CELESTA AUNGM
Kang Lo Directorate
Gallente Federation
72
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Posted - 2013.12.19 22:33:00 -
[1] - Quote
Please regard this as a sequel (sequel?) to my earlier Feedback thread regarding the progress of vehicle improvement in Patch 1.4, which included my hope at offering "4 Democratic Criteria about Camera Visibility in the Dropship Vehicle" (the 4 points that I hoped players could find the least to argue about, and CCP would find as near to a helpful, gentle "consensus" that could ever be hoped for from a DS-drivers community)
When Uprising Patch 1.4 came out, I viewed it as "some of the best improvements to HAV and especially LAV camera positioning we've seen so far." Patches 1.5 & 1.6 seemed to raise some eyebrows (and lowered some--pilots are doomed to have Mixed-and-Counter opinions).
But Uprising Patch 1.7 has showcased layers of thoughtfulness in graphics and control that I'm surprised players have not yet openly kudo'ed, or at least acknowledged, your staff for achieving:
--I have driven the LAVs in 1.7 (Gallente and Caldari) and found the new, subtle changes in sound-output, the grind sound of the motors mated to the moments the LAV begins to stall on too-steep inclines, both give a TREMENDOUS visceral excitement to driving a LAV, as well as a progressive awareness of the RACIAL performance differences.
If the synchronizing of the "sound" with the "perceived speed" of the vehicle were to be mismatched even the slightest, it would have created a frustrating horror for LAV driving---but CCP did a fine job with the new refinements in patch 1.7.
--Independent of the subject of controls, the Dropship has always contained lot of busy visual graphic parts (headlight beams, down-pointed floodlight, frontboard thrust nozzles, rear-twin thrust nozzles, Gosh-almighty!). They are mostly unimportant to gameplay, but almost every new patch revealed that these separate parts were being independently re-worked and retried (unoccupied DS with headlights on, unoccupied DS with lights off, thrusters on when parked, what burns brighter with more controller input, etc).
But we've never seen how the Dropship looks with ALL these parts synchronized and responding to player interaction...
Patch 1.7 orchestrates the whole collection of the parts.
* When my RDV delivery arrives, an empty and silent Grimsnes is put in front of me, all thrusters are "glowing coldly", headlights are OFF. Only its 3 or 4 safety marker lights are blinking.
** As I board the vehicle, headlights come on, six thrusters throw out shafts of propulsion, and kick up constant dust.
*** When I press R1 to lift off, chosen thrusters throw out MORE light; maximum R1 induces maximum energy tail.
**** When I rotate or list the vehicle, SOME thrusters "animate" differently to others, as if my every controller action is now important, and cued to a separate animation.
The result is a vehicle that's (hey!) almost imitating the awareness of a living object: detecting an occupant, acknowledging variation of commands, and showing off. After the excruciating pains to learn its controls, most drivers have always FELT like showing off... but have never had their obedient vehicle LOOK like it's showing off for them until now. 1.7 is a synchronized lightshow for the DS. And (when you're not getting shot at) it's actually dazzling.
...As for those 4 democratic criteria for the DS camera? They w
1 - The DEFAULT camera position (the most crucial position because it runs automatically when all your other fingers are being used to keep the DS completely controlled) must provide generous visibile open area between the outline of the dropship and the edges of the tv monitor. Think of an Audi parked in the center of a 2-1/2 car garage (which is roughly the way patch 1.3 placed the camera).
2- The focal point (pivot-point or target-point) of the default camera must be the middle of the DS (halfway between the chin and the backside). This ensures that SOME open area stays visible all around the vehicle when pitching up, turning, dipping, landing etc..
3- PASSENGERS in the vehicle (I don't mean pilot or gunners) MUST retain "LOOK-button" feature (the ability to pan your 'head' across the outside scenery and even around the cabin inside the dropship). If the riders lose their ability to pan over what's happening around them when aboard the DS, they will lose their willingness to use the dropship as an effective means of transport in the game.
4- In any manual-control camera view you may decide to add, the view MUST retain some sort of DOWNWARD-FRONT angle as its primary importance. Second only to the downward-front view, a DOWNWARD-AFT (or DOWNWARD-threat) can also be attempted, (and any luxury of "side", "top" or even cockpit should be considered lesser importance).
 Points 1, 2, and 4 were tackled by your staff in patches 5 & 6. Patch 1.7 wraps up Point 3  ...
In my opinion, CCP should get a New Eden medal from President Rodan.
A Dropship is not supposed to be the star of the show in Dust. A Grimsnes is just a bus with a big behind and a loud pilo-- umm, ...engine. But all the correction-tries and re-working you've done to finally get the vehicle this much elegance has GOT to merit a thank you. You have mine.
And if many other players haven't posted their thank-you's yet, they will. SOON. |