Why Do Mines Have Lasers?

MadjaiMadjai Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 2986Members
Hey, I'm wondering why do the mines have lasers? It can't be to warn marines because they can't trigger mines themselves... so its only use is to warn the aliens, which no sane marine would want to do. It's kinda like having those laser sights on the marine helmets, they're useless other than to warn skulks a marine is aiming that way.

Comments

  • ElectroKiwiMonkeyElectroKiwiMonkey Join Date: 2002-11-06 Member: 7384Members
    1) Because it would unbelievably cruel and unfair to the Alien team to have wall mines with no laser, and thus no way of knowing they're there.

    2) Presumably the mine is using a laser sight of some sort to act as a tripwire, setting it off if a sensor in the mine sees that the other end of the laser is blocked from its view and there isn't something saying it's a marine. As for why you can SEE the laser, just assume that there are dust particles in the air making it visible. Problem solved.
  • BedwettingTypeBedwettingType Join Date: 2002-07-26 Member: 1001Members
    It's probably a balance issue. Do you know how **** I would be as an alien if I went Fade and ran through a harmless-looking doorway, just to find out there were 5 tripmines on the other side? It wouldn't be any fun. I bet the Half-Life deathmatch mines are like that for the same reason.
  • ZiGGYZiGGY Join Date: 2003-01-19 Member: 12479Members
    thatd be funny as hell <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • JediYoshiJediYoshi The Cupcake Boss Join Date: 2002-05-27 Member: 674Members
    I'm pretty sure he's asking this on a practical sense, btw.
  • Hida_TsuzuaHida_Tsuzua Lamarck&#39;s Heir Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 79Members, NS1 Playtester
    The Kharaa baterium, in response to laser of the tripmine, release special spores that make the laser visable. Cheap and simple reason I guess.
  • JHD536JHD536 Join Date: 2003-01-26 Member: 12787Members
    Well, if you want the real-life reason, there is normally a reflective surface at the end opposite the mine which reflects the light back to a sensor, and when the beam is broken, BOOM.

    But if you want the Explanation for the way it is in NS, it's for balance.
  • a_civiliana_civilian Likes seeing numbers Join Date: 2003-01-08 Member: 12041Members, NS1 Playtester, Playtest Lead
    <!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Do you know how **** I would be as an alien if I went Fade and ran through a harmless-looking doorway, just to find out there were 5 tripmines on the other side?<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Well marines can put mines on the floor...
  • 10RoUNdTOmMYgUN10RoUNdTOmMYgUN Join Date: 2002-05-03 Member: 572Members
    Shouldnt this be in the new player forums? <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • SoulSkorpionSoulSkorpion Join Date: 2002-04-12 Member: 423Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--JHD536+Apr 6 2003, 12:07 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (JHD536 @ Apr 6 2003, 12:07 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Well, if you want the real-life reason, there is normally a reflective surface at the end opposite the mine which reflects the light back to a sensor, and when the beam is broken, BOOM.

    But if you want the Explanation for the way it is in NS, it's for balance. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    What he said <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • SuBSuB AusNS Forum Admin Join Date: 2003-02-18 Member: 13723Members
    They look cool.

    They make sense.

    They're a visual indication of mine placement, which is useful for aliens as they can try and avoid them, and in the same sense their useful for marines because they can be used to physcogolically block access to certain areas because aliens in general will avoid a passage with 4 horizontol lasers spanning it.

    It just makes sense really... gives the marines some nice variety in that floor placed mines dont show a laser where wall mounted ones do. You can use this to your advantage, just use your imagination and pay more attention the very specific placement.
  • JediYoshiJediYoshi The Cupcake Boss Join Date: 2002-05-27 Member: 674Members
    "They're a visual indication of mine placement, which is useful for aliens as they can try and avoid them..."

    That's a reason it doesn't make sense to have the lasers in the first place.
  • coilcoil Amateur pirate. Professional monkey. All pance. Join Date: 2002-04-12 Member: 424Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    Mines have lasers because not being able to see a trip laser would suck.
  • ArkaineArkaine Join Date: 2002-07-12 Member: 914Members
    edited April 2003
    In my opinion, it's the same reason why there are aliens in the game. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
    Hey, I got an idea...to be a little more realistic, let's take the aliens out too!
  • Cereal_KillRCereal_KillR Join Date: 2002-10-31 Member: 1837Members
    Mines have laser beams because they should be on the ground to catch unaware aliens, and if they aren't on the ground it is only for a dissuasive effect and not for a surprise effect. You wouldn't want to go through a pack of mines really would you?

    summing up:

    on the walls: saying to aliens "dont go this way for the moment"
    on the ground: catch unaware aliens.
  • InsaneInsane Anomaly Join Date: 2002-05-13 Member: 605Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, NS2 Map Tester, Subnautica Developer, Pistachionauts, Future Perfect Developer
    edited April 2003
    Uhh... because they are TRIP mines. The mines work in a way that when the laser light is broken, they 'splode. Clearly the marines don't set them off because they have nanotech hax.
  • HungryHippoHungryHippo Join Date: 2003-01-09 Member: 12053Members
    edited April 2003
    <!--QuoteBegin--Madjai+Apr 5 2003, 09:44 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Madjai @ Apr 5 2003, 09:44 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Hey, I'm wondering why do the mines have lasers?  It can't be to warn marines because they can't trigger mines themselves... so its only use is to warn the aliens, which no sane marine would want to do.  It's kinda like having those laser sights on the marine helmets, they're useless other than to warn skulks a marine is aiming that way. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    If you want stealth mines put them on the floor. (no laser)

    If you want them as a deterrent put them on the walls. (laser)

    Two different tactics, as is stated in the manual.
  • Cereal_KillRCereal_KillR Join Date: 2002-10-31 Member: 1837Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--Insane+Apr 6 2003, 01:01 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Insane @ Apr 6 2003, 01:01 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Uhh... because they are TRIP mines. The mines work in a way that when the laser light is broken, they 'splode. Clearly the marines don't set them off because they have nanotech hax. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    normally lasers cant be seen in clear air. You'd only see the dot at the end. It's like if laser sweep burglar alarms were bright red. Would that be of any use?

    But this is a game so blah <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • HuntsmanHuntsman Join Date: 2002-11-25 Member: 9929Members
    #1. The lasers are in for balance reasons

    #2. It's not too hard to think up a reason for the light to show up. The alien bacteria floating around everywhere and the nanites that are battling it for control are good enough reasons for me.
  • MadjaiMadjai Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 2986Members
    ok sounds good, thanks for the responses.
  • Lumberjack_WannabeLumberjack_Wannabe Join Date: 2003-03-11 Member: 14404Members, Constellation
    It's called a 'trip' for a reason.

    <a href='http://www.natural-selection.org/manual/weapons_mines.html' target='_blank'>http://www.natural-selection.org/manual/we...pons_mines.html</a>
  • WolfWolf Join Date: 2002-08-07 Member: 1100Members
    gameplay > realism
  • NightfireTGNightfireTG Join Date: 2002-12-24 Member: 11508Members
    i want transparent lasers like the voogru.com's server
  • Cereal_KillRCereal_KillR Join Date: 2002-10-31 Member: 1837Members
    I prefer having red lines. If I want to catch a skulk I'll put it on the ground. On the wall = rethink your way in.
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