Phase Gate | Viewable Destination

SgtThompson

I haven't played NS2 yet, so if this is already being done or if it's irrelevant I apologize in advance.

I recall in the old days of NS1 that the phase gate was a bit of a gamble. You know it takes you somewhere closer to the battle, but you aren't sure if the aliens are waiting for their meal to be delivered to them on the other side. So, if the engine allows for such things, I think it would be pretty awesome to have a portal appearing above the phase gate (or on top of it) showing, in real-time, what is on the other side of the gate. This way, you can have a plan of action before jumping through it.

SgtThompson

I suppose I should have used the search function prior to posting... I found something similar, but the thread died and the ideas offered didn't seem to be going the direction of a visible destination in the portal itself.

<a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/index.php?showtopic=113844&hl=Phase+Gate" target="_blank">http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/in...p;hl=Phase+Gate</a>

Also, if frames are an issue, maybe the portal will become viewable within a certain proximity. Far away it looks like the pictures in the thread above, but closer it begins to show what's on the other side.

Align

In 180 you can see what your destination will be in the reticle text.

Chris0132

Although that doesn't greatly help with the 'aiiens waiting to gank you' thing.

If your commander is smart he'll put the phase gate a little out of the way and cover it with a sentry, that way you should come out with a good view of the field and shouldn't get murdered instantly. Ask your commander to put the gates in good positions, a lot of comms don't really think about positioning in their base structures.

ScardyBob

Personally, I think the text method is fine. Teleporting into a cluster of fades is one of the risks of using a PG and should be part of the trade-off. Though, I generally have never had a problem of dying immediately at the PG.

SgtThompson

the idea has more to do with aesthetics than purely game mechanics. I think it would add a lot to the experience of using PGs. Portal (1/2) and Prey did it really well, and it looks great. I could see something like that working for the PG as well (only with a NS twist on it).

OutlawDr

The problem with this is that you are assuming that players come out in the direction the PG is facing....they don't. Players come out facing the direction they did going into the portal. I am starting to think this is an engine limitation, or a coding nightmare that is not worth the effort fixing (hopefully just temporary)...which means this idea would face similar problems (not to mention possible performance issues).

However it would be cool if it was in the game.

Taxen0

from the progress tracker: Always exit on arrow-side of phase gate [Started]

OutlawDr

<!--quoteo(post=1858285:date=Jul 6 2011, 02:38 AM:name=Taxen0)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Taxen0 @ Jul 6 2011, 02:38 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1858285"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->from the progress tracker: Always exit on arrow-side of phase gate [Started]<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Depending on how this works, this could be exactly what the PG needed, or it could turn out not doing much of anything.

The problem with the phase gate is not which side you come out, but what direction you are facing when you come out.

If this changes the direction of the marine to always face the "arrow" coming out of the PG regardless of what direction he was facing going into it, then excellent...this is exactly what it needed.

If this simply changes the current "arrow-side in, no arrow-side out" to "always arrow-side out", then this won't fix the main problem...but it could help in some situations.

Chris0132

If they can set the marine's position relative to the PG, it should be trivial to also set their orientation.

OutlawDr

I would think so too, but the fact they haven't done so already just makes me wonder how trivial it really is. If this update doesn't change player orientation, then it may not be as trivial as we think. Though it could be they just have bigger fish to fry atm.

IeptBarakat

While it would look great, and it would help remove phase disorientation. People could just watch the base from the other side of the gate. And the fear of jumping into the unknown would be lost.

Which ruins a bit of fun phasegates have.

Also people would try to shoot through it.

Harimau

<!--quoteo(post=1858405:date=Jul 7 2011, 02:05 AM:name=OutlawDr)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (OutlawDr @ Jul 7 2011, 02:05 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1858405"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I would think so too, but the fact they haven't done so already just makes me wonder how trivial it really is. If this update doesn't change player orientation, then it may not be as trivial as we think. Though it could be they just have bigger fish to fry atm.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
If this is not fixed by 180, then submit it as a bug on getsatisfaction. (Maybe you can even submit the fix :)