Empire night flares

[BillyBob]

Cool idea.

The main thing I'm wondering about though are the possible technical issues.

From the description of how these flares would work, it seems they would have to be dynamic lightsources.

I have no idea what resource budget the game engine has for dynamic lights, but if this would work within what the game can handle, then sure.

My biggest (and so far pretty much only) fear about this game is the amount of lag these hundreds, potentially thousands, of players may cause.

So naturally I'm worrying about how adding cool features like these could have a negative impact on the smooth gameplay experience we're all hoping for.

/BB

[Saifoda]

Originally Posted by BillyBob

Cool idea.

The main thing I'm wondering about though are the possible technical issues.

From the description of how these flares would work, it seems they would have to be dynamic lightsources.

I have no idea what resource budget the game engine has for dynamic lights, but if this would work within what the game can handle, then sure.

.../BB

Watch any PS2 video in which there is night fighting and you will see plenty of dynamic lighting with vehicle lights, internal controls, tracer fire, rockets, plane engines, etc...

[The Degenatron]

I worry about balance issues. For example, I don't think they should be IR flares, but visible light only. The reason why is because the other source of illumimation (the flashlight) has a very specific trade-off: You can see, but you can also BE seen. An IR flare basicly means that now I have to equip IR goggles just in case I run up against an IR equipped squad. If the flares were visible light, well then everyone benefits from that, freind and foe alike.

My only other problem is really just silly and I know it, but to me, it seems kinda lame to have this awesome day-night cycle only to have it "over-ridden" by the players by them spamming flares everywhere. Flares would have to be consumable, and they'd have to cost on-par with grenades.

[Saifoda]

Originally Posted by The Degenatron

I worry about balance issues. For example, I don't think they should be IR flares, but visible light only. The reason why is because the other source of illumimation (the flashlight) has a very specific trade-off: You can see, but you can also BE seen. An IR flare basicly means that now I have to equip IR goggles just in case I run up against an IR equipped squad. If the flares were visible light, well then everyone benefits from that, freind and foe alike.

My only other problem is really just silly and I know it, but to me, it seems kinda lame to have this awesome day-night cycle only to have it "over-ridden" by the players by them spamming flares everywhere. Flares would have to be consumable, and they'd have to cost on-par with grenades.

They would probably take up an equipment or utility slot, of which there are a limited number (I believe 2 or 3), you would only carry maybe 2 or 3 rounds total (maybe even just one) and the burn time would last, I'm guessing, 20-30 seconds (maybe cert to last longer and/or carry more). Top that off with a resource cost and it should make it fairly balanced. Good point though with how it might just turn the awesome night fighting into "spammed up" day fighting.

[Knotz]

Maybe you can replace secondary weapon (like infiltrators will replace their pistol, HA would replace their Rocket Launcher etc etc) for a flaregun, and this flaregun has 2 modes;

Regular flare, which will shoot a white light wherever you aim, and when it reaches maximum height it will deploy a parachute and slowly float to the ground.
Empire flare, which will do exactly the same but be in the colour of your faction.

the flares themselves would cost resources just like grenades, to deter trolls from spamming lights everywhere.

[Gonefshn]

Empire specific colored flares are a must have in the commander cert tree! I imagine it deployable from the ground shooting up into the night sky! Wahoo!