Cloakers and jacking

Huma · 2011-08-03, 05:38 PM

Something I would love to see would be the ability for cloakers to do some grunt work when cloaking is no longer an option. I'd like to see some weapons customization options that would allow a cloaker in agile to be able to contribute a little better on heavy base fights. I know you can just pick a grunt load out bit I'd rather be a trained up light armor/weapon cloaker than an untrained grunt.
Also since their removing the ability to jack enemy vehicles I would like to see them put in a device that disables enemy vehicles for a short time. Could be cloaker only and have a plant timer. Once attached the device could disable the enemy vehicle until a cloaker or an engineer remove it. Not as fun as jacking someone's ride but it would fill the role nicely.

Peacemaker · 2011-08-03, 06:29 PM

Jammers? Cloakers are the lightest of light infantry. They are not meant for assault. They are meant for.... cloaking. The only thing I'd like to see is a limited ability cloak "blanket" that snipers could employ. That's about it though.

Huma · 2011-08-03, 06:37 PM

True but that leaves us in the cold when the base gets to hot for cloaking. I'd liketo still be able to support my teammates without having to waste time on grunt certs I'm barely going to use. Just hoping for more versatility I guess. I should say infiltrator as opposed to cloaker really.

Valdae · 2011-08-03, 08:22 PM

Good cloakers can cause absolute chaos in a massive base battle with a few well hacked terminals..

Lonehunter · 2011-08-03, 08:37 PM

On heavy indoor fights, that's just one of the roles a cloaker doesn't completely fit. Neither does sniper or tank driver. When that's the only fight available to me I creep into the gen or spawn, it takes longer, but it makes a bigger impact. Or I start working on the next base, blow the turrets, clear CE, place my own.

On vehicles, I think cloakers should still be able to hack gunner seats. But saving all my ideas on this in for big cloaker post.

Brusi · 2011-08-03, 08:51 PM

Bases having alternative entries that an agile couldn't fit through..

Like vents in Counterstrike, or like metal gear solid. Being able to sneak into a big base fight as a cloaker ends in a few deaths from random fire (enemy and friendly). It should still take patience and skill to infiltrate behind enemy lines though.

EASyEightyEight · 2011-08-03, 09:17 PM

Even though this idea still won't be preferable in CQC, I like the idea of two levels of infil suit. One is the true infiltrator, carrying only handgun sized equipment and little extra equipment in way of ammo and a REK.

The other would be more of a commando. Probably packing no more than a rifle or a shotgun as his largest weapon, and little supplies, including a REK and possibly a boomer or two for some real behind enemy lines espionage. He'd be akin to the standard vest in PS1, only with cloaking capability on top. The cloak is both temporary and fragile. He'll lose his cloak upon performing actions or taking damage. Best used going from cover to cover and should definitely engage the enemy with a guerilla mindset. Think nanosuit (Crysis) cloaking, only without the added options of high jump, super speed (sort of I guess) and extra armor. I'd really like to see small, highly organized teams in game using these kind of tactics.

EDIT: Further humoring the idea, I don't think I'd mind cloakers having special, 1HKO knife kills in PS2, so long as the risk with doing so is high, such as cloak being disabled for both armors, and the knife activating, thus making a loud noise for the duration of a kill animation, just moments before ripping out someone's jugular or impaling someone's heart. I know it seems kind of OP, but I want to be punished for going out on my own. We SHOULD be punished for running off on our own. The current equivalent in PS1 is the magnum full-salvo shot, but we don't get the quick reveal, and the noise isn't quite nearly as audible.

Of course, both types of cloaker would more than likely be left with no medical support and low ammo supply, so they'll have to rely on scavenged equipment for prolonged operations in the field, if scavenging is at all possible in PS2, even without inventories.

Huma · 2011-08-03, 09:47 PM

I was thinking more along the lines of agile with a specialized sub machine gun. Something slightly better than the suppressor. As for gen dropping and killing tubes I've found the pay off for doing those to not be worth the effort. Generally in a big fight if your don't have a squad ready to move in your not going to make a significant impact. Mainly because the defenders are generally dug in well enough for a reac team to hunt you down and fix the damage.
Granted you get the sense of accomplishment. I act more as a scout and eliminate high value targets.

EASyEightyEight · 2011-08-03, 10:03 PM

Originally Posted by Huma

I was thinking more along the lines of agile with a specialized sub machine gun. Something slightly better than the suppressor. As for gen dropping and killing tubes I've found the pay off for doing those to not be worth the effort. Generally in a big fight if your don't have a squad ready to move in your not going to make a significant impact. Mainly because the defenders are generally dug in well enough for a reac team to hunt you down and fix the damage.
Granted you get the sense of accomplishment. I act more as a scout and eliminate high value targets.

I'm not entirely sure we'll have generators and destroyable respawning tubes this time around. My idea was more like someone that goes behind the lines, preferably with a team of heavy cloakers, and shuts down vital facilities temporarily, such as vehicle terminals, and if facilities have benefits, could blow the control consoles for those too. Even key vehicles such as artillery, parked galaxies, etc. Maybe even assassination? Take out a leader guy so he can't drop an OS or some other game changer during an assault, at least for the duration he's out of the fight.

For the most part, front line acquisition is supposed to take seconds. Hack something, wait a few moments, it's yours. Heck, simply having a presence in the area seemingly takes areas if we're to interpret the explanation of the hex system that way. Taking something deep in enemy territory takes considerably longer. I like to think a small team of heavy cloakers might make that more interesting for the response team to sniff out.

Huma · 2011-08-03, 10:14 PM

Lol true true. Considering some of the potential for command specialists it might actually be beneficial to target the directly. As for the heavy cloaker idea maybe instead of true stealth they just get a form of displacement? Something that makes them a little harder to see than normal and allows them to carry a slightly larger weapon?

Huma · 2011-08-03, 10:17 PM

Originally Posted by Peacemaker

Jammers? Cloakers are the lightest of light infantry. They are not meant for assault. They are meant for.... cloaking. The only thing I'd like to see is a limited ability cloak "blanket" that snipers could employ. That's about it though.

Actually that could be useful and still balanced. It would allow snipers to act as scouts as well. Maybe make it so that if they stay crouched for 30 seconds they get a 1 minute stealth effect?

Sovereign · 2011-08-03, 10:59 PM

Originally Posted by Brusi

Bases having alternative entries that an agile couldn't fit through..

Like vents in Counterstrike, or like metal gear solid. Being able to sneak into a big base fight as a cloaker ends in a few deaths from random fire (enemy and friendly). It should still take patience and skill to infiltrate behind enemy lines though.

Oh hellz ye-ah!

This would be perfect addition to making infiltration more keen in the next game. It would also be a unequivocal nuance if they could set traps via vents and under ducts.

EASyEightyEight · 2011-08-03, 11:25 PM

Originally Posted by Huma

Lol true true. Considering some of the potential for command specialists it might actually be beneficial to target the directly. As for the heavy cloaker idea maybe instead of true stealth they just get a form of displacement? Something that makes them a little harder to see than normal and allows them to carry a slightly larger weapon?

I was under the impression that this time around we'll get the often employed "bubble" effect that seems natural with cloaking (in that it bends light) instead of the simple white-ghost fade we currently see in PS1 due to limitations in hardware at the time. Though yes, true cloakers, the light variety, should have a more effective cloak, since a heavy cloaker will be carrying enough extra kit to the point where their cloak only works in bursts before needing to recharge.

HawkEye · 2011-08-03, 11:33 PM

Originally Posted by Huma

True but that leaves us in the cold when the base gets to hot for cloaking. I'd liketo still be able to support my teammates without having to waste time on grunt certs I'm barely going to use. Just hoping for more versatility I guess. I should say infiltrator as opposed to cloaker really.

You can suport them by healing, repairing, and rezzing.

CutterJohn · 2011-08-04, 10:48 AM

I would like there to be an infiltration suit that has armor, and a medium sized gun. Once you start shooting, the cloaking field shorts out and needs 30s or a minute to be able to turn back on. Would be a good secondary style of cloaking imo.