Hive Sight And You

Bone-Prince · July 2004

<img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/skulk.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='skulk.gif' /> Hive Sight and You <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/pudgy.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='pudgy.gif' />

Most of us rarely ever use the Alien Flashlight, all it does help our allies better which we don?t bite/slash/spore/bomb. The Kharaa are individual but connected hunters (at least what our outdated manual says) and I think their flashlight should be more then flashy colors. Here are some basic and beyond ideas to improve this underused tool.

1) <b>Parasite Vision</b>, Based off the current model.
The suggestion here is that you allow parasited marines to be seen the same as your fellow Kharaa using your flashlight. This will benefit mostly Skulks and does help the co. by making finding your prey easier.

2) <b>Scent</b>, New Model
The suggestion here is that you completely remake the alien flashlight into scent tracking. When activated, it makes you blind to the environment (all black) but living creatures stand out by glowing brightly. The range of this ability is pretty big about 15ft (going through walls) and anything that you would normally see without Scent. To prevent abuse, it takes a few seconds to adjust. So when you first activate this, your screen is completely black for a couple of seconds then the critters glow.

2) <b>Predator Mode</b>, Freaky idea
This is a stupid but interesting idea I got. When you turn your flight light on, your screen goes black but the sounds are heightened and it shows you where they are coming from similar to the arrows, which show where damage is coming from HL.

Your comments and flames <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='asrifle.gif' /> are welcome.

k1ndred · July 2004

I Liked the predator idea, but the walls in HL don't dissipate sound so a skulk in the mid of station access can become crazy

the scent model is not much out of sense, but I think for this model to apply would be nicer a glow on living creatures on your sight

Hmmm.. sounds like AvP? nah...

Sewlek · July 2004

I like to discuss this topic but not here <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' />

Jared101 · July 2004

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Schimmel @ Jul 26 2004, 02:14 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> I like to discuss this topic but not here <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' />  </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> 
are you inviting us over?

<img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/lerk.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='lerk.gif' />
caw caw

Highno · July 2004

thought about that too
but why turn textures black when scent of fear enabled?
Would look pretty boring.
and i mean in dark corners where this is usefull u dont need to turn the textures black.
On brighter places you would see the marine even if you dind't have that flashlight enabled.

Unknown · July 2004

I think what he ment by turning the textures black was make it so that all you can see is your target(s) (and possibly friendlies). I don't really know how to explain it except that if you play the first 5-10 min of HL single player when you first put the "sample" into the machine you get teleported to a dark room where you can't see anywalls (even though they are there) and then you can see those 3 or 4 of those things that shoot the green electricty at you (don't know their names).

EDIT: I kinda miss the fact that you can't see what your fellow aliens are seeing (making them temp parasited)... wonder why that was taken out...

TheGuy · July 2004

You can see still what your teamates see, but only on the minimap. I think it should be back to on the hud too like in 1.04 (IE marines show up as parasites if your teamate sees a marine while he's in FOV)

Rue · July 2004

I like the idea of only being able to see living creatures but I think that it would make marines job easier as you will probably end up getting stuck whle tring to attack the marine.

SkulkerHunter · July 2004

I like the predator idea but it has one major flaw. Most people don't know the maps by heart (even I forget at times and I've been at NS a long time) so if they couldn't see the walls how are they supposed to follow their prey they would just keep running into walls. Also 15 feet is pretty small considering there are a lot of open rooms 30 ft across in NS they'd be effectivly blind in those areas wouldn't they?

Bone-Prince · July 2004

How about instead of you going blind as a bat, you become short-sighted (fog of war type effect on you're vision).

Zek · July 2004

And for the love of god, give us a different marine parasite sprite please... There's already a plugin that uses the SoF icon for marines and the regular one for structures.

Anyway I definitely think the flashlight needs to be something more useful, for both teams but especially aliens. Simply lighting both teams up like the old Enhanced Hive Sight upgrade would be the simplest improvement. Alternate vision modes and such would be great but that's probably something for later versions.

What if the flashlight showed marine health(and armor?) in a ring around them or above their head, but costs a decent amount of energy to use?

Galvatron · August 2004

these are all good ideas <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' />
i personally like the idea of it making parasited rines glow. or the fog of war one.

man, i REALLY home some of the devs read this, and do something!!!! <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tsa.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tsa.gif' />

SkulkerHunter · August 2004

I like bones idea. It lets you actually see things in your close surroundings but you'll have to rely on your hive sight more.

axred · August 2004

They all sound decent and fun, but who knows howd they turn out in a game.

Alkiller · August 2004

Interesting but it won't work for NS. I would walk into a room and laugh at 5 skulks running into a wall "WTH WHER AM I~?!". <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' />

I do agree 100% that the parasite model needs to change. That is so lame. Big yellow circle... <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' />

Rush_Of_Peons · August 2004

I agree wit hthe Adv. Hive Sight idea, like from 1.0x. How bout at hive 2 or whatever this becomes standard so you can see hiding marines and that blasted obs tower in that dark corner/vent...

waller · August 2004

How about x-ray vision, just a wallhack that can see through one wall, but has a limited effect or something? <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif' />

Eclipse · August 2004

What about using the old pheremones code? Activate your flashlight and you get an early game solution for tracking marines. Cons? It has an energy cost similar to maybe a skulk's leap or gorge web or spores or whatever.

Just tossin up ideas <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif' />

locallyunscene · August 2004

ahh pheremones as the poor mans(aliens) SoF. I like that idea. And the original is pretty good. The reason he would make you shortsighted is so you won't leave it on all the time and have it replace SoF. It has to have SOME drawback.

Quaunaut · August 2004

The only idea I actually think *could* work here is Scent- of which, it is a VERY good idea in my opinion.

Hive Sight And You

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