I didn't mean that there will be a wall of monitors, all of them showing what's goying on all the time. That would be just a waste of hobitat space and CPU power.
I am proposing a better idea that uses practicly no PC-memory.
Each player has a "camera" following him. You can change the angle of it's view by rotating your mouse.
You can change the camera position on the map simply by moving.
The camera that hangs behind the player has a seted position orygin.
You can change the camera posytion orygin by pressing TAB.
What I propose is that a player comes near a terminal with a black screen, and then LOGS-IN.
His camera orygin point is automatically transfered to portable video-camera 1's position.
He views the surrounding area just as he was there - simply by rotating the view with his mouse.
From his point of view - he IS the camera
Of course he can't interact with the surrounding - seeing only
He cound have zoom in/out using for instance z/x keys.
He cound swap his view to other on-line video-cameras by pressing "a" (go back) and "d" (go next) key.
When he wishes to log-off he click on screen with his mouse "Log-Off" or press "TAB" key.
When he log-off's his camera-view orygin point is set as it was - behind the player.
The portable video-camera would view as much as you as a player would see.
Becouse of that - it would be only logical if you set nearby a portable-light, so that you may see during night or dust storms.
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Player log-in to the console. He sees a view from PVC#1.
Possible view from Portable Video-Camera #1 (PVC#1):
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/9818/screenshot01600008.pngPlayer presses "D" and sees a view from PVC#2:
Possible view:
http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/8281/screenshot00300039.pngHe presses again "D" and his camera orygin position swaps to the position of an active PVC#3:
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/5229/screenshot00500006.pngThe base has at least 4 PVC. The last view from PVC#4:
http://img808.imageshack.us/img808/1381/screenshot00500003.pngIf he needs to see previous view he presses "A".
If player thinks he sow enough, he presses "TAB" or "Log Off".
His camera view returns to normal.