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[IDEA] replace local chat window with a local map
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Kronos Hopeslayer
Incredible.
Brave Collective
#1 - 2011-10-14 13:58:22 UTC
Local has degenerated into either a spam channel (Jita or if Test/Goons are in your system), or a way to detect if someone came into your system. Chat channels already exist in game, and the request to remove local chat for intel reasons has been hashed and re-hashed a 100 times over or more.

My proposal is to remove the local chat window as is, and introduce a 32au (64 au with a module) local map that would customizable by the user to show what they wanted. It would be a live map (or player chosen interval) that would show ships, planets, stations, book marks etc. Labeled as the player wants and have popups if moused over the icon and right click options like the full blown star/local map a la F10 key but much smaller.

Local chat would still remain, however it will behave in all systems like it does in wormholes. Players can also chose an option to remove local if they desire from the client.

Ingvar Angst
Nasty Pope Holding Corp
#2 - 2011-10-14 14:48:33 UTC  |  Edited by: Ingvar Angst
This intrigues me.

Cloaked ships should not show on this map.
The map should be able to act as a semi-transparant overlay, kind of a HUD, instead of having to pull it up and obscure your view of what's around you.
The range... it's too big imo. Tells too much. Reduce the range to the 14 or so AU of the current dscan... you should be able to be "off the map" due to range even if not cloaked. (This prevents wormholes from being given extra intel as well.)

Something about this feels like it could work, and possibly even replace dscan. If it were to replace dscan, it would need to be more "action required"... a similar "click to update" instead of constantly showing live action. Consider also the lag you'd cause in crowded systems if it were a live thing.

I... I don't hate this. Cool Maybe need to let it stew in the brain a bit more...


Edit: One cause for hesitation I just thought of... it gives free directionality to the showing ships... that type of intel currently needs to be earned, as does range for ships and items off the grid. Maybe it's a little too good... in a wormhole (for example) when you see that someone's there on dscan, you have to put in the effort to get a direction, range and ultimately a location. Having that free on this map... not exactly a warm and fuzzy.

Still not hating... but I think there should be a means to tone it down a little. I like the concept still.

More editing: Think for example if someone drops a secure container at a safe spot for whatever reason. You can't probe it out... if you want to find it you need to use dscan and bookmarks dropped while warping to eventually get yourself on grid with the container. This map may tell you exactly where it is and remove a very useful part of the game, i.e. having strategic containers around your system as needed for whatever reasons.

Six months in the hole... it changes a man.
Kronos Hopeslayer
Incredible.
Brave Collective
#3 - 2011-10-14 18:20:14 UTC
To be honest dscan needs a revamp. It's functional sure, but clunky all the same. It's time CCP modernizes the whole dscan and convert it to a semi-live map. It would give both defenders and attackers a new tool to provide excellent pvp opportunities or escape.

Perhaps to avoid giving away "free" intel make it so the default map isn't accurate and/or has a limited selection of objects it would display. If a ship needed advanced options it would need to fit a sensor booster (and a new script?). To be fair cloaked ships should get interference and the map would not be accurate (nothing stopping them from decloaking for a fresh look).

The possibilities are endless for CCP to include this feature.

Pros
* Removes local as an intel tool
* Moves local chat to a local chat channel
* Revamp of dscan functionality
* Promotes teamwork for proper intel gathering
* Modernizes the eve client (Nearly every MMO/FPS has a local map)

Cons
* May be too intensive for servers in high populated systems
* Too much intel for free?