The mechanical function of laser designation

[Stardouser]

I don't actually know if there will be laser designation for aircraft or other heavy weapons but I will speak hypothetically: IF there is laser designation for, say, aircraft missiles, it should work like real life laser designation does. This is NOT because I want a realism sim, but a simple coincidence that I like the mechanical function of realistic laser designation better.

This means that a laser designator would allow you to shine a laser on a specific point, any point you want, and the missile from the jet will go to exactly there. If you move the laser while the missile is in flight, the missile will attempt to go to your new target.

This means you'll be able to guide a missile down onto the heads of campers who have good cover, and it also means that in order to hit moving tanks or other vehicles, you will have to hold the laser on the target as it moves. If you die before you finish the missile may go wild. This would make it a skill weapon.

Compare this to Battlefailed 3's SOFLAM. It can ONLY lock onto vehicles, which removes sandbox play, and since it does lock on, it removes skill - you simply lock, and your teammate just fires and forgets. It even allows weapons that are supposed to be ground to ground or air to ground to kill aircraft.

Up to this point I've been talking about infantry laser designation but this could also be used in aircraft too, in order to avoid giving aircraft no skill lock on weapons for air to ground. For example, an aircraft's gunner could fire a laser guided missile, and instead of it being a simple no skill lock on, the gunner in the aircraft would have to hold the laser on target until it hits. The gunner could of course receive a 4X or 8X optical zoom to allow him to do this.

I gave above an example of a bad laser designation, BF3's SOFLAM. But for example of how it should work, look at BC2's UAV. You click to request a missile and then you have to hold the laser on target, exactly like I said above. The problem with BC2's UAV is that the missiles come from off the map instead of from an actual teammate, but as far as the guidance method, it's spot-on.

[Charred]

Personally I'd have to say that lock-on and normal dummy missiles are enough. Lock-on missiles can be out-maneuvered by going behind an obstacle and dummy missiles require skill.
Steerable missiles seems like a bit much, in my opinion.

[Stardouser]

Originally Posted by Charred

Personally I'd have to say that lock-on and normal dummy missiles are enough. Lock-on missiles can be out-maneuvered by going behind an obstacle and dummy missiles require skill.
Steerable missiles seems like a bit much, in my opinion.

Note that I am talking about missiles fired from aircraft here, obstacles won't do anything to balance lock on missiles in the open because aircraft fire from above, so even if there is an obstacle the aircraft can position for a hit.

As far as infantry go, not a fan of lock on there either, but that's a whole other topic.

Also, I could have sworn someone said we might also have camera steered missiles? Camera guided missiles on aircraft would be a lot easier(read: too easy) compared to laser guided, even self laser guided(ie the gunner lasing his own target).

[Pillar of Armor]

Here's my concept for laser target designation. Some guidance might be nice, but I'd almost rather have a "shoot here" indicator over any kind of guidance.

[Stardouser]

Originally Posted by Pillar of Armor

Here's my concept for laser target designation. Some guidance might be nice, but I'd almost rather have a "shoot here" indicator over any kind of guidance.

That almost sounds like a replacement for 3D spotting because it sounds like something that works more with infantry. They could, by the way, be combined into the same item, but different function setting. One setting acts like you described and the other provides guidance for artillery/missiles from jets/bombs/etc. You have to understand, lock on weapons are coming, it would be better to at least replace them with this than just have them be lock on or camera guided.

This reminds me btw - laser designation might need to be something that only works within your own squad, otherwise, jets capable of firing missiles at laser designations might find that they have 30 different ones to choose from, lol.

[BNuts]

Coolest thing I ever did in the Army... I am a UH-60 CE (doorgun) and I had a PEQ-2 IR Laser. I called in a GBU from a F-16 using my "sparkle" mounted to my 240-H..

The UAV's have them, as do the fighter/bombers.


You can't see the UH-60's IR laser, you kinda haveto be behind it sometimes to see it. But you can see the ground unit pointing out targets with it.

[Froglicker]

OP's suggestion sounds like the rocket launcher from Half-Life 2 (which I always loved btw). With some minor tweaking for balance, I think it could work (i.e. finite flight time)

[Dougnifico]

Originally Posted by BNuts

Coolest thing I ever did in the Army... I am a UH-60 CE (doorgun) and I had a PEQ-2 IR Laser. I called in a GBU from a F-16 using my "sparkle" mounted to my 240-H..

The UAV's have them, as do the fighter/bombers.

302 Found

You can't see the UH-60's IR laser, you kinda haveto be behind it sometimes to see it. But you can see the ground unit pointing out targets with it.

So... Much... Want...

[Stardouser]

Originally Posted by Froglicker

OP's suggestion sounds like the rocket launcher from Half-Life 2 (which I always loved btw). With some minor tweaking for balance, I think it could work (i.e. finite flight time)

Just to be clear, what I'm talking about is not for infantry to guide their own rockets. It's for infantry to guide missiles or bombs from aircraft/artillery/etc. And, secondarily, aircraft could use it to lase for their own missiles, because it would be more of a skill solution than camera guided or simple lock on.

[Buggsy]

Dittos OP

[Darthkorr]

I highly support this! Keeps Team Play going.