Author Topic: [Suggestion] fixed weapon firing mode  (Read 3068 times)

Offline bulletdesigner

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[Suggestion] fixed weapon firing mode
« on: February 03, 2024, 03:56:57 pm »
So this is going to be a complex one so i undestand if it gets rejects, but i think its a intressting idea.

What i "wish for" is basicly when i want to fire a weapon, i press second button mouse  over the weapon(yellow dot currently) and an borad apear (like medic board) that i chosse the fire mode for that weapon for the rest of the batlle or changed again after that, just the primary click on weapon will fire that set fire mod. Grenades will work the same way with secondary open a board on second click that says  prime and the turns, after that the primary click will have trow. Other itens will have have trow in primary click with this system. medic and scanner will trow on secundary click and active on primary click.
The board can change with diferent weapons.

Pros:
-no more click and chosing fire mod every time, game speed will improve
-improved imersion for the player
-no more UI from the MSDOS squares era. (the rest of the game is slickear, may be the only place where the squares apear in game)
-increase game speed with mouse (no need for keyboard hotkeys for quick fires)

Cons:
-maybe need to use reserved times unit since its an diferent sistem to see tu to snap left
-needs to be an option so people can play the old ways

i provide exemple where the click box will be, so the text can be any things or symbols like medkit

Offline shinr

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Re: [Suggestion] fixed weapon firing mod
« Reply #1 on: February 03, 2024, 07:06:03 pm »
I'm the figurative "Old Man Yelling at Cloud" regarding this, but my two cents:

A simpler version of your suggestion is for right-click to open up the existing left-click options of attacks/uses and set the firing mode there without the need for unique graphics.

A more modern solution is for several context-dependent icons/buttons that represent "Aimed/Snap/Auto and so on" to be present above their respective weapon boxes, similar to the stuff that appears at the upper-right corner when you have a gear/transformed soldier with a gimmick, to emulate NuXCom. EDIT: Or instead of many buttons for each action, a single button that changes fire mode/use.



« Last Edit: February 03, 2024, 07:12:53 pm by shinr »

Offline Juku121

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Re: [Suggestion] fixed weapon firing mod
« Reply #2 on: February 04, 2024, 01:53:53 am »
No need to reinvent the wheel, guys. The gold standard for unit-level tactical combat games is context-sensitive right-clicking. Mouse over the enemy, right-click cycles through all available fire modes or AP/TU expenditure.

Implementing that might take some more work than trying to shoehorn the qurrent UI into new and strange forms, but frankly, I don't see a massive advantage (or much of one, really) of either proposal over current item use hotkeys. Unless you need to hold something :P in your other hand the whole game, or happen to have lost one of your hands...

Offline Yankes

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Re: [Suggestion] fixed weapon firing mode
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2024, 02:51:58 pm »
Some brainstorming:

I think by current behavior and this new should exists side by side. like new screen and "fast action" is accessed by `shift-click`.
And for mods/users that like new behavior better, there would be user option that swap meaning of `click` and `shift-click`.

I do not think that more than fire modes should be accessible, we could config:
* change reaction shoot type.
* select "skills" that match given weapon
* buttons that call custom script that simulate weapons modes (like "attach bayonet" or "use suppressor")

Online Meridian

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Re: [Suggestion] fixed weapon firing mode
« Reply #4 on: February 05, 2024, 10:35:23 am »
So this is going to be a complex one so I understand if it gets rejected, but I think it's an interesting idea.

It's doable, even relatively easy, but it need to be well-defined and have a clear goal.

Pros:
-no more click and choosing fire mode every time, game speed will improve

That's arguable. In my opinion, a click takes almost no time. The most time is spent by moving the mouse to the hand icon and then back to the target unit. And this would still stay.

-improved immersion for the player

That's very subjective though. My immersion stems from action, not from UI.

-no more UI from the MSDOS squares era. (the rest of the game is slicker, may be the only place where the squares appear in game)

I love squares :)

-increase game speed with mouse (no need for keyboard hotkeys for quick fires)

I wouldn't say increase. The quickest way is still using keyboard, or a combination of keyboard and mouse.

However, if your primary motivation for this request is to NOT use keyboard at all, then it would be a (small) increase.

Cons:
-maybe need to use reserved time units since it's a different system... to see TUs for snap (on the?) left

Maybe some more details or a mockup?

Cons:
-needs to be an option so people can play the old ways

Of course. It would be an option, turned off by default.

---------------

To recap:
1. The speed increase argument is not very convincing.
2. The argument for removing squares and something about immersion is what I as a player absolutely don't care about. But I understand that other players might have exactly opposite opinion.
3. The argument for not using keyboard sounds the most reasonable to me (even though I wouldn't use it myself, since using keyboard is quicker).

And the most important question: What is the primary motivation for your request? (so that we talk about that and don't get sidetracked)

Online Meridian

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Re: [Suggestion] fixed weapon firing mod
« Reply #5 on: February 05, 2024, 10:47:24 am »
I'm the figurative "Old Man Yelling at Cloud" regarding this, but my two cents:

A simpler version of your suggestion is for right-click to open up the existing left-click options of attacks/uses and set the firing mode there without the need for unique graphics.

A more modern solution is for several context-dependent icons/buttons that represent "Aimed/Snap/Auto and so on" to be present above their respective weapon boxes, similar to the stuff that appears at the upper-right corner when you have a gear/transformed soldier with a gimmick, to emulate NuXCom. EDIT: Or instead of many buttons for each action, a single button that changes fire mode/use.

Yes, I like both of these more than the proposed "weapon board".
To be honest, a "weapon board" would be my last option if I could choose from various options. It just looks and feels "unnecessary".

No need to reinvent the wheel, guys. The gold standard for unit-level tactical combat games is context-sensitive right-clicking. Mouse over the enemy, right-click cycles through all available fire modes or AP/TU expenditure.

Right-click is however used for unit turning.
I use this all the time and I can't imagine not having this feature anymore.

I think by current behavior and this new should exists side by side. like new screen and "fast action" is accessed by `shift-click`.
And for mods/users that like new behavior better, there would be user option that swap meaning of `click` and `shift-click`.

Depends on the primary motivation of the request (to be clarified).
If he doesn't want to use keyboard, this would not work.
Otherwise it's a very viable alternative.

Offline Juku121

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Re: [Suggestion] fixed weapon firing mod
« Reply #6 on: February 05, 2024, 01:54:38 pm »
Right-click is however used for unit turning.
I use this all the time and I can't imagine not having this feature anymore.
True. But one does not preclude the other. This exact scheme of dual-use right-clicking was used in Xenonauts, for instance, and IMO worked quite nicely.

IDK how hard it would be to create context-sensitive mouse actions in the current engine, though.

Offline bulletdesigner

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Re: [Suggestion] fixed weapon firing mode
« Reply #7 on: February 05, 2024, 02:29:17 pm »
Depends on the primary motivation of the request (to be clarified).
If he doesn't want to use keyboard, this would not work.
Otherwise it's a very viable alternative.

I dont know all the hotkey´s, i know Q and E (but you need also the select the fire mod!) but i like to use the arrows to move map witch is all the other way in keyboard.. but the point is to apease new players, mobile players and like me lazy players. it´s a big plus in mobile not having to double tap fire mode. I see people are streaming in twitch and new players and casual just want to have fun, they dont know the hotkeys, also make the game faster for audience watching.

About the "weapon board", i dont get all the resistence since its just a reskin of the current system of the "msdos box" for an image (intead of openning the boxes opens an image with the same info), also as milsim player, its kind of the same system to make a gun switch firemodes IRL witch i love (dopamine kick when you do the firemods clicks in a round starts in a paintball)

Ps: i know this is also for my personal enjoyment of the game just giving the advocacy speech

Offline R1dO

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Re: [Suggestion] fixed weapon firing mode
« Reply #8 on: February 05, 2024, 08:39:08 pm »
Let me first say that that i have no strong objection against a weapon board.
After all, one can argue this creates another opportunity for a mod author to add a personal touch.

This post is just to point out an alternative if one wants to reduce the amount of necessary clicks for firing a weapon.
---

How about letting the game remember the last action type as chosen by the player (e.g. snap, auto, aimed, melee) in the current battle?
And use that one as the default for all subsequent fire clicks until a new one is chosen (which in turn becomes the new default).

And if some visual feedback is needed:
Perhaps use the same system as "this weapon is used for reaction" e.g. a dot overlay on top of the appropriate "reserved action" button? In this case kneel could represent melee.

Would that work @bulletdesigner?

Offline Juku121

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Re: [Suggestion] fixed weapon firing mode
« Reply #9 on: February 05, 2024, 09:51:33 pm »
How about letting the game remember the last action type as chosen by the player (e.g. snap, auto, aimed, melee) in the current battle?
And use that one as the default for all subsequent fire clicks until a new one is chosen (which in turn becomes the new default).
The main issue with this and some other proposals is that it really doesn't lessen mouse activity all that much: you still have to go and click something, and then mouse back to the enemy and click again. Things like that do have an advantage for one-handed people and more limited control schemes, so that's something, but not exactly what bulletdesigner is after, I gather?

Current hotkeys neatly sidestep this issue: E-3-click to auto-shoot the right-hand weapon without losing focus on the target and in a fraction of the time needed to go and click on fire modes and 'DOS boxes'.

Offline bulletdesigner

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Re: [Suggestion] fixed weapon firing mode
« Reply #10 on: February 10, 2024, 03:08:46 am »
Would that work @bulletdesigner?

I think this is the easist and friendly solution(see image), right to choose fire mode, and left to just fire, all set till end of match

Online Meridian

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Re: [Suggestion] fixed weapon firing mode
« Reply #11 on: February 10, 2024, 09:04:11 am »
So this is what should be displayed after right click?

Or should it be always visible?

Offline bulletdesigner

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Re: [Suggestion] fixed weapon firing mode
« Reply #12 on: February 11, 2024, 01:58:00 am »
So this is what should be displayed after right click?

Or should it be always visible?

After some more thinking, the "fire select menu should always be visible" for people playing mobile using the OXCE APP MENU, or else will be impossible to use the right click. And the result you get is the x-com apocalypse "fire select menu" with the problem of not showing the TU you invest in each shot and diferent guns, so i guess the solutions is to have the TU and fire mode displayed bellow the weapon.
(image with solution below)
Making the fire select menu for each weapon on right click will look kooler playing but i guess another acessibility menu for mobile needs to be created (image with solution below)

Offline Yankes

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Re: [Suggestion] fixed weapon firing mode
« Reply #13 on: February 11, 2024, 02:59:38 am »
That is this "space ship" on first button? :>

For more serious feedback, maybe icon should have one "bullet" and crosshair?
On other hand, mods can override attacks names (like two "auto shots" but with different shoot count), mods should be able to easy override
override each icon per weapon.

Offline bulletdesigner

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Re: [Suggestion] fixed weapon firing mode
« Reply #14 on: February 11, 2024, 08:45:19 pm »
That is this "space ship" on first button? :>


haaaa, no points for you! it´s an ironsight  ::)

yes  an crosshair it´s more reliably and it´s the xcomapoc  choice