Aircraft thrust color

[Xyntech]

I noticed that the aircraft thrust all tends to look pretty similar, especially at night at moderately far distances where it's harder to recognize the engine configuration.

One thought I had was that it would be better if thrust was colored empire specific. Red tinted thrust on TR, blue tinted on NC, purple tinted on VS. That would especially help on common pool aircraft, where knowing it's engine configuration and profile won't be as helpful.

I don't think this will be as big a problem on slower paced land vehicles and infantry, but in the break neck speeds of air combat, seeing different thrust color, and perhaps even vapor trail color, would really help cut down on accidentally going after your own empires aircraft in a hectic dogfight.

Also, I realize this is alpha, but I'm more interested in discussing whether you all think this is an issue that should be addressed, or if it's better to have all aircraft keep having the same colored thrust.

[Raymac]

I was thinking the same exact thing. I agree with you in that I'd love to see this change.

[Smokingrabbit]

agreed

[dpranker]

I believe there is a different number of thruster trails for each fighter (I may be wrong, but I thought I noticed this earlier in one of the gameplay videos), which should help with recognition

this is still a good idea though

[Bazilx]

I want the thrust fumes and heat coming out of my airplane to be zebra coloured.

[Bags]

Red/Yellow/Teal

Seems legit.

[Duddy]

I wouldn't use Red/Purple/Blue as it may be possible to mistake them.

I'd suggest Red/Green/Yellow.

[Baron]

As long as Bags' / Vanu thrust color is glitter and rainbows ....I'm down.

[Xyntech]

I believe there is a different number of thruster trails for each fighter (I may be wrong, but I thought I noticed this earlier in one of the gameplay videos), which should help with recognition

this is still a good idea though

I noticed this as well. I really liked that. Still, seeing something streak by, it could be nice to have trail coloration as well. I think thrust color would be more valuable though, for the NS aircraft. Libs and Galaxies don't move around fast enough that trail color should be an issue.

Red/Yellow/Teal

Seems legit.

Right. Doesn't have to be the main colors. Just distinguishable.

I'm pretty sure this isn't something that will be that hard for them to change in beta, so hopefully we see something done with it.

Cash shop item perhaps? Would be awesome to have a rainbow contrail behind the Loverator :lol:

I was thinking a little about the cash shop myself. Obviously it would be a bad idea to offer faction colors to non faction aircraft, but beyond that it would probably be okay. There are still other ways of identifying friend or foe than engine color, so it shouldn't imbalance the game.

It would still be nice to have the default be more easy to recognize. There was a time or two when I accidentally thought a Mosquito was a Reaver because it had blue thrust. Just seems counter intuitive right now.

[Bags]

As long as Bags' / Vanu thrust color is glitter and rainbows ....I'm down.


Fuck Rainbow Dash.

[sylphaen]

There's a different number of tracers per plane:
- Mosquito: 4
- Reaver: 3
- Scythe: 2

I was actually thinking it was very smart when I noticed it during the stream yesterday. Maybe they'll make the color custom.

[Chowley]

Cash shop item perhaps? Would be awesome to have a rainbow contrail behind the Loverator :lol:

Oooh Nyan Cat takes on PS2! :)

[Bravix]

Please no...

This isn't Tron. Thrust colors should at least be somewhat realistic. I don't recall exactly what they currently are (Your standard red/yellow thrust with a blue trail I think?)

Anyway, thruster colors shouldn't all be different. It just gets silly. Why would they be different? Unless each empire burns their own special fuel.

I wouldn't mind if they look different...but their engine trail representing the color of their faction as well? Its just nonsensical. I doubt they'd waste the resources to color their aircraft's engine trail.

[meiam]

That would really help to differentiate shared aircraft, otherwise you never know if the galaxy flying over head is allied or enemy

[Bags]

Please no...

This isn't Tron. Thrust colors should at least be somewhat realistic. I don't recall exactly what they currently are (Your standard red/yellow thrust with a blue trail I think?)

Anyway, thruster colors shouldn't all be different. It just gets silly. Why would they be different? Unless each empire burns their own special fuel.

I wouldn't mind if they look different...but their engine trail representing the color of their faction as well? Its just nonsensical. I doubt they'd waste the resources to color their aircraft's engine trail.

Why would every bullet fired be a tracer?

reason: Gameplay > realism

[Xyntech]

Please no...

This isn't Tron. Thrust colors should at least be somewhat realistic. I don't recall exactly what they currently are (Your standard red/yellow thrust with a blue trail I think?)

Anyway, thruster colors shouldn't all be different. It just gets silly. Why would they be different? Unless each empire burns their own special fuel.

I wouldn't mind if they look different...but their engine trail representing the color of their faction as well? Its just nonsensical. I doubt they'd waste the resources to color their aircraft's engine trail.

Just pointing out, bullet tracers are faction specific colors. It isn't always about realism, it's about gameplay. It's always nice to have some lore friendly explanation, but considering they make these things out of nanites, it's not hard to imagine they may have some easy way of manipulating thrust color.

But yeah, faction specific vapor trails may be going to far. I'm ambivalent about that part.

[Raymac]

Anyway, thruster colors shouldn't all be different. It just gets silly. Why would they be different? Unless each empire burns their own special fuel.

http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/400x/20014746.jpg

[Bazilx]

And nanites probably did build the pyramids as well. They can do anything, pretty sure they merged the average soldier with zebra DNA to give him the unparalelled cunning and ferocity of a zebra in heat.

[Landtank]

Please no...

This isn't Tron. Thrust colors should at least be somewhat realistic. I don't recall exactly what they currently are (Your standard red/yellow thrust with a blue trail I think?)

Anyway, thruster colors shouldn't all be different. It just gets silly. Why would they be different? Unless each empire burns their own special fuel.

I wouldn't mind if they look different...but their engine trail representing the color of their faction as well? Its just nonsensical. I doubt they'd waste the resources to color their aircraft's engine trail.

No one wants to be shot at by their own team, that's probably a good reason to have different thrust coloration.

I don't really care about realism when it comes to things like this, seeing as its nonsensical to NOT have different colors. If I'm on a 10 kill streak I don't want it ended by my trigger happy friend in an AA MAX >.>

[Xyntech]

There's a different number of tracers per plane:
- Mosquito: 4
- Reaver: 3
- Scythe: 2

I was actually thinking it was very smart when I noticed it during the stream yesterday. Maybe they'll make the color custom.

Yep. I first noticed it when I was thinking "wtf is going on with that quad trail shit?" Then I realized it was the tail fins on the Mosquito. I realized that the Reaver must have 3 trails and the Scythe must have 2 based on their air profiles alone before I even double checked to confirm that was the case. Kudos to the dev team on that one.

This makes me thing they wouldn't be adverse to this idea, since it would especially help identify NS common pool vehicles at night.

No one wants to be shot at by their own team, that's probably a good reason to have different thrust coloration.

I don't really care about realism when it comes to things like this, seeing as its nonsensical to NOT have different colors. If I'm on a 10 kill streak I don't want it ended by my trigger happy friend in an AA MAX >.>

Considering that we have soldiers wandering around in bright red, blue and purple armor, it's obvious that the empires want people to know who they are. So yeah, it makes sense that they would apply this to as many things as possible, including tracer fire and thrust color.

[Eyeklops]

I like this idea. Agree!

[chanic]

Different tracer colors makes sense.

TR - conventional cartridges
NC - magnetically-accelerated railgun slugs
VS - pew pew lasers

Why wouldn't you expect those to be different colors?

And why not for the faction-specific engine colors too?

TR - conventional fuel-burning turbine engine
NC - magnetically-controlled ion thrust engines
VS - alien tech gravity manipulation engines

Making up technobabble explanations is way too easy.

[Raymac]

the unparalelled cunning and ferocity of a zebra in heat.

:rofl: that killed me

[Methonius]

I agree with this as well. I think it would look cool to see the different empire trails going through the sky, especially at night.

[Kilmoran]

I'd almost desire for this to be customizable (but that would defeat your point)

Here is my only objection.... stealth. If you make it so that the trails are empire specific, you largely eliminate their ability to be stealthy, particularly at night.

[Kilmoran]

Different tracer colors makes sense.

TR - conventional cartridges
NC - magnetically-accelerated railgun slugs
VS - pew pew lasers

Why wouldn't you expect those to be different colors?

And why not for the faction-specific engine colors too?

TR - conventional fuel-burning turbine engine
NC - magnetically-controlled ion thrust engines
VS - alien tech gravity manipulation engines

Making up technobabble explanations is way too easy.


The first part i agree with absolutely. The second part.. i am hesitant about because of my point before about stealth. I would hate to never be able to do an aerial scout at night simply because my thrusters give away my faction.

[meiam]

you can just color the smoke coming out, so that in the dark you barely see the smoke anyway. And friendly fire should be a real concern in the dark

[Bravix]

Fair enough, I didn't take into consideration the tracer effect. I actually like the tracers...

Still don't like the idea of the empire specific colors for aircraft trails, but just my opinion.

[SoNaR]

Makes sense, would be very useful for distinguishing another factions aircraft from afar at night if the thrust was all different colors... so.... +1 I support. :D

[Xyntech]

If no devs comment in here, I'll probably tweet Higby about this once things calm down a little after E3

[Duddy]

From watching the stream it would appear the Scythe already has a cyan trail.

[Xyntech]

From watching the stream it would appear the Scythe already has a cyan trail.

I think that may have been the moon making it appear that color. I think all factions trails are that color at night.

I'm seeing white vapor trails on Scythes in the daylight right now.

[FastAndFree]

As long as Bags' / Vanu thrust color is glitter and rainbows ....I'm down.

Hell yeah, man. Rainbow glitter and pink sparkles all the way

[chanic]

There's a different number of tracers per plane:
- Mosquito: 4
- Reaver: 3
- Scythe: 2

I was actually thinking it was very smart when I noticed it during the stream yesterday. Maybe they'll make the color custom.

It's true that the Scythe has two contrails, but I think the Reaver and Mosquito both have 4.

[Xyntech]

It's true that the Scythe has two contrails, but I think the Reaver and Mosquito both have 4.

I just double checked and you're right, they are just closer together than the Mosquitos.

I'd like to see them do more of a shark fin tail on the Reaver anyways, to further distinguish it's profile from the Mosquito. Either way, it would be nice to see it changed to 3 trails.

[Draz]

I'm definitely against TR having red contrails/thrusters. Not everything in this game needs to be color coded.

[chanic]

I'm definitely against TR having red contrails/thrusters. Not everything in this game needs to be color coded.

Contrails should remain white. They are contrails, after all. The 3 factions aren't doing aerobatics routines with colored smoke or anything.

But, I do think the engines being a more orange-red would be a nice touch. It would look a lot like afterburners on modern jets, and the whole point of TR tech is to stay conventional as long as it works.

An image to show what I mean:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/da/FA18_on_afterburner.jpg/350px-FA18_on_afterburner.jpg

[DesertFox]

I agree that they should be colour coded. It really bugged that they weren't when I watched the E3 streams.

[Xyntech]

Is it possible to add a poll after a thread has already been made? I can't find any option.

[willaguy]

They could just put thrust color in the store ya'know?

[ThermalReaper]

And then VS would troll TR by using red thrust. No thanks. :D

[Inverness]

The Reaver, Mossie, and Scythe all have a different number of trails. I don't think many people realized that, and I didn't until it was brought up in this thread. I think we should just stick with using that to identify them for now, since that takes some observation.

Besides, I'd prefer customizable afterburner and engine trail effects.

[outsider]

it's a good idea, but I'm not a fan of it in this game.

Higby has said quite a few times that they want us to be making gameplay and tactical decisions about our loadouts depending on the time of day. Which in my opinion will add more depth in our gameplay choices, and is a good thing.

One of the decisions he mentioned was night scopes/goggles. I imagine there will also be implant decisions that will vary on time of day. We will get kit options that will help us identify what vehicles we are looking at in the dark.

While I think the idea of empire specific thrust colours would make things quite pretty and easier to identify who's who. It will defeat the purpose of having all these optional items and loadouts if we can just wear the same gear any time of day.

I actually want to weigh the pros and cons of an "friend/foe vehicle identify" implant versus a "+run boost" implant in my third slot for night time engagements. Weighing the tradeoffs for cert/equipment/implants was a really important and satisfying thing with PS1.

So instead of empire specific thrust colours to identify alliance, I'd prefer gear options to do that.

[Raymac]

The Reaver, Mossie, and Scythe all have a different number of trails. I don't think many people realized that, and I didn't until it was brought up in this thread. I think we should just stick with using that to identify them for now, since that takes some observation.

Besides, I'd prefer customizable afterburner and engine trail effects.

I hadn't noticed that when watching the stream, but that is a great visual cue. If/when I get into beta, I'll certainly be feeling this out, but I think it might be enough to distinguish the different ES aircraft at high speeds.

It still doesn't address the issue of the NS aircraft (Lib and Gal) but they move much slower so the colors on those planes themselves might be enough. We'll have to see.

[willaguy]

And then VS would troll TR by using red thrust. No thanks. :D

Not if TR just has the default blue color scheme.

Besides, if TR and NC cant recognize a Scythe from one of their vehicles, then they deserve to be trolled.

[Xyntech]

It certainly wouldn't break the game if they don't do this, but I think it still would be an improvement.

Also, either way, I'd like to see the Reaver go from four vapor trails to three.

[Gonefshn]

This definitely seems like something they are going to mess with in the cash shop. And I wouldn't be worried about confusing people with Vanu having red trails etc. they wouldn't do something like that.

[Raymac]

This definitely seems like something they are going to mess with in the cash shop. And I wouldn't be worried about confusing people with Vanu having red trails etc. they wouldn't do something like that.

But that's why I skeptical about it being a cash shop option. If they make it different shades of an empire's color, that is one thing, but if they offer the whole rainbow of colors for anyone, it'll just be a mess.

[Xyntech]

But that's why I skeptical about it being a cash shop option. If they make it different shades of an empire's color, that is one thing, but if they offer the whole rainbow of colors for anyone, it'll just be a mess.

The biggest thing I want is for them not to all be tinted blue. That will cause some friendly fire on the NC. Much as I would enjoy that, it's better to avoid. I don't want all of the NC pilots to kill each other before I get a shot at them.

Cash shop would be fine, as long as you can't pick colors that are too similar to another empires colors.

[Gonefshn]

But that's why I skeptical about it being a cash shop option. If they make it different shades of an empire's color, that is one thing, but if they offer the whole rainbow of colors for anyone, it'll just be a mess.

I suppose if you think the thrust trail should absolutely serve as the way to identify aircraft then yes definitely because unlike Camos etc. Nuetral color schemes that all empires can share as a customization would render it unknown because any empire could be using it.

Personally I don't really like the massive crazy customization in general but I know they have to have them so I'll deal with it. I don't think the thrust trail necessarily needs to serve as an identity for the aircraft. Hopefully aircraft sound and silhouette will work to serve that purpose. Not to mention if you look at it from the pilot's point of view, having too much recognition puts a lot on their back too. It has to be fair for everyone.

The biggest thing I want is for them not to all be tinted blue. That will cause some friendly fire on the NC. Much as I would enjoy that, it's better to avoid. I don't want all of the NC pilots to kill each other before I get a shot at them.

If they are all tinted blue then people won't associate thrust color with a specific empire so things like that won't be a problem.