[Suggestion] Recon Tool Rework?

Discussion in 'Infiltrator' started by Rift23, Mar 23, 2013.

  1. Rift23

    Started thinking about this after SOE mentioned adding an infiltrator revamp to the roadmap. The two topics mentioned were more recon tools and cloaking.

    The cloak has been beaten back and forth so I'll focus on the recon tool. The class doesn't necessarily need new recon tools, but it could do with a rework of the present tool---namely, a way to give XP and more ways integrate with squads and large-scale battles. This could be accomplished by adding attachments/utility slots that make the tool specialized for certain tasks.

    Some thoughts on what these utilities might be:

    Target painting vehicles: Short-range dart that if successfully lands would make the vehicle visible through smoke/flares and would allow dumbfiring rocket weapons to lock on. EXP would be given for a successful lock-use/kill on a painted target.

    Enhanced Detection: In addition to cloaking, would show target's facing.

    Expanded Magazine: Basic scan that the tool has now without the other abilities, but more darts allowing more use in between resuppying.

    Longer Duration: Smallest radius (think building size), but longest lifespan.

    If nothing else happens, there needs to be XP gain for spotted targets under the radar if you can get a spot XP bonus for pressing Q on enemies.
    • Up x 5
  2. Daibar

    tell you what, the light assault is getting a reworking, if you don't want the recon tool the way it is. give it to us.
    anyone who goes in the places we LA do, knows the joys of it. currently i'm dragging my ATW around everywhere with me.. kind of difficult getting it up on the highest tower in the area, so i'll gladly take your recon tool.

    been playing sniper for 36 hours or so and i love it.... very easy class to play, very anti-social as well but the 300 meter range kills makes up for it :)
  3. OldMaster80

    These are 100% good improvements.

    Recon Tool is very nice in some situations, in particular because now we're allowed to zoom minimap in and out (THANKS!!!).
    What's very annoying is that this certification is bloody expansive and you can achieve the same effect with vehicles radar which is cheaper, more effective, and can be used by anyone.
  4. Rift23

    Good for you. Now, how are you actually helping anyone else? And where's the incentive for you to do anything but get those 300m kills?
    • Up x 1
  5. Ravenorth

    My only issue with the recon tool is that it pings you on the map when used, it should be removed.
  6. Daibar

    how i'm helping?
    1. i'm Platoonleading and on occasion TAC-COM - looking at maps, good to do when not in the middle of the fight.
    2. Offering information to my team in the facilities on whats coming in.
    3. Raise the alarm when enemies are approaching and we're able to set up defenses to deal with tank columns and air squadrons.
    4. Take out engineers as they repairs the enemy vehicles/MAX
    5. Keep suppression fire going at a distance keeping people from moving in on my group.
    6. Locate enemy sunderers and marking them for my group.
    7. Forward capping, preparing larger facilities for my group.
    8. Ghost capping smaller outposts, you know, trigger it and move on.
    9. Dropping the recon dot on areas where we suspect people to be, making them visible on the map.
    10. When i'm not squadleading i use the recon tool to mark sunderes because the minimap pings where the dot lands.
      shoot it and inform your SL that there's a sunderer on the minimap ping circle so they can mark it.
    and that's just what i do to help others when i'm playing a sniper.
    there's more when i'm not playing sniper and even more when i'm not even in the game.

    where's the incentive for me to do anything but get those 300 meter kills?
    what motivates me to do anything?
    a lot of things motivate me: here are some things that motivate me in this game.
    1. The wish i have for my outfit to be on the top part of the scoreboard on waterson,
    2. The wish for everyone who follows me to do their best and have a great time.
    3. The wonderful part where you take a xen of onslaught squad and hold out against a platoon for 30-50 minutes.
    4. Doing a tactical number on the TR flooding or the NC zergs and making them dance to my tune.
    5. The drive i have to see my outfit is the number one, 2 platoonsized outfit on waterson.
    6. The lovely feeling you get when you know that your squad took a techplant, ampstation or biolab with tactics rather than brute force.
    That's the funny thing about incentives, they only come from areas that are important to the one who is questioned about the motivation.

    what do you do when you're sniping? how are you helping?

    ps, thank you for that question, it helped me get out of the kitchen for a moment :)
  7. Daibar

    just cloak after you shoot it.
    should take care of your problem for you.
  8. ArcMinuteLight

    I'd much rather they replace the recon tool with some sort of better gadget. As it is right now its a pretty static one-vision tool, not very amusing or enjoyable to use. Something that adds to the game-play, not cling to it.
  9. Ravenorth

    And after that every enemy in the base is after my a$$ because they saw my red dot + heard my cloak, so it sounds like a good tactic to get your a$$ kicked.
  10. Daibar

    i guess i've been facing below avg players then, has worked fine for me, that's why i suggested it
  11. Dcrd

    Tbh current recon tool is completely useless. At the very least it should point out targets detected, like while spotting - show their hp bars and such.

    As a maximum imo it should allow distant hacking of some sort (shoot at the turret - turret now can be hacked from distance). Of course I would fancy some sort of a teleport - you port to your projectile's location, but that would be too much I think.

    But in it's current form there is no use for this tool.
  12. Rift23

    Yw, and all the stuff you mentioned can be done with any class/vehicle radar/stealth (particular aircraft).
  13. Daibar

    yes, but it isnt :)
    you asked about how _I_ helped at that range, so who cares about that it can be done by anyone at any class at any range :)

    I'm finding your response rather funny ;) i wish you the best of luck trying to push your idea for an infiltrator tool, while you are at it, suggest to the devs that they give the existing infiltrator tool to the LA, we don't have one and i think a lot of us would love to be able to see the enemies on the map with this tool and since we're already visible, we won't have the issue of being tracked while cloaked.
    :)

    ps. shoot the damn thing from a distance, you can stand at the crown and still hit a building at TI alloys.
  14. Astraka

    Man you're crazy. The current recon tool is far from useless. Knowing where your enemies are coming from is such an amazing advantage to have. It isn't that great to start out with I will admit, but once you bump it up a few levels it is an invaluable addition to the Infiltrator's arsenal.
    • Up x 2
  15. DrTeeth

    Maxed recon darts with the new zoomable mini map and an SMG is ridiculously strong right now, I love it. :) I would like the dart launcher to be considered "suppressed" so it doesn't show you up on the map when you fire it, and I think the cloak sound should not be audible beyond about 10 meters. But yeah the darts are awesome, I use them constantly as basically a legal wallhack for me and my squad-mates. It's the no.1 thing I bring to the team during fights at spread-out bases like Tech Plants & Amp Stations.
    • Up x 1
  16. Jellyman_E

    I agree
  17. Kcalehc

    Honestly I've never had the recon tool do anything at all. I've fired it into groups of enemies and all it does is add flashy cirles to my map, no red dots no nothing. But assuming it obviously works for others it could do with some improvements.

    I like the idea of target painting, especially if you're coordinating fire of a group of HA's, marking a target for them all to shoot at would be immensely useful. Would need to have more ammo for this though, like 15 at least.

    You could have it be a decoy dart. I.e. you shoot the dart somewhere and it pulses a signal on enemies maps in intervals similar to a sniper shooting, perhaps even allow it to make cloaking sounds at the same time. Nice way to set up an ambush for those that like to hunt down infiltrators.

    Adding a suppressor would be a nice help indeed.
  18. Rhyl

    You have to at least be in the area that it's pinging. Even if it's a little outside the "circle."
    • Up x 2
  19. Kcalehc

    Well thats something useful that I didn't know and isn't explained anywhere that I've seen. Thank you!
  20. Rhyl

    No problem. :p Honestly, I think it needs to show up even if you're outside the circle. I think it's kind of odd it only shows when you're close to it.