Field of view

[jv123]

Hi everybody. My current character has telepathy, and so it's often difficult to tell whether or not I have line of sight to a particular monster (for example, when the monster is in an unlit room, which I'm approaching from the corridor.) This is obviously crucial tactical information, and it's frustrating to have to go into targeting mode to find out; it should be obvious somehow.

I would suggest that monsters whose whereabouts are magically known to you, but which are not in your line of sight, should be displayed in a darker shade (for example, using half the usual RGB values.) I know this wouldn't be perfect --- for example, it would be difficult to tell the difference between a dark-coloured monster in your line of sight, and a light-coloured monster just outside of it --- but it would be very useful to know that, if you're approaching a monster whose existence you're only aware of telepathically, you can't fire at it until its glyph becomes brighter.

Another possibility would be to change the monster list terminal window so that it displays line-of-sight monsters before other monsters.

Cheers,
JV.

[PaulBlay]

Originally Posted by jv123

Another possibility would be to change the monster list terminal window so that it displays line-of-sight monsters before other monsters.

That sounds like a very sensible, and probably quite easy to implement, change.

I would suggest that monsters whose whereabouts are magically known to you, but which are not in your line of sight, should be displayed in a darker shade (for example, using half the usual RGB values.)

I think that will just result in many monsters that are in dark shades anyway just becoming effectively invisible.

You could introduce a "blink" attribute for monsters out of line of sight, or have a different background colour for them. (The latter idea would probably be easier to implement).

[jv123]

[Modifying the monster list] sounds like a very sensible, and probably quite easy to implement, change.

Glad you think so! While we're at it, it's also annoying that it's not easy to tell exactly how far away a monster is; for example, when approaching a monster down a long corridor, I want to know when I'm exactly 12 squares away, because then I can shoot it with my bow.

So, here's how I think the new monster list should be formatted:

You can see 2 monsters:
L Lich (60')
o Uruk (100')

You are aware of 19 other monsters:
k Kobold shaman (80')
o Uruk (x18, at least 120')

Maybe the first line of this should read "There are 2 monsters in your line of sight:", but I prefer the simpler option. Notice this involves a redefinition of the word "see", compared to the current monster list, which claims you can "see" anything that you know about telepathically.

You could introduce a "blink" attribute for monsters out of line of sight, or have a different background colour for them. (The latter idea would probably be easier to implement).

I think blinking would be too distracting. Different background colour might work, difficult to imagine what that would be like.

[Magnate]

Originally Posted by jv123

Different background colour might work, difficult to imagine what that would be like.

Anyone else remember the BBC Micro? That's what it would be like ...

[Zikke]

You can hit *. If it lets you target it, then you have LoS.

[jv123]

You can hit *. If it lets you target it, then you have LoS.

I know --- I said that in the OP!

[Zikke]

Oh there it is. "targeting mode" sorry I didn't see that

[jv123]

Oh there it is. "targeting mode" sorry I didn't see that

No problem Doesn't it happen to you all the time? Especially with hounds, since they love to stay just outside your line of sight. I'm always pressing 5, *, ESC, 5, *, ESC, ... to check if they're visible yet or not.

[azfalt]

the hound shooting problem is helped somewhat with macros...

I map alt-j to 'auto-fire' my @f1 ammo using \e\et1*t\s\s (rogue-like keys)

If the hound is not in line of fire, the round will just fall at your feet, without a breaking chance (so it seems).

But I like the idea of sorting the visible monster list by LOS and ESP!

[Zikke]

I never really understood down to a per-square level of detail exactly how the hockey-stick LoS thing works. I don't use it, but the monsters will use it if you let them! So I have to keep seeing if the hounds can "see" me or not.