footsteps > hbs

[NoX-Illn]

months ago I played "Metal Gear Online". youÃ,´re able to hear footsteps in a radius of 10yd very well without any headphones.
how about replace heartbeatsensor by this radical solution? needless to say, in stealth mode you wonÃ,´t recognise any noise. this will advance the stealth aspect I guess.
at least there must be 3-5 noise grades (stealth mode, simple crouch walk, slow walk standing and so on).

[neth]

Could you say something more ? You want to completely remove hbs and put some gadget instead of it or just make an ability ? You say that in stealth mode spy will be able to hear more of merc noises right ?

[NoX-Illn]

in stealth mode ull hear steps lots louder than while running and stomping around of course.
all in all i ment, that the movement of merc should be lots easier to track. in fact, stepsoundgrade, shld be increased pretty much. maybe it turns such strong, that you wonÃ,´t need hbs anyway. but, as i already said, only in stealth mode ur able to track mercÃ,´s movement exactly

[Gawain]

the hbs is that strong that you almost can't surprise good spies. maybe a slight nerf to hbs (like lower scanning rate or 90% range) and a boost for merc walking noises would be good for the gameplay.
btw, if you detect a merc with hbs, your mate should see him on his radar, too.

[Zedblade]

The footsteps thing isn't going to work. For someone to figure out where the footsteps are coming from, they would need a good surround sound setup. Most people do not have that. HBS is perfectly fine the way it was in CT. It doesn't need to be removed or nurfed.

[Daybreak]

I agree.

HBS is a stealthy way to find a merc. IE: it replaces the need to shoot a merc with a spybullet. It doesn't make the bullet useless, it just gives the spy an ability to do the same thing it does, silently.

So why not create the same thing for sound. You could hack comms stealthfully. It'd work exactly like the HBS. It might sound useless, but the HBS was once considered useless, but is now commonly used.

Although hacking the comms were never that usefull, it was at somepoints helpful. Maybe having the abilty to do so undetected could raise the importance of stealth communication.

How to implement it in game wouldn't be that hard. It would be a gadget and you'd show up on EMF as usual. However, it'd be a suit activation and not like pulling out a weapon, this way you could move with it activate, but like camo it'd deplete. Upon activation you'd have to find the channel the mercs are on, probably a selection of 1-6. Then you're good to go. As a merc, you can change your frequency coms, in lobby or in game at an ammo box. When on merc changes the frequency, the team change is made, so communication such as "shit I was on the wrong channel" won't happen. It just gives the mercs the ability to keep the spies from constantly using thier hacks. Just a thought.

[B1nArY_001]

HBS needs no nerf. You should never be able to surprise a vigilant spy. Replacing HBS with footsteps is a bad idea for a few reasons -

1: HBS takes a gadget slot and that sort of detection radius should require you to give up a slot.
2: HBS requires you to have your gun drawn where footsteps are passive.
3: Ambient noise can easily cover footsteps and the spy should be able to detect an incoming merc if he is willing to give up a gadget slot for it.
4: It is invaluable when setting up an ambush where you can't see the merc coming and a spy bullet would give you away.

I do however think that the footsteps could use a little boost in volume (But this isn't CT so that will all be evaluated and tweaked in alpha). Mercs wear about 60lbs of gear along with combat boots which usually have a steel toe and a steel shank. The boots combined with armour, gun, grenades etc would make for some pretty heavy footsteps.

[Farley4Fan]

The only thing heartbeat sensor needs is your teammate can see the merc you've detected on his radar too.  It needs no nerf.

[kronf]

The only thing heartbeat sensor needs is your teammate can see the merc you've detected on his radar too.

Why is that? I strongly disagree.

[goodkebab]

hbs wont change....

and btw.  CT already has footstep radius sounds.....which is one of the reasons i am out of the habit of taking HBS.  Admittedly it is hard to pinpoint a merc with it,  but you can at least judge where in the room he is.

[AgentX_003]

good thing someone brought up the heart beat sensor topic, i really think hearbeat is overrated, due to the factors that if a merc catches you by suprise from behind, your done like dinner and that spybullets are the better alternative.. if they aren't soo loud.

[Gawain]

The only thing heartbeat sensor needs is your teammate can see the merc you've detected on his radar too.

Why is that? I strongly disagree.

it makes sense as bullets let the merc appear on both radars and if a team sticks together one could use his hbs slot easier for other gadgets. it sucks that you have to tell your mate that the merc is in the next room when it could be solved that easy.
tell me one good reason why it shouldn't appear on both radars.

[Spekkio]

Bullets:

-Make loud noise
-Let the merc know that he's been tagged
-Can be removed by the merc's partner
-Are limited in number
-Are limited in time

The HB sensor has none of those disadvantages, so one of the tradeoffs is that you don't get to see the merc on both radars. Deal with it.

I do however think that the footsteps could use a little boost in volume (But this isn't CT so that will all be evaluated and tweaked in alpha). Mercs wear about 60lbs of gear along with combat boots which usually have a steel toe and a steel shank. The boots combined with armour, gun, grenades etc would make for some pretty heavy footsteps.

Then give slow mode back to mercs. Sneaking up on spies is great.

[frvge]

There has never been slowmode for Mercs AFAIK.

[Succubus Dryad Of The Undying Comet]

PT - mercs had as many speeds as the spies.