Weather

[Senyu]

So with PS-Next coming out (I hope :( ) I'm looking forward to possible better impletation of weather. While I dont know if the game could handle such details as cloud shadows passing over the field during a battle, rain snow and other things could be implemented. Sandstorms, Blizzards, and Heavy Rain fall all could have varying levels and effects.

Moderate to heavy rain could reveal stealth suits in the sense you can see the dropplets hitting them but should be animated so it isn't incredibly easy to pick out, especially from a distance it could not register at all. And heavy rain could create the effects of puddles here and there and just slows all tread vehicales by a tad (Go Vanu!) And of course limit sight to fair distance

Blizzards and sandstorms could limit sight more and could have similair effects. But in animation alone would be much appreciated to the game, just thought it effecting the gameplay its'self would bring in some fun and random elements.

Opinions, thoughts, ideas, flames?



Edit: Random thought, Random Magnetic Fields. The planet has moving magentic fields that last for set time. Basicly it messes with systems. Disrupting radar, guided projectiles could not work correctly and stealth flucuates here and there. This could be a area that just pops up and lasts for like 5-10 minutes or a moving field. Or it just effects the entire map. The idea is small hinderance that wont last to long.

[Lonehunter]

Back when PS was one planet I think you could see weather/cloud patterns on the map. I think it was even advertised with something like "dynamic weather" or some crap.

I would love to see a good system to track weather, but it would only be worth it if weather affected us. What kind of environmental hazards could weather throw into gameplay?

[Senyu]

as i suggested, their could be varying levels of weather

Light rain: Just a drizzle, hardly limits vision.

Medium Rain: Cloaked units close have small droplets bounce off them, vision is more limited.

Heavy Rain:Same as above, more vision is limited, tread vehicales lose 10% speed. Thunder flashes now and then lighting everything up. Making those aircraft normally to hard to see suddenly appear for a second.

Something like that but add Snow/Blizzards Gusts/Sandstorms and such

[Oty]

well, a thought i have is that, if the planet is back together, one could have a earth like weather system which would have summer at one side of the world and winter on the other side. that would mean that 2-4 continents where snowy and icy, while 2-4 had summer and the continents inbetween would have normal wheather. all going in a cycle to give varied gameplay.
winter would have snowstorms and ice lessening sight and maneuvrability sometimes while summer would have sandstorms and forrestfires, lessening sight and restricting areas. etc

[Azellon]

As it stands I think making it so visibility is impaired isn't so bad, but I think that should be the worst thing that can happen. Even with that, there should be gear such as implants or helmets that allow you to see in fog or at night.

Having it so that different types of weather impact different things in different ways and don't impact some folks at all is a terrible idea. If you're going to cripple people for no reason at random, you need to cripple everyone at the same time and in the same way.

Anything else just chases people away from the game.

[Senyu]

Then the vehicale movement reduction could be removed. I completly forgot about fog. As for implants its been awhile but I forget if theres one that can increase your basic sight like a zoom or something. One of the vision implants than can increase your sight range could make your range normal in impaired sight distance while everyone without is even more limited. And vehicale headlights could actually be of use during these, especially night time with the right lighting effects they could be a boon shining upon infantry hiding in the dark. Should be an option though to turn them off incase you dont want to be seen from the next hill :p

[Azellon]

I really, really like the idea of true night, you know with darkness and stuff instead of the pathetic excuse we have now where visibility is not impeded at all. The ability to do this easily has been around forever and adds a LOT to those games where lack of light provides either solid opportunities or a true impedement. Adding headlights, flashlights, thermal vision and such would improve the game a great deal. Yes, driving with headlights would improve visibility and, as you say, let everyone know exactly where you are. Using a flashlight in a base that had its gen taken out would allow you to see any enemies, but they would see you too.

Another idea that could go along with this is passive camouflage. The idea that these soldiers are out fighting dressed like peacocks is kind of absurd. Give them armor that is colored like the environment, give them different types of such passive camouflage so that they can change what they're wearing based on the environment they're in. If they're on Hossin, swamp-appropriate gear. Ceryshen, arctic camo. Ish, desert camo.

[Firefly]

Another idea that could go along with this is passive camouflage. The idea that these soldiers are out fighting dressed like peacocks is kind of absurd. Give them armor that is colored like the environment, give them different types of such passive camouflage so that they can change what they're wearing based on the environment they're in. If they're on Hossin, swamp-appropriate gear. Ceryshen, arctic camo. Ish, desert camo.
I hate to tell you this, dude, but mini-map radar + red overhead names means your camo is cosmetic.

[Rbstr]

Yes, because PSN is confirmed to have the names-above-heads (edit: sarcasm). That's a great example of a feature that should not exist any more.

I think weather effects are great, mess with visibility, slowing down ground vehicles and MAXes in the mud, sandstorms slowly damaging aircraft. These are transient things that will effect all empires equally and provide more variety to game play. Certainly, you can go to far but I think it would be a fun addition.
Just have to make sure you can't turn the effects off, or if you do you still have the same visibility impairment.

[Azellon]

I figured that might be the case, but I wanted to hold out some hope. Even without these things it will still be PS:N and that's cool enough as it is.

Win some lose some.

[Senyu]

On the names above heads, I forget it Planetside 1 does this but only show the names and health bars for players/turrets/whatever on when the object itself is visible. No see a health bar poking from behind a tree that completly conceals the player.

Now if they show up on radar should the name and bar be revealed or still wait for visibility of the players body.

[kklkit]

Lighting storm and foggy weather.... 23rd

[Vancha]

I remember on the few occasions I was lucky enough to get caught in the rain in Planetside, I thought it was one of the best weather effects I'd experienced in a game. I never studied the graphic they used for it, but atmospherically I think it still holds the crown as being the most realistic rain effect I've experienced.

So yeah, as nice as more weather effects would be, I'm far more concerned with seeing more weather period.