After having so much debate with this, I have decided to just wait and see how CCP implements it. Besides, we have no clue how much of an overhaul the dropsuits will undergo in the next patch and we don't know the base stats of the cloak in question such as CPU/PG, cooldown, etc. or if there are going to be variants of it available. There are just too many variables that we don't know.

But overall, I have the following opinions that I am least certain about.

1. Scouts should definitely have full benefits to the cloaking equipment compared to the rest of the suit classes.
2. Cloaking should be an equipment item so that we can avoid the dreaded invisible heavies with HMGs.
3. There should be two variants. A standard for all classes and tiers and a covert ops version that can only be fitted on either a proto scout or specialty covert ops scout. The covert ops variant should offer perks that the standard doesn't offer.
4. Shooting while cloaked is a very tricky subject so I decided to let CCP decide on that. Hopefully they'll do it right.
5. Scouts should definitely have fitting bonuses for cloaks that are greater than the other classes.

I guess what you are suggesting is pretty nice ONLY IF YOU ARE A PROTO SCOUT ; ) Way to balance the game.

After having so much debate with this, I have decided to just wait and see how CCP implements it. Besides, we have no clue how much of an overhaul the dropsuits will undergo in the next patch and we don't know the base stats of the cloak in question such as CPU/PG, cooldown, etc. or if there are going to be variants of it available. There are just too many variables that we don't know.

But overall, I have the following opinions that I am least certain about.

1. Scouts should definitely have full benefits to the cloaking equipment compared to the rest of the suit classes.
2. Cloaking should be an equipment item so that we can avoid the dreaded invisible heavies with HMGs.
3. There should be two variants. A standard for all classes and tiers and a covert ops version that can only be fitted on either a proto scout or specialty covert ops scout. The covert ops variant should offer perks that the standard doesn't offer.
4. Shooting while cloaked is a very tricky subject so I decided to let CCP decide on that. Hopefully they'll do it right.
5. Scouts should definitely have fitting bonuses for cloaks that are greater than the other classes.

EDIT:

One more thing, if CCP ever introduces Covert Ops scouts, it's probably likely that it would only have two sidearm slots, no light slots but at least two equipment slots with 3 highs and 4 lows. Kind of like a mini-commando. After all, a covert ops is more than likely going to be used for infiltration and general harassment anyways. With the exclusion of the light slot, the covert ops won't be used for sniping but will be ideal for those looking to cause absolute mayhem behind enemy lines.

Training up for such a suit however should be extensive. This is a specialty suit after all with perks that not even a proto scout could match.

Cloak balance threads before the cloak is implemented into the game itself.

Welcome to Dust 514 forums.

True, the number of variables is ridicules, there is also a good chance that everything that has been mentioned so far is already being looked at by CCP. But I feel a general consensus is still necessary to help CCP in terms of feedback, right now the community's opinion on cloaks is far too fractured to determine if anyone is really wants it when it comes out.

I like the idea of a Black Ops light frames, when CCP released the Black Eagle suits I thought it was some sort of public testing to see how such a suit could work, I think it was a great example of what a light combat frame could look like. Hopefully well see something like the Eagles come out soon, I wasn't part of the event the Black Eagles were tied to, anyone know how effective they were on the field?

The Black Eagle scout suits are literally light-frame commandos wielding two light weapons. A shotgun and an assault rifle. Despite the lack of available modules, those suits rocked according to a lot of scout users. The major drawback though was the flimsy EHP it has. But then again it was a militia-level item to begin with.

Scouts need plenty of love anyways and those proto scouts definitely need something that's worth the investment.

I seem to remember almost all of the "this is going to be so awesome/overpowered/underpowered" chatter before a release be wrong. ADS were going to be super OP, 1.7 was going to be completely terrible for Tanks, Plasma Cannon was going to be OP. The only one I know that was correct was the release flaylock and that was because everyone saw the footage, looked at the stats, and realized it was just better than a Mass Driver in every way.

Until it is released, I don't think we can say much, ESPECIALLY considering how it will work, what it will do, or what it costs CPU/PG/SP wise has not been announced. You may as well say that Medium Attack Vehicles are going to be overpowered, Speeders will be terrible, etc.

Be well.
-Joseph

They need love but they shouldn't be the only thing a cloak works on. If a cloaky HMG doesn't sound fun to you then you are in the wrong line of work. Things should be balanced but I think restricting how modules are used should not be done. The choice should be on the merc who wants to fit it and if they want to make that sacrifice then they should be able to without any of us telling them how to play the game. Proto level cloak equipment/modules should be a proto scout tool of choice and virtually unusable by anyone else but the satndard version should pretty much a piece of junk off of a cloaky suit. If the heavy wants to wait 6 seconds before firing and lose a valuable slot then he should have the choice to do so.

I like your outlook, luckily only Commandos have equipment slots, so no invisible HMGs/FGs anytime soon, I agree, nothing in this game should be so limited that it would only be viable to such a limited number of suits, even Nova Knives can be beneficial to more than just Minjas.

Scouts need plenty of love anyways and those proto scouts definitely need something that's worth the investment.

Agree with points of the OP and other posts. Want to leave this here.

It looks like Scouts will be filling a role comparable to EVE's CovOps ships. The Cloak looks like it will be comparable to a CovOps cloak. Only CovOps capable ships can use CovOps cloaks, and CovOps cloaks give no penalties to movement, reactivation, allow to warp while cloaked, etc. In DUST it looks like Scouts will be the only suit that can realistically use Cloaks due to fitting restrictions.

I would suggest going about this a little bit differently.
Make the Cloak a module that easily fits, but gives heavy penalties to movement (move much slower, no sprinting, no jumping), reactivation, scan precision and range, and will break if you use any equipment or shoot any weapon.
Add an Improved Cloak that's only slightly better and harder to fit.
Add a CovOps cloak that is class restricted (CovOps Cloaks used to have crazy fittings, and CovOps capable ships gave bonus to CovOps fittings. Now CovOps cloaks are simply restricted to specific ships.) The CovOps cloak could be fitted to a Scout, offer no penalties to movement, scan precision or range, very short reactivation delay, use equipment, more weapons fire while cloaked, something like that.
To balance out the Scout getting an awesome ability like CovOps Cloaks, they would be balanced out with less that average EHP compared to other Light frames, like in EVE, and/or other drawbacks.

Doing it this way will give Scouts a clearly defined role on the battlefield, and will leave the way open for additional roles to be added in the future without taking from the Scout's CovOps role, such as Light EWAR-centric roles, or Medium CovOps based roles (such as EVE's force recon.) Also, this would be more in line with what CCP has established in EVE. I believe that following the patterns established in EVE as closely as possible, only adjusting to make those patterns playable in an FPS, will be to DUST's extreme benefit.



Edit: To emphasize a point, releasing Cloaks and reworking Scouts in this way, and following this pattern for all content releases, will keep the road open for easy and relatively painless future content releases. When I say a relatively painless release, I mean current content wouldn't need to be majorly nerfed/tweaked to accommodate new content.

According to two dev blogs, the cloak will definitely be an equipment item. That much is certain. We just don't know the stats.

But if cloaks for HMG-wielding heavy suits were possible, them there needs to sufficient drawbacks imposed on the heavy to avoid making the cloak OP.

The Black Eagle scout suits ... rocked according to a lot of scout users.

Cloak balance threads before the cloak is implemented into the game itself.

Agreed, there is a fine line between working as intended and OP. Cloaks are tricky and I would agree with equipment based cloaks if every suit could carry equipment, CCP is selling themselves short if a heavy can't use it. You are probably not that great of a heavy if you need a cloak or you are on a specific mission but either way it should be your choice to use it.

I played enough Crysis 2 MP to know that running around invisible sucks.

^ This.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves swinging the nerf bat at an already gimped suit or what is meant to bring it back into competitive standing.

With all due respect to the heavies, they shouldn't have to use a cloak at all. Heavies are never meant to be alone anyways since they need a logi to provide ammunition and repairs while providing assault-like backup for the heavy. Two months ago, I heard of organized squads with just a heavy and two logis holding one objective and successfully holding off any onslaught of attacks for most of the match. Heavies are team-oriented suits while scouts are a little more lone wolf like.

Assaults and logis on the other hand are the versatile types and should be ok with using standard cloaks.

If it works one time out of 100 and that merc QQs on the forum about that cloaky heavy then it was totally worth it.

You are 100% correct, cloaky heavies are ugly and probably useless but we shouldn't tell them no. If it works one time out of 100 and that merc QQs on the forum about that cloaky heavy then it was totally worth it. You are correct in every thing you said and in any other game I would totally be against it but this kind of thing is what gives New Eden its charm and its potential.