55 replies to this topic

[MischiefSC]

So next week some changes to vision modes are coming in. They'll be useful but only in their given context - they won't be inherently superior to regular vision on every map.

So over the next week I'm going to challenge people to see how many games they can play without Thermal. NV is okay for dark maps but otherwise.... do you have the situational awareness and perception to play without relying on colored blobs? Even on maps with visual obstructions like fog, snow and the like?

Cold turkey is a tough way to quit anything. I challenge YOU to see how long you can go without Thermal. Most of 1 game? How about only 1 game in 3, regardless of map?

How hardcore are you? Who's got the brass to just move on from 'shoot the colored blob' and into 'WYSIWYG'?

[Vassago Rain]

I'm this hardcore, but you better not organize it on a weekend where I have other things to do.

[Mechteric]

I was considering doing this as well to prep myself. I think I just need to unbind the key to make myself do it because its become habit

Edited by CapperDeluxe, 26 March 2013 - 11:35 AM.

[hammerreborn]

I pretty much do this already. As much as people hate on NV I really prefer it in RCN to thermal.

I hate blue blobs because at a certain point you can no longer tell if they are looking at you. And as a scout that's TAGging, not knowing that ends up getting you an ac40 into the cockpit.

Edited by hammerreborn, 26 March 2013 - 11:41 AM.

[Cato Phoenix]

Since thermal lags me on the night map, I almost assuredly will be not using it much.

[Voridan Atreides]

I only use thermal on RCN and Frozen City.

[MischiefSC]

Vassago Rain, on 26 March 2013 - 11:33 AM, said:

I'm this hardcore, but you better not organize it on a weekend where I have other things to do.

Not a tournament, just a challenge. When you play, pug or premade, don't use thermal. How much can you go without? No more easy to pick out targets at 1000m, hell hard to even see anyone at 1000m.

Makes the game tougher, that's for sure. The question is over the next week how much can you NOT use it? April 2nd it's going to have a max range of 750m and not be nearly as effective. Can you get by on regular visuals?

[FunkyFritter]

I've never used the vision modes on anything except river city night. It's a far cry from the doom and gloom topics like this make it sound like.

[Trauglodyte]

Damn you, Mischief!!! Do you expect people to use scouts to locate stuff and/or squint really hard at the screen to try and find a target???

[Asteriveth]

I use thermal on night map only because night vision hurts my eyes. But as I don't tend to run any long range builds its that not essential for me to pick out a mech hiding 1km away, so it's not as though I am giving anything up by not using it.

[Vassago Rain]

MischiefSC, on 26 March 2013 - 11:44 AM, said:

Not a tournament, just a challenge. When you play, pug or premade, don't use thermal. How much can you go without? No more easy to pick out targets at 1000m, hell hard to even see anyone at 1000m.

Makes the game tougher, that's for sure. The question is over the next week how much can you NOT use it? April 2nd it's going to have a max range of 750m and not be nearly as effective. Can you get by on regular visuals?

I forget we have color that's not blue sometimes.

Asteriveth, on 26 March 2013 - 11:45 AM, said:

I use thermal on night map only because night vision hurts my eyes. But as I don't tend to run any long range builds its that not essential for me to pick out a mech hiding 1km away, so it's not as though I am giving anything up by not using it.

100% brawler. H is the first button I press every single game.

[MischiefSC]

Trauglodyte, on 26 March 2013 - 11:44 AM, said:

Damn you, Mischief!!! Do you expect people to use scouts to locate stuff and/or squint really hard at the screen to try and find a target???

Yes.

Vassago Rain, on 26 March 2013 - 11:46 AM, said:

I forget we have color that's not blue sometimes.



100% brawler. H is the first button I press every single game.

No kidding. The games visuals are amazing. Try playing a night game with just regular visuals - it's freaking STUNNING. The eruptions of fire, sparks and explosions out of a mech when you do a crit. Hell, play around in the training ground without it even.

It's resparked some interest and enjoyment in the game for me. Without thermal on you see so much more - like watching a Cataphract really lay down the AC fire? Brilliant and amazing. The eruptions of smoke and backblast sync very well with the audio. you start picking out AC types by sound, barrel and how much backblast they generate. Hits and misses both are very dramatic.

I think there's a lot to the game we miss by having alternate vision modes. Without thermal you really have to pay attention to the game - it's making me play better and enjoy the game more.

DO IT.

[WildeKarde]

Don't use thermal at all myself, seems to lack depth for myself. Use NV on RCN only, nothing on the others.

More of an issue for the snipers who just sit on most maps taking pot shots at moving blobs.

[80sGlamRockSensation David Bowie]

Wasn't Thermal originally intended to be a module anyway?


When can we see that happen?

[Raghnall]

If you are a long range equipped mech with Erppc or gauss rifle, you want to start unloading as soon as you see the enemy down range. Thermal works great for highlighting mechs against a otherwise fuzzy and drab environment.

Honestly, I use thermal ALOT because it serves to spot peeping mechs or ones way out there. In an atlas you really really need to keep your wits about you based on how slow you are. If a enemy is flanking it gives me time to maneuver myself to support lighter weights.

A fix for this? Well, I suppose the heat distortion at 800m could dramatically increase to where a currently distinct outline would then be a blob of color. And I'm not sure if this is the case or not, but a mech running hot should be brighter then one running cold... And I expect that lighter mechs would have a lower heat signature. And shouldn't ambient outside temperature effect the view distance of thermal?

Edited by Raghnall, 26 March 2013 - 12:00 PM.

[Noobzorz]

I barely use thermal these days. Looks too gross.

[MischiefSC]

Just played River City Night without thermal or NV.

It was AMAZING. The lighting there is *incredible*. The reflection of laser light on the water, the muzzle flash of ballistics in the darkness, the sense of uncertainty of what was in the shadows....

That was a hell of a lot of fun. Vastly more fun than trying to eek out another 1/2 of 1% on my KDR or win/loss.

Originally it was just about getting people to try something other than thermal all the time. Now I'm advocating it as a way to refresh your experience in the game.

Graphics all the way up. Visuals tweaks in. Play it like a Mechwarrior. it's a lot of fun.

[hammerreborn]

The better challange would be to play in night vision mode the longest.

Alpine....OH GOD MY EYES

[OpCentar]

If I was a bit younger I might go for this but no, I'm here to have fun and ECM builds ruin that well enough even with thermal vision on.

[Mercules]

MischiefSC, on 26 March 2013 - 11:30 AM, said:

So next week some changes to vision modes are coming in. They'll be useful but only in their given context - they won't be inherently superior to regular vision on every map.

So over the next week I'm going to challenge people to see how many games they can play without Thermal. NV is okay for dark maps but otherwise.... do you have the situational awareness and perception to play without relying on colored blobs? Even on maps with visual obstructions like fog, snow and the like?

Cold turkey is a tough way to quit anything. I challenge YOU to see how long you can go without Thermal. Most of 1 game? How about only 1 game in 3, regardless of map?

How hardcore are you? Who's got the brass to just move on from 'shoot the colored blob' and into 'WYSIWYG'?

Except for River City Night, and during "white outs" on Frozen City I never use Thermal. I can see mechs further way without it. On River City Night I use it until I am close to another mech then I switch to Night so I can see what facing the mech has and be sure I don't shoot a friendly crossing in front of or coming up behind the blob.