# Restricted field of view

**URL:** <https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/restricted-field-of-view/12868>\
**Category:** The Drawing Board\
**Created:** [November 4, 2016, 5:40pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/restricted-field-of-view/12868 "2016-11-04T17:40:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 16\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Wojtek94](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/wojtek94/32/6857_2.png) [@Wojtek94](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Wojtek94)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2016, 5:40pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/restricted-field-of-view/12868/1 "2016-11-04T17:40:19Z")

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I like field of view from ,UnReal World". It is also a survival simulator. Is it possible to add something like this to Cata?

 ![](http://embed.gyazo.com/7110544435726027af5603fae50c5573.png)

We can see things only in front of us

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**Author:** ![Profugo\_Barbatus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d26b3c/32.png) [@Profugo\_Barbatus](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Profugo_Barbatus)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2016, 4:21am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/restricted-field-of-view/12868/2 "2016-11-05T04:21:52Z")

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Its already under discussion on the Github.

> <https://github.com/CleverRaven/Cataclysm-DDA/issues/19053>

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**Author:** ![Coolthulhu](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/coolthulhu/32/2446_2.png) [@Coolthulhu](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Coolthulhu)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2016, 10:02am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/restricted-field-of-view/12868/3 "2016-11-05T10:02:46Z")

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Map memory is a totally different thing to field of vision.

Field of vision is unlikely to happen due to how restrictive is it.

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**Author:** ![CIB](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/cib/32/903_2.png) [@CIB](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/CIB)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2016, 11:20am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/restricted-field-of-view/12868/4 "2016-11-05T11:20:06Z")

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Whales explained back in the day why it’s not a thing: If implemented, basically it’d just add more micro-management where every few steps you’d have to turn around to see if something is behind you. The game assumes your character does the turning around automatically, saving you the hassle. Yes, Cataclysm’s design philosophy used to be very different from what it’s now, let’s leave it there as much as possible.

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**Author:** ![Deez\_Nutz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de0a6/32.png) [@Deez\_Nutz](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Deez_Nutz)\
**Post date:** [November 5, 2016, 5:21pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/restricted-field-of-view/12868/5 "2016-11-05T17:21:45Z")

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Perhaps it could be a mod, though not being a coder myself I don’t know if it would be very practical to put the effort into such a massive change in gameplay mechanics without making it part of the main game. In addition to changing the field of view, you also have to completely alter the movement controls, as well as certain actions(no smashing objects in or picking up/dropping objects onto tiles you can’t see, etc.). Personally I think it would be interesting to play around with, might even be better than it is now. Who knows.

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**Author:** ![StopSignal](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/stopsignal/32/1923_2.png) [@StopSignal](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/StopSignal)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2016, 9:35am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/restricted-field-of-view/12868/6 "2016-11-07T09:35:00Z")

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I actually think it could be fun. I remember finding the fov in UnReal quite fun.

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**Author:** ![noname1208](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/noname1208/32/23_2.png) [@noname1208](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/noname1208)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2016, 4:09pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/restricted-field-of-view/12868/7 "2016-11-07T16:09:57Z")

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I can see how it could be different, but if ever added I’d certainly like to have the ability to turn it off.

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**Author:** ![Voqar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/67e7ee/32.png) [@Voqar](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Voqar)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2016, 7:19pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/restricted-field-of-view/12868/8 "2016-11-07T19:19:12Z")

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I vote no.

It drives me insane in project zomboid that my character is only aware of that which is in a narrow cone in front of them. It’s too limited in the opposite direction (of omniscience).

It’s vaguely, and I mean vaguely interesting in theory, but as I’m fond of saying, this is a game, not reality, and even in reality we are more aware of our surroundings than what’s immediately in front of us to to our overall senses and that fact that our head can move independently from the direction we’re facing (meaning that if your character avatar is pointing in one direction it doesn’t mean your head/eyes are pointed in that direction or only pointing in that direction and drilling down to separate moving body from moving head and moving eyes would be a bit more detail than anybody should ever want to manage.)

In terms of game abstraction, I think the current system is fine - this is another area where more realism is not going to make for better gameplay.

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**Author:** ![TheFlame52](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/theflame52/32/247_2.png) [@TheFlame52](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/TheFlame52)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 2:20am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/restricted-field-of-view/12868/9 "2016-11-08T02:20:31Z")

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I also vote no. I don’t like it, just as I don’t like all other nerfs. The game doesn’t need to be any more realistic!

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**Author:** ![StopSignal](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/stopsignal/32/1923_2.png) [@StopSignal](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/StopSignal)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 11:42am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/restricted-field-of-view/12868/10 "2016-11-08T11:42:59Z")

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Oh, of course, it shouldn’t be the main thing at all! I think of it mostly as something you could choose, like Automatic Zombie Advancement.

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**Author:** ![ZoneWizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c6cbf5/32.png) [@ZoneWizard](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/ZoneWizard)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 10:07pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/restricted-field-of-view/12868/11 "2016-11-08T22:07:02Z")

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Vote are nil. But I’d like it implemented. I still play Unreal World. Personally I’d prefer the measure of height though first.

Jump/stand/crouch/prone and sneaking. Plus the fact that we could take cover etc. That would be a huge thing for me when NPCs are not pure crap. Full scale gun battles and the option to get behind barriers but still shoot back to dive in a ditch.

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**Author:** ![Deez\_Nutz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de0a6/32.png) [@Deez\_Nutz](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Deez_Nutz)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 5:40am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/restricted-field-of-view/12868/12 "2016-11-12T05:40:18Z")

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How IS Unreal World these days? Haven’t played in forever. Is it even still being developed?

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**Author:** ![Wojtek94](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/wojtek94/32/6857_2.png) [@Wojtek94](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Wojtek94)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2016, 9:37pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/restricted-field-of-view/12868/13 "2016-11-12T21:37:04Z")

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UnReal World? [http://www.unrealworld.fi/340b1-changelog.txt](http://www.unrealworld.fi/340b1-changelog.txt)

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**Author:** ![ZoneWizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c6cbf5/32.png) [@ZoneWizard](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/ZoneWizard)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2016, 10:39pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/restricted-field-of-view/12868/14 "2016-12-01T22:39:57Z")

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Pretty good actually. Played .40B2 last night but was pretty pissed about how I died.

Some old guy with 2 broken legs and bleeding out both managed to find a bow + arrow I shot him with. Knock the arrow and slithered into water. Unable to swim as held a bow + arrow knocked and gushing like fountain. The old fart manage to shoot me spot on and killed me with armor besides…

I just sat there for like 5 minutes pissed to no end at how retarded it was and how I could not send a save to Sami to correct such retardation. =/

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**Author:** ![ragamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a88e4f/32.png) [@ragamer](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/ragamer)\
**Post date:** [December 2, 2016, 12:19pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/restricted-field-of-view/12868/15 "2016-12-02T12:19:48Z")

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The problem with restricted FoV is that it tries to increase realism… But usually ends making the characters look far more unreal. The reasons? Sound & Lack of enemy counterpart.

You can’t have a detailed sight model WITHOUT a matching hearing model, that’s why any system were sight cones are implemented WITHOUT a way to simmulate omnidirectional senses like hearing end been a nuissance.

Then you have the problem of communicating to the player were your enemies are looking at so a player can develop interesting gameplay about it… Not just been an extra “penalty” enemies ignore.

That’s why fun sight cones are better left for full 3D visualization were it’s easy to notify the player were their opposition is looking at…

…Implementing them in CDDA is, like others say, a waste of gametime that adds nothing to the “fun factor”.

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**Author:** ![Vastin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/vastin/32/9912_2.png) [@Vastin](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Vastin)\
**Post date:** [December 3, 2016, 7:59am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/restricted-field-of-view/12868/16 "2016-12-03T07:59:47Z")

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The granularity of CDDA’s simulation is probably a bit too coarse for FOV to make much sense.

In a manner of speaking we already have it when we’re driving around with limited FOV or headlight cones, but a car can’t trivially turn it’s head a few degrees to get a full 360 view while walking along the way our character could. The other trick there is that a vehicle has many more angles of facing than a character has (32, I think, vs 8).

I suppose if someone wanted to write a mod where head/eye encumbrance applied a more and more restrictive FOV that would be amusing, so if you put on a great helm and a pair of welding goggles you’re basically reduced to a 30 degree slot straight ahead. 😃

But it wouldn’t be playable. There are no controls for actually handling facing unless you are driving. You’d also need some kind of visible facing markers for all the mobs so that you could make meaningful decisions based on those facings. It’s kind of a big can of worms for a pretty iffy return.