205 replies to this topic

[FlyorDie]

Wouldn't rain just create a muddy terrain_

[Naraklok]

Mechs love the mud.

[BrainBox]

Night maps are a must in any game.

[WeirdBall]

sorry to bring up something old but i just saw this thread and couldnt help but throw in my 2 cents. I feel like if hawken really wants to amp up its game, there should be a map for every environments(darkness, snow, rain etc).

Keep in mind that night time would create a whole slew of different strategies. which is what makes it so appealing. Flashlights would be useless because they don't help your vision that much and it just ends revealing your position. However, since it is a cluttered city, there are bound to be night lights, creating a very freaky out atmosphere.

Some strategies for the night environment would include:
-Everybody playing light mechs because under darkness its impossible to see anything but u can hear when mechs are near u so mobility is key
-some sort of night vision.
-nobody using sniping weapons because aiming at things in the dark is very hard.
-Playing a generally sneaky game.

For a snow environment
-Splash weapons/large rockets because hearing is hard cuz of the wind and snow
-Heavy mechs because vision and hearing is limited for everybody but differently from than darkness cuz your essentially blinded so light mechs have no advantage, and tanky mechs can romp around without being harassed
-teams grouping together, because its hard to see, you want to stick with your teamates or you will get picked off.

For a rain environment
-Lots of sniping, hard to see very far, but easy to scope

[The_Silencer]

Weirdball said:

sorry to bring up something old but i just saw this thread and couldnt help but throw in my 2 cents. I feel like if hawken really wants to amp up its game, there should be a map for every environments(darkness, snow, rain etc).

Keep in mind that night time would create a whole slew of different strategies. which is what makes it so appealing. Flashlights would be useless because they don't help your vision that much and it just ends revealing your position. However, since it is a cluttered city, there are bound to be night lights, creating a very freaky out atmosphere.

Some strategies for the night environment would include:
-Everybody playing light mechs because under darkness its impossible to see anything but u can hear when mechs are near u so mobility is key
-some sort of night vision.
-nobody using sniping weapons because aiming at things in the dark is very hard.
-Playing a generally sneaky game.

For a snow environment
-Splash weapons/large rockets because hearing is hard cuz of the wind and snow
-Heavy mechs because vision and hearing is limited for everybody but differently from than darkness cuz your essentially blinded so light mechs have no advantage, and tanky mechs can romp around without being harassed
-teams grouping together, because its hard to see, you want to stick with your teamates or you will get picked off.

For a rain environment
-Lots of sniping, hard to see very far, but easy to scope

First of all, don't apologize. You're welcome and you're definitely not necroing any more than debated thread on here.

IIRC, I was the first dude in here at suggesting night maps on here. I also suggested shoulder lamps which may be pretty relevant not only on dark areas the maps as we've seen it up until now.

Lights would be a decisive factor in night maps, indeed. Lamps would add an interesting tactical factor, assuming that pilots can turn these on and off. And by the way, I'm not sure on whether position lights on the mechs would be subsequently appropiate or not into this theorical picture.

However, when we talk about night maps then... What intensity of light are we talking about_

Because one thing are relatively ( and if you want moderately too.. ) dark maps and the other thing would be pure night maps. Hope that, as myself, you guys have in mind the first option though.

- If an IR vision ( and I may imagine an IR scope mode ) is available then those issues you mention in your first list could considerably dissapear.

- In the same way ( again ) if you can turn on/off your lamps ( shoulder, front lamps, no matter what.. ) then that could be fun in the game. I know where you are and.. ops .. now you're somewhere else, so let's activate my IR mode which slightly makes me visible out there as well...

Actually, snowy scenarios do look as just interesting as visually appealing places to me. Falling snow, random winds and storms might make these very appealing and fun, IMO.

Well.. just my 2 cents on this for now.

[WeirdBall]

That's true, i feel like there should be enough street lights so that you aren't walking around blind but there are hidey spots in the dark, and spotting things would just generally be harder in a night map.

Snow maps are a different sort of visibility i agree because it just about being able to see up to a certain proximity, beyond which you can't see a thing. Also i think they did something with the desert map where the sand kicks up and blocks your vision and floats around the map in general.

Also i agree with whoever said they wouldn't lose any sleep over night maps not being developed, from what we've seen, the devs have put so much time and effort into their maps that i would be satisfied if they were all city maps. like did u see that initial gameplay trailer_ sexy as fux.

[Naraklok]

I support all environments. Each with day/night options.

[WeirdBall]

+1

[The_Silencer]

Many may consider this to be a night map:





... including myself.

Oh boy, this map looks good!

[Keekenox]

OMG i want to be a robot ninja in the dark with 2 massive DPS close range weapons for guerrilla warfare! Hell yeah!

[GaavFlare]

I think it might be cool to have night combat without IR gear, only flash lights.  think of the possibilities especially if its an objective based match.  The defenders could have lights off and be hidden, and the attackers would need to move slowly with lights on.  

I mean with the radar you know generally where they are anyway.  The HUD could bracket the enemy no matter what, but you would need the lights to get really move around.

-C

[The_Silencer]

Again, I think that side marker lights and/or front position lamps and read position lamps would be a good idea for night scenearios.

In the case a pilot powersoff his mech then these lights should be off as well.

Just an idea though.

[Keekenox]

As long as theres no tac lights >_<

[GUEST!!]

The_Silencer said:

Again, I think that side marker lights and/or front position lamps and read position lamps would be a good idea for night scenearios.

In the case a pilot powersoff his mech then these lights should be off as well.

Just an idea though.

I like the idea. The U3 engine should even support that kind of dynamic lighting if each mech design were to have a spotlight of some kind placed in a different position on their chassis. Some might have lights below the cockpit, some above the cockpit, some around the shoulder. And the idea to toggle them would be a must.

Night Warfare would be intense!

[GUEST!!]

Actually, this lead to another thought. Modern tanks utilize advanced imaging hardware to enable them to see without brought lights. It seems that these mechs would probably utilize the same. Unless this really is a cobbled-together world where more advanced tech is rare, in which case IR and night vision could be used as equipment. Maybe they could even slowly deplete your EU during the course of a fight, causing you to have to be sparing with their use.

[The_Silencer]

Yeah, if there is any extra tactical vision mode then I'd agree on that it should consume EUs.  This reminds me of the marine shoulder lamp in the first AvP title; that added suspense as well.

What I do not like much is the idea of playing the game viewing some sort of monochrome tinted view. you know.. the classicla green view... I get tired of it rapidly. That's one of the reasons on why I suggested moderate visual recognition helpers as for example those lights in dark scenarios.

IMO, big tactical flares would be an interesting option as well.

[D20Face]

I prefer headlights just because they're more fun.

Mandatory addition, always on, headlights for night maps.

[The_Silencer]

Arseface said:

I prefer headlights just because they're more fun.

Mandatory addition, always on, headlights for night maps.

Yep, I'm definitely expecting to have on/offable lamps for our mechs in (only) dark or night scenarios.

[Keekenox]

Fighting in the dark would be intense. So many ambushes and mechs running around with their lights off in back alleyways.

[Nitris]

Been thinking about night combat in this some more:

Having both IR/NV and headlights on mechs would be awesome. I'm thinking, that if you did use your NV instead of your lamp, then yes you wouldn't be showing anyone where you were, but if someone aimed their big honking spotlight at you, your NV would not be able to handle it, and white out so you can't see anything at all.

Though of course, if you are using spotlights, people not using NV, or being far enough away will be able to see you with ease.

Tactics, tactics... Imagine the attackers creeping up on a point with their NV on, so as to not give away their positions to the defenders. While the defenders have powered down thier mechs in tactical places around the area, so the attackers cant see them and pick them off one by one. The attackers creep forward, but suddenly the defender mechs roar into life, and power on their spotlights while blasting the attackers.
The attacker's NV gets overloaded by the spot lights, they get shot at from all angles because they walked into a well planned trap.

But then hey, what if the attackers all had their spotlights on, and charged in as a group_ Ok they'd still be at a bit of a disadvantage due to the defenders knowing where they were, but the spotlights would be able to show the attackers a few powered down defenders, and they could take them out quickly so they outnumber the remaining defenders.


Ok so team tactics aside, what if you are being chased by someone who got the jump on you_ They have their spotlights on and are hot on your heals. You jet over a building, back up against the wall you just cleared and power off your mech. The attacker comes over the building, but can't see you anymore, and has lost you on the radar.
As we know, light dissapaites the furthur it is from the source, so lets assume the spotlight wouldn't be good at long range. So lets say the attacker switches to NV mode, trying to see if anything is moving. You spring back to life, and blind them with your own spotlights, and hey presto, now you have the advantage.

I am SO hyped for these kind of features...