24 replies to this topic

[Alistair Winter]

I seem to recall that the older Mech Warrior games had a warning alarm when someone locked on to your mech. You know, like how modern jet fighters can detect when someone has a target lock on them, or how modern prototype tanks can detect when someone is hitting them with a laser.

Right now, we have Betty warning us when someone has launched guided missiles at you, but to be perfectly frank, I would like to know if someone is about to unleash 4 x 15 LRMs at my mech before the missiles are actually raining down upon me.

It doesn't have to be a horrible sound that makes your ears bleed. Just an audible warning sound to say "Hey, buddy. That guy is looking at you funny. You may want to find cover to avoid horrible missile death."

Edited by Alistair Winter, 10 January 2013 - 06:25 AM.

[Fotracul]

+1 for this

[Daora Wing]

Good idea
Could help against lazy pure LRM tactics in PUG matches, so +1

[Bobzilla]

I don't think its needed, i think LRMs are pretty weak as is especally with ecm.
I also don't think it would help that much as you couldn't move to effective cover until you saw where they are comming from anyways.

[Alistair Winter]

Bobzilla, on 10 January 2013 - 06:20 AM, said:

I don't think its needed, i think LRMs are pretty weak as is especally with ecm.
I also don't think it would help that much as you couldn't move to effective cover until you saw where they are comming from anyways.

First of all, LRMs are not weak at all. ECM can be countered. If you have good team mates, you'll cause havoc with LRMs.

Second, you generally have a rough idea of which direction the enemy is. If you don't, then you haven't been paying attention to the map.

Third, it's not just about LRMs, it's also about SSRMs, to warn you when some light mech or SSRM cat has a lock on you and is 400 meters away and closing.

[Kaijin]

-1

[Bobzilla]

Alistair Winter, on 10 January 2013 - 06:28 AM, said:

First of all, LRMs are not weak at all. ECM can be countered. If you have good team mates, you'll cause havoc with LRMs.

Second, you generally have a rough idea of which direction the enemy is. If you don't, then you haven't been paying attention to the map.

Third, it's not just about LRMs, it's also about SSRMs, to warn you when some light mech or SSRM cat has a lock on you and is 400 meters away and closing.

A good team vs a good team can negate LRMs easier than a team using them effectively all other things being equal. And LRMs in pugs are very hard to use effectively now even if you also equip tag.

If you have a general idea of where the enemy is comming from you should always be in cover or close to cover anyways.


In your original post you only mentioned LRMs. Also getting a warning that you have a lock will cause you to go to cover or to get close to that target, you don't want to do that with a SSRM cat so it would be worse in that situation. Plus you need LOS for streaks so if you see an SSRM cat comming at you a warrning doesn't add any more advance notice.

I'm not totally against your idea, I just don't think its all that helpful or needed.
PS people fire as soon as they have a lock so you wouldn't really get any advanced warning.

Edited by Bobzilla, 10 January 2013 - 07:30 AM.

[Elder Thorn]

the warning we allready have is enough IMO

[EyeOne]

+1 for this.

The cherry on top would be the exact alarm from MW2

[Zypher]

Elder Thorn, on 10 January 2013 - 07:53 AM, said:

the warning we allready have is enough IMO

For me it's not a question that the missile warning is enough, it's the wrong kind of warning, sometimes even too much. You get the warning even if missiles have a trajectory in your area. If missiles are going for a friendly that is 200 meters from you and behind cover you still get the stupid warning. I have had matches where that warning goes off the entire game while I was never hit by a single missile and rarely using cover.

Between the missile warnings, over heat warnings, critical warnings, the very occasional out of bounds warnings things get a bit much. Toning it down by something a little more useful will help game play.

Edited by Zypher, 10 January 2013 - 11:24 AM.

[Bhael Fire]

I think the incoming missile warning is enough. No need to make LRMs any weaker than they already are. And this is coming from someone that doesn't even use LRMs exclusively. Basically what I'm saying is, once I get that incoming missile warning my asss is rolling back behind cover letting my AMS pick off the missiles that sneak past. I can only imagine how much easier it would be to avoid if I got a heads up letting me know to start looking for a good place to take cover.

[blinkin]

Zypher, on 10 January 2013 - 11:23 AM, said:

For me it's not a question that the missile warning is enough, it's the wrong kind of warning, sometimes even too much. You get the warning even if missiles have a trajectory in your area. If missiles are going for a friendly that is 200 meters from you and behind cover you still get the stupid warning. I have had matches where that warning goes off the entire game while I was never hit by a single missile and rarely using cover.

Between the missile warnings, over heat warnings, critical warnings, the very occasional out of bounds warnings things get a bit much. Toning it down by something a little more useful will help game play.

you only get missile warnings if the missiles were locked onto you at some point. the missiles may hit a hill side or another mech but if you were given a warning then you were the intended target.

also as far as OP i think this might make a good module to add to the list:
http://mwomercs.com/...__fromsearch__1

[Solis Obscuri]

The huge red flashing "Missile Incoming" sign and the giant cloud of flaming death creeping across the sky isn't enough of an indicator?

[Alistair Winter]

Bobzilla, on 10 January 2013 - 07:27 AM, said:

A good team vs a good team can negate LRMs easier than a team using them effectively all other things being equal.

How so? All things being equal, ECM won't be a factor.

Anyway, if you're saying that LRMs are so easily negated (which I don't agree with, by the way), then obviously the solution is to make them more effective and then choose an appropriate warning system. The fact that they may be ineffective and easily negated is not a good argument, I think.

Bobzilla, on 10 January 2013 - 07:27 AM, said:

In your original post you only mentioned LRMs. Also getting a warning that you have a lock will cause you to go to cover or to get close to that target, you don't want to do that with a SSRM cat so it would be worse in that situation. Plus you need LOS for streaks so if you see an SSRM cat comming at you a warrning doesn't add any more advance notice.

I'd rather have the information. If people make poor judgement calls based on completely accurate and relevant information, then that's their mistake.

And again, a lot of people with SSRMs will get target locks before they get in range, if the target is visible from over 270 meters. Which it often is.

Bobzilla, on 10 January 2013 - 07:27 AM, said:

PS people fire as soon as they have a lock so you wouldn't really get any advanced warning.

See below.

Solis Obscuri, on 10 January 2013 - 06:30 PM, said:

The huge red flashing "Missile Incoming" sign and the giant cloud of flaming death creeping across the sky isn't enough of an indicator?

You mean the huge red flashing "MISSILE INCOMING" next to the huge red flashing "HEAT WARNING" and the huge red flashing ">> CRITICAL DAMAGE <<" ?

And like I said, I'd rather know about the missile lock before there's actually a huge giant cloud of flaming death headed my way. Skilled LRM boats don't just fire off millions of missiles as soon as they get a lock. They maintain target lock, wait for their target to come out of cover, and then unload.

I'm not worried about the noobs who just fire off blindly as soon as they get a lock on anything, and waste 80% of their ammo redecorating the landscape.

[Elder Thorn]

Alistair Winter, on 10 January 2013 - 09:04 PM, said:

text

tbh, i never had any problems with it, when there was no warning at all, so i still don't see the point of an even more advanced warning than the one we have now.
I agree on the part, that they are all flashing red though, this IS stupid

[FerrolupisXIII]

i don't think we need a warning for the warning for the obvious cloud of death. i do agree it might be nice for streaks though. as it is most good players can avoid LRM's easily enough, the missile incoming indicator is hard to miss, and most people hug cover anyways. If implemented it should be a "someone has locked your mech" not a specific to missile lock warning. even then it should just be a tone or indicator, not bitching betty/ OH HAI GIANT WORDS IN MY FACE.

And as someone else stated it could be worked into a module even. the "radar sensor" that informs you when you've been locked onto by enemy radar.

[Kaijin]

Alistair Winter, on 10 January 2013 - 09:04 PM, said:

I'd rather know about the missile lock before there's actually a huge giant cloud of flaming death headed my way.

How about when a sniper is aiming at your cockpit with their gaussapult from clear across the map? I suspect you'd like a warning for that too.

[Wolfman989]

I do like the warnings sometimes but they can get to be a bit much. Maybe If they put in the options a way to turn certain warning on or off? Then if you like the crazy chaotic battles with all the lights and alarms blaring you could have it. Or if you prefer fewer distractions you can have that too. Then everybody is happy.

Wolf

[Alistair Winter]

Kaijin, on 11 January 2013 - 07:48 PM, said:

How about when a sniper is aiming at your cockpit with their gaussapult from clear across the map? I suspect you'd like a warning for that too.

Surely you can see the flaw in your own argument. If not, I'll point it out for you. Target lock warnings exist in real life, in the 21st century. They've been around for a while.

Your argument is basically like saying "Oh, you want thermal vision? Hah, I bet you want x-ray vision on your mech too!". The difference is, even 20th century tanks had thermal vision. None of them had x-ray vision. That's why I expect one and not the other.

PS: By the way, as I already mentioned, technology already exists that lets tanks get a warning when they're targeted by laser range finders. They're even experimenting with tanks that can automatically return fire to any potential attacker lighting them with lasers. So what you're suggesting is not at all unrealistic, even by today's technological standards. The only problem is that it's boring.

Wolfman989, on 11 January 2013 - 09:04 PM, said:

I do like the warnings sometimes but they can get to be a bit much. Maybe If they put in the options a way to turn certain warning on or off? Then if you like the crazy chaotic battles with all the lights and alarms blaring you could have it. Or if you prefer fewer distractions you can have that too. Then everybody is happy.
Wolf

That's a good idea. I'd definitely like the option. Personally, I'd prefer the Hollywood-esque setting of a cockpit bathed in flashing red lights, sparks flying from blown circuits in the cockpit and bullet holes on the windows. If I take damage, that is

[XSerjo]

It's great suggestion. There're very-very poor warning system.

Where're all of thiss messages: "Reactor online", "Targeted", "Missile lock", ... etc. B.. Betty from this video is much better:

It would be better if Player will decide - what messages he wants to hear.