merc confusion gadget

[Spekkio]

Papa, a gadget has to:
-Have a clear purpose that is useful
-Have a unique function
-Be Effective in its goal
-Quick to deploy
-Easy to use
-Maintain and enhance the gameplay dynamic (ie, no rocket launchers for spies)

Your holopod idea is questionable for point 1; it fails at point 2 because there are other equipment items that the spy can use for diversion and confusion; it is questionable for point 3; and it fails miserably at points 4 and 5.

[Westfall]

Papa, a gadget has to:
-Have a clear purpose that is useful ( How is diverting the mercs attention towards an imaginary image not useful? It serves as the vision diversion while snares are the sound diversion. Triggering the senses is great, and visually seeing a misrepresentation of the spy is an excellent diversion)
-Have a unique function (every gadget has its own useful diversion, so you can't really hate on the holo-pod here)
-Be Effective in its goal (goal is very clear)
-Quick to deploy (should be no smaller than a bullet. If you place it wrong, then its ineffective...which means you're a noob at placing it...you'll get better of course)
-Easy to use (all you have to do is select play or pause and then distribute)
-Maintain and enhance the gameplay dynamic (ie, no rocket launchers for spies) (its a hologram....not infinite ammo)

Your holopod idea is questionable for point 1; it fails at point 2 because there are other equipment items that the spy can use for diversion and confusion; it is questionable for point 3; and it fails miserably at points 4 and 5.

It doesn't fail on any level as far as I'm concerned. In fact, I just proved that it clears your checkpoints. Its something new, and doesn't take away from any other gadget. Thats what I would be more concerned about.

Remember the map Eden, where there were spy holograms and you could actually hide yourself in the spy? Talk about a great idea. Doesn't seem that hard to code at all really. Maybe the movement will be, but it only repeats.

[Farley4Fan]

Tbh honest there is only 1 distinct distraction gadget, and that is the snare.  Why not have 2 distraction gadgets?  Holopods coupled with snares could make for an excellent distraction.  Plus there are more than 2 recon gadgets, more than 2 aggro gadgets, why not have atleast 2 distraction gadgets?

[Cyntrox]

-Easy to use

It should require some brain.

[BurningDeath]

-Easy to use

It should require some brain.

Not too much to start with, new players shouldn't have to make up complex tactics before they can use a gadget properly. That doesn't mean that you cannot come up with something complicated, but you don't have to. Hope you get me. ;)

[Gawain]

burning death, i think noobs should be able to use all gadgets reasonably successfully against other noobs, but definitely not against better players. the steep learing curve of ct is not the problem, the lack of a good tutorial and a replay system is.

[Spekkio]

-Easy to use

It should require some brain.

Let me clarify:

By easy to use, I mean in regards to control input. For example, to use a snare you press e --> right click. Done. Still requires brains, though, because you only have 5 of them, so you have to place them in areas where the mercs won't be able to shoot them and they are likely to give you maximum cover.

The way Papa is describing the hologram, you would have to set it up (e ---> right click). Then you would have to record an animation (movement/action keys). Then you would have to make sure that the hologram can play the animation without running into a strange object and giving away the fact that you're looking at a decoy (might have to re-deploy it). Then you have to get the hologram to play the animation (yet another control input).

That's way too many steps.

Remember the map Eden, where there were spy holograms and you could actually hide yourself in the spy? Talk about a great idea.

It's not as great as you think it is. All the mercs have to do is spam a bullet into the hologram everytime they see it. No red reticle, no spy.

[Cyntrox]

-Easy to use

It should require some brain.

Let me clarify:

By easy to use, I mean in regards to control input. For example, to use a snare you press e --> right click. Done. Still requires brains, though, because you only have 5 of them, so you have to place them in areas where the mercs won't be able to shoot them and they are likely to give you maximum cover.

The way Papa is describing the hologram, you would have to set it up (e ---> right click). Then you would have to record an animation (movement/action keys). Then you would have to make sure that the hologram can play the animation without running into a strange object and giving away the fact that you're looking at a decoy (might have to re-deploy it). Then you have to get the hologram to play the animation (yet another control input).

That's way too many steps.

Or you could have pre-recorded patterns.

Remember the map Eden, where there were spy holograms and you could actually hide yourself in the spy? Talk about a great idea.

It's not as great as you think it is. All the mercs have to do is spam a bullet into the hologram everytime they see it. No red reticle, no spy.

well, that's another point: Should the reticle even turn red? I think it's a cheap: You can just spam into corners, for example, to see if there's spies. The mercs should have to actually check for spies, not just spam bullets everywhere.

[Spekkio]

Should the reticle even turn red?

yes.

[Cyntrox]

Should the reticle even turn red?

yes.

Why?

[Succubus Dryad Of The Undying Comet]

...it would't be logical...

[Spekkio]

Should the reticle even turn red?

yes.

Why?

Because hit detection is a good thing. Nothing was more frustrating than trying to snipe in PT and not knowing whether or not you were actually hitting the spy.

Also, you don't have to spam bullets in corners...you have a flashlight, laser, MT, EMF, and flares to help you see people in the dark. Hiding in dark corners is generally not a good idea.

[Ion.67]

...it would't be logical...

Neither would a holopod?

The red cursor should be there, because you shouldn't have to charge into a picture to see if it is real. Even if this doesn't make it into the game, it should still be there, for the sake of telling how many times you have hit him.

[Cyntrox]

Should the reticle even turn red?

yes.

Why?

Because hit detection is a good thing. Nothing was more frustrating than trying to snipe in PT and not knowing whether or not you were actually hitting the spy.

Also, you don't have to spam bullets in corners...you have a flashlight, laser, MT, EMF, and flares to help you see people in the dark. Hiding in dark corners is generally not a good idea.

Each of those come at a price. There could be hit detection when sniping only, though.

The red cursor should be there, because you shouldn't have to charge into a picture to see if it is real. Even if this doesn't make it into the game, it should still be there, for the sake of telling how many times you have hit him.

Or you could just shoot him in the head. If he doesn't die, and you know how to aim, you'll know it's a hologram.

[Ion.67]

Tell me why it is bad, other than because this gadget has a major flaw?

I just thought of this. How the hell is this thing gonna be able to be shot? You are going to be watching a recording, that could be running a very far distance away from the source. How do you find the source?