Playground size limit

[POC]

Hi,

 

I'm using the prokorovka map to support multiplayer ground operation gameplay .
But the map is huge!

 

Is there a way to limit the playground both in the briefing view and in where player can go?

Thanks!

[Stoopy]

You can effectively limit the size/area of the map that is shown in the briefing view by placement of Translator Icon MCU's on the map.  Once you have enough to define a general X/Y boundary, the map view will try to auto-scale somewhat to show just that area.  If you're like me, you probably add those icons last and so I've had to get in the habit of adding them early on in my mission development so I can fiddle and adjust them as I want. Sometimes the scaling of the map can seem touchy, in my experience at least.

 

I am not aware of a way to limit where users can actually go on a map however.  Other than making it less tempting for them to explore by deleting all the map and bridge details, etc., from  the areas outside the map area your mission focuses on.

[JimTM]

44 minutes ago, Stoopy said:

...

I am not aware of a way to limit where users can actually go on a map however.  Other than making it less tempting for them to explore by deleting all the map and bridge details, etc., from  the areas outside the map area your mission focuses on.

 

Perhaps you could set up an ndb vehicle object in the center of the playground and use a proximity trigger (set to further) to warn the player if they go outside a circular area centered on the ndb.

 

TL = Target Link

OL = Object Link

 

Subtitle Translator (Warn player)

     ^

      |

     TL           + ---- TL -----  2s timer <---- TL --- Mission Begin

      |              |

Proximity Translator ------- OL --------> Player

      |

      |

      + --------- OL --------> ndb

 

[POC]

Thanks for the replies, I'll try it

[Falcon41]

Stoopy,

     I've tried your suggestion regarding scaling the size of a map to an area defined by Translator Icon ICU's; however, after doing that the map displayed to the pilot is still the entire map area.  How many Translator ICU's must be used to have only the area in which the action is taking place to be displayed?

Falcon41

[Stoopy]

2 hours ago, Falcon41 said:

Stoopy,

     I've tried your suggestion regarding scaling the size of a map to an area defined by Translator Icon ICU's; however, after doing that the map displayed to the pilot is still the entire map area.  How many Translator ICU's must be used to have only the area in which the action is taking place to be displayed?

Falcon41

 

Are any icons showing up on the map at all to begin with?   I had this problem recently and realized I hadn't added a player plane (this was a single-player mission).  

 

In my experience, just placing one Translator Icon MCU on the map is enough to make the GUI zoom in - usually far too much.  But it has to be the kind of icon ID that shows a mission element - like Attack Enemy Bombers, Cover Observation Balloon, that kind of thing.  A translator icon ID of type "None", and some other types like "Action Point", have no effect even if the Line Type is set to any value and the icons are target linked to each other to make a box - the box may be there on the map but you have to zoom out to see it, the GUI won't auto-scale.  

 

When you add a second translator icon of the right type, the map begins to auto-scale to an extent, and then you can play around with placement to get close to the zoom level you like, although the zoom level increments are rather large.  

 

See attached - try this on a map larger than Lupino to get a better idea.  And no doubt others here may have better advice than mine.

 

GUIMapTest.zip

[Falcon41]

Stoops,

     Thanks, I’ll try this tonite and let you know.

Falcon41

Edited February 9, 2021 by Falcon41

[Falcon41]

Stoops,
     Thanks again.  I did what you suggested, i.e., placed one Translator Icon ICU (cover observation balloons) with the others I had placed forming a box around the combat area.   When the map mode was toggled in the cockpit it showed the area I had outlined with the Translator Icon ICU's and not the entire Kuban map as it did before.  I've seen nothing about this in the manual , so your suggestion has really helped.  By the way does the map size make a difference regarding the number of ICU's needed?  Thanks again.

Falcon41

Edited February 10, 2021 by Falcon41
Correction to comment

[Stoopy]

On 2/9/2021 at 9:15 PM, Falcon41 said:

Stoops,
     Thanks again.  I did what you suggested, i.e., placed one Translator Icon ICU (cover observation balloons) with the others I had placed forming a box around the combat area.   When the map mode was toggled in the cockpit it showed the area I had outlined with the Translator Icon ICU's and not the entire Kuban map as it did before.  I've seen nothing about this in the manual , so your suggestion has really helped.  By the way does the map size make a difference regarding the number of ICU's needed?  Thanks again.

Falcon41

 

You're very welcome.  i always keep in mind that "the manual" is really not official, but is user-created content by one selfless individual ( @JimTM !!!) that is complemented by others such as the mighty @Sketch and his videos, with no affiliation with the developers, and as a result it is always a work-in-progress in trying to document and reverse-engineer logic that we as a community are continuously discovering and figuring out for ourselves.  So, welcome to the expedition!

 

I'm not sure I follow your question about how many ICU's are needed... technically, none are needed, you just won't see anything on the map, but the amount you can have is totally up to you.  I have a mission right now that I plan on posting in the forum very soon that has quite a lot of Icons, and even more that are disabled by default but activate by specific triggers.  I don't think there's a technical limit of any consequence, but there is a practical limit of what you can stuff onto the screen (and keep track of without losing more of your sanity).  The biggest thing I run into is that the map icons get pretty big in diameter on a small map, so it can look kinda clownish if zoomed in very far (IMO).  Getting the right "look" by spreading them apart or moving them in is another undocumented exercise in trial-and-error.

 

Edited February 11, 2021 by Stoopy

[Falcon41]

Stoops,

     I guess I wasn’t very clear in my question.  What I meant was, does the size of the base map have any bearing on the number of ICU’s needed to reduce the map area when viewed in the cockpit.  Having worked on several missions now it appears that just placing an icon or two near the target area is enough to provide a good reference map for the pilot, i.e., a smaller area.  I’m using the Kuban map now; however, when using the Stalingrad map I needed more icons to show a smaller area on the map.  In any event, you helped me a lot as I’ve been struggling in figuring how to provide a reasonable sized map when the maps are toggled on.

Falcon41

[Stoopy]

OK got it.  Either way I'm very glad it worked out for you and that you're on your way.  Best of luck!