Actually, when SH5 was announced with a free roaming camera, I couldn't believe my lucky ears. I was sure that the devs must've wanted a full 3D interface too. How wrong I was....
To make a full 3d interface you need something like (and I now make a full repeat of my very first post on Subsim):
- No clicking on dials... You change the TDC ones by turning knobs. You change course and speed by giving orders to crew.
- No more clicking on objects that are 40 meters away. Tooltips should also be available only for close objects.
- No more 2d dials. You check your status by looking at the real dials.
- A "steady-cam" button like SHIFT to prevent the camera from moving with the waves.
- more control over the cameras: "From this camera, while I keep the X key or the right mouse button pressed, show me the Z camera." In this way, you'd be able to "lean" into the periscope to look through the viewfinder.
- Predefined "focus" points for cameras. From the periscope seat camera, it would be nice to look up quickly to check bearings, look to the Dials on the wall, look down to see the AOBF and so on, just by a flick of the mouse.
- Full functionality of each station. Otherwise, what's the point in using a station manually? For example the Sonar didn't just have a stupid volume knob. It had an "equalizer" so you could filter out unwanted frequencies. It also had a cut-out amplitude/frequency filter to check if a ship was closing or moving away.
- A smart orders interface coupled with the relation of your position (for example you're in the conning tower) to the officer's position (for example torpedo room). The less clicking the better, I know, but the illusion should be preserved (talk into a mic, pass the order to a sailor who passes it to another and so on, call for an officer to come to you etc.)
- Text boxes to allow entering precise absolute/relative orders. For example, Go 10 meters deeper, increase speed to 70 rpm and so on.
- crew scripts: "pump out water when we're being depth charged, stop when the explosions stop".
- better reports from the Weapon's Officer. He should've been able to give you intercept course bearings just by rotating the AOB (read my manual targeting tutorial) and correct the AOB after a course change.
- And yes, an AOBF coupled with horizontal and vertical split prism stadimeter.
- And a blond pornstar!
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