8 replies to this topic

[Trex Mauser]

Hey,

I've started reading the books again and in every book when a mechwarrior has dropped the Target reticle on an enemy they get a gold pulse in the middle. Mw4mercs and if i can remember mw3 also display something like that when your on aim.

I know the reticule turns red if you actually hit, but considering its lore and well within the reach of the tech available i think it would be an excellent feature and would be a way to make the lag shield problem a bit better.

People will probably say it will make things to easy, but just cause it tells you your on aim at that moment, you still got to keep on target when and while firing. Since you already notify when you register a hit. The only issue i can think of is impact on performance doing a check server side if reticle is over a mech. It would have to be server side to show real target info.

[focuspark]

while i like it, the "gold pulse" would be locally computed while actual to hit measurements would be server side - so the two may not agree. So long as you understand this and agree to it, it's possible.

[Errant Variable]

This seems like a great idea for a module.

In the meantime, I'm finding that a TAG module in a spare energy slot is an excellent lead indicator when learning how to compensate for lag. If you're using energy weapons, there's no further thought. If you're using ballistics, it gets somewhat more complicated but rarely by more than another mechlength of lead. Of course, this doesn't solve rubberbanding or people spiking up to 1000+ MS ping, but for the majority of situations it's great fun.

Also, LRM boats will love you and the XP+CBills for tagging adds up nicely now.

Edited by Errant Variable, 19 January 2013 - 10:17 PM.

[Trex Mauser]

As a module could work as well. I was thinking to obtain accurate reading on if your on target you use it like a tag. You press a button to use it and for a duration you get accurate reading from the server on if your on target. They could I'm sure accomplish that the same way you get feedback now when you fire and your reticule goes red when you actually hit.

So you press a button, and for a short duration, 2-4 seconds the server tracks your reticule and returns a gold pulse when your on target. Like firing a medium laser really.

Would love it if it was just part of the targeting system but pro grammatically I don't know how they could do it without a performance hit tracking all the clients reticules for collisions on enemies.

Never used tag, does it register the server location target or client? and does it show when you have the tag on target?

[Firewuff]

Just a note. This doesn't need to be server side when state rewind is in play.

I'd like to see a lead indicator for ballistics. Lasers are point and shoot

[Rushin Roulette]

Trex Mauser, on 20 January 2013 - 01:50 AM, said:

Never used tag, does it register the server location target or client? and does it show when you have the tag on target?

Tag registers like a regular weapon. if you are on target (serverside) you will receive the red hit indicator as if you had shot a regular laser at your target. You can use the TAG laser as an aim help against lag shielded mechs and it sort of works as long as they dont teleport too much. In that sence it works just like your suggestion.

How you get the TAG to shoot continuously is your "problem" though. Some set it in a lone weapon group and jam a coin into their keyboard to keep the key pressed, I use a Keyboard macro to keep weapon group 6 pressed down permanently and others set the TAG laser into every weapon group so that it shoots whenever you try to shoot any weapon.

Each method has its own downside though.
Jamming a coin is deffinitely not good for your keyboard in the long run
The macro makes it impossible to type anything ingame while it is active (typing "gg" results in "6666666666666g6666666666666666666666g66666666666666" for example)
Adding the TAG to every weapon group doesnt really solve the problem of being able to lead the target accurately as you really need the TAG before you shoot the real weapons, not while you are shooting.

Edited by Rushin Roulette, 21 January 2013 - 11:09 PM.

[Icemantas]

Or you could modify game files to make group 6 as allways on and add tag there
there are posts on this somewhere in the forum

[Trex Mauser]

If Tag like oyu said registers serverside that your on target, and people are running around with it permanently on, via hacks and coins, then wonder what the performance hit would be if they made the reticule function in the same way so to speak. register collision and display a gold pulse client side when a collision between reticule and mech has been made server side.

The user would still i suppose have to account for ballistic delay but at least with lasers they know if I got a gold pulse and I fire right now I should hit. Again upto the user to keep the laser on target from then on to maximize the damage.

They could calculate the delay of a ballistic and display another color I suppose, but how would they do that when you got multiple ballistic types on your mech. Unless the reticule gold pulse is calculated based on slowest to fire weapon in currently selected group.

I would just be happy to know that okay where I am aiming at this very moment is actually on target, as that is pretty much the consistent message you get in the books for basic targeting in Battletech novels and what you would expect when your walking around with that kind of gunpower and tech.

The novels even use the targeting system as a important part of the mech as if it gets damaged its almost impossible to aim your weapons after.

Make the targeting system a module that can be crit hit if you wanted to add that extra bit of sim.

[focuspark]

TAG's visible beam is calculated client-side, so it's no more useful AND it's only good for lasers, since ballistics and missiles have travel time.

Also please notice that TAG doesn't apply immediately, neither does damage, as the server it latent in its determination if contact occured or not.