Archwing Minimap Needs To Go-Complete Ui Rework.

[[DE]Grzegorz]

As we all know (assumptions, eh...) minimap in Archwing is borderline useless, sure, it shows you general direction of where enemy is but it's flawed by how it usually works (as in on foot).

 

First issue, range. While on foot we have a reference (tile overlay) there's no such thing in Archwing (just a darkened rectangle in the corner). This severely limits it's usefulness but there isn't really a way to solve this issue.

 

Background tile overlay makes it very easy to guess where enemies are (including elevation).

Darkened rectangle with red dots, sure, I can move to roughly face in their general direction but where exactly are they?

 

Second issue, elevation.

While in normal, enclosed tiles, there's rarely an issue with finding enemies, even when elevations differ (as honestly, we rarely have a room with more than 3 levels), it's not perfect but it's quite simple to guesstimate where enemies are.

Also, what we see works as a good reference point, as minimap works pretty much like table-top view which IS an issue with Archwing, especially because there is no reference point.

 

pardon my insane paint skills, but this should be sufficient to elaborate this issue

Currently, in the middle of our screen we have centralized HUD, which was an awesome idea but it needs more to it.

 

First, these bars.

Obviously, they move. Slight tilt when moving sideways, and fade when using boost. However, they can have one much more useful feature.

 

Elevation indicator. Finally a way to determine what the game tries to show you.

paint skills strike again

 

It would work somewhat like, e.g. medicgun beam from Team Fortress 2, although instead of sticking to a friend, it would stick to that arbitrary point defining verticality.

blue point is that arbitrary point where character is in vertical position, elevation parallel to bottom or whatever

 

Enemy indicator.

Current minimap isn't exactly the best thing at informing you where enemies are in 3D space, this design should solve it.

 

 

Yeah, pretty much.

Deadzone in the middle, where indicator showing where enemy is (related to current view direction, instead of player position) and current mechanic highlighting enemy in red triangle while in range.

 

That's pretty much everything I wanted to share with you :L

[TheErebus.]

Man I read this as "Archwing needs to go, complete U.I. rework" and I was gonna all-out...

 

But yeah, I agree with this. It'd help a lot than the current mini-map.

[manub]

problem is 3D options for a map are rather limited, elevation indicator would be useful but with multiple ennemies would quickly clutter the UI

on purely realistic side (which is not an issue in games I concede), rl plane pilots make do with radars pretty much as the UI is right now I think

[[DE]Grzegorz]

 

on purely realistic side (which is not an issue in games I concede), rl plane pilots make do with radars pretty much as the UI is right now I think

Still, they have the advantage of knowing where up and down is, while in case of Warframe, game assumes you know it while you don't.

Also, as for clutter. There is currently a mechanic that changes multiple icons close to each other into one, I don't see a reason why it wouldn't work in this case.

Edited January 9, 2015 by Mofixil

[EvilKam]

As we all know (assumptions, eh...) minimap in Archwing is borderline useless

 

You're only fixing half the problem.

 

All nav points are broken.  While running through level, they do not update on minimap as quickly as you move through the level.  Result:  You run past that hallway you were supposed to turn into, because the minimap marker was still stuck "ahead" of you and doesn't actually point to where you need to go.

 

In maps with tunnels, the nav points do not always denote the tunnel you need to follow, sometimes they skip a number of tunnels.  Switching from mini map to large map often will cause the nav marker to completely change locations.

 

Unacceptable.

 

The navigation/waypoint system has been overdue for an update since...  Well, I started in November of 2014, and they already were crappy then...

 

I'm guessing navigation/waypoints have been bad since "Founders Access".

 

SO OVERDUE.

 

Much rage.