Feature Request - Allow for non circular sensor ranges

Ideas and suggestions for how to improve the Warzone 2100 base game only. Ideas for mods go in Mapping/Modding instead. Read sticky posts first!
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MIH-XTC
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Feature Request - Allow for non circular sensor ranges

Post by MIH-XTC »

I don't know how the source code works for sensors so I haven't the slightest clue as to how difficult this would be to implement but I think it would be nice if the default sensor view of droids is only what is in front of them as if the player were looking out the windshield from the drivers viewpoint.

Assuming that a particular droid had no sensor upgrades, this would mean the tiles directly behind the droid would be black because the droid is not looking in that direction.

Then the sensor range upgrades would increase the circular field of view as they do now.

What do other people think?

In terms of runtime complexity, it would be the difference between calculating the area of a circle versus the area of an isosceles trapezoid. I don't know if one is costlier than the other. An even bigger challenge would be to somehow figure out the orientation of a droid (which direction it's facing). Current circular sensor ranges don't need to know the orientation of a droid.
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The Overlord
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Re: Feature Request - Allow for non circular sensor ranges

Post by The Overlord »

If "tiles directly behind the droid" refers to the opponent's droids, taking into account the fact that your droids' viewpoints are not high enough to see past the opponent's frontline tanks, I think this is a cool suggestion.

However, if you are talking about your own droids not being able to see behind themselves, I disagree because in 80 years, I think all droids will have enough cameras on them to see 360°
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Re: Feature Request - Allow for non circular sensor ranges

Post by MIH-XTC »

I mean to say that in T1 no bases starting from the beginning of the tech tree, the default sensor view for droids and structures should be an isosceles trapezoid of length 8-10 tiles in front of the droid/structure depending on where it’s facing. There would be no upgrades for this and it wouldn’t change throughout the game.

Then in addition to the above, we can use the current circular sensor upgrades just as they are now, I’d probably start off with only a 1-2 circular range in T1 no bases.

This means 8-10 sensor range for where the droid is facing but only 1-2 in circular proximity.

This would drastically impact the tactic of scouting and oil finding. Right now, players just send droids across the map and look at the mini map for any detections but realistically droids can see better where they’re facing and visibility shouldn’t be evenly distributed in a circle.

If an army was retreating their visibility would be reduced so this would make for some very interesting implications...

I don't have the knowledge of C++/source code to do it myself so that's why I'm leaving the idea here. I think this would be so cool for the game.
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Re: Feature Request - Allow for non circular sensor ranges

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MIH-XTC wrote: 09 Sep 2020, 21:52 If an army was retreating their visibility would be reduced so this would make for some very interesting implications...
If this happens, I will prepare my suggestion to allow the tanks to have a reverse gear so that they can move backwards while still seeing in the front. 8)

In all seriousness, this would make sensors overpowered, forcing people to build more sensors or continuously move their HQ around the fight, not the mention all the micromanagement that needs to go on to keep vision. It sounds more like a tax on power gains, since you have to spend the sensor money to be able to tell what is going on in a skirmish. Or I guess you'll need to make sensor units instead. I guess that's cool but I stand by my previous assertion that it's just a tax/unreasonable that technology in the year 2100 doesn't have 360° cameras.

At a reasonable skill level, everyone should know the locations of the oils at the start anyway (checking the map before selecting the ready square). I personally use the mechanic of selecting a truck, then the derrik to build, and search around the fog of war until I find the exact square that the oil is on. This might be something to change about oil searching, if you are looking for a higher skill ceiling (not being able to queue a truck to build an oil derrik that hasn't been seen yet).. but it seems a little weird because you should be able to know the locations at the start of the game.

I also feel like flamers are already overpowered in low oils still, and this would make them even more so.
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Re: Feature Request - Allow for non circular sensor ranges

Post by aliswe »

This is an awesome idea. But, perhaps technology nowadays is so advanced as to have symmetrical LoS (Line of Sight)?

For eg. a WWII game, I'd like the tank's LoS to correspond with its "windows" and turret directions etc.
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Re: Feature Request - Allow for non circular sensor ranges

Post by MIH-XTC »

The reason I mentioned isosceles trapezoid (a shape with symmetrical line of sight) is because I think it’s computationally cheaper to calculate than other shapes (like an irregular polygon) and won’t cause the game to lag. I’m under the impression that implementing this feature might cause the game to lag if the orientation of all turrets needs to be calculated/maintained at all times. It’s just my naïve attempt to implement an approach.

The main concept here is to have a different view for where the droid is facing in addition to the current circular ranges. If someone knows of an algorithm/method to implement other than calculating the area of an isosceles trapezoid then definitely go for it.
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Re: Feature Request - Allow for non circular sensor ranges

Post by aliswe »

A simple triangle would be easiest, but a trapezoid is 2 triangles, so no big difference there. And a polygon is (after triangulation) only a set of triangles.

That said, the current approach is simply the hypothenuse through pythagoras theorem (afaik), which is very very much lighter on performance.

Just my 2c.

So you're suggesting the LoS should be aligned with the body and not the turret(s) ?
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Re: Feature Request - Allow for non circular sensor ranges

Post by MIH-XTC »

aliswe wrote: 11 Sep 2020, 11:53 A simple triangle would be easiest, but a trapezoid is 2 triangles, so no big difference there. And a polygon is (after triangulation) only a set of triangles.

That said, the current approach is simply the hypothenuse through pythagoras theorem (afaik), which is very very much lighter on performance.

Just my 2c.

So you're suggesting the LoS should be aligned with the body and not the turret(s) ?
^^ Originally I envisioned aligned with the propulsion but then remembered the turrets move independent of propulsion. It should be aligned with the turret, not body.
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