Recommendation: Provide visual clues to assist in aiming.

 

Applicability: Automatic Aiming Mode

 

Situation: Currently, for automatic aiming mode visual markers point approximate target location and horizontal alignment of guns. You can also tell if a given gun cannot rotate to the given position. However, you cannot tell if the gun elevation is set correctly, nor can you tell if the guns are ready to fire or if they are loading (unless they are ALL loading; but if say forward guns are ready and rear are loading you can't tell that fact from the on screen markers). While you can tell those items by watching the lower left side of the screen, I want to be able to tell that information without having to look away from where I'm sailing and where I'm aiming. Further, if you are in gradual firing mode you cannot tell which gun will fire next.

 

It's very frustrating when you think you have a shot all lined up only to watch your shells land far short or go way long because the elevation was still changing. It's also difficult to use gradual firing mode if you're not sure which set of guns will fire.

 

Proposal:

1. If the elevation of the gun is still changing in response to the targeted location, change the color of the aiming line and/or target reticule (perhaps to yellow) unless the gun cannot rotate to that direction (leave it grey) or is out of range (leave it red).

2. If a given set of guns is currently loading and unavailable to fire, mark the aiming line another color (perhaps red, but leave the target reticule green unless out of range). You might consider some other color if some but not all guns in the set are available.

3. If gradual firing mode is selected, bold or otherwise higlight the aiming line and/or target reticule so you can tell from which set of guns (e.g., forward or aft) the next volley will fire from.