[Feature Request] cmanouser1's list of QOL requests

[cmanouser1]

Over my last 50 hours of CMO, I've systematically compiled quality-of-life "griefs" and suggestions about those. Each item gets a number for easier tracking.

If this list gets positive feedback I will keep on updating it. Feel free to add ideas too!


The List

** 1 Mission Editor
* 1.1 Add New Mission -> clicking the "Mission: <name>" field highlights it entirely to avoid having to select the name first, as one always writes over it. Alternatively, "Mission: <name>" is deleted when clicked, instead of highlighted.
* 1.2 Mission Editor -> all "Not specified" fields should be highlighted when clicked (e.g. but not limited to transit/station/attack height) to avoid having to select it first. Same in Tanker Planner, etc... Alternatively, "Not specified" is deleted when clicked, instead of highlighted.
* 1.3 Mission Editor -> Units assigned to mission / Unassigned units -> clicking on a unit, then dragging down should select multiple units. This is how it works in the Aircraft Operations window, but not here.
* 1.4 Mission Editor -> Strike Mission -> in the list of targets, targets already assigning to another Strike Mission should be marked somehow (different color, italicized, ...). This is to avoid having to remember which targets are already assigned.
* 1.5 Mission Editor -> Strike Mission -> "Target List" title should read "Target List (x)", where x is the number of targets in the list
* 1.6 Mission Editor -> Strike Mission -> Strike Radius -> have a checkbox to show the strike disk or annulus (if two radius are set)
* 1.7 One-time only missions that have been flown should have an indication in their name, just as not-yet activated mission have a [d]. For example, could be [flown]

** 2 Database
* 2.1 database -> like in Wikipedia, each entry should have a Contents with hyperlinks to allow quick jump between categories (e.g. sensors, loadouts, ...) to avoid excessive scrolling, especially as it is done repetitively. Ideally this Contents is always visible (doesn't disappear after clicking) to allow going back and forth between categories

** 3 Air Ops
* 3.1 Air Ops -> add a button toggle unfold/fold of all lists in one click (currently you need to click on each '+' except the first one to have a comprehensive view of what's inside a facility)

** 4 Scenario, Side selection and briefing
* 4.1 Side Selection and Briefing window -> highlight when a scenario has more than 1 side available, e.g. by writing "Available (x)", where x is the number of available sides, and becomes red if x > 1
* 4.2 Side Selection and Briefing window -> should be scaled to take as much screen space as possible; currently it's tiny and you need to manually resize it
* 4.3 Load Scenario -> remove ".scen" in the name of each scenario. Leave .save to differentiate

** 5 Datablocks
* 5.1 Sonobuoy, Datablocks -> new setting to avoid showing datablocks for sonobuoys when datablocks are set to "all" -> ("all, except sonobuoys")
* 5.2 Neutral Contacts, Datablocks -> same. Typically you might be interested in showing friendly, enemy and unknown but not neutral.
* 5.3 Alternatively, have a more comprehensive setting for datablocks, a table with status as rows (player, hostile, neutral, ...) and unit types as columns (sonobuoys, aircrafts, facilities by main categories, ships, ...).

** 6 Unit Status / Contact Status right-side columns
* 6.1 Unit Status -> clicking on the link to the database should highlight the loadout template the unit uses, if known by the side (similarly to how which sensor has been used to detect a contact is highlighted)
* 6.2 Unit Status -> loadout of a unit (just below "unit message log") should be a hyperlink to the database entry about this loadout, highlighted in green (similarly to how which sensor has been used to detect a contact is highlighted)
* 6.3 add a shortcut to open the database for a unit selected on the map
* 6.4 Contact Status -> Contact Report -> replace "Emissions" and "Spotted hosted units" by "Emissions (a)" and "Spotted hosted units (b)", where a and b are the number of items in those tabs
* 6.5 Contact Status -> show which units are targeting this contact (for investigation, an attack, etc...)

** 7 Order of Battle
* 7.1 Order of Battle -> group facilities by type, e.g. all SAMs, all radars, ...
* 7.2 Order of Battle -> button to toggle folding/unfolding all groups
* 7.3 Order of Battle -> make lists folded by default, to give a high-level view to the player, who can then deep dive on specific groups by unfolding them.
* 7.4 Order of Battle -> use a colouring of some sort to make reading easier; either color by status, or type, ...
* 7.5 Order of Battle -> double-clicking on a unit opens the database

** 0 Misc
* 0.1 presets for Message Log settings, e.g. to switch between a submarine scenario where you want pause at every contact change, and air scenario, etc...
* 0.3 in Ready Aircraft (window with the loadouts), indicate if surge mode is active or not, e.g. by having either the Surge Ops or Sustained Ops column title in a different color, italicized or bold
* 0.4 Throttle and Altitude settings -> add a shortcut to cycle waypoints (e.g. the unit is selected: hit shortcut, it goes to the first waypoint, then second, etc...), to avoid clicking the tiny arrows. Can add a shorcut to cycle in the reverse direction too. Ideally the shorcut is easily accessible, for example Q and SHIFT+Q in reverse
* 0.5 display of altitude on map: use appropriate significant digits. For example it seems that 1 decimal is used, showing for example "331.5 ft" ; 0.5ft feels negligeable and rounding to no decimals could be used to reduce clutter?
* 0.6 Aircraft Range on map -> should also be displayed for groups, based on the RTB doctrine of the group
* 0.7 Browse Scenario Platforms -> add more grouping granularity, notably in Facility, break that down further by database sub-types (mobile, structure, runway, ...)
* 0.8 Right Click on unit (e.g. on the map or in the Air Ops window) -> Assign to Mission -> missions should be in an alphabetical order, just as it is in the Mission Editor, to make things consistent

[JFS737]

Nice list, well done. I hope you don't mind but possibly I have a further idea or tw? Some may be useful, others just my personal wish.

** 1 MISSION EDITOR
* 1.8 Need a "user" default beginning point with all the EMCON/Game Options/Doctrine... etc. It’s a pain to start fresh each time. My copy will not do this, even though I continue to click "make default user profile" on the options. (For instance, it will NEVER load a new game or a saved game with the message window in a separate window... no matter how hard that checkbox is marked).

** 8 UNIT STATUS
* 8.1 The UNIT EMCON panel defaults to "inherit from parent" box checked.. .which greys out the INFORMATION I need ie. Unit's Radar, Sonar, OECM current radiation status. Please have a box with this checked or unchecked but make the 6 panels for Radar/Sonar/OECM (one each passive/active) ALWAYS alive (not grey) so I can at a glance SEE (and change) their status. (when unchecked they don't actually work either in the editor at least)
* 8.2 When you select a group of A/C the "fuel" available in miles and time is shown (NICE), but it shows miles/time of the original group lead, not the lowest unit in the formation. Can this be changed to the lowest unit in the formation?

** 9 MAP
* 9.1 I usually play with "Show range symbols for ... Selected Units" as this declutters things. But then it's hard to see who is radiating (sometimes I want most or all to be EMCON and somehow one will radiate.. .!!! Uhggg. ) Can you please place a tiny flashing asterick next to any unselected unit/group that is radiating and make that a choice in the Map Settings? (User selectable).
* 9.2 Need to be able to control a units' EMCON status at Waypoints in a similar way that you can change Alt/Speed at any waypoint for a unit/group.

** 10 OTHER
* 10.1 When shooting a missile that can be routed using waypoints, it's cumbersome as each must be done individually. Make an option where you can do more than one at a time?
* 10.2 Allow user to choose which radars the Anti Radiation missiles will target if more than one is present in the mission editor and when using F1 type attacks (at a minimum FCR, Search, Illuminators... etc).

[Rory Noonan]

Feature request added.

Reminder that there is a dedicated feature request thread?

0013773

[cmanouser1]

The thread you shared reads "Gameplay feature requests".

The idea behind my thread was to list 'low-effort' (if I may) quality-of-life improvements; it didn't feel like submitting two dozens small QOL to the gameplay features poll was in the spirit of that thread, that seems to be used for gameplay mechanics requests instead [&:].

[Rory Noonan]

Thanks, there's some excellent suggestions there.

They're being split into individual threads for proper discussion and tracking.

There's some useful guidelines on tech support tickets here.

[Dimitris]

An "Expand List"/"Collapse List" button was added to facilitate request #7.2 .