Stealth Tools

[Raka Maru]

Just wondering if there was a skill tree for stealth tools, what it would look like. Here's an example list.

Blow gun: mid range, doesn't uncloak the shooter, guy goes down for 10 seconds.

Throwing knives: close range, small damage but shooter stays cloaked.

Marbles: being pursued, throws them down, anyone going past slips and falls, stays down for 10 seconds. Marbles stay active for 30 seconds.

[Neksar]

Your times are much too long, and I don't think stealthers need a means to incapacitate people other than, y'know, murdering them.

[Zhane]

Let's see... what would be more frustrating:

A) Getting stabbed by an invisible guy

or

B) Getting stabbed by an invisible guy while lying on your back for ten seconds unable to defend yourself from the invisible guy's insanely overpowered stun move that he can do without penalty or fear of discovery

Hm.

[Raka Maru]

Hrrmm...

May want to stay sneaky, so don't always have to kill if you goal is to reach an objective rather than K/D. Plus, stealthers aren't all that lethal against rexo or max and may want to run and throw marbles.

Ok cut times in half.

[Zhane]

If your goal is to infiltrate without getting caught, then you don't want to interact with enemies at all. Guess what, if you stun someone, they know you're there and they're gonna start spraying the room with bullets.

And a 5 second stun is still ridiculous.

[Mordicant]

How would a blowdart penetrate body armor let alone shields?Secondly when I played Ps1 in it's hay day I was working with squads on vent. Minute we caught an whiff of stealther the comma went crazy until we bagged a cloaker.

Like was said before I think that would hinder stealth game play more than enhance. Also the sound more like zany antics than hard core assassin/saboteur
.

[nomotog]

Lets see tools. There is the sticky cam. I always found them impossible to use though. Another option would be letting you view in third person. Spawn hacks. A device that you stick on a spawn tube that lets you use it as a spawn point.

Edit: more ideas

Scanner ghost: A item you can toss out and it crates a fake signal of a player running around.

Ammo burn: A weapon you throw at an enemy making there gun fire continually till it runs out of ammo.

Cal-tops: A mine you place down that slows the sped of anyone who steps on it.

[Rabb]

Just wondering if there was a skill tree for stealth tools, what it would look like. Here's an example list.

Blow gun: mid range, doesn't uncloak the shooter, guy goes down for 10 seconds.

Throwing knives: close range, small damage but shooter stays cloaked.

Marbles: being pursued, throws them down, anyone going past slips and falls, stays down for 10 seconds. Marbles stay active for 30 seconds.

All sounds a bit to RPG.

All a cloaker needs is boomers, REK and knife.

[Justaman]

All sounds a bit to RPG.

All a cloaker needs is boomers, REK and knife.

Except in PS2, they wont have access to the first 2.

Here's..... JOHNNY!

[CutterJohn]

I would like an upgrade for some vehicles that makes them look like a rock.

[Rabb]

I would like an upgrade for some vehicles that makes them look like a rock.

In that case I want one that make it look like paper so I can win.

[MooK]

Except in PS2, they wont have access to the first 2.

Here's..... JOHNNY!

No REK for cloakers? Wtf. If true, I'm seeing a lot of differences from the entire point of the first game.

[Gandhi]

Wondering if there's a skill tree for stealth detection, I'd like to see something like

EMP: disables all cloaking in a 200m radius for 10 seconds. 1 minute cooldown between uses

IR Homing Darts: would be useful if the cloaker is trying to run away, they automatically home in on his heat signature but only if you spray them in his general direction

Razorback: any cloaker attacking with a knife is stunned for 10 seconds, also makes a loud sound to alert you and others nearby

[Metalsheep]

I wouldn't mind if cloakers got Smoke Grenades/Smoke Bombs/Smoke Dispensers. Once a cloaker was caught in PS1, he was meat. But what if he had smoke to mask his escape? Some big rexo guy has DarkLight, so you deploy your smoke, not only does it screw up darklight, but it screws up normal vision as well. Giving the armor less cloaker at least ONE chance to escape an otherwise 100% lethal situation.

It should be something cloakers have to specialize into in order to use. Possibly sacrificing some kind of other ability to be able to escape. I could also see it being used by a cloaker to cause confusion among enemys by smoking them, then moving in for a kill on one of the isolated targets. Maybe the cloaker also needs to specialize in special optics to see clearly in the smoke to take out his target. Optics that others can also specialize into, so that it doesn't make the cloakers smoke an offensive weapon all the time and can counter it too.

[Raymac]

We've all played Metal Gear. All stealthers need is a cardboard box. :p

[Lord Cosine]

I would be hesitant around stuns and any forms of crowd control, they could easly be too powerful in this kind of game, plus you would need to work in all the standard mmo counters like trinkets and breakout cooldowns. I just don't think it has a place in planetside.

However I would like to see some cool gadgets, so keep brainstorming.

Cloaker smoke nades sound feasible.
Then if you add smoke well naturally heat vision could be pretty cool.

They could have a heartbeat sensor that showed outlines of enemy hearts through objects/walls within a relatively close radius.

Additionally with any form of new vision mechanic, there should be a cloaker counter to it. Customization to be invisible or camouflaged to heat vision/ night vision/ flashlights/ heartbeat sensor ect.

Finally I thought cloaker medics in PS1 were a really unique class, I would like to see something along those lines, some sort of support abilities on the stealther at serious drawbacks to his other abilities.

[Raka Maru]

With free form inventory gone and classes well defined, I don't see the lethal cloaker engie coming around to place boomers under your feet anymore. So what will stealthers be doing?

Of course this is all speculative and a wish list of sorts so keep the ideas flowing.

I like the idea of sticky cams to relay a feed to your squad.

[Warborn]

With free form inventory gone and classes well defined, I don't see the lethal cloaker engie coming around to place boomers under your feet anymore. So what will stealthers be doing?

They're the sniper class this time. It's possible that they will actually have a stealth-centric sort of gameplay avenue available to them, but so far all that has really been confirmed is that they'll be doing sniping.

[Biohazard]

I would love some sort of plantable explosives to put on vehicles or locked down TR maxes. What would be the point of cloaking if one could not help your team? We will need some gadgets, maybe something that indirectly effects/hurts the enemy.

1) Target painter
2) Sticky camera
3) Shield disabler stick thing?
4) Vehicle terminal virus tool that makes summed vehicles have no ammo?

[Raka Maru]

They're the sniper class this time. It's possible that they will actually have a stealth-centric sort of gameplay avenue available to them, but so far all that has really been confirmed is that they'll be doing sniping.

I know that snipers will have stealth now, but I'm not sure they combined the class with infiltrator, but it would make sense.

Invisible (almost), very deadly, very niche. Cloakers may have the assassination backstabbing ability.

More tools:
Ninja style smoke bomb escape
Rez grenade
Jammers of course
Spawn tube hacking (saw earlier, great idea)
Sticky bombs for amour
Would like to see T-REK again

I can understand no jacking cuz of extreme custom vehicles. Wonder if term hacking is possible for non-ES vehicles.

[Warborn]

Considering the infiltrator class icon is a crosshair I am fairly certain that, yes, infiltrators are the sniper class. But, I do hope they will have a fully-realized stealth gameplay aspect. I made a thread discussing that topic on the ideas sub-forum, and while I won't pretend to have the best alternative described, it'd definitely be cool if there were lot's of stealther-related objectives for infiltrators to focus on if they don't want to snipe.

[Raka Maru]

Considering the infiltrator class icon is a crosshair I am fairly certain that, yes, infiltrators are the sniper class. But, I do hope they will have a fully-realized stealth gameplay aspect. I made a thread discussing that topic on the ideas sub-forum, and while I won't pretend to have the best alternative described, it'd definitely be cool if there were lot's of stealther-related objectives for infiltrators to focus on if they don't want to snipe.

I believe you are right sir, considering the new inventory screenshot. Just infiltraitor, no sniper class.

And yes, would like to see a whole stealth tree, not just sniper.

[Talek Krell]

The infiltrator class fulfills both the sniper and the more traditional cloaker roles depending on how he sets up his equipment loadout. We've known that for a while now.

[Shade Millith]

Except in PS2, they wont have access to the first 2.

Here's..... JOHNNY!

No explosives... and no hacking?

What the hell? Those were the best parts of being a cloaker! What are cloakers for now? Scouting? Plinking away with a dinky pistol?

What the hell?! If this is true, I'm seriously stumped and worried about the state of other classes. I'm liking less and less all these changes I'm hearing about.

[Tikuto]

I must say I'm not liking the Cloaker as a sniper role. Though, yes they could be but they'd have to be the most vulnerable to death.



Cloaking Infiltrator Snipers. NO! - DO NOT WANT!

I thought of another reconnaissance class in part-response to realizing our PlanetSide 2 snipers may be Infiltrators. All suggestive ideas. Check my sig. :love:

[Sighpolice]

I think you've confused an FPS and a RPG/MOBA here buddy. Abilities do not belong in FPS.

[Soothsayer]

I'd like to see a Remote REK that can be attached to a hackable item that progresses the hack depending on how close the infil is to the item. Destroying the item or killing the hacker ends the hacking process.

Silent alarm - a small motion sensor that can be placed anywhere that sounds a tonal alarm that only the infil can hear, three different pitches/pulses that correspond to up to three deployed alarms.

Radar decoy - puts a red dot on enemy radar that can be moved around. (XY coordinates, variable speeds that correspond to actual movement speed of the different types of armour.

Gotta have boomers back - let us attach them to the enemy. SOE said that they wouldn't allow attaching boomers to people because they didn't want to encourage suicide tactics (and yet little thought was given to the people spawning into a spawn room they knew was controlled by the enemy) but I never wanted to attach a boomer to a friendly. As an infil it would have been awesome to attach a boomer to an enemy unit as they retreat back into a crowded base.

[SpLiTNuTz]

Keep stealthers the same as ps1, none of this rpg shit.

[Talek Krell]

I'd like to see a Remote REK that can be attached to a hackable item that progresses the hack depending on how close the infil is to the item.Remote activating devices for things like doors, lights, and other equipment could be interesting as well. Especially in combination with the sticky cameras they mentioned.

And they've told us a couple of times that infils still have some form of explosive charge, so I don't think you have too much to worry about there.

[Cosmical]

I dont think you have to worry about snipers going invisible, lets face it you can still be an INFILTRATOR without being plane invisible. Could just mean unseen on radar, or motion sensors.

I think you will probably find that they are classed together because they will be the weak armour class, so players no to stay far away from fights or stay hidden in them.
.

[Raka Maru]

Tools! Things you cert and are able to use and put in your pack. Just as valid as getting a scope or laser for that rifle. Why is it suddenly RPG if stealthers get tools? Things that will help keep you alive, kill the enemy, or get past something to get where your going for your empire's mission.

I really don't see stealthers going toe to toe with a max, so running is the best option. Getting away, and tools to do that.

[Talek Krell]

Why is it suddenly RPG if stealthers get tools?It's not the tools. It's the stunlocking, armor debuffing, +6 frost resist on a 30 second cooldown thing that your original suggestions have going on.

[DayOne]

It's not the tools. It's the stunlocking, armor debuffing, +6 frost resist on a 30 second cooldown thing that your original suggestions have going on.

Stunning isn't an "ability". It's what happens when you hit someone in the face with a gun or throw smoke or what ever.

People want stealth to be a viable role in the game, not just a sniper.

Since Infils have no armour then they need some other means of balancing the playing field should they come up against an enemy soldier.

Ways to do this come about in giving them tools to use to out manoeuvre their opponent rather than just loose because they have to point and shoot at the guy. They might as well shoot themselves in the face!

[Raka Maru]

It's not the tools. It's the stunlocking, armor debuffing, +6 frost resist on a 30 second cooldown thing that your original suggestions have going on.

Hehehe, like jammers lock your weapons and screw up BFR's damage? And certain ammo gets past armour and drains health? Same code...

[Xaine]

Cloakers should have the option to be knife specialists, focused on killing.

Or being a pure disruptor, uploading viruses into bases, messing with radar, using boomers to blow gens etc.

[Raka Maru]

Cloakers should have the option to be knife specialists, focused on killing.

Or being a pure disruptor, uploading viruses into bases, messing with radar, using boomers to blow gens etc.

This reminds me of the quick knife thread discussion. I wonder if Higs was thinking of infiltraitor or all soldiers when he asked about that.

Knife was almost useless in PS1 cuz of all the rexos...

Killing, hacking, espionage, whatever stealth is allowed to do, keeping stealth until need to uncloak, and escaping when exposed is the common thing to all of them.

Speed and trickery and tools to do these.

[Graywolves]

Everyone knows there's going to be implants again right?

[Shade Millith]

Stunning isn't an "ability". It's what happens when you hit someone in the face with a gun or throw smoke or what ever.

People want stealth to be a viable role in the game, not just a sniper.

Since Infils have no armour then they need some other means of balancing the playing field should they come up against an enemy soldier.

Ways to do this come about in giving them tools to use to out manoeuvre their opponent rather than just loose because they have to point and shoot at the guy. They might as well shoot themselves in the face!

That's funny. Because Cloakers USED to be viable roles.

They were very effective, and useful.

I just don't like the idea of "Well, we've spent 5 years balancing cloakers and this and this and this, to be both very very useful things, but not overpowered. Lets throw ALL that away and start from scratch."

[Neksar]

I sort of hope that hacking and viruses are tools given to cloakers, but I think I read someplace that there isn't hacking anymore. Such a shame; the non-combat-specific roles of cloakers were my favorite. Well, except the boomer spam. That got old fast.

[Raka Maru]

That's funny. Because Cloakers USED to be viable roles.

They were very effective, and useful.

I just don't like the idea of "Well, we've spent 5 years balancing cloakers and this and this and this, to be both very very useful things, but not overpowered. Lets throw ALL that away and start from scratch."

Like throwing out jacking vehicles, class distinctions from engie. They need to be re-thought out. This isn't PS1. Stealth won't have common engie tools. New balance is required.

It's already thrown away... :(

Nothing like jacking BFR'S, killing pilots and gunner with their own ride. Loved certing many vehicles just to be able to do this...

But I'm optimistic it will get done right and perhaps way better. :)

[DayOne]

I'd love to be able to cloak up, sneak behind some poor NC or TR and cinematically uncloak behind him and stab the sucker in the spine. *evil laugh*

As you can see I strongly support good stealthing mechanics.

[Raka Maru]

I'd love to be able to cloak up, sneak behind some poor NC or TR and cinematically uncloak behind him and stab the sucker in the spine. *evil laugh*

As you can see I strongly support good stealthing mechanics.

Hehehehe, this made me think of the kill cam debate that's going on right now.