Feedback on Spotting for Higby

[Lonehunter]

The way spotting is currently implemented it may as well auto spot everyone within range of you.

If you're gunning and a driver spots something, you can't differentiate it from the zerg spotting. If your squad mate spots something you have no idea, if an outfit mate, friend, every spot is the same.

In my opinion spotting should not be an an empire wide level. If you spot somone only the people in your vehicle, squad, or platoon should see it. Maybe all of the above and a dif color for each one.

If you only made ONE tweak to the current system, please just make the people my squad spots a dif color then the zerg, or a dif logo. Maybe remove the top line in that Dorito triangle

[Dudster]

I like spotting, I considered binding it to the same button is use to aim down the sights. It's especially useful at night when you don't have night vision.

[Peacemaker]

Honestly I think the spotting system is waaaaay too friendly. It totally negates ANY stealth play at all. If your spotted you get a dorito AND minimap marker. Anyone can take those two pieces of information and lay the hammer down. Whats the point of flanking (at anything other than very close range) if it just takes one guy to spot you and then several platoons can know where you are.

Spotting should be made an infil only ability, unless you use your suits utility slot to beable to spot. Spotting should also be limited to platoon only. It should also be LOS limited for the Dorito but not for the minimap. This puts more emphasis on good scouts, and using proxy radar.

Sick of working hard to get a good flanking position only to get raped by 20 guys because ONE guy pressed Q while it took me 5 minutes to get where I got without getting spotted. Unbalanced time vs effort.

[Peacemaker]

Edit: double post plz delete.

[SGTalon]

Very different conversation here on PSU than over on PS2. There it is a bunch of "Me Too" with remove it because i want to camp or it should only be Infiltrators.

This discussion came up during Beta. Tons of people were saying that it gives away too much. I notice that no one is talking about what it really is, why spotting is part of the game.

The invention of the Holographic Sight came about for military aircraft sights back in WW2. Over time it has progressed to being more and more accurate with more and more information. In the 70's it moved to being an active targetting reticle that not only showed range to the target but adding additional information about the target.

Current gen Vehicle Huds are amazingly detailed. They can pick out and highlight targets, have Friend or Foe identification down to the type of target it is.

All of this stuff is moving into Infantry combat too. Everything that you see on Game Huds for infantry they are putting into the Next Gen Military Uniforms. They are working on Wearable computers with HUD equipped Goggles that will show things like GPS information, Combat Information, Tactical Information, Targetting information... basically everything that we are seeing in the HUD that is in Game right now. The military sees this as completely necessary information to increase the capability and effectiveness of the soldier.

Why in the world would we want to go backwards? This game is set in a future where we have Nanite spawn tubes that regenerate your body, vehicles that are created on request in seconds, heck we have vehicles that can negate the effects of gravity!

So 3d Spotting is out of line? How? Half of the complaints of the game are talking about a lack of communication and coordination on the battlefield, and too many people are wanting to take us back to Battlefield 1942. I thought we were trying to make this game something more than that.

I have recently read a book series that involved big advances in power armor technology. It went in depth on the entire idea, theory and how to maximize the capabilities of personal HUD. Basically it went into detail on how a HUD computer system has the ability to totally overwhelm people in information it they are not trained to use it properly.

I would love to increase the capabilities of the 3D spotting system through Certs.

How about a cert that gives up shield generator for the ability to jam or trick the enemy HUD. Each level removes one more item, Range, Health, the Dorito color, the whole Dorito, and Stealth to Infrared.

Conversely, you can have a Cert that Counters this skill tree. SO if you are really interested in combatting the whole 3D spot thing you can invest in it with a trade off from your armor levels.

Right now you can buy Ski Goggles that have complete smart phone integration, Caller ID, MP3 control and info, GPS info with speed, direction, altitude, waypoints and turn by turn Navigation. They are only about $500! This is all current technology.

SO please before deciding to remove features from the game that actually contribute to the great gameplay, think about both sides.

I really hate that so many people think that the solution to a perceived problem is remove it!!

[Ghoest9]

Its not very useful over all.

1 It uses the same markers for vehicles as for infantry - its confusing seeing the markers from tanks 1-2 thousand meters away in the middle of a fire fight.

2 The enemy hears you say it(which I like because it often warns me when Im spotted.)

3 It usually just makes a lot of useless noise.

4 the few times it really is useful enemies lose the markers by dodging behind rocks etc as they move.

EDIT:
Also spotting has been terrible for us color blind people because enemies look like squad mates - but that issue should go away with the next patch fortunetly.

[Peacemaker]

Edit: Holy crap triple post.

[Helwyr]

Higby remove spotting and remove Vehicle Radar they are both bad gameplay because they take away player actions and ability out of the equation of gameplay outcomes.

These sorts of mechanics are IMO on the same level as aimbots. You're asking the mechanics to detect and identify targets for you, and that's no different than asking for game mechanics to aim for you. The only difference is the aspect of player ability reduced or fully taken out of gameplay.

IR/Thermal is not much better either and ought to be removed. It's just a cool looking feature it doesn't actually improve actual gameplay, it makes it worse.

If you want Spotting add a laser targeting device that must be aimed by an Infantry player that highlights a single target like current thermal and radar does for everyone in that player's squad...But only for as long as the player holds the laser device on the target. This form of spotting would require teamwork and real player ability, unlike what you currently have in game.

[SilverAura]

I find it useful compared to what we had in PlanetSide 1 which allowed anyone to scream out "Incoming <blank>!!" whenever they wanted.

Especially when you're in your own base and everything seems quiet, when you hear someone yell out that they've spotted someone, you know they actually had to see someone to make the call. So it's never a false alarm. Even if the person is killed before you see them, it still wasn't technically a false alarm, you were just late.

This is particularly useful for things like MAX units or tanks. And having found out a bit later than I'm embarrassed to admit, that spotting plants a blip on the map as long as you keep them in sight, I found spotting to be incredibly useful when other people do it so I try to do it every chance I get.

However I must say, I find spotting to be most useful when I'm flying in a scythe and I see a common pool unit like a Sunderer, Lightning, or Liberator, and lighting conditions aren't making it clear what empire it is, nor is text showing up indicating that it was at least friendly. If I'm close enough and press the spot key, it forces red text over the vehicle if it's an enemy.

By far the most useful time I found to use it. I can't tell you how many times I've accidentally unleashed hell on a poor friendly Sunderer parked in the shadows, only to find out after 8+ photon pods were fired, that it was actually ours.

[Mordelicius]

Spotting is very useful and helpful to me. I don't know what Higby's getting into but please, don't fix it if it's not broken.

Spotting rewards those always on the lookout by tagging non-friendly units. It's not only helpful in warning players of Aircraft about to bomb hapless infantry or Sunderers rushing to a base, but it also aids in marking sneaky Infiltrators and Light Assault.

If there's an Infiltrator sniping on top of a cliff or a tall structure, tag them. If there's a LA about to blindside friendlies, spotting is invaluable.

If other players don't want to use it, then it won't hurt them not to.

[Helwyr]

Originally Posted by Mordelicius

[...]don't fix it if it's not broken.

It is broken.

[SGTalon]

Originally Posted by Helwyr

It is broken.

It's not broken, you just don't like it. Some people are just resistant to technology.

[Flipzide]

Spotting is fine as is. I enjoy using it to spot enemies for my squad. Then again, I also enjoy playing BF3.

I'm genuinely surprised there's even an issue. More people should use it. On top of helping out the squad, you get XP for a spot assist.

[Peacemaker]

Originally Posted by Mordelicius

Spotting is very useful and helpful to me. I don't know what Higby's getting into but please, don't fix it if it's not broken.

Spotting rewards those always on the lookout by tagging non-friendly units. It's not only helpful in warning players of Aircraft about to bomb hapless infantry or Sunderers rushing to a base, but it also aids in marking sneaky Infiltrators and Light Assault.

If there's an Infiltrator sniping on top of a cliff or a tall structure, tag them. If there's a LA about to blindside friendlies, spotting is invaluable.

If other players don't want to use it, then it won't hurt them not to.

Yeah? What if your that sneaky LA who worked hard to get into position? Your going to feel robbed. This IS broken. and as an above poster said, it takes away from actual player skill. Its the same principle as aircraft vs all others. Easy to see because they are highly visible, this makes them focus fire priorities.

This game already favors the swarm mechanics that are employed by outfits such as The Enclave. Out played by them? Out number them! Current spotting mechanics just make it easier for the zerg mentality to exist. You cannot argue this, its pretty damn obvious. If I have a chance to sway a battle by my self I should have it. It shouldn't be taken away by someone spamming Q allowing the numbers to have yet ANOTHER advantage against the out numbered.

[Helwyr]

Originally Posted by SGTalon

It's not broken, you just don't like it. Some people are just resistant to technology.

Some people are resistant to common sense and only selectively use "technology" and "Real World" examples where it suits their wishes.

But who knows perhaps eventually we'll have game mechanics available in PS2 that just play the whole game for you. Woot Technology!