The Radar, an odd implementation choice

[Scoob]

Hey all,

So, I've been wondering about this... Why is the Radar so...well, useless! At first glance it looks like your standard "Elite" (and lots of other games) Radar with dots and lines. However, rather than usefully using lines to show whether, and how far, a target is above or below the player from their perspective, it chooses to show it relative to the elliptic plane. Pointless. On top of this we have the little above/below arrow to counter this, but they're really unclear in combat. The old above/below lines relative to the players perspective works so well.

I'm amazed this implementation of the Radar has survived from Rebirth, as it's really not very good at all and makes it far far trickier to tell exactly where an opponent is. I generally totally ignore it, preferring to target something then use the edge of screen markers to see where it is. I've tried to use it, but even when trying to figure out where stationary objects are, such as dropped containers, it's hit or miss whether it'll be able to guide to to them. many a time I've seen the object showing as directly in front of me, not above, not below - no arrows - yet it simply isn't there.

I guess I just continue to be baffled by the design choice with the Radar, making things relative to the elliptic rather than the player...the elliptic really doesn't care where targets are. I wonder why there's this obsession with the elliptic plane, from the Radar being tied to it and even an auto-levelling feature using it. Seems odd for a fully 3d space game.

What do people think? I personally really wish there was an alternate option to the elliptic-bound radar we have now.

Scoob.

[MrMikey]

The radar isn't really good for quick dog fighting nor would it be irl if planes could turn like they can in space-games slamming what.... 2000G? =P I find the radar to be very useful when not dog fighting and also to get some area awareness while dog fighting. The quick action simply makes the screen-side marker that much better while dog fighting - I don't think its the radars fault in itself...

[Jamuk]

THIS. I created this account just to respond to this topic.

3D Radar displays have been around for a long time, it's not some mysterious new thing that needs to be figured out again. It does one job, tell you where stuff is relative to yourself in space. The current implementation fails that test majorly.

You're basically FORCED to target stuff to get any idea of where stuff is relative to yourself, because you can't rely on the radar to tell you when something is in front of your ship.

Locking the plane to your ship would fix it, and it wouldn't be hard to add in compass points either. Just make them non-targetable icons that stay at the right relative position on the radar, so you can tell what orientation they are from you.

[Ranix]

I wish it would at least tell me which direction is up. Currently it only tells you which direction is either up or down as far as I can tell, with no way to know you are upside down.

(b4 some dumbass says there's no up in space, up is 90 degrees to the ecliptic plane when the majority of bodies are orbiting clockwise)