2 replies to this topic

[Aurrous]

I would like to be educated on how a sensor is supposed to work.. (Take ECM out of the question.)
Supposedly, it can detect a mech 800 meters away with default sensors..
To me this has nothing to do with Line of Sight.. and that any Mech 800 meter away not in ECM coverage should be Detected?

Next question... What does detected mean? Does this mean the program Chirps, or does it mean i can target it ?
3rd question.. Is this Detection ability only 90 degrees in front.. (-45 Degree, +45 degrees) COT
4th Question.. if a Mech is in that 90 degrees, and i am facing it.. but on the other side of a building.. Is that mech detected??
5th Question... How can i tell what i'm detecting verses what someone else is looking at, or has targeting..

My assumption is that a mech anywhere within a 800 meter range is Detectable, regardless of wither i am looking at it or not.. That is what Sensors do.. They Detect things.. If they can't detect things then they are broken, and not ECM.. and there is the balancing act.. With BAP, and ADV Sensors i'm supposed to DETECT up to 1200 meters.. I know this to be broken, but its hard to prove when you can target a friendly's mech target at 2500 meters without LOS.

[Redshift2k5]

Mechwarrior online uses line of sight, and it is only in a cone in front of your vision. If it is detected you can target it. Line of sight only so if they are on the other side of a building you cannot detect them.

[malibu43]

Aurrous, on 07 March 2013 - 10:19 AM, said:

I would like to be educated on how a sensor is supposed to work.. (Take ECM out of the question.) Supposedly, it can detect a mech 800 meters away with default sensors.. To me this has nothing to do with Line of Sight.. and that any Mech 800 meter away not in ECM coverage should be Detected? Next question... What does detected mean? Does this mean the program Chirps, or does it mean i can target it ? 3rd question.. Is this Detection ability only 90 degrees in front.. (-45 Degree, +45 degrees) COT 4th Question.. if a Mech is in that 90 degrees, and i am facing it.. but on the other side of a building.. Is that mech detected?? 5th Question... How can i tell what i'm detecting verses what someone else is looking at, or has targeting.. My assumption is that a mech anywhere within a 800 meter range is Detectable, regardless of wither i am looking at it or not.. That is what Sensors do.. They Detect things.. If they can't detect things then they are broken, and not ECM.. and there is the balancing act.. With BAP, and ADV Sensors i'm supposed to DETECT up to 1200 meters.. I know this to be broken, but its hard to prove when you can target a friendly's mech target at 2500 meters without LOS.

I think you are missing the fact the word "sensor" is a generic term. To say what you think it "should" be able to do, you need to define what kind of sensor you're talking about.


I believe the generic sensor that all the mechs have is some sort of forward looking radar, like combat aircraft have carried since the 60’s. It is, in fact, LOS, and, as the name implies, forward looking. Therefore, it shouldn’t automatically detect anything within a 800m radius. You need to be pointed at it, and have LOS (not behind a building).

Yeah. 800m radius and forward looking only seems underwhelming for a time when we have giant laser shooting robots. But I just assume that the futuristic battlefield is so flooded with so many forms of ECM and jamming that it limits the range and scan range of the mechs radar. Could mechs be theoretically fitted with something more powerful? Sure, it’s an imaginary universe. But omnidirectional radar with 40mi range on every mech would totally screw up the game and make it no longer “Mech Warrior”.

Edited by malibu43, 07 March 2013 - 10:47 AM.