Lexotican Fury
Chatelain Rapid Response
Gallente Federation
0
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Posted - 2012.12.25 03:31:00 -
[1] - Quote
Since its the same topic, but taken a different route, it should be valid to post in this thread, if not: sorry.
My idea for mercenary helmet HUD is based on what would one would likely actually see and what one would likely actually be provided if in a real situation; if those helmets our characters wear were real and we actually were looking out through them. Like a cockpit view, for the helmet; similar to Star Wars: Republic Commando, but with DUST514 helmets. For things not relevant: leave blank, but not to be used for useless, and unnecessary information.
Icon real-estate needs to be simple and ergonomic, prioritizing relevant L.O.S.(line of sight) field-data over Field Marshal level command field-data, for each individual soldier. Information overload for foot soldiers is a problem when on the front lines, in addition to being a major operational security risk, giving each soldier Field Marshal level command field-data access. In a real situation, something like the suit's self-destruct sequence, via the despawn-effect, would not be good enough for operational security, to protect high level information; because capture of a living soldier could and would be very likely.
Icon real-estate would be limited to internal helmet (scope )sides(right, left, top, bottom) for non-L.O.S. field-data, while using something like organic crystal display overlay to add information to L.O.S. field-data.
External device and weapon readout information would be limited to being on the device or weapon itself, like with electronic markers(paintball guns). It is a waste of icon real-estate, power supply, and with wireless hazards such as E.C.M.(electronic counter measure) interference, or connective wiring ergonomic maneuverability hazards, to put such icons into the helmet's HUD.
Internal helmet sides' icon real-estate would be prioritized to one's own suit's conditional statuses and very little, if any, squad and team information. Most icons would be pre-set in shape, limited to small meaningful designs, and color coding for meaningful statuses. The information present would also need to be somewhat encrypted as to their meaning, in specifics, during pre-descent to the field; such that squad-mate names would not be listed, but there would be icons, and out-of-field-data would clarify which icon meets up to which actual person.
In a real war, you'd already know your squad-mates and possibly team-mates, to the degree required of you in the field, before you get into battle, or be able to figure it out in the field without useless additional information pertaining to each squad-mate's specific names, cluttering up your HUD real-estate.
- Internal helmet sides' icon real-estate would be:
Structural Integrity shown via a segmented figure, with safety containment features per suit segment, to keep them as separate as possible, for overall survivability. Shown via color coding to indicate intact/damaged/inoperable. In addition, there would also be:
- External Environmental Conditions:
-- radiation(gamma), thermal(Kelvin), electric disturbances(EM), atmospheric pressure(atm), atmospheric composition(%-ratios).
- Internal Environmental Conditions:
-- radiation(gamma), thermal(Kelvin), electric disturbances(EM), atmospheric pressure(atm), atmospheric composition(%-ratios).
Both with color coding to indicate severity of your situation.
And there may also include a medical analysis readout showing one's heart beat, to help soldiers maintain their cool in the heat of battle, and work towards assisting with anti-shock procedures; knowing when to best self-inject medical stims, or some such.
- And then for squad and team information, operational security becomes an issue, so network connectivity would likely be restricted to limited W.A.N.(wide area network) fields, cutting off field-support-data when out of range of primary, current, operational zones. When in connection to the primary operation zones, there would be:
Symbolic icons representing each squad-mate, first is unique in design, with another indicating their pre-descent field-role among the squad, of a self-proclaimed focus(not necessarily true), with an add-on indicator to represent leadership, with color coding to indicate overall conditional status of each, and an add-on icon indicating active voice communication.
1!(A)(B)(C)(D)#
2!(A)(B)(C)(D)#
3!(A)(B)(C)(D)#
4!(A)(B)(C)(D)#
where 1,2,3,4=unique-icon, !=leadership, A=type1, B=type2, C=type3, D=type4, #=active-voice
Since max squad is 5, and such icons are the available options: only those that are relevant are lite up, and to the relevant color.
And possibly some very limited external squad, internal team, general icons with overall average networked members' conditional statuses, summarizing the other squads entirely to single icons.
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Lexotican Fury
Chatelain Rapid Response
Gallente Federation
0
|
Posted - 2012.12.25 03:31:00 -
[2] - Quote
...
Then in the L.O.S. field-data overlay it shows squad-mate statuses, and team-mates statuses specifically, but only when networked to you, but for operational security concerns: external squads are not networked to you unless through primary operational zones, as intermediaries.
Auto-targeting of non-friendly operational suits, vehicles, structures, and target-painting information would make sense to be displayed on the organic crystal display faceplate overlay, via direct L.O.S. of self and and or fellow teammates, but it would not make sense to indicate who is fighting what, specifically, the general conditional statuses of enemies, nor where devastated-"inoperable" allies are, unless within direct L.O.S..
Of course, a problem with this, which is a double edged sword issue, is that: external squads outside of primary operation zones would be auto-targeted the same as enemies. If it links up, via network, then it means that a single captured soldiers' suit's algorithms could be run through the enemies' network to track down all allies, which would make covert rescue operations impossible.
Information is a resource, and a form of power; too much of it without proper security protocols will bring about one's own downfall.
Opening up the map view is relatively similar to taking out a data-pad with larger field-data, or out-of-field-data on it. |