managing contacts

[Phoenix100]

I've had CMANO since day 1 but, for some reason, haven't really got into it, but now have NI and am really enjoying. Great work, I think.

I have one undoubtedly stupid question: I have masses of contacts and it gets hard to find them and take action because you can't click on the contact report in the message log and get directed to the contact on the map. Does anyone know the best way to manage contacts - to find them, even. You can't click on the messages in the log and get them highlighted on the map, so what can you do to find them on the map quickly (aside from looking all over)?? Anyone help?

Thanks.

Peter

[Dimitris]

That's actually an excellent question, far from a stupid one.

[Phoenix100]

Lol. Thanks Sunburn. But no answer? I thought that the ability to click in a list of contact reports (and, indeed, the entities making the reports) and get the position of the contact (and/or the sensor detecting it) highlighted on the map must be a function that exists somewhere I had missed, not having perused the manual at length?

Peter

[ColonelMolerat]

I've only just got the game, so there could be a better way, but what I do is press Ctrl+D to bring out the 'ruler' that measures bearing and distance. Click once on the unit with the sensor (you can find it by name in the Order of Battle), then as you drag the ruler about, it will display the bearing and distance to where you're pointing. You can use this to match up to the bearing and distance in the contact report.

[Phoenix100]

Thanks Col Molerat. The sensors are themselves quite difficult to manage in these NI scenarios, I think. There's a lot going on, many sensors, many of them not naval platforms but coastal radar installations or seabed sonor. From a zoom level where you can see everything, with datablocks on for everything, you can't actually determine the names of each and every sensor clearly. So you have to zoom in to distinct areas just to read what's there in the clutter - all of which takes time. You can select the sensor in the OB (that highlights selection on the map), so you have to read the message, memorise the sensor name, get the OB screen up, scroll through, find the sensor, locate it on the map like that, then use your ruler. I guess the best thing would be if clicking on the message screen took you to the subject of the message. Alternatively, a grid reference in the message log, but even that would be slow. I'm not missing it, am I? That's why I asked really. IS there a way to select the message subject from the message log? If not I guess that would be a feature request.

[ColonelMolerat]

I don't know, sorry - I only got this game a few days ago! I too tried clicking the message log frantically the first few times... So far I've only done the tutorial missions, so I've not had anything too complex. There's way to centre on new contacts as far as I'm aware, but I probably wouldn't know, as I'm so new to the game!

[Tomcat84]

That's not a bad idea to have that clickable. Might be something that can be implemented in the future.

If you enable pop up in separate window for new contact messages I think there is a button to click to go to the location. That doesnt change your zoom however so if you play very zoomed out you might still not be sure of where it is at i guess.

[ColonelMolerat]

>>> If you enable pop up in separate window for new contact messages I think there is a button to click to go to the location.

Ooh, I'll have to look at that, that'd be handy. When you zoom, it centres on the middle of the screen (not where the mouse is at), so even if you are zoomed out, you should be able to just zoom in and the target will be centred. I think.

[Tomcat84]

ORIGINAL: ColonelMolerat
it centres on the middle of the screen (not where the mouse is at), so even if you are zoomed out, you should be able to just zoom in and the target will be centred.

Unless you enable to option to zoom on mouse cursor of course [:)]

[Casinn]

Clickable log messages is a choice on the running poll, as well.

[Gunner98]

I like the option of 'clickable message log' but until that is implemented, I tend to use the 'Ctrl+#' function in large scenarios to pop from one area of the map to another. I don't use the pop up message as I find it bogs things down a bit. So for instance if there are 3 task groups and a base, I would tag each from '1' to '4', when a message indicates that a unit has detected something I pop over to that area and check things out. If you have multiple radars or similar sensor names, I tend to rename them so they are distinct.

B

[mikmykWS]

Can't use the message box at the moment for this however there is button on a popup if you use those that will take you to the reporting unit.

Thanks

Mike

[Rory Noonan]

Also as a quick tip if you want to centre on a unit you can tap T twice, once to turn on tracking (centre inf the view over the selected unit) and again to turn it off. You can then Zoom in as much as you like with the selected contact centred. I find it useful for picking out individual units when there are many clustered together.