Rock Paper Shotgun Tank Interview discussion

[hockeywarrior]

OK, I know there is a thread about this in the announcement section, but given the vast amount of information in this interview about tanking, I think it would be good to have a separate discussion thread here.

This is the link to the interview:
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2010/09/02/red-orchestra-heroes-of-stalingrad-vehicles/

All of it sounds amazing, but I am still a bit confused about how the AI in the tank will work. How effective will these AI be?

My only real concern is regarding the mouse aiming for tank cannons. It really isn't realistic to have mouse-based aiming for the main guns for tanks -- I really think using the keyboard is a much more authentic and skillful way to implement this.

Can you at least make it a relaxed realism vs a hardcore option? The problem is using the mouse gives you way too much ease at pulling off pixel-perfect shots quickly. I love in RO:OS how you really feel like you're turning wheels or something to get the shot lined up.

Discuss.

 

[NoxNoctum]

Ya I agree with you about the mouse thing. It'd be too easy. Maybe if this was a simulation of a M1 Abrams that'd be ok but these are tanks in the 40s.

 

[SheepDip]

I imagine the mouse aiming will work with a delay like in ArmA/Ofp. I did prefer the system in RO, as it reflected well the actual tank controls - be it handles or motorised the controls would have been <-x-> and <-y-> (I realise that is still horizontal, but you get the idea). But as usual I'll wait to see the implementation before judging it.

 

[gyps]

perhaps you can do either mouse or keyboard - just a thought ?

 

[Extension7]

perhaps you can do either mouse or keyboard - just a thought ?

There would have to be advantages for keyboard users, like the manual bolting advantage

 

[Fedorov]

I liked mouse aiming for tanks in UT2k4-RO, and I'm glad its back.

:IS2:

 

[Darkseed]

Mouse based aiming is IMO a step backwards. The way it's implemented in RO now makes it feel less gamey and more authentic. They had a reason for changing it from mouse based in the first place. Why change back now?

 

[Zetsumei]

I don't have an issue with mouse based aiming myself. As the gun can never travel faster than its traverse speed anyway. If aiming with a mouse is easier then just allow it for those that like it.

 

[BlackLabel]

In kharkov 42 they use mouseaim too. Its abit tricky at first because they turret movement is delayed a bit and speeds up same with when you stop to aim..not by a big margin but it feels like the machines really have to move some weight. I hope they implent it in a smiliar fashion.

As for the damage model it sounds awesome. Through fieldrepairs might be tricky to pull off.

 

[Cordite]

the detail that TWI is putting into the tanks makes me happy, finally we can do damage to certain areas and not just keep firing until the whole thing blows up

also, first person animations for switching positions is awesome

 

[<AKA>Irish]

Prefer the controls the same as RO:OST. Mouse aiming reminds us of "those other games".

 

[BlackLabel]

yeah i was thinking the same when playing kharkov 42..at first..but you get used to it and if implented right it really feels natural after some time. Options to switch back to the original controll sheme might make more people happy tho.

 

[Kipper]

Ah, sounds like they've put a lot of work into the tanks. The AI crews are a welcome addition.

 

[fiftyone]

Well I don't know nufink but it seems to me that if we aim with the mouse (turn the turret, regulate the firing distance, change shell, blah blah blah), this leaves the arrow keys (in my case) free for other commands or functions ?

Yes, No ?

 

[Stormer]

hopefully the tank ai is nothing to fancy, wouldnt like to see ai gunners hitting moving tanks 2kms away or mg gunners hitting people a player wouldnt see through fog, smoke etc...

 

[[TW]Ramm-Jaeger]

We're considering retaining an option to aim with the arrow keys still, but the movement keys are used to give movement commands to the driver. Also, the mouse controls don't work anything like "those other games" of you mean COD or BF. It is more like recent tank sims Kharkov or t34 vs tiger. But the big thing is it's more intuitive for players that never played RO Ostfront, which we all want to grow the playerbase. And it doesn't instantly rotate or anything, they still rotate at realistic speeds.

 

[Ender]

I guess my question would be with a 64 man server each team could have:
27 infantry 5 tank
17 infantry 5 tanks(with crews of 3)
17 infantry 15 tanks(solo with ai)

?

 

[Mormegil]

We're considering retaining an option to aim with the arrow keys still, but the movement keys are used to give movement commands to the driver. Also, the mouse controls don't work anything like "those other games" of you mean COD or BF. It is more like recent tank sims Kharkov or t34 vs tiger. But the big thing is it's more intuitive for players that never played RO Ostfront, which we all want to grow the playerbase. And it doesn't instantly rotate or anything, they still rotate at realistic speeds.

It would be a pretty cool touch to have it based on engine RPM, so if the engine is taken out, you have to manually (and slowly) traverse.


Edit: This makes sense for the gunner to give tank commands for the T-34, since there was only one guy as gunner/commander. What about the Panzer IV? I assume you can do the same as ROOST, and have a merged position, but it would be nice to have a dedicated commander when applicable.

 

[LemoN]

We're considering retaining an option to aim with the arrow keys still, but the movement keys are used to give movement commands to the driver. Also, the mouse controls don't work anything like "those other games" of you mean COD or BF. It is more like recent tank sims Kharkov or t34 vs tiger. But the big thing is it's more intuitive for players that never played RO Ostfront, which we all want to grow the playerbase. And it doesn't instantly rotate or anything, they still rotate at realistic speeds.

What I'd like to see is different sensitivities for the Y and Z axis.
Your turret should turn faster in most cases than the gun should change elevation.

 

[=TaT=Rabid]

Tankers now always spawn inside their tank, and respawn with their tank

Will tankers still be able to exit their tanks? If so I can see a potential problem.

Hypothetical situation: A lone human tanker with an AI crew bails before his tank is destroyed. Then, because players and tanks respawn as one, since the player is still alive, the tank doesn't respawn until the player is killed.