MT replacement - CombatVision

[InvisibleMan999]

After thinking about this for some time, I think I've come to the conclusion that MT needs a reinvent.

The problem is more of a conceptual one. It's both a spy detector and an anti-aggro vision. And there's no real way to beat it. MT just doesn't have any weaknesses.

So what about if instead of trying to fix MT, we just replace it with something else. I'm thinking we don't need anymore spy detecting visions. The flashlight, the laser and EMF already do that well enough. What we do need is anti-aggro. So how about a vision solely designed to beat aggro.

This vision I call CombatVision, because it's designed only to help a merc fight against an aggro spy. It's not useful at all in detection of spies. In fact, the best way to beat CV is to sneak past the merc, because you're highly vulnerable to stealth.

Here are the features:

The Display: CombatVision appears similar to normal vision, except that it's darker and has a maximum range. Yes, that's right darker. CV actually increases shadows somewhat, like wearing sunglasses.

Detection Capabilities: CV also has a detection box feature, similar to MT, that works in a 360 radius. The following things set it off. The box can detect beyond the maximum visual range of CV, though it wont' detect a spy behind total cover.

• Any action that makes sound on the Sound Detector, such as running, drawing a gun, etc.
• Shooting the sticky shocker or firing one of its gadgets.
• Rolling spies

Additional Features:

• A merc in CV is immune to flashbangs
• A merc already in CV does not come out of CV when chaffed or shocked, though these prevent him from entering CV as normal

[LennardF1989]

Nice idea... Mercs need more defense against those nasty spies... IMHO  ::)
In my opinion the mercs are a bit out-balanced when looking at the spies.

Though, I don't like the idea Flashbangs can't affect, neather do I like it that spies can't force him out of the vision... This will make it like unneeded to ever go out of the vision, which would mean it will become standard vision of a merc, which is not really the meaning of a vision utility...

[Spekkio]

Not again  with these mt threads  ::).

Your idea is MT, but changed radically. Nevertheless, it's still MT at its core.

[Wanted_David]

What I'm about to say is kind of offtopic, but it's somehow related to it.
Here's a curiosity: not only pirates used eye-patches because they were blind in one eye. they also used eye-patches so they could almost instantaneously see in both bright areas (during day) and dark areas (during night).
I learned that from Mythbusters. Check it out.
http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=aosRNh5hXNM

Liked it? Ok, now let's stay ontopic ;D.

[Tidenburg]

I like it. Its basically sound detector but you get a visual pointer to where they are plus you still get to see slightly. I want a few changes like this. Ones that make it ever-so-different from Splinter Cell yet not driving away from it core gameplay like the pd

[Overstatement]

I think it's overpowered. Aggro is part of story mode (don't like it? play disk hunt!) and this view suggests certain death for anyone trying to attack a merc. I would rather have something that's more defense (prevents you from getting necked) than offensive (quickly eliminates the spy) because I think aggro is a valid delaying tactic.

[Farley4Fan]

How about we just take away MT ability to detect crouching or maybe just slowly moving spies?  This would alter gameplay a lot.

[Spekkio]

This thread is retarded, autistic, and down syndromesque all-in-one.

[Farley4Fan]

Agreed ^ and man that would suck to have all of those defects and diseases. :-X

[InvisibleMan999]

Though, I don't like the idea Flashbangs can't affect, neather do I like it that spies can't force him out of the vision... This will make it like unneeded to ever go out of the vision, which would mean it will become standard vision of a merc, which is not really the meaning of a vision utility...

Well the idea is that it has a capped range and it's darker, meaning that it doesn't see as well as normal vision. So sure, a merc is generally going to want to go into combat vision if he knows where a spy is, but the idea is that it's inferior to normal vision for actually finding a spy, so unlike MT, it isn't something you can stay in all the time... well not unless you're playing a team of pure aggro. Imagine that it's like wearing sunglasses and having a max vision range of the length of the sea tunnel on Aqua. That's certainly not something you want on all the time.

The idea is actually to make people choose which vision to use as opposed to just having one universal vision that does everything like the current MT does. This CombatVision is great against aggro, but it's inferior to normal vision if you're trying to locate stealthy spies. So while you can keep it on constantly, it's probably not a great idea, because if the spies see that you're using CombatVision, they'll know to just sneak around you.

[LennardF1989]

Nevertheless, I agree with Overstatement that it is too overpowered (according to the description you gave).

[Spekkio]

Dude, your idea is fucking MT vision with a different color scheme that you can't circumvent except by shocking the merc. For the love of god, give this obsession with MT a rest.

[Daybreak]

I think you guys over analyze way too much.

MT has a couple of main problems.
360 degree detection
distance of detection
Sensitivity
NightVision.

All in that order. I for one, suffer from the MT freeze. Where if a merc has MT on and I don't have camo, I don't know what to do. So most of time, I'll end up sitting there. While nerfing all of those points would make the vision useless, we have to find a better balance.

360 degree detection sucks balls because of MT sensitivity. I can be way down the hall the merc not looking at me and i move diagonally and bam! I'm found on MT. Nerf the distance detection and, 360 degree isn't that much of a problem. Nerf the sensitivity and then distance detection isn't a problem. It's all linked. The only way to better solve this problem of the "ultimate" vision is to play test it with different strengths. Untill then, we can only come up with suggestions and speculation.

[Spekkio]

I would say the sensitivity is more of an issue than the 360 detection. You have to keep the 360 detection because of aggro. Just make it so that going slow on a slant doesn't set off the detector, force a blurry vision quality similar to normal post render 800x600 resolution graphics, and we'd be straight. At one point a long while ago I took screenshots of a particular area in Warehouse to show how 800x600 normal post-render actually fixes most of the NV/max distance problems all in one (it's generally way too blurry to see a spy across the map unless he sets off the box). Considering the PC version is an Xbox port, I think that the devs intended to design MT such that your vision is blurry except for the object in motion, which appears clearly via the grey box. With Ubi's laziness, the PC version can be scaled up in graphics so that you don't have to sacrifice much visual clarity at all to use MT.

ADDED: Here are two links showing the difference between HQ and LQ MT. The first image is 1280x1024 w/ everything on high/very high. The second image is 640x480 with everything on normal. I want you to pay attention to the two lines at the top and bottom on the file cabinet. In the HQ image they are completely clear; in the LQ image you can only see half of them before they fade into a shadow, demonstrating how normal post-render actually extends shadows through its blurriness. Furthermore, pay attention to the gun. In the HQ image, the gun is clearly detailed. In the LQ image, it is a blob of blurriness, much like the spy would appear when you don't set off the grey box. I don't have another person at hand to show spots where this would make a spy able to hide in the dark, but they certainly do.

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l179/reynoldo_2006/HQMT.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l179/reynoldo_2006/LQMT.jpg

Adding a max distance to the grey box similar in range to EMF and removing its NV capability might also help. However, those might not be necessary once the major bugs are fixed and the above changes are implemented. I mean, the point is that in order to get to an objective, you're going to have to move. Ultimately that will make any motion-detecting device paired with a diligent patrol route a generally superior means of detection. Regardless, whenever you nerf or buff anything it has to be done in small increments. The walking-on-a-slant problem is more of a failure of QA, since Ubi intended for you to be able to creep past a merc. But forcing the above quality of vision for MT might just be enough of a nerf to set the game straight. If it's not, then you go from there in small steps. None of this totally redisigning crap. MT is a little overpowered, but it's not omgwtfgodvision the way that people are crying about.

As for what to do if you absolutely MUST go through an area where you'd be exposed to a merc in MT, ask your partner to distract or harass the merc. When he does so, the best thing to do is move quickly rather than slowly because the longer the distraction lasts, the more likely the spy will die.

[Tidenburg]

Why not have DA motion tracking but its a toggle between torch and MT