Watching For Cloakers
illuminex
Join Date: 2004-03-13 Member: 27317Members, Constellation
Join Date: 2004-03-13 Member: 27317Members, Constellation
<div class="IPBDescription">hack free is the way to be!</div> This thread is for any marines looking for how to deal with cloaked enemies.
Here's the main point, up front:
<b>YOU CAN SEE A CLOAKED ALIEN WHEN HE MOVES. </b>
The only way for an alien to cloak and not be seen is for him to be 100 % still. The second an alien moves, a slight distortion is created. An alien that is walking along to the floor to you is a complete idiot, and you should take full advantage of that fact. The distortion isn't totally obvious, so you should be looking for it in classic if you know they have sensory, or 100 % of the time in combat mode.
A smart alien that is cloaked will be moving in the darkness, or above you. However, cloaking is something that every alien wants as soon as he can get it, so most players never use it correctly.
Also, if you heard a skulk moving, shoot a few rounds into more obvious places. The skulk may get scared and make a mistake, like moving towards you. If he stays still, you obviously won't be able to see him, so move on. Be intelligent though. Once you have moved into the next area, the skulk will most likely parasite you or cloak walk. If you didn't kill the skulk, occassionally stop around a corner and crouch. Pay attention to any distortions. If you know he's behind you, set HIM up for a trap.
Most Kharaa will put too much trust in cloak. Use that to your advantage. Then smile when you get the "OMG H4X" from the stupid skulk.
Here's the main point, up front:
<b>YOU CAN SEE A CLOAKED ALIEN WHEN HE MOVES. </b>
The only way for an alien to cloak and not be seen is for him to be 100 % still. The second an alien moves, a slight distortion is created. An alien that is walking along to the floor to you is a complete idiot, and you should take full advantage of that fact. The distortion isn't totally obvious, so you should be looking for it in classic if you know they have sensory, or 100 % of the time in combat mode.
A smart alien that is cloaked will be moving in the darkness, or above you. However, cloaking is something that every alien wants as soon as he can get it, so most players never use it correctly.
Also, if you heard a skulk moving, shoot a few rounds into more obvious places. The skulk may get scared and make a mistake, like moving towards you. If he stays still, you obviously won't be able to see him, so move on. Be intelligent though. Once you have moved into the next area, the skulk will most likely parasite you or cloak walk. If you didn't kill the skulk, occassionally stop around a corner and crouch. Pay attention to any distortions. If you know he's behind you, set HIM up for a trap.
Most Kharaa will put too much trust in cloak. Use that to your advantage. Then smile when you get the "OMG H4X" from the stupid skulk.
Comments
The key here is to not be a stupid marine. Anyone who has ever cloaked before KNOWS that because a cloaked alien cannot run, they will use the cloak to ambush. The key is to keep your eyes/ears open at all times, and to be prepared for teeth coming from no where. That's why teamwork in NS is important. Working with at least 1 other guy means that you both have twice the odds of staying alive.
You'll see the discrepancy.
Top tips that others have said include looking for movement, and using steam/gas/light sources to better highlight the effect. Your flashlight can be handy, if not for you then for your teammates who will be able to see better.
Cloaked skulks can easily be dealt with this way, but just remember when you get MT to ALWAYS CHECK YOUR SIX.
Or you could just look at the blips on the minimap <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
and the minimap sprites are a big help
it ruled deep. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Just keep moving if you know there's a cloaked skulk behind you. He can't catch up if he walks towards you, so once you're across the room or the moment you hear the skittering of feet, turn around. He'll be decloaked, unless he's near a Sensory Chamber (unlikely, because Gorges really, really love putting them near giant OC walls instead of in strategic points around the map to cloak his teammates. Damn stupid Gorges)
And remember, when looking for Sensory Chambers, run around the edges of a room. If you bump into one, they decloak and you can see them on your minimap for a second if you're looking in the right direction.
If the DC/MC stays cloaked, then you KNOW you've another SC nearby.
Killing the DC/MC means you've no guarantee you've killed all the SCs... and that can get you cocky, and killed.
He was cloaked with less than a knife's swipe of health, thinking he was safe. I had NOOO idea he was there <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Spotting cloakers is so much fun too. Even awesome when a lerk randomly does spores or umbra and you see the outline of the cloaked alien in it. Good times insues when the alien dies. lol >=)
And try and get some mates to go cloaked onos or fade on a empty server, to see if you can make out where they are (bigger aliens are easier to see)
<b>YOU CAN SEE A CLOAKED ALIEN WHEN HE MOVES. </b>
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aleins are NEVER 100% cloaked. can always see them. even with sc around him. its just easier when he is moving or when there is a rt behind him.
<b>YOU CAN SEE A CLOAKED ALIEN WHEN HE MOVES. </b>
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aleins are NEVER 100% cloaked. can always see them. even with sc around him. its just easier when he is moving or when there is a rt behind him. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
You are correct, sir.
Moving or still, by upgrade or by chamber, level 3 cloaking is not a full cloak.
Cloaking just makes the lifeform transparent to the point where it is almost, but not fully invisible. When YOU are moving, its next to impossible to spot a cloaked lifeform smaller than a fade. Cloaked fades and onii are the easiest to catch because they are so large. When you are NOT moving, it is easiest to catch a cloaker, moving or not.
When looking at a cloaker, you'll see a slight distortion in the texture that looks like little brown dots, only its moving very slowly.
Brightly lit floors lets you see the outline of a cloaked life for extremely easily, so, when possible, stay near them. Flashlights arn't a great idea, because it just screams 'kill me', however does work when trying to find cloaking.
Many who have played quite a long time can spot cloaking easily. Others just occationally shoot the floor around them, or popular hiding spots.
also, cloaking is not perfect. It takes a couple seconds to fully cloak, and when you do, you slowly fade out, and disappear off the screen. A life form in mid cloak is VERY easy to see, even if its just a few seconds off full cloak.
Anything other than level 3 cloaking is useless, the other two levels are just too easy to spot.
Really, theres no trick. Its experience with a bit of luck.
Ah yes, quite right.
My mistake.
Looking carefully and too focused tends to make you unaware of other things around you, I tend to look for contrasts in usual hiding places.
As a alien I go for 'in the open' because people don't like to check across the entire floor of a room instead of the ordinary places.