Always showing minimap

[Per]

The minimap currently requires that you always have a HQ. Before it is built, and if it is destroyed, it is not shown, forcing you to find stuff on the map by manually scrolling around. I find this annoying. One tactic that I've seen used in MP is to repeatedly take down the opponents HQ with VTOLs just to annoy him. There are some kinds of annoyance that are certainly valid tactics in MP, like constant hit and run pressure, artillery bombardment that you struggle to stop, and so on, but I find that turning the user interface of the game against a player by making it more annoying to play is just wrong. Also, before you have built your HQ, it is cumbersome to look around and plan your strategy. This should not be cumbersome. So I propose that we remove the minimap's dependency on the HQ, and just always show it. The HQ is still necessary in order to design new droids.

Please vote if you would like this.

(Note that this may not apply to campaign. Scripts should be able to hide or show the minimap.)

[Berg]

It has always been annoying and logical to me !

[bendib]

It can be irritating, but it makes sense to me. It also gives the Command Center another reason to exist. If we allow the minimap all the time, build orders could change as well. This could have consequences.

[Shadow Wolf TJC]

I agree with bendib. If the minimap is made to be independent from the HQ, then what's the point of even building one, let alone keeping them alive?

Perhaps, instead, we could allow players to build multiple HQs so that they can always have one to fall back on in case one of them gets destroyed?

[cybersphinx]

I agree with bendib. If the minimap is made to be independent from the HQ, then what's the point of even building one, let alone keeping them alive?

The HQ is still necessary in order to design new droids.

[NoQ]

If we allow the minimap all the time, build orders could change as well.

I don't think so. I don't remember ever building a command center just for having a minimap. On low-oil you need tanks or towers soon enough, and on high-oil you delay the CC as much as you can anyway, since you're not looking for your oil and don't need very early tanks.

Still, i think this rule should be kept as is. Just designing units is not enough. I think players should be forced to always keep a command center. Destroying the enemy command center should disrupt enemy tactics (it would be nice to sacrifice a few kamikaze VTOLs against enemy CC just before an important battle).

[Goth Zagog-Thou]

Having it always show will also handle an issue with Cam 4. Currently I have to use a 'FakeHQ' to get the minimap.

[IgorBrehm]

I vote for keep the minimap as it is

[Terminator]

I don't mind about "Always show the minimap" if when player don't have HQ - minimap will not show anything, just use it as "camera navigator".

[vexed]

I don't mind about "Always show the minimap" if when player don't have HQ - minimap will not show anything, just use it as "camera navigator".

We need a clarification then.
Is it just showing the minimap with no objects in it, basically only show the terrain of where you are at, or does it have the exact same function as it does when you build the HQ ?

[Per]

I have not thought about the idea of having the minimap up but empty. Not sure if I understand the value of that idea. Certainly what I was proposing above is not that.

[Terminator]

well basically if to show minimap without HQ - its just empty (transparent blue) - no terrain, no enemies no your units no anything, may be your structures could be shown.

Why? implementing this new thing - so not to change anything much.

[NoQ]

Terminator's idea is not bad too. Showing only terrain removes the early annoyance of sending the trucks manually but still doesn't remove tactical annoyance in the mid-game.

[Shadow Wolf TJC]

Say, has anyone ever played a game called Emperor: Battle for Dune? In that game, the minimap is always present, and while you can still see your own units on the minimap (and possibly allied units as well), you aren't able to see your enemy's units on the minimap "unless" you build a structure known as an "Outpost". Perhaps that could serve as a compromise?

The HQ is still necessary in order to design new droids.

It's also necessary to research new defensive structures such as hardpoints and bunkers, and it doubles as a sensor tower. However, as the battle drags on later in the game, it'll start to lose more and more of its value IF the minimap is made independent of it.

One tactic that I've seen used in MP is to repeatedly take down the opponents HQ with VTOLs just to annoy him. There are some kinds of annoyance that are certainly valid tactics in MP, like constant hit and run pressure, artillery bombardment that you struggle to stop, and so on, but I find that turning the user interface of the game against a player by making it more annoying to play is just wrong.

That's YOUR opinion. Denying enemy intelligence has always been a valid tactic in warfare, whether in real-life or in a video game. However, I did propose that we allow players to increase the control limit of HQs so that they may build redundant HQs to fall back on in case one of them gets destroyed.

Personally, what I find more annoying than losing my radar is having to go through the same old process of designing the same old units once I've researched the necessary body, propulsion, and turret in every new multiplayer game, over and over and over and over and over and AUGH... Oftentimes, I wish that I could just save my unit designs on my PC, so that they can be automatically loaded up once I research the proper vehicle parts (and while there's an HQ present if need be). It's THAT tedious to me, and I don't even get the time to name my units either.

Having it always show will also handle an issue with Cam 4. Currently I have to use a 'FakeHQ' to get the minimap.

For campaign missions, we could add some sort of variable that's used to determine whether or not the minimap will be displayed independent from the presence of an HQ.

[Per]

Denying enemy intelligence has always been a valid tactic in warfare, whether in real-life or in a video game.

There is no denying intelligence involved. All the same information is accessible, whether the minimap is shown or not.