View Full Version : Horrible unit-finding in the map/screen
I have finished playing the demo and I enjoyed it a lot.
But I have a very serious concern with the way the game handles Unit finding.
To say it plainly: It is a nightmare!!
90% of the time I am running the camera like mad around the battlefield to find where my selected unit is.
Sure when you click an unit in the unit bar that unit's flag rises a little, but the flag is still so small that most of the time it is a pain to find the little flashing red flag in that huge red sea.
The mini map is nice but useless for this because I was expecting that when I select an unit in the unit bar, that unit would start flashing in the minimap to know where the heck that unit is in the battlefield.
I like the game, but I think that unit finding is terribly bad designed. Games 5-6 years older like Warcraft or Dark Omen already had a better unit-finding system. I hope medieval could improve it a lot.
Perhaps it is too late for those changes to be introduced but here go my suggestions:
-The Selected Unit's flag should be HUGE. A HUGE FLASHING flag so we know well that is the unit we are running.
-Add some kind of device like Highlighted shapes or flashing to the selected units to differentiate them in that sea od red coats.
-In the minimap make that the selected unit shows as a flashing point so we know where the heck that unit is and we don't need to run the camera all over the battlefield every time I want to know where my foot kinight are hidding http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif
Orda Khan
07-05-2002, 05:22
Double left/click takes the camera directly to that unit.
.....Orda
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" Send us your ambassadors and thus we shall judge whether you wish to be at peace with us or at war..if you make war on us the Everlasting God, who makes easy what was difficult and makes near what was far, knows that we know what our power is."
Choco,
If you have Shogun Total War, it also has double-left-click feature. Medieval just continued Shogun's control exelence.
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I am the law and you can't beat the law.
theforce
07-05-2002, 06:12
True with just a double-click there you are send to that unit.
A huge banner or whatever would be silly.
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I cannot return l presume so l will keep my name among those who are dead by bows!
http://www.dedicatedgaming.com/~angelsofdarkness
vyanvotts
07-05-2002, 06:16
i agree with your great wisdom force
I know that with double click the camera moves to the unit location. But it is not a smooth movement.
I am running a Pentium IV 1.7 Ghertz and it is still a slow way to go.
And it doesn't solve the problem of:
-differentiate among mixed units which are the same type or very similar
-It doesn't allow you to have a quick overview using the mini map to know where your unit is without having to displace all the way.
Emp. Conralius
07-05-2002, 06:35
What's there really to complain about. It's all the same, unless your a newbie...
Darkmoor_Dragon
07-05-2002, 06:55
press shift to increase camera move speed or tap the arrow key to go "Instantly" to the unit.. cant get much quicker than that really ;-)
forgot to add: highlighted unit flashes white in map - ALSO - you know you can increase the size of the overhead map by click'n'drag (can take it to full screen if ya really want to)...
and "from the other angle":
a) you can pause the game
b) why select by clicking the unit on the battle screen in a big mad mellee when you can select via the unit panel? Sorry i really dont see the issue here: its quicker, simpler and far more "accurate", especially once a big ruck is underway.
c) its common to have units get really strung out over large areas when chasing down troops or where they are fighting more than one unit opponent - that makes it pretty hard to indicate a "unit" - and infact it copes with this very well as it actually indicates "Every soldier" int he unit instead - thus you can see the little white dots strung out all over the shop representing that units soldiers being "all over the shop".
maybe this isnt in the demo - i dont have it so cant compare.
[This message has been edited by Darkmoor_Dragon (edited 07-05-2002).]
Well if you having trouble picking out your units in the middle of battle, think of it as a bit of realism http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif
Half the people who post seem to want a great playable game and the other half seem to want realism. And half of each of those want both.
I just want MTW now!
theforce
07-05-2002, 16:44
If there is no lag in any multiplayer game then is very easy to locate your units especially in single player.
Futhermore a good general always knows where his units are. Scouting can cost seconds that can cost you the battle. Anyway have a rough idea of where your units are in the map or else you are gonna have problems.
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I cannot return l presume so l will keep my name among those who are dead by bows!
http://www.dedicatedgaming.com/~angelsofdarkness
Sir Kuma of The Org
07-05-2002, 19:28
Quote Originally posted by DrNo:
Well if you having trouble picking out your units in the middle of battle, think of it as a bit of realism http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif
Half the people who post seem to want a great playable game and the other half seem to want realism. And half of each of those want both.
I just want MTW now!
[/QUOTE]
I want my MTW http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/biggrin.gif
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La vie est un don.
Orda Khan
07-05-2002, 20:11
Select units from the unit bar not the battle screen. Try to remember what unit went where
........Orda
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" Send us your ambassadors and thus we shall judge whether you wish to be at peace with us or at war..if you make war on us the Everlasting God, who makes easy what was difficult and makes near what was far, knows that we know what our power is."
Hirosito
07-05-2002, 20:53
when deploying units in the real game you'll deploy from left to right anyway thereby sorting it out. but TBH i really dont see the prob, i mean iwas a bit confused at the start because i hadn't played for so long and the opponent was really numerous but now it's OK again
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Hirosito Mori
Gentile or Jew
O you who turn the wheel and look to windward,
Consider Phlebas, who was once handsome and tall as you.
Quote Originally posted by Sir Kuma of The Org:
I want my MTW[/QUOTE]
....and "my money for nothing and my chicks for free" !! http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/biggrin.gif
Cheers
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PSYCHO HOJO / PSYCHO SO
To make the camera move immediately, double click then jerk the mouse to the side. Works for me.
Matt
How about the clouds parting and a heavenly spotlight shining down from Buddha's throne onto thy unit? Will that do?
http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/confused.gif
Hirosito
07-10-2002, 16:44
only if you believe in buddha
Aelfred Magna
07-12-2002, 02:41
your particular faction's deity (God for catholics/orthodox, Allah for moslems) might have a bit of a problem with that
Quote Originally posted by Khan7:
To make the camera move immediately, double click then jerk the mouse to the side. Works for me.
Matt[/QUOTE]
... or even better press any of the arrow keys... That way you have better control over the movement after you jumped.
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