Invisible Alien + flashlight = ?

Aranea

I've gotten this idea when I was watching the latest concept art for NS2: <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/blog/2007/05/NS2_Onos_vs_Railcar.jpg" target="_blank">NS2_Onos_vs_Railcar.jpg</a>

I noticed that the Onos looked a little invisible, especialy in the back of the creature. Maybe this wasn't intentional, but it gave me an idea. What if marines could see invisible aliens by pointing their flash lights at them.

The longer you shine your lightsource on them, the more they get visible. I could imagine a single marine entering a dark room and hearing something shuffle. He quickly switches on the flashlight and starts to investigate the walls. The skulk only has seconds before he gets discovered and needs to ackt quickly...

The downside is that aliens would not be able to become invisible in fully lit areas. Maybe some think this downfall would create a huge disadvantage for the aliens?

I'm not really sure that this could be accomplished in the source engine. Altrough I find that the game really relies on light manipulation. And this would be a great addition.

Kisle

Great idea

Radix

Very cinematic. +1

PogoP

From what I've gathered, people don't like dark maps =/

I think that kinda sucks, because dark maps should suit the NS environment/atmosphere perfectly, but a lot of people criticise the atmosphere for 'gameplay' purposes. Personally, I can't think of a more fun and intense gameplay aspect than walking down a darkened hallway with flickering overhead lights, with your flashlight out, frantically trying to spot the skulk you can hear chuckling overhead.

Haze

<!--quoteo(post=1631199:date=Jun 4 2007, 01:54 PM:name=PogoP)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PogoP @ Jun 4 2007, 01:54 PM) [snapback]1631199[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
From what I've gathered, people don't like dark maps =/

I think that kinda sucks, because dark maps should suit the NS environment/atmosphere perfectly, but a lot of people criticise the atmosphere for 'gameplay' purposes. Personally, I can't think of a more fun and intense gameplay aspect than walking down a darkened hallway with flickering overhead lights, with your flashlight out, frantically trying to spot the skulk you can hear chuckling overhead.
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Because the skulk would eat you really fast. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />

Moving_Target0

I'm not a huge cloaker fan. But I think I can speak for them when I say they wouldn't be thrilled with this idea. Maybe, perhaps, instead of cloaking revealing the alien, it should make the alien have to adjust to its new surroundings - like a chameleon. The alien would appear slightly visible, then quickly adjust after about a second. That's how I always pictured cloaking working - natural camouflage.

schkorpio

<!--quoteo(post=1631199:date=Jun 5 2007, 04:54 AM:name=PogoP)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PogoP @ Jun 5 2007, 04:54 AM) [snapback]1631199[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
From what I've gathered, people don't like dark maps =/

I think that kinda sucks, because dark maps should suit the NS environment/atmosphere perfectly, but a lot of people criticise the atmosphere for 'gameplay' purposes. Personally, I can't think of a more fun and intense gameplay aspect than walking down a darkened hallway with flickering overhead lights, with your flashlight out, frantically trying to spot the skulk you can hear chuckling overhead.
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the map doesnt have to be dark - it can be full bright, but the marines can still switch on their flash light as a detection device <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />

Buzzou

yeah sorry, but i think this idea sucks.

firstly, marines will never turn their flashlights off.

secondly, a poorly lit room is ideal for a skulk, and they dont really need to cloak... its brightly lit rooms and corridors where cloak is really useful, and the most nessisary.
if the ceiling lights made it so they couldnt fully cloak, why would anyone bother getting that upgrade anymore?

if you want to detect cloakers, get motion tracking, or ask your comm for a scan. having all marines automaticially have a cloak detecting flashlight from the very start of the game is just plain stupid, sorry.

Aranea

Now that you mention it. A cloaking ability is only usefull in well lit areas.

So you would rule out the advantage of invisibility when Aliens become visible in light...

Archfiendchris

Yea i agree, i would never turn my flashlight off haha... People hate dark maps because they can't see the aliens kickin their butt, and don't understand the whole stay in lit areas and be cautious, people suck and hate anything that gets them killed. As long as the map is balanced i love dark areas.

"This map is bullish, it's too dark i couldn't see him until i died"

Duh, stay in the lighted areas and stop blaming the map <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />

FlatkinG

ppl dont like the darker maps coz they are losers who want another counter-strike, the more u make the game different from others the more interesting points u make to buy the game, darker maps are awsome and realistic, not having crappy pastel colorful playground maps that lose all quality and turn into every other game, but anyways take this into the perspective, cloaking is within the theory of bending light, therefore y not when a light changes(eg. flashlight moves accross it) .. theres a slight fading effect as it chameleon's to the new light, this means it can cloak in a lit room as normal but it would have to be careful moving passed shadows or light changes.

Gaidan

That, and cloaking is boned in terms of over all effectiveness right now - there are too many counters to it already. MC and DC require good shots to counter, and that's a variable thing - Sc can always be countered.

1-800-CAL-SKILL

Remove cloak and make all maps easy on the eyes. You'll appease everyone except for the absolute worst players. AKA players who actually want to cloak.

RuBy

I want to see dark maps and a Doom3sque flashlight. Think of it like the welder. Squads have to keep together and in dark areas, someone should be using the flashlight to help teammates see in dark and dangerous areas.

GeminiUK

I am sure this has been suggested but how about using cloaking like in The Hidden source?

<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v639/GeminiUK/IRIS_Members_12.jpg" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />

Now how this could be used I dont know. This method of cloaking would be useless if, like know you had to be still or moving very slowly. And pherhaps it would be too efective it it was constantly on.

This level of invis untill attacking?

This level of invis in differnt levels of lighting? Would greatly add to the whole infestation darking rooms and smothering light sources.