291 replies to this topic

[Sable Phoenix]

I think the OP's suggestion is simple, effective, AND realistic. The people who are saying the seismic sensor module is fine apparently have no idea how seismometers work in real life. You set the seismometer in the ground, and it must then remain as stable and still as possible, or you get no reading (or rather, you get too much of a reading). To quote the most relevant section:

Quote

The foundation of a seismic station is critical.[4] A professional station is sometimes mounted on bedrock. The best mountings may be in deep boreholes, which avoid thermal effects, ground noise and tilting from weather and tides. Other instruments are often mounted in insulated enclosures on small buried piers of unreinforced concrete. Reinforcing rods and aggregates would distort the pier as the temperature changes. A site is always surveyed for ground noise with a temporary installation before pouring the pier and laying conduit. Originally, European seismographs were placed in a particular area after a destructive earthquake. Today, they are spread to provide appropriate coverage (in the case of weak-motion seismology) or concentrated in high-risk regions (strong-motion seismology).[5]

Now, Battletech is sci-fi that is set 1000 years in the future, so I'm willing to buy that you don't need to actually stick something directly on the ground to get an accurate reading, but can in fact detect seismic vibrations through the feet of a two-story tall, 100-ton robot. I'm even willing to buy that your Battle Computer correlates seismic readings to your lance comm telemetry and IFF tags and eliminates seismic indicators for friendly mechs. But I'm not willing to buy the idea that a seismic sensor will work while you're moving, and certainly not while you're in the air on jumpjets. If you're moving, you are the "loudest" seismic noise your sensor will see, and because you are literally on top of the sensor (which is in the bottom of your feet), it won't "hear" anything but your giant stompy feet drowning out everything else. And if you're not even in contact with the ground, well. That part should be obvious.

Edited by Sable Phoenix, 08 June 2013 - 04:02 PM.

[kesuga7]

Seismic sensor really ruins all the fun



Why even put it into the game (just my opinion) now i can't even ninja any seismic users anymore

But like others have said don't allow it to detect while your mech is moving or jumpjetting?

Reduce range from 75m normal to 125 upgrade might seem extreme but it still can counter ninja's


It was a joy alpha striking mechs in the back with my- Eddie van halen laserboat lightshow 4p

Edited by kesuga7, 08 June 2013 - 01:34 PM.

[Soy]

'WHY CANT I RANDOMLY RUN UP TO ENEMIES AND CORE THEM IN THE *** ON COMMAND, WHY IS THE GAME HARDER, WHYYYYYYYYYYY'

[King Arthur IV]

seismic is a little too simple for its own good. it only detects mechs moving in a 200 meter radius but not missile landing on the floor or ac weapons shot into ground. it also doesnt detect friendly mechs walking..........

if it is in fact a siesmic, how does it differentiate all of those from footsteps?

[One Medic Army]

Soy, on 08 June 2013 - 01:35 PM, said:

'WHY CANT I RANDOMLY RUN UP TO ENEMIES AND CORE THEM IN THE *** ON COMMAND, WHY IS THE GAME HARDER, WHYYYYYYYYYYY'

If you made it behind someone unobserved: either you've earned it, or they deserve it.

[Soy]

So what you're saying is, people should try and be a little bit more sneaky as a result of Seismic. Got it.

[One Medic Army]

Soy, on 08 June 2013 - 01:40 PM, said:

So what you're saying is, people should try and be a little bit more sneaky as a result of Seismic. Got it.

Except you can't sneak around it.
400m range, shows lights even if they slow to assault mech speeds.

[Soy]

Yeah you can.

Sneak when they are preoccupied, not just standing there.

[Takony]

Enjoying while it lasts.
Prolly range will be reduced.

[One Medic Army]

Soy, on 08 June 2013 - 01:43 PM, said:

Yeah you can.

Sneak when they are preoccupied, not just standing there.

So what you're saying is that it's OK that no matter how much of a sneaky **** you are, it's OK that there's a magic box that makes you instantly visible to anyone who is paying even the slightest attention to his map.

I've got one, I use it, and maybe I'm just paranoid in match or something, but I haven't been snuck up on once since putting it on, despite paying much less attention to my surroundings.
It makes situational awareness too easy, the same way jumpsniping made popping out of cover to snipe people too easy.

[Soy]

I'm saying if all you want to do in the game is try and walk up behind unsuspecting players and core their ******* while they stand around idly, that requires about the same amount of skill as utilizing Seismic does.

All that **** you just mentioned btw would be fine if there was a counter to Seismic and other decent modules, then theres the meta around that alone which would be exciting.

Edited by Soy, 08 June 2013 - 01:51 PM.

[kesuga7]

Soy, on 08 June 2013 - 01:35 PM, said:

'WHY CANT I RANDOMLY RUN UP TO ENEMIES AND CORE THEM IN THE *** ON COMMAND, WHY IS THE GAME HARDER, WHYYYYYYYYYYY'

i was kidding around besides my 4p isn't exactly very fast - 64.4 kph - so it makes it all the more fun when i do sneak up on someone

my awesome 9m with flamers is always cool sneaking up because they see flamers and don't mind it at all..

but you can't deny that the sensor radius is waay to big and it kind of ruins the purpose of the (Well trying to stay hidden) tunnels on frozen city


plus we don't need a motion tracker in mechwarrior (do we? i mean if you have your volume up sometimes you can hear footsteps)

[M0rpHeu5]

Soy, on 08 June 2013 - 11:51 AM, said:

This is attitude is exactly whats wrong as seen in the changes lately.

Guys when the **** are you going to get it through your heads, repeatedly nerfing the only good **** in this game cuz everything else is trash is a negative way to approach balance. PGI should realize this, too.

We need more good ****, not nerfing the only good **** that we have so far.

Very simple example: if PPCs are actually fun to use and at a good spot, isn't the issue moreso with other ****** *** weps that suck compared to it? Is it really an issue of the PPC being good? Extrapolate that example to macro.

But... we agree.
at least for the most part

[Soy]

I can deny that because the real issue is the inherit lack of risk involved with Seismic, the reward of it is fine at the moment. If there was risk to it, ie a counter, then it's completely fine.

I think it'd also be cool if that occured in conjunction with other mechanics like, lighter mechs don't get picked up far out, and the slower you go, the less chance of Seismic picking you up, etc.

[kesuga7]

hmm seems odd a counter but to a module?

but how would this work on a possible new "city" map would everyone be easily spotted in all those buildings

(yea it's still kinda hard to hide a atlas but hey it happened in the mechwarrior 5 trailer!
well he used a uav anyway but still
httsp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJU4iA4TWIs )

edit: 100th post!

Edited by kesuga7, 08 June 2013 - 02:10 PM.

[Soy]

Lightstep module would be the best thing you could do to control Seismic.

Guy using Seismic wastes a slot, how many Lightsteps do you need, how many Seismics will they carry, etc. Just like ECM and whatnot, it's another layer of info warfare that can be self contained in risk vs reward and the potential variety of other decent modules people have to consider, etc...

Edited by Soy, 08 June 2013 - 02:12 PM.

[kesuga7]

Soy, on 08 June 2013 - 02:10 PM, said:

Lightstep module would be the best thing you could do to control Seismic.

Guy using Seismic wastes a slot, how many Lightsteps do you need, how many Seismics will they carry, etc. Just like ECM and whatnot, it's another layer of info warfare that can be self contained in risk vs reward and the potential variety of other decent modules people have to consider, etc...

well that's one mighty pricey counter ill say! (I hope there isn't a upgrade for this one actually )
but would there not be counters to other modules (yes a few degrade ecm's effect but ecm is not a module)

lightstep for only 35 tons below mechs possibly but if your running 140 kph chances are your not stepping very lightly but not many of the mwo things make sense anymore oh well but it is for balance i suppose

Edited by kesuga7, 08 June 2013 - 02:18 PM.

[Soy]

I think there should be boat[lolz]loads of modules, it'd definitely be the one thing you can't really judge by locking on and checking out a players loadout. There's a whole level of meta that could exist around modules, if there's enough variety and enough 'good' ones [balance].

[Thanatos676]

Fun Fact: If you don't wanna be seen by seismic sensors, don't move!

you can get into position on ANY map, stop moving as a team, and wait before the enemy will be within the 400 meter seismic range. It just adds new tactics to the game.

Also, most people who seem to complain about this are the ones who haven't bought it yet. How can you cry for a nerf without using it first?

[Dantiger]

the seismic sensor is wrong. it should point the direction and number of vibration sources... just that
and the effective range don't matter, it just need to become sharper when the target is closer. make it with the shape of a slice of pizza, the closer the source, the smaller is the angle

and I don't think that ally mechs should confuse the sensor, the computer should be able to cross the information and hide the allied signal from the minimap. and the same goes for your own steps, it should confuse the sensor, but not disable it

Edited by Dantiger, 08 June 2013 - 02:27 PM.