Forums » Suggestions
Stelath / Engine Glow
Arghhh... Typo in the Subject, which i can't amend!
Would be very handy to have a "powered down" mode, for the engines or the ship which would render it invisible on radar and cut off the engine glow effect. Obviously you should not be able to move or fire in this state.
I request this, bcos the other day i parked my ship right between the "storage cylinders" array on the S9 station, and it looked like i was lying in wait for an innocent trader, or maybe spying on the TGP Corp. Obviously the fact i appeared on radar and the engine glow is a bit of a giveaway.. ;-)
You've been Thunderclaw'd,
Kastin Thunderclaw
Would be very handy to have a "powered down" mode, for the engines or the ship which would render it invisible on radar and cut off the engine glow effect. Obviously you should not be able to move or fire in this state.
I request this, bcos the other day i parked my ship right between the "storage cylinders" array on the S9 station, and it looked like i was lying in wait for an innocent trader, or maybe spying on the TGP Corp. Obviously the fact i appeared on radar and the engine glow is a bit of a giveaway.. ;-)
You've been Thunderclaw'd,
Kastin Thunderclaw
Off radar when you power down, sure, sounds good, but "Only" if you are parked right up against something big and uneven to hide your ship. Meaning, hiding against rocks, yeah yeah, in the corner of a bunch of station parts, sure. Out sitting in space near a wormhole just waiting. No, never.
Also, if someone comes within 150m of you, their radar should suddenly notice you, maybe not as a ship, but as some new color dot for "discrepency" a change in the background the ship says wasnt there before.
And as for engine glow. No, don't think so. Maybe reduced to a lower level than normal. But still engine glow. If someone is lucky enough to sneak up behind you they need some hint your there or it becomes to easy to power down and kill everything that comes by without any warning at all. This may make it fun for pirates but it makes it rediculous for the rest of us.
As a third point. While in your Stealth/Reduced Engine glow mode. The ship in this mode should not have radar/sensors/ability to move/weapons, while sitting powered down, and for 3-6 seconds to allow for a powerup. 3-6 seconds might also be needed for a powerdown as well, keeping it from becoming a way to just drop off radar and shoot em as they go past.
Also, if someone comes within 150m of you, their radar should suddenly notice you, maybe not as a ship, but as some new color dot for "discrepency" a change in the background the ship says wasnt there before.
And as for engine glow. No, don't think so. Maybe reduced to a lower level than normal. But still engine glow. If someone is lucky enough to sneak up behind you they need some hint your there or it becomes to easy to power down and kill everything that comes by without any warning at all. This may make it fun for pirates but it makes it rediculous for the rest of us.
As a third point. While in your Stealth/Reduced Engine glow mode. The ship in this mode should not have radar/sensors/ability to move/weapons, while sitting powered down, and for 3-6 seconds to allow for a powerup. 3-6 seconds might also be needed for a powerdown as well, keeping it from becoming a way to just drop off radar and shoot em as they go past.
How about just as a grey dot when powered down? That way if it's out in space it'd be really obvious if you saw a random grey dot on radar but if it was just floating in an asteroid field you probably wouldn't spot it.
Also, this has been suggested many times, as well as passive/active radar which would address CeaddaCompy's third point.
CeaddaCompy this wouldn't be anywhere near as powerful as you make it out to be. A pirates target would most likely be moving extremely quickly 160+ m/s. Even if the stealth was perfect (i.e. disappear from radar and visual) with a 3-6 second power up time they'd have a very difficult time catching their prey. So they would need to camp near stations where the target would be slowing down, but then of course they have only a second or so to kill the trader before they dock. Also when anyone sees the ship on screen at under 1km they'll probably know it's a ship not a roid/station with or without the engine glow, but getting rid of the egine glow will make it so they can't be seen at greater distances. You can genearlly see a turboing target at around 10km if you know what to look for.
In reality this would be much more useful for getting away from people than for laying traps.
Also, this has been suggested many times, as well as passive/active radar which would address CeaddaCompy's third point.
CeaddaCompy this wouldn't be anywhere near as powerful as you make it out to be. A pirates target would most likely be moving extremely quickly 160+ m/s. Even if the stealth was perfect (i.e. disappear from radar and visual) with a 3-6 second power up time they'd have a very difficult time catching their prey. So they would need to camp near stations where the target would be slowing down, but then of course they have only a second or so to kill the trader before they dock. Also when anyone sees the ship on screen at under 1km they'll probably know it's a ship not a roid/station with or without the engine glow, but getting rid of the egine glow will make it so they can't be seen at greater distances. You can genearlly see a turboing target at around 10km if you know what to look for.
In reality this would be much more useful for getting away from people than for laying traps.
""CeaddaCompy this wouldn't be anywhere near as powerful as you make it out to be. A pirates target would most likely be moving extremely quickly 160+ m/s. Even if the stealth was perfect (i.e. disappear from radar and visual) with a 3-6 second power up time they'd have a very difficult time catching their prey.""
Exactly. The day it becomes EASY, to capture the prey, is the day it becomes very boring for anyone who has just started playing the game, or just needs to make up a little money. Keep in mind, if your a pirate, your the bad guy. Nothing should be, easy, for you.
Exactly. The day it becomes EASY, to capture the prey, is the day it becomes very boring for anyone who has just started playing the game, or just needs to make up a little money. Keep in mind, if your a pirate, your the bad guy. Nothing should be, easy, for you.
It's been mentioned before. I don't think it's that bad an idea and I like Eldrad's small gray dot idea. But if you notice the radar in the sector 9 station, there are a whole lot of small gray dots. Every tiny component of the station is its own little dot. Something needs to be done about that. A more solid representation of modular stations in radar would be appreciated. I also think the gray dots need to be a bit darker and more pronounced. Anyone who has tried to find S18 knows how much of a pain it can be.
I think radar masking would be better. I'm not sure but I think it's being planned. Basically what it does is it makes you invisible on radar if you're hiding behind a thick object, such as an asteroid or a station. Everyone's radar would have a limited line of sight and depth of penetration, allowing ambushes to occur for people who like surprise attacks.
I also think that the engine glare should be taken out (or reduced greatly) when you're standing completely still. I believe the current engines have some change in graphics when you're movin around (not sure), but I think something like that needs to be more explicit and enhanced in the future.
I also think that the engine glare should be taken out (or reduced greatly) when you're standing completely still. I believe the current engines have some change in graphics when you're movin around (not sure), but I think something like that needs to be more explicit and enhanced in the future.