Bay 12 Games Forum

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

Author Topic: Allow a 'flattened' view of the surface.  (Read 729 times)

DDR

  • Bay Watcher
    • View Profile
    • Frogatto
Allow a 'flattened' view of the surface.
« on: February 08, 2010, 02:43:52 am »

Dealing with an area outside, say, during a seige:
Flat land (or DF 2D): Area-select what you want. You can see it, it's there, no complications.
Mountainous land (or DF 3D): Area-select 1/10th of what you want. Repeat for other z-layers. You can only see part of what you want, and you have to fiddle with the controls to get dwarfs to go where you want.

Suggestion: Allow for an 'uncut' view. Instead of displaying the inside of the mountain, this displays only the upper-most tile. So, the mountain appears 'flat', we can view things easily, and we can see where all the invaders are.

This would also make it one HECK of a lot easier to reclaim a fortress, what with all that stuff scattered around the mountainside. ;)

Cautions: Although there is work being done on a multi-z-level selector, you still can't get a good view of what you are selecting. Nor is it easy to find those pesky flying enemies, either.

Details:
The land is displayed as flat, but the z-level indicator tells how high the current terrain is. Also, up slopes are still displayed, forming a sort of topographical map. Units are displayed as stacked. The inside of the fortress is simply not visible nor accessible. Preferably, this mode could be toggled with a key, say, '-'. Note: The view should not affect game mechanics.

Discuss?
« Last Edit: February 08, 2010, 02:49:40 am by DDR »
Logged
Il Palazzo: "Urist, quick, grab your ax! There's a troll rampaging through the decimal conversion chambers!"
melomel: DF is like OCD candy, isn't it? existent: No, DF is like the stranger in the trench coat offering the candy.

Footkerchief

  • Bay Watcher
  • The Juffo-Wup is strong in this place.
    • View Profile
Re: Allow a 'flattened' view of the surface.
« Reply #1 on: February 08, 2010, 06:26:12 am »

Multi-Z-level viewing is the goal of the Depth by Darkening suggestion.  It also has an Eternal Suggestion Voting entry, "Depth by darkening / misting / blurring."
« Last Edit: February 08, 2010, 05:37:45 pm by Footkerchief »
Logged

DDR

  • Bay Watcher
    • View Profile
    • Frogatto
Re: Allow a 'flattened' view of the surface.
« Reply #2 on: February 08, 2010, 05:26:52 pm »

An interesting variation.
Would work very nicely with this mechanic, and probably already does.
 :)
Logged
Il Palazzo: "Urist, quick, grab your ax! There's a troll rampaging through the decimal conversion chambers!"
melomel: DF is like OCD candy, isn't it? existent: No, DF is like the stranger in the trench coat offering the candy.

Nikov

  • Bay Watcher
  • Riverend's Flame-beater of Earth-Wounders
    • View Profile
Re: Allow a 'flattened' view of the surface.
« Reply #3 on: February 08, 2010, 05:59:21 pm »

I would like to see the 'minimap' toggle between layer and surface views, even with the Depth by Darkness or any other methods applied to the primary view.
Logged
I should probably have my head checked, because I find myself in complete agreement with Nikov.

Eric Blank

  • Bay Watcher
  • *Remain calm*
    • View Profile
Re: Allow a 'flattened' view of the surface.
« Reply #4 on: February 09, 2010, 06:49:44 pm »

This would be pretty useful, I'll go for it.
Logged
I make Spellcrafts!
I have no idea where anything is. I have no idea what anything does. This is not merely a madhouse designed by a madman, but a madhouse designed by many madmen, each with an intense hatred for the previous madman's unique flavour of madness.