[http://sourceforge.net/p/ufoai/feature-requests/112 Item 112] imported from sourceforge.net tracker on 2013-01-28 20:14:20

This is a FR tracker entry to gather if/how we can
implement a fog of war in UFO:AI.

* How should unknown terrain be made 'dark' in the 3D
engine?
* How should "seen once but not in current view"
terrain be handled.

Werner
===== Comments Ported from Sourceforge =====

====== hajo4 (2006-08-26 21:26:17) ======

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* Special texture (maybe tiles with big "?" painted on it)
* Fog/Smoke-particles (how many of them can be handled by
the engine?)

====== jkaartinen (2006-09-02 19:38:50) ======

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I think unknown terrain should be either black or shrouded
in deep mist that dissolves once you see it once. Terrain
currently in view should be highlighted. I'd also suggest
that the area the currently selected soldier sees to be
highlighted with a different color.
====== panic_porcon (2006-09-10 03:06:17) ======

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use monochromatic bright colors (light status should not
afect "memory") for "out of view" terrain, hide doors
====== nobody (2006-09-25 12:22:46) ======

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unexplored:
fog which fades to black, like the standard in real-time
startegy games.

explored, but currently not in the visibility of any
soldier:
faded to greyscale

currently visible by a soldier:
like it is now (colored).

====== nobody (2006-10-23 20:01:58) ======

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The appearance of fog of war could change with the equipment
used.
For example you could start out with black everywhere you
can't see and shaded for what you have seen.
If one of your soldiers carry some kind of tactical
information system, it might change to a wireframe or black
and white to show that you know what is there, but can't see it.
Sensors could be placed to keep areas where you have been
permanently visible.
====== nobody (2007-01-09 21:30:03) ======

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Please no symbols like giant "?" Please keep it realistic visually.

Don't hide the terrain, bc if 8 soldiers explore an area, they would remember it better than one computer user (us) So leave the terrain in view (faded colours or grey scale. The maps are really quite small so it is realistic that a soldier could see to the "end of the world". Either they can't see something or they can, so unexplored would look better with a "fog fading to black" but is should be a fairly clearly defined fade in. We don't want to end up tricking the user into thinking they can see around a corner just because it is foggy but not black. Also visibility shouldn't be to granular. (walking past a building and looking through the windows shouldn't produce a patchwork of black "fog in the room everywhere they haven't seen. (perhaps fog should be 1 tile, but divided into 2 vertically??) The crouching alien isn't seen because you couldn't see the bottom of that tile???

I actually like the way it works now, although truly I would not know that the 3rd floor of that building has a wood floor when my soldiers are still standing outside.

I really like the idea of sensors (future equipment addons) that could be purchased to monitor an area (remember the jumping mines from Xcom apocalyps??? :-) ) The idea of some tools that can act or re-act is great. Good ideas guys.
Greg.
====== terbro10 (2008-03-04 00:12:36) ======

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Before the outset of the mission you would presume that the soldiers have already been briefed upon the layout of the land but they would not expect everything to be a tidy as buckingham palace. If objects can be put randomly on the map (boxes, oil drums, broken walls) with the same coding as the soldiers, aliens, civilians (on say team 9), this would provide unexpected obstacles to traverse, and perhaps allow for an interactive enviroment.