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[Feature] Security Monitoring TV
#1
Idea partially inspired by this thread: https://forum.ss13.co/showthread.php?tid=5618

I know there are some other threads that mentioned similar things, but this is the one I noticed that started this project. My one "improvement" on the idea was to make the camera's a little more interesting than observing things through the sec camera computer (which took you out of your body to view that area).

The gist is this: The security camera computer found in security and sometimes on the bridge, can now connect to a new "security_monitor" object that is a big screen about 2x2 tiles in size that displays the target of the computer and all objects within 2 tiles of it. So a 5x5 grid. (the video should make it clearer)


Demo Video: https://streamable.com/ipua3

Technical Notes:

- I thought this would be super easy, but it wasn't (at least not for me). Though I think it worked out pretty well, but there are a couple things that I didn't like that I had to do in the code that you might see. I'll try to explain here:

-Requires Byond version 512 or greater to work for use of the new feature, vis_contents.

- The new monitor objects will need to be manually added to areas on a map, plus each monitor needs an ID to be displayed in the security computer. It has a default value in code, but that value could just be changed in the map editor.

- This camera follows a "new" sunglasses object. Basically I just wanted it to link with the Security HUD glasses, but they're not in 2016 so that needs a change. The Sec HUD objects would just need a reference to a monitor I think. 

- Currently i have the camera height set to show a 5x5 square of turfs, but I hard coded the transformations because it seemed too annoying and probably not worth it to make it modular to handle more sizes. It is capable of showing a 3x3 square of turfs, but I thought it looked bad. The FOV height can be switched to that with a proc called "change fov" or something in the security_monitor.dm I think.

- There are 3 "parts" (or objects) that make up the main security monitor. The monitor frame, blank screen, and the camera screen that updates. Unfortunately, due to the nature of what I was trying to do and the way images work in byond, I couldn't do it as simply has I'd hoped. 

- The blank screen is uninteresting, it wasn't strictly necessary, but I thought it easier than doing matrix transforms every time the monitor turns off and on. So this is just a grey square that is placed below the monitor frame. My original hope was to be able to interlace the vis_contents of one object so that it could fit between the monitor frame and the blank screen below. But I don't think it's possible. 

https://github.com/goonstation/goonstati...l/79/files

EDIT: Okay well, I'm not doing this just yet, but I plan to change this so that it will be a small wall monitor that, when examined, will display a non-browser popup on your HUD so that you can see the view in real time. Still, I plan to leave a version of it the way it is presently in here because I think it can definitely fit *somewhere* on some station in security, though I agree it can't be shoehorned in everywhere.
#2
I love the idea, but I don't think this version would fit in well with the game. That 2x2 screen just comes off as looking way too out of place and gigantic compared to everything else on the station.

As a suggestion - could this be made into a popup somehow instead of an item? I think that would probably work well.
#3
(10-08-2018, 05:55 PM)kyle2143 Wrote: - I thought this would be super easy, but it wasn't...
I thought that this was impossible! And it fucking amazing at that! 10/5 would flash the camera again.

(10-12-2018, 08:56 AM)Firebarrage Wrote: popup windows
I like this idea.
#4
The giant screen might be awkward for the spots TVs are usually put, but it would be incredibly well suited for command & surveilance centers like the HoS's office, the bridge, and things like that.
Like a projector.

Maybe there should be one in the bar to watch boxing matches! bring out the buffalo wings & beer yeah?
This oughta be patched. It'll take specific mapping to accomodate it, but it's great.
I can't accept that this is out of place size-wise, when a pill is half the size of a loaf of bread, and that loaf is bigger than a man's torso.
#5
(10-12-2018, 08:56 AM)Firebarrage Wrote: I love the idea, but I don't think this version would fit in well with the game. That 2x2 screen just comes off as looking way too out of place and gigantic compared to everything else on the station.

As a suggestion - could this be made into a popup somehow instead of an item? I think that would probably work well.

I think someone mentioned a while back that BYOND cant handle having a second viewport, especially one in a popup window. Course this was a while back, maybe BYOND has improved since then.
#6
(11-30-2018, 02:28 PM)Superlagg Wrote:
(10-12-2018, 08:56 AM)Firebarrage Wrote: I love the idea, but I don't think this version would fit in well with the game. That 2x2 screen just comes off as looking way too out of place and gigantic compared to everything else on the station.

As a suggestion - could this be made into a popup somehow instead of an item? I think that would probably work well.

I think someone mentioned a while back that BYOND cant handle having a second viewport, especially one in a popup window. Course this was a while back, maybe BYOND has improved since then.

I'm not completely sure to what you're referring, but I think you mean a client can't have two different controllable "eyes" at the same time. I'm not actually sure if that's true or not, but it doesn't apply in what firebarrage suggests or how my thing works now.

TG's AI PiP is kind of what he means, and my plan to accomodate his suggestion was to do something similar where the popup screen is placed on one of the HUD buttons where you probably would click it and displays an "image" of the area it's looking at.

I think it's definitely possible and could be very useful to have it working that was as well. But when I made my TV thing originally, I did it with a very specific use case in mind (only observing sec sunglasses). So at this stage I think it makes more sense not to merge it right now since I plan to make significant changes... When I eventually get around to it, this thing was a huge pain and I'm not yet motivated enough to dive back in.
#7
It's not exactly related to your patch but how difficult would it be to change the GUI of the security monitor to that of the AI or the hand-held camera monitor? It really sucks that you can't scroll using letters on that one.
#8
(01-11-2019, 04:02 AM)Azungar Wrote: It's not exactly related to your patch but how difficult would it be to change the GUI of the security monitor to that of the AI or the hand-held camera monitor? It really sucks that you can't scroll using letters on that one.

Doing that would be easy, but it would suck. Those menu's are literally the laziest way to make menus in Byond and they're only used because they are so easy. I have to assume that whoever originally made the security camera computer made the GUI the way they did because they thought that it was more interesting visually and more in keeping with the game's theme. 

Having said that, the functionality using the style of menu you propose is better. In discord yesterday someone (or maybe it was you?) mentioned this issue yesterday in relation the current thing I'm doing with the security camera moving like how AIs used to view the station. And suggested a camera search option or keeping the camera list in the same position after selecting a camera. I think this is much better than switching to the native Byond list and pretty doable. 

I started fiddling around with making a sort of gui like that for the security camera computer after it was mentioned. Attached is a video of what I've got going so far. It's really really rough stylistically, but the functionality is there.

https://streamable.com/kyfmz

This will not be featured in this patch... probably. I'll be posting a new patch for this camera movement stuff.
#9
That already looks so much better, just being able to search and narrow the list
#10
Yes!
Yes!
A million times yes!
Moving security cameras like the AI used to do was something I believed was a good idea since I gave up on using security cameras.


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