10 replies to this topic

[Onyx Prophet]

I just thought of this while playing last night.

The current "meta" is really, REALLY boring. Everyone packs long range weapons, and turtles for the first few minutes...peeking here and there for a lucky shot. Everyone ends up sitting there, waiting for someone to initiate/advance...which rarely happens, since long range weapons quickly kill anyone trying to close the gap.

My suggestion?

Smoke bombs! Possibly as a ballistic or missile load, add the ability to drop a smoke screen which will blanket an area with smoke. This will provide cover for approaching close-range mechs, and should add some intensity to encounters.

Just an idea.

Here is the discussion on Reddit. http://redd.it/1hvhcc

Edited by Onyx Prophet, 08 July 2013 - 11:02 AM.

[TheMadPoet]

A smoke bomb, fired out of a missile tube, (a use for NARC tubes maybe), would be pretty cool. A good screen for movement, so as to not get hit with 10 salvos of PPCs and Gauss. It would definitely have to have some effect on targeting and target locks, like a delay. I like it.

[BarHaid]

YES. This is why I want mortars in the game. A light-weight launcher to lob metallic smoke chaff between us and our targets. And an ECM cloaked light on the other side still targeting them for friendly bombardment. And when they run through the smoke in a rage, BAM! focus fire.

Of course, for this to work I would have to actually have a group to play with and voice coms...

[Garth Erlam]

We've had this suggestion frequently for awhile now - I'm just wondering; should it go in as a weapon, or a module... I'd love a module with an 'x' second cooldown that you could use to launch smoke.

So good idea,

[Mudhutwarrior]

Only issue I see is lag like the top of caustic. Till the fix i could not approach that hill. If there was a way to get around that it would be awesome and I have always wondered why we have no option for differnt rounds or missle packages. 3050 my butt. Its more like 1980. Thats why the timeline is just screwball. Make a game and skip the lore.

Garth Erlam, on 08 July 2013 - 12:56 PM, said:

We've had this suggestion frequently for awhile now - I'm just wondering; should it go in as a weapon, or a module... I'd love a module with an 'x' second cooldown that you could use to launch smoke.

So good idea,

Yes another comletely usless module would be great! I see it now performing in the likes of artillery strike.

[InMidnightClad]

I'd like the Idea of a shock and awe consumable. Select a target and a few seconds later a jet flies in and cluster bombs and area with smoke and flashbangs. Zero Damage done. Just a huge cloud and a bunch of flashes that would kick alternate vision modes in the teeth for long enough to allow a lance to cover no-mans land.

[BarHaid]

Garth Erlam, on 08 July 2013 - 12:56 PM, said:

We've had this suggestion frequently for awhile now - I'm just wondering; should it go in as a weapon, or a module... I'd love a module with an 'x' second cooldown that you could use to launch smoke.

So good idea,

I see no need for a module when we've got smoke rounds already in canon. There are still plenty of keys left on the keyboard for an ammo-type toggle.

[TheMadPoet]

I'd rather see it as a missile type, like a NARC missile except it releases a cover of smoke that spreads over an area and can be fired at a ground area. I would rather not have a delay on it, but I guess either way would work. Financially, I suppose the module idea would be better for PGI and it is somewhat similar to the bombardment consumable.

[Strum Wealh]

Garth Erlam, on 08 July 2013 - 12:56 PM, said:

We've had this suggestion frequently for awhile now - I'm just wondering; should it go in as a weapon, or a module... I'd love a module with an 'x' second cooldown that you could use to launch smoke.

So good idea,

BarHaid, on 08 July 2013 - 01:33 PM, said:

I see no need for a module when we've got smoke rounds already in canon. There are still plenty of keys left on the keyboard for an ammo-type toggle.

Seconded for seeing Smoke Warheads as an alternate munition type for LRM and SRM launchers (and Mech Mortars, should they be implemented in MWO) rather than as a module!

[Nathan Foxbane]

Garth Erlam, on 08 July 2013 - 12:56 PM, said:

We've had this suggestion frequently for awhile now - I'm just wondering; should it go in as a weapon, or a module... I'd love a module with an 'x' second cooldown that you could use to launch smoke.

So good idea,

Excuse to try and code in alternate ammo? Or are we talking concealing your own 'Mech for a last second getaway? In that case definitely try to make it a module, with 2-4 uses a match. Not sure if you would want to make it like modern dispensers that just throw out a cloud of smoke or generators that can lay down a smoke screen behind a fast moving 'Mech.

[9erRed]

Greetings all,

Modern smoke rounds (in use today by all countries armies) come in 5 usable launch types.

1. Hand thrown, smoke pot set or hand weapon tube launched, may not be applicable to this game.
2. Mortar launched, may be applicable.
3. Vehicle launched, "Self defence screen" and "Direct Fired" types, applicable.
4. Artillery launched, applicable.
5. Aircraft or missile launched, applicable.

The specific smoke types are:

1. "standard" smoke (HCL type)- cover from view, can be seen through with thermal.
2. "Coloured" or indicating smoke - target marking, seen through with thermal.
3. "White phosphorous" smoke - set burnable items on fire.
4. "Multispectral" smoke - cannot be seen through with any vision system. (late 1980's era)

Now that the technical stuff is out of the way we come to the game engine issues when implementing smoke on a large scale, and having transparency within the cloud. Smoke on a game engine is taxing to say the least, so caution should be used when wanting layers of cover smoke that must be at least twice as high as the tallest mech or higher. The Cry engine is fully capable of rendering excellent smoke in true to life visuals with reduction in quality at distance. And scalable from the clients side. (although you may not want that as some players might just turn it off)

I have been in and used military grade simulators that render smoke from numerous weapon sources, some do it really well other not so much. Game engine and coding will dictate how many resources will be required to give the effect you are looking for. (as I stated Cry engine can do wonders with smoke effects)

If the Dev.'s are looking at bringing it into the available load outs of some systems, they will first need to enable multi warhead types of ammo. Direct fired smoke must be set or programed for specific distances, this can be done simply by selecting the type, "smoke", select the spot on the ground where you want it to be effective, the tube elevates to launch to that distance(you don't see that happen), and fire the round/rounds. This could be done with Cannon or LRM rounds, if you loaded at least a ton of smoke specific ammo type.(maybe 1/2 tons for only smoke?)

Tactically smoke can be used to provide cover from view, cover during movement, or to fool the enemy into thinking you are moving somewhere you are not. So employing smoke is normally a higher formation call, (except defensive) and a plan is required to employ it correctly.

I like the idea of in game smoke being available, and having your missile mech launch a smoke cover just in front of the enemy would be very nice. They step through the smoke and "say-goodbye to them".

Later,
9erRed

Edited by 9erRed, 11 July 2013 - 08:37 AM.