Legally Blind CoD Pilots

EZ1 · #1 10-19-2011, 02:18 PM

I have finally taken the next step with CoD by getting into some on-line action since the final patch came out. I have played IL-2 Classic almost exclusively on-line for over 4 years. Unfortunately, the few populated servers up for CoD are “full-real”. “Full-real” is a bit of s stretch because real pilots would be required to have perfect or nearly perfect vision. CoD pilots would be considered legally blind in the real world. For example, I took off near the Dover coast line to defend against bombers yesterday. I turned inland to get some altitude then headed back for the channel. As I approached, I started seeing a great number of flak explosions. Assuming they were shooting at an enemy plane I headed toward the flak. When I got there I could see no other planes. I circled and searched for several minutes but still nothing. Finally, I saw more flak east of my position then a dot appeared. It was coming toward me, which I determined based on the exploding flak shells and NOT the look of the dot. Finally, it kind of took the form of an airplane. Even when it was within a few hundred meters I still could only tell is was a fighter, but I couldn’t determine what type. I only determined it was an enemy because it was being shot at. I turned to chase it down. I didn’t really expect to catch up but hoped he would turn to engage me. As he pulled away, poof, he just vanished. A few seconds later he reappeared as a dot again. We made a few more passed at each other and I believe he was having as much trouble figuring out who I was as I was having with him. There wasn’t much “real” or fun about that sequence to me. On a bright clear day I should have been able to ID that plane from several miles away. If not for the flak, I would have missed him completely. I have the same issue with “full-real” IL-2 classic servers, but it is far worse with CoD.
I know icons are now realistic to many, but they do compensate for the lack of reality in the graphic images produced by the game. It’s a bit like giving the pilot eye glasses.
P.S. If you are able to see other airplanes better that what I just described I would really like to see your settings, especially your screen resolution. My screen resolution is 1920x1200 which should show a lot of detail even without anti-aliasing.
I will probably continue to provide a target to you other on-line plays so just remember I am legally blind

Trooper117 · #2 10-19-2011, 02:37 PM

Join the club!

EZ1 · #3 10-19-2011, 02:51 PM

I guess I did joint the club.

If they could just put the CoD cockpits (with CoD's the greatly improved look-around) into IL-2 Classic (with nice clear graphics)...Was that a sin?

ATAG_Snapper · #4 10-19-2011, 02:57 PM

"I consider myself a Man of Vision", while the rest of the world wears bifocals!" -- Paul Newman as Butch in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid".

Unlike ol' Butch I wear bifocals and have a devil of a time spotting aircraft. I'm easy meat if I'm flying alone online. If there's heavy enemy action at Hawkinge the only way I can survive is flying tree-high tight figure 8's following the hilly contours -- hoping to spot a strafing 109 before he spots me! It works about 1 time in 10........

MadBlaster · #5 10-19-2011, 03:35 PM

It's disappointing, to say the least, to read this. Year after year after year of players posting dot complaint threads on various forums. Is it just unsolvable? All this new hardware and software, 6 years and $8 million investment and they somehow have made it worse than before?

This is the second post I read this morning of someone requesting icons to see the bogie. Just too sad.

@OP. You might experiment with lowering the resolution to make the dot fatter.

drewpee · #6 10-19-2011, 04:12 PM

Spotting then keeping track of AC is my biggest problem with all of the IL2 series for me. I'm sure my hard wear takes a big hit with all the panning when I'm frantically trying to re-find a enemy at close rang. It's even worse with COD with all the background clutter. I get jumped all the time because I have to concentrate so hard to keep track. Look over my shoulder and I'm guaranteed to totally loose my target.

6S.Tamat · #7 10-19-2011, 04:24 PM

http://forum.1cpublishing.eu/showthread.php?t=27176
welcome in the club

louisv · #8 10-20-2011, 01:47 AM

My own real life experience is that it is very hard to see aircraft from another aircraft. Even if it would be many pixels. An aluminium colored aircraft reflects the surounding sky, unless you get the glimmer of the sun, you just don't see it.

Your eyes just dont cover a very big part of the sky from a cockpit. If you are on the ground, the aircraft you are looking at has a light background, and there is only half of a sphere to look at. In the air of course you need to look under also.

A dark helicopter flying over a forest seen from a higher plane is just a white or yellow seemingly empty ring (the blade tips, very important)...dark on top of dark. To me it is a lot easier to see an aircraft in any sim than in real life. We don't even have clouds to speak of in CoD or rain, haze.

I can see why it is so important in the game ( I haven't tried CoD online yet), it is just as in real life...

GOA_Potenz · #9 10-20-2011, 04:54 AM

now for me major problem is the lack of FSAA jaggies make forms quite confusing a the state of the game now, when the FSAA will be implemented in the sim we are going to have more clear scene

pupaxx · #10 10-20-2011, 05:55 AM

+1 just ended an online session. server time was at dawn, so extremely poor conditions about visibility, murky terrain and bright sky, very contrasted. I was at 1000 when I spot at 3 miles (extimated) a dot, I head on it, it's 2 inches above the horizon well visible. He, for sure, see me and the situation evolves in a direct head to head, he is higher than me and put the nose some degrees down towards me...I think friendorfoe? friendorfoe? friendorfoe? ...the distances decrease rapidly and suddenly he blends completely in the dark landscape; I lose sight of it for 4 seconds, I mantain my heading looking for it zooming in and out....the epilogue...my wings are shaken by his shots...FOE!... Managed to return to base.

Ciao....

I agree the visibility of E/A is a problem in CloD even for those who have a great eyesight...I think another cause may be the terrain that keeps to much detail even at medium altitude. The land texture scaling must be tuned. Devs implemented the terrain with a lot of detail but this LOD is mantained constant going up in altitude (at least until certain altitudes). Too many signs that blend together.