A plea for a zoom function on the operational map

elmo3 · Post by **elmo3** » Wed Aug 27, 2003 5:31 pm

AngryCoder wrote:I know about turning the unit markers on and off, but is there a way to turn the display of strongpoints off? I haven't found one yet.

"e". See page 14 in the manual.

Sonny · Post by **Sonny** » Wed Aug 27, 2003 6:43 pm

soeren wrote:I played it on an 21" Monitor, and believe me, a zoom would have helped my poor eyes a lot.

O.K. so here is what I have surmised from all of this:

SSG developers and Adam Parker have good eyesight.

Soeren and I (and several otheres) do not have quite as good eyesight.

Sonny · Post by **Sonny** » Wed Aug 27, 2003 6:44 pm

soeren wrote:I played it on an 21" Monitor, and believe me, a zoom would have helped my poor eyes a lot.

O.K. so here is what I have surmised from all of this:

SSG developers and Adam Parker have good eyesight.

Soeren and I (and several others) do not have quite as good eyesight.

bagpuss · Post by **bagpuss** » Wed Aug 27, 2003 11:34 pm

I got to agree hole heartedly with you the maps need to be bigger ,or zoom function

Im playing on a 19" screen an after a while I need a rest /tea break ,lol

Adam Parker · Post by **Adam Parker** » Thu Aug 28, 2003 3:01 am

Sonny wrote:O.K. so here is what I have surmised from all of this:

SSG developers and Adam Parker have good eyesight.

Soeren and I (and several otheres) do not have quite as good eyesight.

No. Adam Parker is short sighted! But like George Costanza if I squint really tight I can spot raccoons all over the road. "They were mail boxes you idiot".

Sonny · Post by **Sonny** » Thu Aug 28, 2003 6:49 pm

Adam Parker wrote:No. Adam Parker is short sighted! But like George Costanza if I squint really tight I can spot raccoons all over the road. "They were mail boxes you idiot".

LOL

designer1 · Post by **designer1** » Fri Aug 29, 2003 9:08 am

For what it's worth, one more 54 year old grognard would really LOVE to have that zoom function. Love the game. Can't see the darn counters.

Kung Karl · Post by **Kung Karl** » Fri Aug 29, 2003 4:11 pm

Just got my copy today!!! I have to agree, a zoom is badly needed! Otherwise a great game!

radegast · Post by **radegast** » Fri Aug 29, 2003 5:07 pm

I sort of agree that a zoom would be useful, but not as much as when I first got this game.

Getting the monitor calibration right was the first step to being able to 'see' the detail, initially I found it very hard to read the map, especially those minor roads.

But more importantly, I think that after a little time my eyes (or more likely my brain) learnt how to see the map. A top down 3D like perspective is not a 'normal' one for humans to process and I think we need a little training to interpret this correctly.

Sure, I still have to use the 'remove units' key at times to see the full terrain picture, especially to see if bridges have been blown but now I 'see' the terrain almost instinctivly.

Perhaps the developers, with long exposure to the map, are well trained, and some of us train quicker than others. Persevere, and I think you'll find that the map comes to life.

Then again, I play on a quality 19" monitor, I'm not sure what the results will be on and LCD laptop screen. We'll see at the end of the month when I'm packed off for a week to a Muslim country with little or no alcohol! At least not at prices I can afford!

Spaceman · Post by **Spaceman** » Sat Aug 30, 2003 8:50 am

radegast wrote:We'll see at the end of the month when I'm packed off for a week to a Muslim country with little or no alcohol! At least not at prices I can afford!

Hmm, I am also in exile to Qatar next week ... Must be a trend in KP players? I cannot take KP with me though (fussy laptop, very old, plus time issues).

Once I am back - PBEM time.

Cheers

Space§man

Greywulf · Post by **Greywulf** » Sat Aug 30, 2003 10:35 am

Well I guess I'm an older war gammer.I'll tell you this much If Matrix or whoever is involved in this part of the game doese'nt fix the zoom (to allow many of us to be able to see the units) I'll be returning this game or if I can't return it will not buy another Matrix product.I wear glasses for reading and another pair for the computer and I still can't see the units. Sorry if I sound determined but I think It's a little narrow minded not to have considered a zoom option.

Adam Parker · Post by **Adam Parker** » Sat Aug 30, 2003 3:26 pm

radegast wrote:... I play on a quality 19" monitor, I'm not sure what the results will be on and LCD laptop screen.

Runs fine on my 15 inch laptop but I must say that the Celeron processor doesn't keep up with my PC P4.

The fast move option is a big help for slower systems, though be sure to use the "stop at combat" button for AI moves as combats fly by fast too!

Gregor_SSG · Post by **Gregor_SSG** » Sat Aug 30, 2003 4:05 pm

Greywulf wrote:Well I guess I'm an older war gammer.I'll tell you this much If Matrix or whoever is involved in this part of the game doese'nt fix the zoom (to allow many of us to be able to see the units) I'll be returning this game or if I can't return it will not buy another Matrix product.I wear glasses for reading and another pair for the computer and I still can't see the units. Sorry if I sound determined but I think It's a little narrow minded not to have considered a zoom option.

It is irritating to us when a Publisher gets the credit for the game we created, and it must be equally irritating for the Matrix guys when they get the blame for something that's not their fault.

SSG is the developer. We created and programmed all of Korsun Pocket. If you have an issue with the graphics, it's our problem.

Matrix are the publisher. They sell or distribute the game, but they can't add a zoom function.

Now that that's cleared up, I encourage you to go to http://www.robjess.com/bbs/viewforum.php?f=1 and see if the alternative graphic approaches illustrated their might not help. Either way, I'd encourage you to vote.

Gregor

Capitaine · Post by **Capitaine** » Sat Aug 30, 2003 4:21 pm

Gregor,

I voted over on WaR, and pretty much voted for the existing graphic design; counters and map. As I've said, the game's "look" is top flight. It has excellent graphic detail; some of the best. Graphic quality is NOT the issue with the zoom feature.

Call me spoiled by TAO, but I, personally, had ZERO problem with the map view in that game (I also believe there was some kind of big "zoom out" view that gave you an overall picture of the operational map), and loved the exact size of the map and counters depicted there. Not sure why such smaller counters and map were opted for, but it is strictly a size issue, not a detail/graphic quality issue.

A proper zoom feature would make these more austere graphics unnecessary. What ever happened to the old addage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"? There was nothing wrong with TAO's counter/map size, IMO, and never recall criticism on that score.

Rob Gjessing · Post by **Rob Gjessing** » Sat Aug 30, 2003 5:54 pm

Interesting post.. each for their own I spose.. when I was playing TAO2 I was always of the opinion that the map and units were too zoomed - too big, and I wished for a higher resolution. Of course neither of our views are right or wrong.. I dont see anything wrong with the game as it stands right now.. again.. neither right nor wrong, just personal opinion.

Capitaine · Post by **Capitaine** » Sat Aug 30, 2003 6:53 pm

Rob, the thing about the map size in TAO was that I got to feel very intimate with certain map areas that were the subject of fierce combat. The KP standard view makes the terrain more "distant" and I don't feel the same kind of familiarity with the map which I had for TAO.

Mind you, I have maintained for years that TAO was a superb game with no real flaws. It has been my favorite PC wargame since the time it was published.

I would say that the map/counter size change from TAO to KP has been "drastic". IOW, it's not a slight change, but a really big change. So big that now SSG is floating trial balloons of plainer graphic quality than even TAO had in order to compensate. Not a good sign...

Give me zoom or give me death! :p

Rob Gjessing · Post by **Rob Gjessing** » Sun Aug 31, 2003 3:39 am

SSG are seeking feedback in relation to alternative graphics based upon user feedback and wants.. I think they are doing this because they listen to users.. and I wouldnt say its 'not a good sign' - I think its a great Sign. SSG have always been receptive to feedback and are receptive to the end user - heck they gave TAO2 (one of the BEST turn based war games ever!) away for free.. name another company that shows the same dedication and committment to purpose?

At the end of the day, any changes to the map or unit bmps will be optional so we can all be happy

AStott · Post by **AStott** » Sun Aug 31, 2003 5:11 am

Name another company? Easy. Matrix Games (regarding Steel Panthers: WAW). That's at least half the reason I purchase both Korsun Pocket and Titans of Steel is because I wanted to support Matrix Games...

Gregor_SSG · Post by **Gregor_SSG** » Sun Aug 31, 2003 7:28 am

Capitaine wrote: I would say that the map/counter size change from TAO to KP has been "drastic". IOW, it's not a slight change, but a really big change. So big that now SSG is floating trial balloons of plainer graphic quality than even TAO had in order to compensate. Not a good sign...

Give me zoom or give me death! :p

Personally, I prefer the current map/unit size to the old TAO but that's just my opinion. It was also the opinion of everyone who saw the game before release. Now that we're hearing contrary opinions after release, we're listening to them, and seeing what we can do. I don't think that's a bad sign.

Gregor

Adam Parker · Post by **Adam Parker** » Sun Aug 31, 2003 8:07 am

Rob Gjessing wrote:...when I was playing TAO2 I was always of the opinion that the map and units were too zoomed - too big, and I wished for a higher resolution...

I don't know you Rob and of course have nothing to do with SSG or Matrix but that's exactly what I found.

A plea for a zoom function on the operational map

Hanno

One more "Yes" vote

Zoom Function