13 replies to this topic

[FrostCollar]

Well, the vision mode changes are now some time behind us, and we've had time to get used to the new thermal and night vision. Given that, how much do you find yourself using it? I've found that the new thermal is mostly useless on maps with hot snow on the ground and nearly useless at determining enemy heat as well, so I find I never use it except on night maps, where I occasionally use it instead of NV because the latter can blind me when I fire my lasers.

What do you think? Do you find thermal vision useful?

Edited by FrostCollar, 27 April 2013 - 09:01 AM.

[VonRunnegen]

The draw distance for current thermal appears to be very short. Used to be so much further.... not sure if thats specific to my setup or what, but I frequently now find I get shot at by enemies who are outside draw distance in either night or thermal, so non-day maps are baaaad for me

[101011]

I only use it when I forget that they changed it, which has been twice since they changed it. I prefer going in the dark on night maps, simply because it looks cooler and I don't need them.

[FrostCollar]

VonRunnegen, on 27 April 2013 - 09:07 AM, said:

The draw distance for current thermal appears to be very short. Used to be so much further.... not sure if thats specific to my setup or what...

It was more or less unlimited, it has now been capped at 800m and even at those ranges things get rather blurry. This was a universal change to the game and not specific to your setup. Getting shot by mechs outside 800m, especially mechs under ECM bubbles is one of the largest reasons I don't use thermal much (other than hot snow, of course).

[VonRunnegen]

FrostCollar, on 27 April 2013 - 09:09 AM, said:

It was more or less unlimited, it has now been capped at 800m and even at those ranges things get rather blurry. This was a universal change to the game and not specific to your setup. Getting shot by mechs outside 800m, especially mechs under ECM bubbles is one of the largest reasons I don't use thermal much (other than hot snow, of course).

Thanks so much, good information

[Roadbeer]

I don't use it as often as I did. Mostly on RCN and Frozen day during the blizzards.
It's still first pass, so I'm sure improvements are coming.
IMO, the death of Smurfwarrior: Online was a great thing, and I'm using night vision a lot more than I did.

[FrostCollar]

Roadbeer, on 27 April 2013 - 09:17 AM, said:

I don't use it as often as I did. Mostly on RCN and Frozen day during the blizzards.

Yeah, I tried this, but the fact that snow comes up as white on a "white-hot" thermal view makes it mostly unusable for me when I try to do so. Everything's just white - I prefer to use my normal eyes in that cases.

I'm not calling for a return to Smurfwarrior Online, those were not good days. Also, night vision is actually useful now. Still, I think the pendulum swung too far in the other direction for thermal and I'm now at a loss to describe any situation where it is clearly superior to the other two vision modes.

[Soy]

I use Nightvision or Heatvision when it is easier to identify targets while doing so.

Kinda obvious...

...what isn't obvious is the situations, used to be you could just rock it all day/night long, now I find myself using it almost as a quick reference just as much as I am using it for a full visual medium.

The distance nerf changed the way I utilize it basically, and I don't think I can say specific times when I do use it.

I find Nightvision to be extremely useful around Caustic's crater (seeing through smoke), and for identifying particular sections of a mech. If I'm having trouble picking up a target at all that's when I am usually reverting to Heatvision even if it's for a split second to get bearings or identify a target in rough/spotty terrain in the midst of friendlies.

[StandingInFire]

The main problem with it currently is that the ground/environment is far to bright in most cases, making there be very little contrast.

[Theodor Kling]

Roadbeer, on 27 April 2013 - 09:17 AM, said:

I don't use it as often as I did. Mostly on RCN and Frozen day during the blizzards.

Exactley that. It realyhelpsagaisnt the blizzard, and in river city night I prefer it over night vision.

I dislike the view distancecap, on all visions, but specific to heat vision I find it strange that mechs don´t stand out more. Especially in frozen city. Even a mech standing still, but powered up, should be at least 100K warmer then the enviroment, probably more. So they realy should stick out. Andthe other way round in Caustic Valley. I hardly see a difference ingame though

StandingInFire, on 27 April 2013 - 09:30 AM, said:

The main problem with it currently is that the ground/environment is far to bright in most cases, making there be very little contrast.

Treue, but map dependencyshould be there

Edited by Theodor Kling, 27 April 2013 - 09:44 AM.

[Victor Morson]

I have to admit, Thermal may be a little UP now. I think that it should have a longer range from what it does; the outlines being fainter than in Blue Warrior is what really matters.

[NRP]

To be honest, I don't even use it at night. I only use it on Snow City when that lame blizzard effect is present.

[skullman86]

I use it a pretty good amount on river city night or in the frozen city blizzard, but I dont use it for spotting on day maps as much as I used to. I don't like the way they capped the range on it because there is almost no transition -- you get fully functional thermal up to a point and then everything beyond that is represented by a giant black wall. Also, there isn't enough environmental impact to make it interesting. Back when it was in color, you could use it on caustic and everything would be green and red because it was so hot; right now it seems like every map has the same level of contrast.

http://mwomercs.com/...om-a-physicist/

^This guy has some good ideas IMO and I really hope PGI has seen his topic.

Edited by skullman86, 27 April 2013 - 10:15 AM.

[FrostCollar]

skullman86, on 27 April 2013 - 10:08 AM, said:

http://mwomercs.com/...om-a-physicist/

^This guy has some good ideas IMO and I really hope PGI has seen his topic.

I've read that topic and it's great! I sincerely hope that the devs take a serious look at it. However, it reminds me of ECM: A PERSPECTIVE FROM A GUY THAT WORKS WITH REAL ECM IN THE REAL WORLD and that never got anywhere.