Aircraft thrust color

Xyntech · 2012-06-07, 01:31 PM

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 · 2012-06-07, 01:34 PM

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

Smokingrabbit · 2012-06-07, 01:34 PM

agreed

Bazilx · 2012-06-07, 01:37 PM

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

Duddy · 2012-06-07, 01:39 PM

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

I'd suggest Red/Green/Yellow.

Bravix · 2012-06-07, 01:52 PM

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.

Bags · 2012-06-07, 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by 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.

Why would every bullet fired be a tracer?

reason: Gameplay > realism

Xyntech · 2012-06-07, 01:57 PM

Originally Posted by 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.

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 · 2012-06-07, 01:57 PM

Originally Posted by Bravix

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.

Bazilx · 2012-06-07, 01:59 PM

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.

chanic · 2012-06-07, 02:04 PM

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.

Landtank · 2012-06-07, 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by 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.

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 >.>

dpranker · 2012-06-07, 01:37 PM

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

Xyntech · 2012-06-07, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by 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

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.

Originally Posted by Bags

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.

Originally Posted by WildVS

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

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.

Chowley · 2012-06-07, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by WildVS

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

Oooh Nyan Cat takes on PS2!