a subscriber: Bohemia.May 7 2016, 3:12 PM

You should see the Abrams tank real optic, it has no heading marker, only a laser range and the reticle.

the abrams sight is quite "clean" indeed. i would guess, that most optical sights of last generation MBTs are not very cluttered with info.
that is a problem with realism vs. authenticity. in reality the gunner of an abrams tank, has more than just his sight to look through.
problem is, how to give the player the feeling, that he is in a tank, when he only gets this peephole-experience.
best way would be to have the detailed interiors of course...

Totally agree, each vehicle should feel like an advanced piece of military hardware. I'm surprised this wasn't already done, seeing as the game takes place 17 years in the future.

That picture with the tanker surrounded by green glow. Immersion. So much immersion!

Rolling added a subscriber: Rolling.May 7 2016, 3:12 PM

Please yes, don't make us have to resort to ACE mod for immersion again :(

Firstly the APC's in beta should have the square graphics that is used in the Hunter,strider and Ifrit gunner positions as they all use square LCD screens to aim with.The round scope views can be saved for Gunner positions in tanks IMO.

Next,the FOV of the APC's and the commander position in the Strider are too zoomed in to be functional.You want players to hop in and be able to command a vehicle in a battlefield which includes towns and various tight places.Right now with current FOV in APC's and the Strider's commander position u are staring at walls and wondering constantly where the vehicle is in regards to the battelfield and hence having to resort to playing in 3rd person.People in real life actually command with just an LCD screen as it is a 1:1 zoom as the naked eye.

Also,the FOV in the gunner positions of the Hunter/Iffirt/strider is the same as when you are infantry and zoomed in.In Arma2 I feel it was done better in that the default FOV in commander positions was in between the normal FOV and the zoomed in FOV that infantry have.Its just a "slightly" more view area that makes control of battlefield a bit more accessible.Plus as mouse movement is controlled by zoom a little less zoom means slightly less sluggishness in mouse feel for playing inside armored vehicles.

Finally....please BI make a realistic icon for gunner positions where the turret always points upward and the tank rotates instead of the way its currently done where the vehicle is always pointed upwards.The reason is that its easy to understand the icon when up is always where you are looking.The pic above of battlefield game shows a realistic view of what a gunners orientation icon actually looks like.;)

10 posts went before you. They got left in the dust. BUt you made a entire post containing all material needed. Upvoted!

+1, I'd like to see interiors for these vehicles though, much like the other vehicles such as the Hunter, Ifrit, etc.

Fri13 added a subscriber: Fri13.May 7 2016, 3:12 PM
Fri13 added a comment.Jul 16 2013, 6:10 PM

Does this ticket include the coloring of interiors as well? As green in Mi-48 has been obsolete color on Russian helicopters since KA-50 and modernized versions as the green isn't dim when using NV goggles and since then they have used black/dark grey colored interiors (Mi-28 being older developed and still some of them use "russian green/blue").

http://pilot.strizhi.info/photos/d/22245-1/IMG_2484_sm.jpg
http://army.lv/large-photos/ka-50.14691.jpg
http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/0/5/6/2104650.jpg (older variant)

Those nice 3D cockpits suffer when HUD's use other than vehicle native targeting systems and markings, yes it requires more work and research but immersion wears off fast when suddenly you have game own UI markings everhwhere.

Completely agree, Fri.

CXN2615 added a subscriber: CXN2615.May 7 2016, 3:12 PM

OFP1's tank has it's interior 3D Cookpit,althought it's useless for gunner,but very impressive.3D cookpit for APC\Tank Drivers is fantastic,and much better than just a rectangle Window now in ArmA
Upload some pics to recall BIS how it should be done

yes, the good old ofp times:)

unfortunately modeled interiors are definitely not planned atm. was stated by project lead at this year's e3.

still, we might be able to change the devs minds.
here is a ticket for modeled interiors btw:
http://feedback.arma3.com/view.php?id=9875

when you watch videos about arma 3, it's funny (or tragic) that all the youtubers take it for granted, that the current implementation is only a placeholder for proper interiors or proper GUI to come at a later stage.

Right on all fronts my friend. ;)

I haven't heard that they would all be placeholders, and it seems that they aren't considering how they haven't announced it yet and don't seem on planning to include these features. It'd be really nice if they were, though.

WolveNZ added a subscriber: WolveNZ.May 7 2016, 3:12 PM

This would be great, Just adding in my 2c but the Interiors in a couple of the RusFed Vehicles in ArmAII is what convinced me to buy the game!

This would be very welcomed.

Byku added a subscriber: Byku.May 7 2016, 3:12 PM
Byku added a comment.Jul 24 2013, 9:51 PM

Definitely a good idea.

olias11 added a subscriber: olias11.May 7 2016, 3:12 PM

nice feedback +1

For god's sake, I damn hate the Arma generic white hud OVER the proper HUD of the A-143 buzzard, the independent's jet.
+1

Recently some vehicles got new HUDs and Gunnery overlays. Some of them, like the AMV, were then reverted back to the old reticle.

Can we please have the new ones for the AMV back, and new step-zoom optics for the RCWS (possibly faction specific?) too?

The devs said it was a part of a bigger project which includes refurbishing vehicle optics or something along those lines.

gutsnav added a subscriber: gutsnav.May 7 2016, 3:12 PM

The HUD in Battlefield 3 is probably the most realistic interface I've seen. Battlefield is pretty unrealistic, but all HUDs and weapons are accurately represented.