IrishWebster
molon labe.
RISE of LEGION
68
   |
Posted - 2013.10.16 22:15:00 -
[1] - Quote
Iron Wolf Saber wrote:Hey guys, I would like to ask for you're own opinions on cloak operation if you can right now is a very opportune and prime time to bring your thoughts up and a refresher on how the cloaking device should work in Dust 514.
I've been thinking about this for a long time. I'm glad someone brought it up and reminded me. Lol
Cloaks should probably use an equipment slot to avoid confusing the established purpose of either high or low slots for passive module placement. In this instance, the cloaking device, being equipment, should have either a specific duration or a "charge" that reduces from its maximum value down to zero over time and/or movement, so as not to be an "easy mode" for snipers and scouts. A cloak would also, ideally, ABSOLUTELY NOT provide 100% invisibility to the user. Instead, the cloak would provide an active camouflage effect; actively changing the users' dropsuit color based on the surrounding area (what color ground they're standing on, etc) and attempting to break up their silhouette with up to 25% actual transparency (similar to menu transparency in many video games. Example: Skyrim). The amount of transparency could possibly start at 15%, then being affected by trained skills, with a maximum of 25% for Prototype gear. STD gear would look more like 5%, and ADV around 10% transparency (theoretical numbers. Actual numbers will likely change after use in the field to balance effectiveness vs. OP complaints).
Operation based solely on duration would limit the cloak to somewhere between 45 seconds, with skills capping out duration at 60 seconds for Prototype gear. Standard and advanced gear would be considerably less- STD at 10 seconds base, used for single sniper shots or quick getaways, ADV at 25 seconds base, for more advanced scouting/flanking tactics. I don't prefer operation limitations based SOLELY on duration, however. I suggest a tandem duration/charge system, where the cloaking device operates on a fixed amount of "CP," or Charge Points. The cloak consumes CP at a set rate while not moving, reaching zero CP and thus decloaking at the end of the proposed duration. Moving, however, would increase the CP consumption by 25%, reduced to 10% by skills, at 3% penalty reduction per level. I would also add a HEAVY movement penalty of -90% to transparency while moving, for a meager 2.5% actual transparency if a person moves while cloaked (actual movement over ground, not turning to track targets or swap weapons, etc). Skills could soften the penalty to -65%, for an actual transparency of 8.75%, using a 5% penalty reduction per skill level. Additionally, the physical camouflage, i.e. Adaptive Color matching camouflage, would not adjust for new colors until the user stops moving for 3 seconds. This will lessen computation load on the game and servers, as well as help avoid the "easy mode" stigma, provide counter-tactical opportunities and maintain a balance. The Cloaking Unit will recharge at 1/3 of the unit's depletion rate, meaning that a unit with 60 seconds available use, once fully depleted, will take 180 seconds to fully recharge (3 minutes.) Skills can shorten this recharge time by 20%, or 36 seconds, being a 4% reduction in recharge rate per level.
My idea uses 5 skills for the cloaking device; Cloak Operation, Cloak Capacitor, Cloak Regulation, Cloak Energy Management and Cloak Proficiency. Cloak Operation allows access to and operation of dropsuit cloaking devices, and reduces movement penalties to transparency by 5% per level. Cloak Capacitor increases the duration of cloak operation by 3 seconds per level. Cloak Regulation reduces the movement penalty for consumption of CP by 3% per level. Cloak Energy Management reduces the recharge rate of the Cloaking Unit by 4% per level, for a total of 36 seconds at level 5. Cloak Proficiency would provide bonuses to physical transparency of 2% per level (base is 15%, maximum possible then being 25%). Cloak Operation Level 3 unlocks access to Cloak Capacitor and Cloak Regulation, while Cloak Operation level 5 unlocks access to Cloak Proficiency.
CPU and PG costs would need to be steep, so as to further limit the available fittings and thus limit the possible abuse and OP possibilities of the Cloaking unit. A player should have to choose between stealth and strength, which means limiting the amount of armor/shield modules a player can use in conjunction with the cloak. The only way to do that, being that they'll use separate slots, is to make the cloak wildly expensive to fit. I was thinking something in the realm of 96 CPU and 18 PG for Prototype units. I would go as high as 108 CPU and 24 PG, but I'll leave that to the Devs.
Constructive feedback, as always, is welcome. Let me know what you guys think!
-Irish |
IrishWebster
molon labe.
RISE of LEGION
68
|
Posted - 2013.10.17 01:01:00 -
[2] - Quote
Maken Tosch wrote:As I said, this can do just nicely. But of course, variety in the types of cloaks available would help. Maybe the Amarr prefer optical invisibility like their god. The Caldari and Gallente might favor color-changing camo, while the Minmatar utilize infiltrator stuff that I pointed out earlier. Who knows? Could add some flavor to the races.
I like the idea, but regardless of how complex my idea may seem, imagine how much MORE complex your additional content would be to implement. I kept it simple so that the possibility of us seeing at least this iteration would remain in the near future. I like the idea of varied types and functions of Cloaks and Camo, but for the sake of simplicity and avoidance of implementation SOONtm, I'm sticking to the one design for now- variants to come out later. Lol
Maken Tosch wrote:Sounds possible. But is the introduction of the Charge Points (CP) really necessary? If it helps, maybe it's better to allow suit types to determine penalties and duration instead. That way, cloaking won't be something that all suits benefit equally. Scouts should benefit more than any other suit. The scouts are primarily for recon, infiltration, and disruption after all. Eve Online ships like the Nemesis already have special perks for being Covert Ops ships (no penalty for speed, no penalty for targeting delay, can warp while cloaked, etc.).
CP would work basically like the active modules' mechanics for cool down etc., or like capacitor in EVE. The mechanic is already in the game, and it could be easily implemented- add another "wheel" inside of the the Shield/Armor wheels on the left side of the screen, or another wheel inside he wheels for ammo on the right, OR just add a little module icon in the middle like they do for active modules on vehicles. It IS essentially an active module, in any case. If not regulated by CP, how would you personally have it done?
Maken Tosch wrote:As long as there are no SP sinks, I'm alright with this.
I HATE SP sinks. If it requires SP, I better be getting some sort of benefit from it other than "unlocks this level/tier of gear." That's frickin stupid.
Maken Tosch wrote:Cloaking equipment should have an inherent bonus when fitted on Scouts if you want them to be CPU/PG heavy. But it shouldn't be on just any scout. Specialized scout dropsuits such as a Covert Ops Scout Suit or Infiltrator Scout Suit (if CCP ever gets around to implementing them soon) would probably be the only ones to benefit from this. This will mean that only the most dedicated scouts would be able to make the most of the cloak.
I would like to see proper racial bonuses, and proper role bonuses for role specialized dropsuits. This, in the case of scouts, would of course include bonuses to scout relevant modules/equipment, such as profile dampeners etc., and the Cloaking Unit. But again, until CCP changes their suit bonuses, and gets rid of their SP sinks by adding relevant skill incentives etc., I can't see inherent bonuses for certain classes of dropsuits or, God forbid, new dropsuits coming out any time in the near future.
This proposal was based on simplicity and the game as its current iteration would allow CCP to implement a Cloaking Unit, since there is obviously some concerted demand for it of an immediate nature. I like your ideas though. =) Keep em comin.
-Irish |