Gameplay: Infiltrator camo, and other cloak options

[kunzadar]

I think it would be cool is the infiltrator class could sacrifice it's cloak for a kind of active camo that is always on.

I don't mean like something from the halo universe which is just crappy cloaking, instead something where the players model is fully visible, but shifts color and pattern to match the surroundings. You can't actually see through the player, but if they stand next to a rock for a sec, they will change color to match the rock. If they move onto the grass they will turn green, and maybe get a grassy texture on their armor.

Something kind of like this:

It would be a great option for snipers, who don't necessarily need full invincibility because they are so far away, but want to keep a lower profile all the time.

What do you think of this idea, and what other cloaking ideas do you guys have?

[Dagron]

Sounds like a fair trade, i like it.

[Raka Maru]

I like this...

[Toppopia]

By this, do you mean that from any angle, the infiltrator will look like the object you are looking at? Because that would be cool.

[Dagron]

That might be a little too much.

[Fable]

I thougth this is exactly how it works right now. Is the cloak making infiltrator completely invisible? When I saw the alpha footage, from the infiltrator point of view it looks to work like you described.

[Toppopia]

But it turns off when you shoot, and if you move you become more visible and it doesn't last forever, where as this idea will not work when moving, but works while shooting, and lasts forever, so its different to normal cloaking.

[Dagron]

If i'm not mistaken there are a few types of cloaking, probably ranging from predator-like transparency to full invisibility (i remember someone saying something about the enemy players not even getting your packets if they shouldn't see you).

But i feel a permanent cloak shouldn't be perfect cammo from all angles, it's pretty much the same as the predator cloak.

[WVoneseven]

This would need to be only a Camo style splatter of the surrounds not a really a presentation of whats behind him. That way it works similarly to a real life ghillie and moving makes you an obvious target.

[Dagron]

Yes, and like in real life you should learn where to hide even wearing cammo. Hell, it's even part of the fun... imagine becoming so good at hiding that you could manage to deploy a cammo pattern galaxy in the bushes 10' away from the enemy's base.

But it'd be boring if you could just stand on top of a building and whoever looked from below would see you (or fail to see you) wearing sky-blue while aircraft pilots would see you the same color as the roof.

[WVoneseven]

I was suggesting that its similar colour to what you're in contact giving priority to stuff touching hitboxes that arn't your feet.

[Dagron]

I know, i was agreeing with you. I was just expanding on your "it should be more like a ghilie suit" comment.

[Kriegson]

Ironically, this octopus is where hideo kojima got the idea for snake's camo system in MGS4. It functioned the same way in that it could shift to whatever the user was pressed against.

That being said, I don't think it would be very effective unless the game had prone, or sliding along walls (Which it should have neither). Camouflage is only good at hiding someone from a cursory glance or at a distance, breaking up their silhouette.
If you were moving or someone was looking right at you, they could spot you pretty quickly. I think the current cloaking system is fine.

[kunzadar]

I disagree. Even something as simple as a black uniform can give players an advantage in an fps. Also if you take into account how dark the nights are, anything that does a decent job of breaking up a player silhouette will be effective concealment. Even in daylight this type of camo would provide cover from aircraft.

[Kriegson]

Originally Posted by kunzadar

Even in daylight this type of camo would provide cover from aircraft.

But would it provide an alternative significantly different from purchasable camouflage (and not detract from the incentives to purchase them) and comparable though neither redundant nor superior to invisible camo?