Heatmaps

[Udak 104]

For those who aren't aware, heatmaps typically show player density in video games--usually related to deaths/kills, though it can be tied to simple location-over-time. Seeing as how the Hive already has this data (and it pretty much has to, in order to track where you are), it'd be cool if we could see a heatmap of the full extent of Chernarus. For instance, I've had a hunch for a while that Electro's northern firehouse is more dangerous than it's southern counterpart--due mainly to the surrounding mountains that have easy access. As a counterpoint, the southern firehouse is closer to the mart, church and several houses--all of which increase the odds of encountering another survivor up close.

Imagine a heatmap of where killers are in relation to cherno--find out the higher density camp spots on the heights above town, and start wreckin'. A heat map of player locations over time could help you set up your tent in a just-off-the-road location, where only 100m (and a hillside) separates you from the large stream of people heading to stary or NWAF.

I feel like the data is there already, and there would just need to be some way to cull out the relevant data points and go from there. It'd also be interesting to see it change over time (imagine how many less people enter Cherno due to screen tearing).

I certainly understand this would be a low priority, especially in comparison to much more pressing issues (hacking/duping/screen tearing, for three), I just think it'd be do-able, and a relatively easy thing at that.

[SmashT 10907]

This sounds like a terrible idea for precisely the reasons you mentioned in your post.

[Sergeant Squatt 58]

Awesome iDea

[chaossound 101]

This sounds like a terrible idea for precisely the reasons you mentioned in your post.

Agreed

[Udak 104]

This sounds like a terrible idea for precisely the reasons you mentioned in your post.

I hear that, but it encourages innovation. As people begin to sit and watch where they're getting shot from, it forces the old standbys to adapt as opposed to continue sitting on the same patch of 1x1 grass that's gotten them to x# of kills.

[chaossound 101]

I hear that, but it encourages innovation. As people begin to sit and watch where they're getting shot from, it forces the old standbys to adapt as opposed to continue sitting on the same patch of 1x1 grass that's gotten them to x# of kills.

All it does it give a shortcut for newbies to see the most dangerous spots and gives information that people have learnt through experience and PLAYING the game just on a map for people to see. this game is not easymode.

also with the 177,000 players in the last 24 hours the heatmap would be mostly full anyway

Edited August 8, 2012 by Chaossound

[Udak 104]

All it does it give a shortcut for newbies to see the most dangerous spots and gives information that people have learnt through experience and PLAYING the game just on a map for people to see. this game is not easymode.

also with the 177,000 players in the last 24 hours the heatmap would be mostly full anyway

If you think the heatmap would be full, you are missing what it does--it would be scalable, as any density plot is. Any heatmap should be able to define ranges (from my own limited experience, standard deviations tend to work well) for each step, so as to not muddle the issue with a large green swath across all of electro/cherno.

If your argument is that there are only a 'few' most dangerous spots (and therefore noobs get too much of an advantage reading about the locations), I would posit that you're grossly overestimating things. From my own experience and depending on why I'm looking at it, I've been at least a dozen different places outside electro providing support-by-fire. Therein lays the ultimate point--if you really think that your choice locations would be so obvious on the heatmap, that means a staggeringly large number of players knows about them--which I don't think is the case. In fact, the argument could be made that it will further allow well-trained snipers to gut their lessers because you have statistical data on where the losers keep trying to snipe from, while your well-hidden (and relatively unknown) clutch protects you.

If in fact there were only five or so places to snipe from into Electro, for example, then no one should be able to snipe into Electro--anyone with half a brain would simply check all six locations rapid fire, and then head into town. No, I'm looking for data that says players tend to chose the Eastern heights over the NW treeline. Not expecting (nor should anyone) a 6 digit mgrs for the loc.

[debiru 27]

we should also add hints&tips

!!!can of beans right there around that corner!!!

!!!move now the infected are not watching!!!

!!!you are going in the wrong direction, turn around!!!

[bazbake 456]

Too much metagaming. The online manuals are bad enough.