Getting back in the Saddle with questions

[Caplin (OP)]

Hi All,
It's been around a year and change since I last looked at Aurora seriously, running into the problem of frustration and minor struggle with the interface. I've begun reading Honor Harrington again recently, which peaked my interest once more. I hope it lasts this time.
I'm wondering about the system map. I've been trying to declutter it as much as possible to avoid struggling with my screen reader, and for the most part seem to have succeeded. Is there an option to remove comet information? My screen is only 1280x800 this time, and that tends to get in the way when using the  10K resolution coordinates Steve was kind enough to include in an update many moons ago.
Combat still worries me. People have suggested that I'm likely to do it primarily centered around system bodies, but how much am I missing if I have to do it this way? WOuld it be possible to, say, enter waypoint coordinates using the 10K system already in place? I geuss I'm asking from the point of view of someone with little practical experience.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks much,
Zack.

[TheDeadlyShoe]

Mmm, not really sure what you are looking for. I find the #1 thing that clutters the display are the asteroid names, which are easy enough to remove in the Display tab of the system view.  Other than that I prefer to have stuff up. 

I actually find combat tends to be pretty much anywhere in a system.   While system bodies and jump points are the main points of interest and thus logical places for battles to occur, one or both sides will tend to have passive sensor listening posts in a given system which means fleets will be intercepted in deep space. 

Waypoints can be placed simply by clicking on the map, or by using the 'last body' button - I've never done it with coordinates. 

If you are fuzzy and hesitant about combat, I suggest reading some of Steve's fiction (in the fiction forum). The NATO/USSR campaign is a good one.  There are some spoilers, as it were, but it gives you a feel to how combat can/ is supposed actually work out in practice. 

[Hawkeye]

Hi zkline and welcome back.

As for your question: I am not aware of a way to remove comets (or their info) from the system map, sorry.




PS: For newer members, zkline is blind, and has to use a screen reader to use a computer which, as you might imagine, poses quite a few problems when it comes to playing Aurora.

[xeryon]

PS: For newer members, zkline is blind, and has to use a screen reader to use a computer which, as you might imagine, poses quite a few problems when it comes to playing Aurora.

I gathered that from his post which stated he used a screen reader.  I would think Aurora would be an excellent game to play that way.  There is a vast amount of information to process that would be an amazing mental workout to try and remember everything going on without having the visual clues we have.  Being the game plays within different windows and isn't a separate 3d processed application the screen reader method is possible where most other games it isn't even an option.

You can remove Asteroids and their names from the maps and have them only show up if minerals or if a colony is present.  That would greatly declutter a system map for easier scree reader use.

[Caplin (OP)]

You're quite right, Aurora is a very nice game to play with a screen reader, the most complex of its kind available. 3D graphics would only get in the way and make things impossible to parse.
One problem I have with the map is the tendency for the coordinate labels to be cut off, or appear that way when read aloud. I suspect there's only so much I can do about this, eliminating as much clutter is the order of the day.
I do wonder about the brief system summaries available via the clipboard button from the F9 window. Specifically, jump points have a baring listed from the star. Does this matter much in practice? Trigonometry and related math was never my strongsuit. Despite this, these summaries are infinitely more digestable than the map in most cases.
THanks much for the input so far,
Zack.

[xeryon]

There lies the problem for me; our perspectives are too different.  Because I play the game visually coordinates have never come up.  I don't know how to navigate utilizing coordinates and bearings because I haven't needed to.

A side note:  as a gamer with a visual limitation how well do you do?  I mean how many games are out there that you are able to adapt to be able to play?  I imagine there are an endless number of games that are completely impossible and others that so much of the content is dependent on sight that playing it wouldn't be satisfying.  This comes to mind for me due to an auto accident I had a couple years ago that effectively rendered me blind as far as computer use.  I lost vision in one eye and because it was my dominant side and I have always had two I was unable to focus on anything closer then 20+ feet away.  I was home bound for some time and to use a computer was completely futile and it gave me a new found respect for people that use screen readers. of which everyone I have met is insanely fast when using.