2 most needed changes

[LoboNocturno]

21 minutes ago, MEXAHUK said:

Mini map of a sector? No, nobody think we really miss it?😬🤷🏼‍♂️

I do, it would be surely very helpful. Is it hard to spot enemies at times on the map in real time.

[BossWeapons]

The game could really use some streamlining when it comes to the setup of stealth takedowns. It is really frustrating to fiddle with the UI to get the take down ready for closing in, even if all you do is click on an enemy, click how much aim you want and click which body part you target and then walk up to the enemy and hope for the best. I almost feel like stealthy knife strikes should always aim for the neck with full aim by default, because that's what you do 95% of the time.

There seems to be some sort of very slight slow-down, bullet time type of a thing going on when you aim at people in exploration mode, but it's not nearly slow enough to give you enough time to click through all the actions when you need to do it in a hurry if we take into account how unresponsive the UI can be sometimes. The game should probably just pause itself automatically any time you've clicked an enemy with a weapon action selected, or just have an actual pause where you can give commands to all of your mercs.

There should probably be an automatic pause for when you discover stage hazards, such as mines or when you're being discovered while sneaking, as well. It makes no sense for your merc to discover a mine and then just run directly into it. The mercs already sprint everywhere so fast if you're not constantly crouching and in the case of a miss-click they just zoom off like insane Usain Bolts. The constant sprint running doesn't only look kind of silly, it also feels wrong. Running works in combat, but in exploration mode I'd much prefer a nice jogging pace instead of this overly fast, overly silly looking "Help me! My ass is on fire!" pace, unless you choose to run that fast in the first place.

It's a personal nitpick, but they run like ducks do in real life. Just put the Deja Vu! meme song in the background and you're all set. I hate it.

Talking about animations. The game could perhaps use a few additional "death" animations. There are really cool ones such as that one animation where it almost looks like you sweep the enemy off its legs and he just slumps down like a sack of potatoes, but I tend to get the "Oh! Egad! I'm dying! Let me just slowly go on my knees and... put my hands on the ground while I'm finding a comfortable position to die in!" one when it doesn't fit the situation at all. For example when I shoot through their skull with a rifle.

I also kind of agree about not seeing the gear on enemies. I know we didn't see gear on them in the older games either, but one user here pointed out that so many times you're taking a shot at a guy who is only wearing shorts and a scraggly t-shirt on the avatar, but if you don't look at the stats, which you might not always do, you can miss out he's actually wearing a state of the art full body ballistic protection which your piddly gun is not posed to compete with. It's not too bad, but it is kind of annoying.

All in all though I'm really liking the game so far. There are just a few visual things that give me a headache occasionally. And maybe the uncanny accuracy of enemies with burst fire that seems to always get me.

Edited July 15, 2023 by BossWeapons

[ShadowMagic]

17 hours ago, D13 said:

I am thoroughly disappointed by this mix of real-time and turn-based. Too bad, I had hoped Haemimont would understand and replicate JA combat mechanics.

It was already clear on forehand this game would not resemble JA2 in many aspects.

How often did I warn you guys. A meager 7 oo 10 score on Steam says enough. 

The more I have seen from non commercial ingame footage the less interested i became in buying it.

It's just not JA. 

Edited July 15, 2023 by ShadowMagic

[Monomaniacal]

11 hours ago, LXant said:

- Headshots should count for much more damage. When I shoot someone with an AK into the unprotected head with a burst of 3 hits at point blank, I expect them to die, not just to take 70% dmg.

100% agree. I get it that important NPCs might need to be hard to kill for narrative reasons, but if that's the case, give them a helmet. It was very jarring last night when I put a 7.62 round through the back of a slave master's unarmoured skull and all it did was annoy him.

[Solaris_Wave]

20 hours ago, sandman25dcsss said:

1) Ability to pause on tactical map (Steam thread: https://steamcommunity.com/app/1084160/discussions/0/3807280708314690040/)

Quote from there: "Ok, now that I've played a sector defense battle and had my squad split up and I had to frantically click around to reposition my hidden mercs out of sight and try to move them individually it's insane that pause during real time mode isn't available. This isn't an RTS and the UI and maps are completely insufficient for handling mercs like it's an RTS.

Pause during real time mode should be in the first patch. This is seriously ruining the game right now."

2) Auto-pause when a mine is discovered (https://steamcommunity.com/app/1084160/discussions/0/7405656898320575089/) or enemy is detected

Quote: "Barry detected a mine then a second later walked over it and exploded
You did actually read what I was saying right? I am questioning the fact that even right after detecting a mine they decide to walk right over it anyway
If memory serves me right, in JA2 mercs were smart enough to avoid moving over an area where they detected a mine (it was marked in interface with a blue flag and they would walk around it)"

Another quote: "since there is no realtime pause feature, therefore no auto-pause when a new threat/enemy/mine is detected... and since it can be detected right in front of you.. the only answer is to put your merc in prone, babysit every step, and wait 5 minutes for them to crawl somewhere so you dont detonate one by moving too fast."

 

Personally I don't enjoy the game that much because of both points.

Pause during real-time was something that was suggested a long time before release. I can't remember who suggested it on these forums first but as soon as it was done so, it was universally liked and became immediately apparent that it was an important and necessary addition. This is not just a manual pause option but also an auto-pause interrupt during critical alerts, such as detection of mines, booby traps and enemies. Without it, you are scrambling to avoid disaster as your other mercs blindly set off more mines. The enemy can also possibly gain the initiative and turn the tables on your team, starting combat while you are still busy setting up position. I am sure this can be all the more problematic when you have to keep scrolling back and forth between mercs that are split up on the battlefield and you are trying to control them all at once, and don't have the finesse that paused activity (or forced switch to turn-based movement) provides.

[GODSPEED]

4 hours ago, BossWeapons said:

I also kind of agree about not seeing the gear on enemies. I know we didn't see gear on them in the older games either, but one user here pointed out that so many times you're taking a shot at a guy who is only wearing shorts and a scraggly t-shirt on the avatar, but if you don't look at the stats, which you might not always do, you can miss out he's actually wearing a state of the art full body ballistic protection which your piddly gun is not posed to compete with. It's not too bad, but it is kind of annoying.

I remember HG explaining their design choices for unique-looking mercs vs mercs with full gear. Whether that was to make the game simpler to make, or really an art choice, I have my suspicions.

I had understood they made that choice because they said our mercs would just blend in too much and we'd confuse them with the enemy. So, my brain thought: "ok, that means, enemies will show their gear and equipment, but our mercs will look unique!"

Now... I actually kind of like the unique-looking mercs to be honest! Honestly, I thought I was going to hate it, 'cause I'm a bit of a "equipment/gun nerd" and like seeing it.


But, with that said, their explanation that the mercs blended-in too much with everything if they had equipment... 😤 Put your mercs next to enemies.. and the enemies look nearly as funky, so they blend in anyways!!


+1 to wanting  visible equipment on enemies at least, it would look better than having to rely on the UI to tell you. That was one of the "major" limitations of Jagged Alliance 2 (1.13), having to rely on ALT to see the enemy equipped gear.

[Solaris_Wave]

12 hours ago, LXant said:

- Headshots should count for much more damage. When I shoot someone with an AK into the unprotected head with a burst of 3 hits at point blank, I expect them to die, not just to take 70% dmg

That is something that annoys me in a lot of games. I don't expect a definite kill with any type of bullet if a headshot is achieved, but I do expect at the very least a serious negative effect on an enemy's stats or a stun effect. Further up the scale would be incapacitation. Not death but enough to put them out of the fight and unconscious.

Three 7.62x39mm shots to an unarmoured head, point blank should be a kill.

If all they become is slightly miffed, it pulls you out of the game with its lack of realism and logic. Not only that but that frustration can be even greater when you don't get the same privilege and they get to do more damage to you.

 

12 hours ago, LXant said:

- Show armor on characters. The amount of half-naked people fighting me, only to find out that they're armored, is kind of annoying. You rely on visual cues when planning your attack, i.e. who holds what weapon etc. The same should also go for armor, I want to see who wears what, so I can plan ahead

Another important suggestion. As I have said elsewhere, I am unable to buy and play JA3 at present because I am away from my gaming PC but when I was looking at the screenshots of the enemy soldiers/militia, I assumed that all of those would be unarmoured. JA2 didn't show armoured enemies and instead just had 'colour coded' enemies. JA3's graphics could/should allow for greater detail and variation. Therefore, enemies wearing armour should be visible. We aren't always talking about light armour vests worn under clothing. We are talking about those higher level vests worn over the top. They will be visible and it is important to identify who is wearing what and who is armed with what. It all contributes to situational awareness and allowing you to ascertain who needs dealing with first.

You could say that your own mercs don't have visible armour (which was a lengthy topic in itself). Unlike your mercs however, the enemy doesn't have such apparel omitted for ease of individual identification, or to allow individual personality to shine through.

 

12 hours ago, LXant said:

- A major annoyance is the uncanny hit chance of even basic enemies. They're supposed to be untrained savages, brainless brutes, who are capable of little more than torturing defenceless villagers. But when you fight them, it turns out that they're actually olympic athletes, who can run, climb, hide and snipe you all in one turn... come one, we're not talking about their elite, but the basic grunts. Have them behave as such. The amount of times they hit be behind full cover with their burst fire after moving seems suspiciously like the AI isn't playing by the rules...

Another annoyance for me in games: AI cheating. I get the fact that, as an RPG, your mercs will improve but games developers have to accept the fact that your mercs are not necessarily rookies. They have gained experience before turning mercenary. Meanwhile, your basic JA3 enemies are militia. Just because they have a gun and know where the trigger is and which way the bullets come out, doesn't mean they are well trained, highly fit, disciplined soldiers. Therefore, your mercs should have a basic advantage and the starting enemies should be random in their competence.

It gets on my nerves seeing my own guys fumbling about, throwing pins instead of the the grenade, firing rockets into the wall next to them, while AI-controlled supermen supershoot you with one shot from their hip-fired AK-47, or all throw a series of grenades with more accuracy than the Harlem Globetrotters.

[BossWeapons]

4 hours ago, GODSPEED said:

Now... I actually kind of like the unique-looking mercs to be honest! Honestly, I thought I was going to hate it, 'cause I'm a bit of a "equipment/gun nerd" and like seeing it.

The unique looking mercs have grown on me as well. I was initially a little miffed that there was no change to the visuals depending on what you are wearing, but in the end it's alright for the most part, even if I love my "tacticool" gear visuals. Still though, it would have been nice to see helmets and goggles, etc. at the very least.

Unrelated to the gear visuals, but I like oggling at my mercs up close. The game just doesn't let me zoom in on them enough. The camera should be able to zoom in all the way into Buns's buns if I so desire. I've seen people complaining about not being able to zoom out far enough to get a good look at the action. I'm complaining about not being able to zoom in close enough unless I have my mercs sitting on a higher elevation while the camera sits on a lower elevation and is not focused on the mercs. I'm also a weirdo who thinks the camera tends to zoom out too far when the enemy is taking shots at you.

There are other smaller things I've noticed while playing. Especially when it comes to stealth and LoS. My default play style in JA has always been stealth first. Stealth gameplay seems to work, even if I don't think I fully understand it yet. For example, the first Outpost fight with Pierre. I was able to snipe half of the people while never coming out of hiding with all but one of my 5 mercs and took no hits during the whole fight and was able to "stealth kill" soldiers left and right as I pleased. Even Pierre went done in one shot in the arm. But my issues come from not understanding why are my mercs staying in hiding with loud weapons then, when other times I'm being spotted just by being vaguely close to the enemy in combat who is not even focusing on the particular merc.

Which brings me to the line of sight in the game. The maps aren't very big. They are infact quite cramped or they feel cramped for the most part even while they are not, kind of. This could be because every character seems to have 360 degree vision around them (yours included) which restricts your approach big time unless you abuse stealth like a champ. There are no "vision cones." Or I don't think there are. For example, when you sneak, you can attempt to close in from the front or the back and there seems to be no difference in the spotting timer. I suppose the system they have in place wouldn't play well with more restricted vision cones and stuff like that.

This ties to the weather system in the game. In foggy weather your vision seems to be greatly restricted. Honestly, the mercs couldn't see 5 feet in front of them. I had my best sniper duo on a roof and the enemy was literally a grenade throwing distance from them, yet they just couldn't see the enemy no matter what and had to take shots at "ghosts." This wouldn't be so weird, but the visuals for the fog are so... diluted? It doesn't really feel THAT foggy. I fully understand why the visuals for the fog aren't as drastic as its effects are, but it feels like the game just constantly lies to you about the visual information on screen.

Weapon damage is also something I personally dislike slightly. I feel like wounds should introduce penalties. It is very disencouraging when you turn a spongy enemy into a swiss cheese with up to 4 wounds and they aren't penalised for it AT ALL other than having the health cap lowered. Unless I'm completely misunderstanding the underlying game system, the enemy is still fully capable and able to move and do whatever as if he was completely unharmed. All the disabling effects come from limb shots and specialised ammunition and/or weapon specific attacks.

Once again, I understand why they chose to go with it like this, but if you shoot somebody 7 times, they should probably be just a little bit not-able-to-fight-back-like-they-were-completely-fresh. This is especially annoying if you put a round through the enemy's skull without killing him and he just turns to burst fire your ass off. Maybe I'm just not understanding how damage works?

Maybe allow us to set which fire mode your guys use during overwatch interrupts and run and gun/mobile shot actions as well. Burst fire wastes so much ammo especially when your guys aren't hitting anything when it would be a lot more beneficial to just take single shots.

This has gone off the rails though on my part, turning into a personal list of complaints and unrelated to the discussion at hand about top priority needs.

Edited July 16, 2023 by BossWeapons

[sandman25dcsss]

48 minutes ago, BossWeapons said:

Weapon damage is also something I personally dislike slightly. I feel like wounds should introduce penalties. It is very disencouraging when you turn a spongy enemy into a swiss cheese with up to 4 wounds and they aren't penalised for it AT ALL other than having the health cap lowered. Unless I'm completely misunderstanding the underlying game system, the enemy is still fully capable and able to move and do whatever as if he was completely unharmed. All the disabling effects come from limb shots and specialised ammunition and/or weapon specific attacks.

I think the idea is to make you choose what you want instead of having it all:

1) very high damage, but heavy accuracy penalty

2) high damage, the highest accuracy

3) lower damage and lower accuracy, but debuffs:

a) aiming penalty (good vs snipers)

b) move penalty (good vs enemies with short weapon range)

c) bleeding (good for kiting via hiding)

By the way there is an early perk to make shots at some body parts lose damage penalty.

[BossWeapons]

1 hour ago, sandman25dcsss said:

I think the idea is to make you choose what you want instead of having it all:

You're probably right on that. This is pretty much what I was thinking as well. It makes sense from the design perspective of how the game seems to be built, but manages to rub me in the wrong way regardless.

[marcinl0]

There are more really necessary changes - please see JA3 patch needed - urgent

[ninjalex]

11 hours ago, ShadowMagic said:

It was already clear on forehand this game would not resemble JA2 in many aspects.

How often did I warn you guys. A meager 7 oo 10 score on Steam says enough. 

The more I have seen from non commercial ingame footage the less interested i became in buying it.

It's just not JA. 

 

Maybe you should post 10 more posts a day about how its not JA because you don't like how your favorite character looks. This is about as JA as you can get it.

The 7 out of 10 score basically comes down to:

- Didn't like the game because of personal preferences

- Didn't like the game because didn't understand mechanics (like people complaining about why some mercs have more inventory slots than others and not understanding why)

- Didn't like the game because of too much banter (oh no, not our SUPER SERIOUS MILSIM game JA that definitively didnt have banter)

- Didn't like the game because it differs from 1.13, and proceed to call it "not jagged alliance" when they compare it to a mod

- Didn't like it for actually sound reasons (design choices in tactical combat: Map sizes, the internal logic of enemies etc, lack of functions like real time pausing which makes encounters unneccesarily stressful).

 

But when people complain that opponents are bullet sponges that won't die and I run around on Commando-difficulty one-shotting everyone in the head I'm wondering what these guys are doing tbh (and I had a LOT of people in JA2 still surviving a headshot on expert difficulty soo).

 

There are many reasons to be a bit disappointed with this game, but when you have reviewers "HATING IT WITH PASSION" after 10 hour play, then nothing short of a re-imagination of 1.13 would be enough for them, and all reviews have to be seen in the filter of cultist level fans.

[Tzg]

On 7/15/2023 at 7:26 AM, D13 said:

I am thoroughly disappointed by this mix of real-time and turn-based. Too bad, I had hoped Haemimont would understand and replicate JA combat mechanics.

You mean the JA2 mechanics of real time and turn based? The one that’s exactly the same in JA3 ??

[Tzg]

8 hours ago, Solaris_Wave said:

That is something that annoys me in a lot of games. I don't expect a definite kill with any type of bullet if a headshot is achieved, but I do expect at the very least a serious negative effect on an enemy's stats or a stun effect. Further up the scale would be incapacitation. Not death but enough to put them out of the fight and unconscious.

Three 7.62x39mm shots to an unarmoured head, point blank should be a kill.

If all they become is slightly miffed, it pulls you out of the game with its lack of realism and logic. Not only that but that frustration can be even greater when you don't get the same privilege and they get to do more damage to you.

 

Another important suggestion. As I have said elsewhere, I am unable to buy and play JA3 at present because I am away from my gaming PC but when I was looking at the screenshots of the enemy soldiers/militia, I assumed that all of those would be unarmoured. JA2 didn't show armoured enemies and instead just had 'colour coded' enemies. JA3's graphics could/should allow for greater detail and variation. Therefore, enemies wearing armour should be visible. We aren't always talking about light armour vests worn under clothing. We are talking about those higher level vests worn over the top. They will be visible and it is important to identify who is wearing what and who is armed with what. It all contributes to situational awareness and allowing you to ascertain who needs dealing with first.

You could say that your own mercs don't have visible armour (which was a lengthy topic in itself). Unlike your mercs however, the enemy doesn't have such apparel omitted for ease of individual identification, or to allow individual personality to shine through.

 

Another annoyance for me in games: AI cheating. I get the fact that, as an RPG, your mercs will improve but games developers have to accept the fact that your mercs are not necessarily rookies. They have gained experience before turning mercenary. Meanwhile, your basic JA3 enemies are militia. Just because they have a gun and know where the trigger is and which way the bullets come out, doesn't mean they are well trained, highly fit, disciplined soldiers. Therefore, your mercs should have a basic advantage and the starting enemies should be random in their competence.

It gets on my nerves seeing my own guys fumbling about, throwing pins instead of the the grenade, firing rockets into the wall next to them, while AI-controlled supermen supershoot you with one shot from their hip-fired AK-47, or all throw a series of grenades with more accuracy than the Harlem Globetrotters.

Loads of horseshit as always but - for the negative effects of shot in the head. 
I don’t know - is blowing head off enemy with one shot enough or negative effect ? 
 

just asking for a friend. 

[sandman25dcsss]

It has 80% rating on Steam now and I am sure it will grow.

[Bearson]

After playing for about 15 hours, I would agree with the general score of 70 to 75%.

Game is fun, but the poor UI, confusing combat on occasions, enemies who appear not to follow the same rules as you, lack of information about stats and weird weapon system.. are hampering the overall experience a bit too much. Mind you.. MY experience, that is. Yours may vary 🙂

It really is too much like Wasteland 3 and almost all the finer details that made JA2 so special are missing.

Still its a good game, worth playing and maybe with some proper modding, might be even great.

 

[CersaisAdvocate]

Actually the thing that concerns me the most are the small sector Maps. Everthing else will eventually be fixed by the devs or modded in.

 

[ninjalex]

Just now, CersaisAdvocate said:

Actually the thing that concerns me the most are the small sector Maps. Everthing else will eventually be fixed by the devs or modded in.

 

Agree with this, attacking a sector and spawning ON TOP of enemies on the border is awfully frustrating. Every map should've probably be at least 10-20% larger so you can decide on an approach. Not sure if it's different when you get to sectors further east in the game.

[marcinl0]

Dear THQ Creators, we waited patiently for almost thirty years from the brilliant JA2 (not counting the tragically poor continuation attempts, only BIA I wanted to play) to get a REALLY worthy successor that retains the unique atmosphere of the timeless original JA series (JA JA2 JA2.5) and everything good in the JA series -
since the title says JA3 - but it obliges... Urgent patch PLEASE - see JA3 patch needed - urgent

[D13]

2 hours ago, Tzg said:

You mean the JA2 mechanics of real time and turn based? The one that’s exactly the same in JA3 ??

No, I meant the implementation of the switch from RT to TB when encountering enemies. That part is markedly different compared to JA2 where the switch happened instantly, whereas in JA3 we observe enemies in RT, engage them in RT, and/or have to respond in RT to the red "being noticed" indicator bar.

[Tzg]

3 hours ago, marcinl0 said:

Dear THQ Creators, we waited patiently for almost thirty years from the brilliant JA2 (not counting the tragically poor continuation attempts, only BIA I wanted to play) to get a REALLY worthy successor that retains the unique atmosphere of the timeless original JA series (JA JA2 JA2.5) and everything good in the JA series -
since the title says JA3 - but it obliges... Urgent patch PLEASE - see JA3 patch needed - urgent

Stop you are being silly. We don’t need not want CtH and all that dogshit. Get mod and play your beloved 1.13. 

 

1 hour ago, D13 said:

No, I meant the implementation of the switch from RT to TB when encountering enemies. That part is markedly different compared to JA2 where the switch happened instantly, whereas in JA3 we observe enemies in RT, engage them in RT, and/or have to respond in RT to the red "being noticed" indicator bar.

Ah ye it’s slightly different but really the same. Takes about 20 seconds to get used to. And yes it’s not JA2. It’s JA3 and it’s cool .

[D13]

12 minutes ago, Tzg said:

Ah ye it’s slightly different but really the same. Takes about 20 seconds to get used to. And yes it’s not JA2. It’s JA3 and it’s cool .

My disappointment stems not from the requirement of having to get used to something new, which is to be expected from a new game, but from the nature of the change and its effects. One now has to be able to click fast an precisely like in a real-time tactics game, or suffer a tactical disadvantage. It's just too much action for my liking, hence my disappointment.

What advantages do you see in the JA3 implementation compared to the one in JA2?

[Melliores]

7 minutes ago, D13 said:

My disappointment stems not from the requirement of having to get used to something new, which is to be expected from a new game, but from the nature of the change and its effects. One now has to be able to click fast an precisely like in a real-time tactics game, or suffer a tactical disadvantage. It's just too much action for my liking, hence my disappointment.

What advantages do you see in the JA3 implementation compared to the one in JA2?

Allow me to put in a few arguments, if I may:

• You can clearly observe patrol patterns. Unlike JA2, in JA3 they is a patrol behavior and some enemies actually patrol in pairs.
• Stemming from the above, you can prepare an ambush using your preferred tactic in real time - sneak from behind with a knife, place an explosive and activate it with a remote detonator, use a sniper with a silenced rifle, set up an overwatch trap etc.
• The game does not encourage you to camp if there is more real-time movement. Back in JA2 I remember that I could make a kill and then run the other way while still in turn-based mode. Enemies would often forget about me or did not even see me. Rinse and repeat. The reaction turn that enemies get once they notice you is also a design feature to discourage you from camping.
• It is easier to have a spotter for your sniper perched somewhere up high. Once you make a clean kill from stealth the game remains in real-time, allowing you to continue movement with your spotter to find new targets.

There might be more, but the gameplay feels more fluent currently, especially for stealth attacks.

[Warmonger]

After some critical ideas at first, I am now fighting for the first mine, and I must say, yes it GERAT an a true follower. I am using my all my JA2 routines and feel the KI-improvements already. Great fights. KI does skilled storm attacks but also seems to know how to hold back. Atmosphere? Coming, coming.

[GODSPEED]

9 hours ago, BossWeapons said:

Unrelated to the gear visuals, but I like oggling at my mercs up close. The game just doesn't let me zoom in on them enough. The camera should be able to zoom in all the way into Buns's buns if I so desire. I've seen people complaining about not being able to zoom out far enough to get a good look at the action. I'm complaining about not being able to zoom in close enough unless I have my mercs sitting on a higher elevation while the camera sits on a lower elevation and is not focused on the mercs. I'm also a weirdo who thinks the camera tends to zoom out too far when the enemy is taking shots at you.

This has gone off the rails though on my part, turning into a personal list of complaints and unrelated to the discussion at hand about top priority needs.

Buuunnnn's!! 😍

😅

On a more serious note. A simple toggle option like Atom RPG has: Isometric Mode.

If you check that box, the game has the camera stuck in a typical isometric view with 4 cardinal angles. Otherwise it has more a freecam style view, with limitations naturally.

JA3 seems to be detailed enough, that we should have a freecam. I always zoom in to see the mercs "unique" looks (not just the buns, but mostly for the buns), and the weapon models with visual mods on them are insanely good looking.


And then, the camera doesn't let us zoom out enough. It feels claustrophobic and restrictive.