107 replies to this topic

[Kenyon Burguess]

moduals sounds like its going to be preset weapons packages for mechs. if so, will they be the ones listed in the TT books, ones that devs develope, or both? how will weather effect the different information gathering? clouds block sats? rain and fog dampen heat signitures? will activating jump jets flare an opponent on thermal? will there be multiple types of radar available? will there be underwater and sonar?

[Grayson Pryde]

Can you tell us how many "tech-trees" are available for the pilots,If you have to upgrade the pilots to get special modules. And can you tell us what the maxx-lvl for the pilots will be?

[Stormwolf]

I posted this in the discussion thread:

Stormwolf, on 04 January 2012 - 12:16 PM, said:

I think that the modules are strictly add-ons for the cockpit, this is information warfare afterall.
Those modules would enhance existing equipment like ECM, BAP or C3. It would also give your teammates extra options for things like indirect fire.

This could ofcourse lead to many other possiblities:
- NARC would only work for people who fired it, installing a NARC module would allow your mech to do the same if you are on the same team.
- Some modules could upgrade AMS functionality (hit more missiles).
- Targeting computers might need a module to increase efficiency (the more expensive modules would have better targeting)
- ECM modules could have ghost targets if you get the right module (let's face it, we don't have a piloting skill modifier here)
- The same would go for ECCM.
- BAP upgrades will allow you detect enemies more easily, extra upgrades could allow for tapping their communications
- Clan cockpits might have enhancements for EI (better linkup, less craziness)
- A sceen module that plugs into recon cameras
- A special controller for Sattelite Uplinks

Just my two cents.

Will the modules affect the systems I mentioned?

[Woodstock]

cobrafive, on 04 January 2012 - 11:32 AM, said:

When you mention that a target that isn't spotted turns invisible, do you mean actually invisible to the player as well, or just invisible to the information warfare/battlegrid/targeting systems?

(I'm thinking world of tanks here)

to expand on this post ... With world of tanks there is a line of sight system then says if you can see directly to the enemy tank then you can see it. Sounds great. But the physics of the game engine get in the way. lines go out from your tank in all directions if they strike certain points on an enemy tank then it is visible. If not it will literally disappear. Sadly the system is heavily flawed and tanks will ghost in and out randomly in an open field. they did try and fix it but it only had a marginal effect (more rays, more frequently and more hit boxes.)

I have hopes that the cryengine mechanics that handle LOSD are far more robust.

My question is

'Can you give us some assurances that this kind of ghosting will not occur because the game engine is coded differently and prevents such immersion breaking ... no ... immersion destroying moments?'

In addition:

'How do forests and vegetation effect LOSD?'

Finally:

'Will maps be of a suitable size to make all these target acquisition methods worth while?' 'Can we get lost in the game maps?'

Rik

[Kristov Kerensky]

I'm interested in the Modules and how they work, do the supplant the standard BTech system of slots/tonnage or do they overlay it? *edit* already answered elsewhere by Bryan, overlay, not supplant. TYVM again!

Also, how do you plan in implementing electronics that don't even exist in the timeline when MWO goes live, like C3 systems(3050, DCMS only) and Targeting Computers(Clan only, IS develops them in 3062). UAVs aren't canon by any means but that's understandable since when the game was created, they didn't exist, so adding them is perfectly acceptable to me, so no issues on them and the tech/timeline, but C3 and TCs..those are definately part of BTech and don't exist yet.

Edited by Kristov Kerensky, 04 January 2012 - 02:24 PM.

[phalanx]

Can the modules be damaged or destroyed during combat under any circumstances? How do cockpit hits effect the modules?

[UncleKulikov]

Are modules just for HUD elements and targeting, or do they include weapons, ammunition and heat sinks?

[Dayuhan]

The answer is hinted at in the original post but could you clarify if Character Skills will affect the performance of plug-in modules. For example; if there is a module called Deploy-able Remote Sensor can a character improve the performance of this module (i.e. increased range, additional sensor modes such as IR, MAD, Seismic, or Thermal, ability to overcome ECCM) by putting Skill Points in to the Tech Tree for that module.

[toncrell]

is there going to be any place for the lone wolf in this type of play? If so:

1) will our mech be given extra mods to carry the extra gear?

2) will there be any npc mechs or camps so we can count bad guys?

3) how will the wolf collect the info and store it? on disk or direct relay to Ai command that has the master c3?

4) will there be any fighting in this type of the game? (this way we cant load out on every type of info gear and kill the challenge of even doing this type of play)

[Felicitatem Parco]

Will the realm of Information Warfare extend beyond the immediate battlefield (for instance, will there be any Information Warfare elements involved with contracts)?

[Felicitatem Parco]

Will Mech pilots have any way of knowing when the enemy has acquired a target-lock on them? (strike that)

New Question: Will there be any other kind of tracking devices that act similarly to NARC missile-tracking pods?

Edited by Prosperity Park, 04 January 2012 - 04:52 PM.

[Prohibitor]

will any of the targeting systems be based on the same principal as battletech firestorm? where in team combat your crosshairs will turn blue on friendly targets and red on enemies. Also will it have the ability to have a button to self center the torso? this comes in quite handy when in a major battle.

[Hollister]

How will Tag be used with the C3 networks and modules. Such as will a partner in a support missle mech get live feed of my TAG laser into his module and see what I see when i use my TAG laser. This would only be big enough to give a basic view of where the laser is actually being aimed.

Will people with infernos or flamers be able to start fires and confuse thermal radar/ vision and will said fires at night be able to wash out night vision.

Will modules when used with a targeting computer show the percentage of being able to hit what you are targeting at and with what weapons.

[Khushrenada]

some questions might have been asked in a similar way, but they did not cover all question that came up in my head:

1. what effective distance is the LOSD? may there be engine restrictions?

2. regarding the 1. question, if a mech is in my LOSD, but has some counter-modules active, that lower my detection range towards him, will i still see the mech on my screen, and just my targetting computer doesn`t "recognize" him and therefor he is not marked as enemy and no info is relayed to my team? or will he simply vanish completely from my screen (like in world of tanks, where a tank can pass you at 100m and you don`t see him cause a bush is in your LOSD)?

3. if i can still see him, but my targetting computer don`t, can i then manually "spot" him and relay his location to my teammates (with a "spot-button")? no target infos, just that there is enemy movement at that position, since my computer still won`t be able to lock on to him. and then of course would it be possible to land a hit on him?

i think this would greatly add to the atmosphere ingame, when my targetting computer can`t get a lock on targets, but i can still search for them with my own eyes, watching for movement, falling trees in a forest or something like that.
i just hate the idea of solid objects up to 100 tons to simply physically vanish from the game, just because of some game mechanic that tells me "your computer can`t get a lock on an enemy, so he becomes invisible for you as well"

[ArchSight]

What would mech pilots be intercepting with surveillance exactly? Would other programs like teamspeak make surveillance and disruptors useless to have in game?

[SilentWolff]

My question is, when are you going to start answering some of these questions!

[Gemini]

I have two questions:

1. LOSD and urban fighting almost seem to cancel out the role of a scout mech. What I mean is, in order for a scout to detect an enemy mech in an urban envrionment based on LOSD, it would have to be way too close to the enemy mech to detect it and would likely get destroyed shortly afterwards. How will this be compensated for so that a scout mech will still serve a role in an urban environment?

2. Will there be technology in place at launch or in the future to "illuminate" a target, kinda like how a NARC Beacon works, but in terms of the BattleGrid? Like a device that, once attached to a mech, broadcasts its coordinates to all units in the match? (Or perhaps only friendly units if it was advanced enough, thus not revealing to the enemy that their mech has been illuminated.)

[CaveMan]

Will there be any kind of a datalink system for scout 'Mechs to broadcast enemy coordinates to teammates, without having C3? Or will we have to rely on voice comms/text chat for that?

Because I may have to start training my scout player on how to call a proper 9-line for targeting

[Felicitatem Parco]

Besides passive actions such as blocking communications or inhibiting a target-lock, will there be more "aggressive" forms of electronic sabotage such as IFF-flipping, sending fraudulent transmissions to enemy units, or other kinds of overtly offensive acts?

[CaveMan]

ArchSight, on 04 January 2012 - 08:21 PM, said:

What would mech pilots be intercepting with surveillance exactly? Would other programs like teamspeak make surveillance and disruptors useless to have in game?

Or just having all the players in the same room for a LAN party, or talking on the phone. Or using Skype/Ventrillo on a second computer. There's all kinds of easy ways around that.