27 replies to this topic

[Psydotek]

Since LOS is king for visual and sensor detection, how will the detection of 'mechs powering up be handled?

What I'd like to see is an alert telling you that a 'mech is powering up (friend or foe) within sensor range but having no idea where or what direction it is occuring. All you know is something is out there within a certain radius but no idea what it is.

This could also be fun for information warfare if you can spoof a 'mech powering up by dropping decoys around the battlefield. They could be timed or triggered from a distance. Would be alot of fun to lure an enemy into a "trap" in an urban setting then having 8+ decoys go off to distract and rattle the pilot's nerves.

[Omigir]

Perhaps a sudden spike in enegy would give a blip on radar, for a second there is a reddish 'blob' which is a small area where the start up was detected. that way no one has apin point on you when you first fire up without a LOS on you.

Maybe there could be mods that narrow down that red blob a little, and maybe there could be a mod which makes that blob bigger to help hte starting up mech too.

[Sturmbb]

I like the idea of the computer just telling you ones there starting up not showing where.

[xlrate]

Use traditional radar for it. When you have a power spike you can tell what general direction but not the location. SO say it was at 270 degrees you could have a red area on your radar from 225 degrees to 315 degrees, Just as an example.

[Vulpesveritas]

90 degree arc? that works.

+1

[Xenois Shalashaska]

I would perfer it just saying mech power up detected, but no radar signature as this would be better for ambush, but making a mech power up should be like a cold start & effect the mechs capability in movement or energy weapons.

[BarHaid]

The non-location issue might be a bit tricky to justify, but not impossible, given that this is sci-fi tech. The tension factor alone outweighs any "if the computer can sense it it has to know where it is" argument. I've got the heebie jeebies now just thinking of it!

[Dlardrageth]

Best option to detect that might be the M.A.D. sensors. Radar could be blocked by something as simple as a small hill or ridge.

[Omigir]

ok, how close does a mech have to be to get hte notification, or is it any where in the battle space, even if the starting up mech is across the map?

[StonedDead]

Omigir, on 08 January 2012 - 10:35 PM, said:

ok, how close does a mech have to be to get hte notification, or is it any where in the battle space, even if the starting up mech is across the map?

Imo, I would say no farther than 250 meters with basic equipment. More with sensor upgrades and modules. Doubling, maybe tripling distance with better stuff.

I like the idea of just a verbal warning with possible upgrades to show direction and maybe approxomate position for the high end stuff.

[John Clavell]

I vote it is handled by 1) a sassy female voice actress. 2) tied into the Information Warfare system. While all the voice prompts in Battlemechs games are awesome. I would really ask that the developers, if to implement such a system give us the power to turn it off. I'm sure after playing for years hearing someone saying these things again and again and again gets monotonous. Also it can impede using things like TeamSpeak.

[Semyon Drakon]

In canon you pack pick up a fusion reactors neutrino signiature from orbit. Thus a satellite would be able to at least detect the mech starting up and the spike in the sig. Theoretically you can also tell the size of the engine to give you an indication of at least the class of mech.

Just have a pulse appear on the battlegrid with an estimated size of the machine in question that fades out as the neutrinos settle down.

Semyon

[Egomane]

As we will have line of sight targeting only for the most part (as mentioned in Dev Blog 2 - Information Warfare), I don't see much of a reason to power down at all. And I also don't see why we should get a warning of a mech powering up, if all we have is audio/visual sensors.

I guess a good scout will have a beagle active probe mounted to detect those who do power down anyway. And those scout mechs should be the only ones who get a warning of such a mech powering up. They can then send this information on to their team mates.

The range for detecting shutdown mechs and those that power up will be determined by the range of the BAP.

Edited by Egomane, 09 January 2012 - 12:51 AM.

[Phelan Kerensky]

There are many ways I can see this working and ultimately I trust in what Pirahna does with it as I am not too picky about the specifics of this part of the system...

[Mchawkeye]

what about we, standard normal mechs (what ever they are) don't get told at all?
what about only mechs with the right equipment can detect a mech powerup, and then upgrade to direction finding? or on probes? or a satellite feed to the commanders map?

I recognise this might not be canon as such, but it would add further focus on the usefulness of sensors, as well as team work though communication. Also the tension would be great and the tactical potential in people not seeing you powered down, stomping past, powering up unbeknownst to them and then blasting them in the backside...unless they run with the right combination of sensors and team mates....

[Wolvers]

Reading this topic I had the computer voice saying the words in my head.

If they are going to use this, as some have said, it would spoil the whole ambush idea, but you should probably be given a general direction as to where the power up is coming from, not an exact location mabye? If you had Beagle Probe or something then you should get an exact location.

[Ghostrider45]

seting a trap with fake start up pods is bull any good Mech is going to have ECM witch jams rader an mech start up warning so any good pilot will Know its a trap!!!!!!






















know that

[Temper Wolf]

A good scout is a good scout, I've always been a big fan of the light mech running up and around the big slow heavy and assaults to keep them distracted until the missle boats arrive. Slap a beacon to his rump and watch the fire works. I hope this experience remains in this game, as this is one of my favorite things to do. A true pilot rolls a light mech all the time! They better have the proper radar requiment, as lights were always superior in this field.

[Drachenwolf]

well if your in a tank RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Masikai]

From my limited understanding of what ECM is, this is not a passive ability.

ECM is basically noise generated by you along the same frequency that the enemy radar operator is using to mask your location from him. someone that is powered down would not want to employ this because it would in essence broadcast that there is something in the area wanting to him harm. he would be able to detect the direction of the mech generating ECM but not the precise location.

Someone powered down would want rely on stealth tech to deflect and absorb radar energy so that they could remain hidden.

Only on power up would he want to turn on his ECM generator.

In essence i would really like to see this implemented in game because ambush in built up urban areas would be crazy fun !!

Regards Masikai