26 replies to this topic

[James The Fox Dixon]

For every ten tons a mech weighs, the range that the seismic can detect another mech is 25 meters.

20-25 tons=25 meters
30-35 tons=50 meters
40-45 tons=75 meters
50-55 tons=100 meters
60-65 tons=125 meters
70-75 tons=150 meters
80-85 tons=175 meters
90-95 tons=200 meters
100 tons=225 meters

For the advanced skill increase the range by 50%, so it would be the following.

20-25 tons=37 meters
30-35 tons=75 meters
40-45 tons=112 meters
50-55 tons=150 meters
60-65 tons=187 meters
70-75 tons=225 meters
80-85 tons=262 meters
90-95 tons=300 meters
100 tons=337 meters

I would also have it show friendlies, but the system cannot differentiate between friendly and enemy mechs as that would be lostech.

EDITED SCALES AS PER Ngamok's Suggestion:
20-25 tons=35 meters
30-35 tons=60 meters
40-45 tons=85 meters
50-55 tons=110 meters
60-65 tons=135 meters
70-75 tons=160 meters
80-85 tons=210 meters
90-95 tons=235 meters
100 tons=260 meters

For the advanced skill increase the range by 50%, so it would be the following.

20-25 tons=52 meters
30-35 tons=90 meters
40-45 tons=127 meters
50-55 tons=165 meters
60-65 tons=202 meters
70-75 tons=240 meters
80-85 tons=315 meters
90-95 tons=352 meters
100 tons=390 meters

EDIT AS PER Team Leader's Suggestion:

If the siesmic sensor equipped mech moves faster than 10% of it's movement speed it will render the seismic sensor useless as the mech's own movement sets it off and renders it blind.

EDIT: As per tabletop rules an ECM equipped mech disrupts the sensor module and buoy rendering all seismic sensors blind as they pass near the buoy or the module equipped mech. Tactical Operations page 375 for Remote Sensors.

Edited by James The Fox Dixon, 26 July 2013 - 05:37 PM.

[Ngamok]

Those numbers seem decent though I would make it closer to the 400m on 100 tons on advanced so start 100 tons at 260m and go down from there.

[James The Fox Dixon]

Added your suggestion for ranges Ngamok.

[Tezcatli]

Well it makes sense that it would scale with the weight of the target.

[Vinterslag]

This is good. Lighter mechs should be less seismic. also have wondered about seismic working while moving, maybe it would be better if it only worked while you stood still, as your mech would set it off. friendlies and enemies should all ping. I like your radii but piranha can tweak it to finally not be end all be all module

[Team Leader]

I think if you have seismic and youre moving any more than 10% of your speed, the whole radar should just flash red and you cant see any activity because your mech is setting it all off

[Ngamok]

Yea, the 2nd set seems nice. Everything 65 and below only shows up at 200 which is good because it would allow a splat cat to get in close before being detected.

[James The Fox Dixon]

Team Leader, on 25 July 2013 - 10:34 AM, said:

I think if you have seismic and youre moving any more than 10% of your speed, the whole radar should just flash red and you cant see any activity because your mech is setting it all off

I added your suggestion.

[RF Greywolf]

I love the idea, it makes sense and would balance it out. Not to mention it would give medium flankers the chance to shine.

[Fire and Salt]

I like the idea...


Also would be cool if speed played into it.


Like:
Range = 10 * weight of target * (speed of target / 150)

Ex:
10 * 100 ton atlas * 50kph / 150 = 333 meters
10 * 35 ton jenner * 150kph / 150 = 350 meters

But the Jenner could slow down to 50kph and cut that range down to 116 meters.

.....

If that seems to harsh on light mech, you could always use an exponent on the tonnage or speed...

Like:
Range = 2 * weight^1.3 * (speed / 150)

Ex:
2 * 100 ton atlas ^ 1.3 * 50 kph / 150 = 265 meters
2 * 35 ton Jenner ^ 1.3 * 150 kph / 150 = 203 meters
But if the Jenner slowed down to 50 kph then it would drop to 68 meters.




Mech should also produce an extra thud when they land after jumping - which should be computer in the same way as fall damage

[Nryrony]

In addition I would suggest to slow down the "refresh" by 50% - so that you keep the range but have trouble following your target, or just detect him a second later.

[XANi]

Factors I'd like to see:

• ping accuracy depending on mech size (bigger thump when putting leg down = easier to track) and partially on speed (so bigger mechs still can sneak a bit)
  
• no pings below some speed (say 7-10 for heaviest mechs, ~30 for lightest) so targets standing still or slowly sneaking behind wont give out pings
  
• ping range depending on speed * mass, assault lance at 60 kph should be visible at 300-400m range, light lance at 150 should be visible from at least 250m
  
• ping interval = speed / step size - so assault mechs would give out rarer, but more accurate pings (because they "step" slowly and loud) but light fast mechs would give out fast but very inaccurate pings. It will also allow players to recognize tonnage based on interval

[James The Fox Dixon]

XANi, on 25 July 2013 - 11:22 AM, said:

Factors I'd like to see:

• ping accuracy depending on mech size (bigger thump when putting leg down = easier to track) and partially on speed (so bigger mechs still can sneak a bit)
  
• no pings below some speed (say 7-10 for heaviest mechs, ~30 for lightest) so targets standing still or slowly sneaking behind wont give out pings
  
• ping range depending on speed * mass, assault lance at 60 kph should be visible at 300-400m range, light lance at 150 should be visible from at least 250m
  
• ping interval = speed / step size - so assault mechs would give out rarer, but more accurate pings (because they "step" slowly and loud) but light fast mechs would give out fast but very inaccurate pings. It will also allow players to recognize tonnage based on interval

That sounds too much like 360 degree targeting's radar ability, so I wouldn't want it part of seismic.

[James The Fox Dixon]

I'm open to anyone's suggestions on how to balance seismic.

[James The Fox Dixon]

Updated the original post with a new edit.

[Rasako]

so wait, are you saying that the size of the mech determines how far its seismic reaches? or the size of the mech determines how close it can get before seismic picks it up? I would prefer the latter that I suggested because that would make more sense while still allowing seismic to be viable on all mechs

[James The Fox Dixon]

Rasako, on 26 July 2013 - 08:01 AM, said:

so wait, are you saying that the size of the mech determines how far its seismic reaches? or the size of the mech determines how close it can get before seismic picks it up? I would prefer the latter that I suggested because that would make more sense while still allowing seismic to be viable on all mechs

The first sentence answers your question.

For every ten tons the mech weighs that the range the seismic can detect another mech is 25 meters.

[Fire and Salt]

That sentence is still confusing... but I assume you mean that light 'mechs are harder to detect, but all 'mechs are equally good at detecting. (Going by the numbers posted, this makes sense, otherwise the title would be about making assault 'mechs viable)

[XANi]

Fire and Salt, on 26 July 2013 - 03:09 PM, said:

That sentence is still confusing... but I assume you mean that light 'mechs are harder to detect, but all 'mechs are equally good at detecting. (Going by the numbers posted, this makes sense, otherwise the title would be about making assault 'mechs viable)

In general, the lighter it is and the slower it goes, the harder it is to detect, and you get less accurate pings. And on opposite side of scale, if you go slow in a light mech (or very very slow in assault) you should be undetectable, so sneaking around the back (or just standing still and waiting for other mech to pass) is still possible

But idea that say heavy/assault mechs need to go slow or stand still to get most out of the sensor is also interesting. Like, lights can detect other lights from good range without slowing down but assaults need to basically stand still to get full range sensor.

[James The Fox Dixon]

I edited the first post to clear up any confusion in the first sentence. I also added that ECM would disrupt seismic modules.

Edited by James The Fox Dixon, 27 July 2013 - 06:59 AM.