Next gen SoW needs next gen Icons!

[SEE]

There are no Icons in WOP (sim level) in SP or MP. In MP sessions, a/c are identified only by the Red or Blue team marking on the fuselage/wings but, the approx location of all a/c in the game is shown on the map. Niether can you view enemy a/c and ground targets during flight using the external camera, much better IMO.

[Matt255]

I've never been a IL2 online player.

But in Rise of Flight, almost every server uses no icons at all, which is a big plus for the flying and fighting experience imo.

When i fly in IL2, i don't use icons either. I know it's difficult to distinguish planes, especially for beginners (i flew IL2 for the first time since 2005 or so, a few weeks ago, so i consider myself a beginner), but they can get used to it. Especially with the BoB theatre, with german planes using yellow parts on their planes for ease of identification (i guess they had this problem aswell).

Of course i don't have anything against improved icons in BoB, but i would suggest other people to start using no-icons from the beginning and get used to it, instead of switching icons on. It feels a lot more realistic imo and i know it's about fun, but the more realistic a flightsim is, the more fun it is for me, especially in the long run.

[philip.ed]

I don't mind the small peripheral icons that appear at the side of the screen (although i only fly with them in BoB2) as they give one a sense of peripheral vision, but objects directly in front are still un-labeled

[Hunden]

Originally Posted by Matt255

I've never been a IL2 online player.

But in Rise of Flight, almost every server uses no icons at all, which is a big plus for the flying and fighting experience imo.

When i fly in IL2, i don't use icons either. I know it's difficult to distinguish planes, especially for beginners (i flew IL2 for the first time since 2005 or so, a few weeks ago, so i consider myself a beginner), but they can get used to it. Especially with the BoB theatre, with german planes using yellow parts on their planes for ease of identification (i guess they had this problem aswell).

Of course i don't have anything against improved icons in BoB, but i would suggest other people to start using no-icons from the beginning and get used to it, instead of switching icons on. It feels a lot more realistic imo and i know it's about fun, but the more realistic a flightsim is, the more fun it is for me, especially in the long run.

+1

[Borsch]

Originally Posted by SEE

There are no Icons in WOP (sim level) in SP or MP. In MP sessions, a/c are identified only by the Red or Blue team marking on the fuselage/wings but, the approx location of all a/c in the game is shown on the map. Niether can you view enemy a/c and ground targets during flight using the external camera, much better IMO.

WoP has custom settings where you could fly with full sim realism (WoP style but still have icons. Playing without icons is almost impossible in that game as planes blend with the ground much TOO well, most "iconless" online matches I took part in, had most people crawling along the floor and spotting blind wanderers in the sky... Also, I heard that many people do not like to fly online on Il2 Slovakia map- the rich(er) ground environment hides the planes too much as well. SoW ground environment is bound to be rich (and it should be of course), so this problem could also be exacerbated- hopefully not to WoP level...


Back on topic of IL2/SoW, I do have TrackIR and absolutely love it to bits (biggest revolution in flight sims since IL2 imho) but my eyes just cant take the punishment of prolonged IL2 sessions with icons off...

Another idea I have, is to have a button that activates icons while it is held (to help with quick initial identification- often the hardest bit, the tracking of acquired target is usually easier), and when this button is released, the view goes back to normal realistic.
But this still wont save us from skies being FILLED with numbers/text/boxes when a formation of planes is coming - killing the atmosphere

I think that the "exaggerated contrast" approach is good alternative to traditional icons. I know that even some people who record .TRKs of their duels with AI ace bots assign "void" white skins to AI planes.

Adding hue (red/blue etc) to contrasting/overly reflective surface of a distant plane is good idea too. But I dont like auto padlock idea- there bound to be problems with padlock's "stupidity" when prioritizing lock ons, plus I dont like my head "forced" to be turned. BoB's "off screen pointers" is a decently executed idea, but still wont solve the problem of looking exactly into the right area, but seeing nothing but distant trees and shrubs...