Multiple sonar types
The_Shark
USA Join Date: 2015-08-24 Member: 207433Members
USA Join Date: 2015-08-24 Member: 207433Members
Alright, so as we all know, the SeaMoth has been given the ability to use a sonar system to see the surrounding environment. So, that got me thinking: what if there were other types of sonar?
I'm thinking that, for maximum effect, you could have a three-layered detection system:
Anyway, let me know what you think. As always, criticism is appreciated, as long as it's actual criticism, instead of just insults.
I'm thinking that, for maximum effect, you could have a three-layered detection system:
- A sub-decibel active sonar, which is always active (on vehicles it's applied to), but is undetectable by any sealife. Not powerful enough to pick up moving objects with any method of accuracy, but it can see immobile things just fine. Essentially, the current sonar type (making a 3D grid of the terrain), with an incredibly weak, one- or two-frame disturbance when it passes by anything living. Its main role would be navigation in areas that are too dark for vision.
- Passive sonar, which is, again, always active. Due to being passive, it makes no noise, so sealife aren't drawn to it. Can't map the environment, but it is able to pick up anything that moves. If a Peeper moves its tail, the water disturbance is picked up, and it sends an alert that shows the approximate size (out of Small, Medium, Large, or Leviathan) of the object, based on the disturbance. This would also open up the possibility of "stealth creatures," which would appear smaller than they are on passive sonar, due to making small movements proportional to their size. This would be the best system for (safely) detecting creatures.
- High-decibel active sonar, which works somewhat like the sub-decibel, but with far more power. Due to its high volume, it has the longest range of all of the sonar systems. It maps out the environment, and also includes a 3D grid of any creatures that the wave passes over. It would be the only one that can be toggled on or off, due to the high volume. The noise would attract any curious or aggressive creatures in the area right to you, so turning it off would allow the player to move through monster-infested areas without a guarantee of detection. This one, you'd need to decide whether you should use it based on the situation.
Anyway, let me know what you think. As always, criticism is appreciated, as long as it's actual criticism, instead of just insults.
Comments
People were all excited about the SeaMoth sonar when it first came out, I figured that plenty of people would enjoy this.
Active sonar provides full 3D imagery for the navigation HUD and real-time terrain mapping.
Passive sonar is the one you'd use to tiptoe past Mister Reaper and Friends.
Yeah. I'd definitely like to see the Cyclops equipped with a functional sonar and navigational suite.
But only because you asked nicely.
The purpose of the sub-decibel active was to be kind of a cross between the two. If you're in an area without enough light to see, but don't want to alert the four-bajillion-ton monster a few dozen meters away, you'd be screwed. If you can't see the terrain, you're going to end up bumping into something...
And we all know what happens when you bump into something several kilometers below the surface.
There's enough active sound sources down there to swamp the Cyclops' terrain profiling system (if it existed) in about the first ten minutes of operation.
A sufficiently advanced passive (e.g: non-emissive) sonar system will work just fine. No need for 'sub-decibel' (Extremely Low Frequency) sonar at all.