Just a few suggestions on how to improve the Recon Detect Device. -Basic Cross/dot for ADS. Some times need a little bit of a zoom to get the right arch you want down a ways. Right now it is a slight zoom (1x?) but nothing to help you pinpoint the shot like scope or sights. Don't need either, but a little indicator at least would be nice. -Remove mini-map dot when dart is fired. Should be a "silenced" weapon. The dart already lights up and makes noise. Mini-Map improvements: -I'd like the animation to actually show you the rate at which the dart is pulsing on your mini-map. Doesn't seem to change regardless of what level you are using. So higher level, the scan lines should pulse faster. -Animation could show the actually range the dart is affecting. Right now no matter what level the animation is the same. So it would be smaller circle for lower level as an example. -Grant XP for kills within a dart's radius. Think that is already coming. -Color change for detected enemies (more on this below) Worthwhile Cert/upgrade tiers: Who here actually has spent certs on this device? What I want are real reasons to upgrade the sensor. These are the things that I believe could be affected by upgrading the tool and wouldn't mind some comments and discussion. Just thoughts on ways to prevent certain tactics. (1)Scan rate. (2)Radius of scan area. (3)Duration/lifespan of the dart. (4)How many you can carry. (5)"Efficiency" of dart. 1-4 are already in the cert tree and I don't mind how it is broken up. Each level you get both higher rate and wider scan area. And starting at level 4, you get all 4 increased with each level you add. Number 5 is where my suggestion to increase the value of actually upgrading the tool comes in. Didn't know what else to call it. Dart Efficiency: Example of how it could be laid out. -Level 1-2 (0 and 30) First off to start, I would make the basic auto-granted tool NOT show enemy blips on the mini-map. What I would like is for the basic tool to only allow you to see the animation in the mini-map change color when an enemy is within the scan radius. So from blue (no enemies) to red when detected as an example. Maybe even change the audio tone the dart makes when it detects an enemy. -Level 3-4-5 (50, 200, and 500) From there, leveling up to the 3rd or 4th tier would make the dart work as it does now. Leaning towards 3 but not totally sure which I prefer, but that would be a 80-280 cert investment. And it would show you a red dot on where the enemy was at the time the scan line hit them. That as well as the animation colors/sound changing like above. If you wanted to break it down even more, make level 3 work how it does now but hide cloakers. Cloakers and everyone that moves within the radius would be shown at level 4 or 5. Making more of an insensitive to grab the next levels. Just depends on how rough you want it haha. -Level 6 (1000 certs) Then at the highest level, add something more then there is currently. Like, allowing the dart to show the direction the enemy is facing on the mini-map. Not unlike when you spot an enemy with the triangle showing up on the mini-map. Or they could even make the triangle appear just like when you spot someone above enemy heads while within the darts scan range. Could make this work through walls or just LoS. If LoS would be like an auto spot but sure that would take work to implement. Might even work mine detection in there somewhere. New Ammo Types: Besides brand new tools (thought they are easier to work in to cert tree), I'd like the Recon Detect Device to use special ammo to allow it to do other things besides scanning for enemies. One example is: "Vehicle tag"- Same sort of sticky dart but this could shorten the amount of time it takes weapons to lock onto vehicles. Drivers could be given a warning when they are marked. And using flares/smoke could clear it.
They're extremely stingy on amount of darts carried. You'd think they were rockets or something. Limiting something as much as darts are limited make them feel like a special circumstance tool instead of a staple, and until you get the final two tiers you tend to use them like some precious resource, when they probably shouldn't be.
I have level 6 recon darts and they are great. I use them constantly. They make a huge difference when point capturing, covering flanks while sniping and their mighty handy while Wraithing (my favorite PS2 activity). At first, I was skeptical that the 1g cert recon tool upgrade would be worth it. However, I've since learned the value of having four of the best darts possible at my disposal. They are damn useful. Essential to being an effective Inf, I've learned. I'm not sure that I'd be willing to give them up for another tool now. My hope is that the devs just offer attachments to the dart gun. Like, bonus abilities. Something that requires the R mouse button to activate. Advanced radar warning is just too good to have... unless I'm in an area that already has radar covered by my allies, I suppose. Does the recon tool need a buff? Mmmm... I don't think so. It's already quite good. You just have to have it maxed, and then now how to use it right.
Recon dart is mandatory. If you play infiltrator and dont feel an overwhelming obligation towards your team to cert up the recon-dart, please switch class and never touch it again. Over the course of a infil-career, im convinced nothing can hope to help out as much as spamming recon darts at each and every enemy encounter. I dont play infil that much myself, but i love it so much when team-mates spam the darts. It helps sooo much. tl;dr - dont think the dart needs anything at all, people just need to start using it a lot more (a lot more) ps: it sucks incredibly hard and is a grave injustice that you dont get xp for this, but i understand this will change soon.
Recon tool is fine as is and the cert cost is justified. The max rank is a must have upgrade for any serious player of the class. It's ESP..what more do you want?
I'm a chronic dart spammer. Engineers love me. I'm looking forward to getting exp too for my efforts, though. 1000 certs is fair. Like the above guy said - serious infs should always be firing darts to help their allies. If they don't then they should be fired for blatant incompetence. It's a shame that most inf players are useless nubs who have no idea how to play the class. They fail to realize (or care) that engineers and medics are always needed more than another crappy sniper. I maxed my engi and medic before starting on my inf. It takes time to become good it.
Thanks to all for the replies. I love this section of the forums, you guys are great. Here is a video going over the device (little dated but still relevant). Basically it'll help highlight the animation changes I suggested which was the first part of the thread. Nothing really was discuss from above the cert enhancements. There was no change in cert count btw in my suggestions. As is, to me, the 1000+ investment is not worth it. "I had extra points so I got it" doesn't work for me. I want to actually want the upgrade because it improves gameplay and not just get it just because. The improvements are currently very minimal. Here is an image of some triangles from spotting too which I suggest for the changed cert tree (max rank). Something that feel would be worth the investment.
Being able to see direction enemy is facing would be a god-send. Probably lvl 6 would be about right for that.
I'd like the Recon Darts to show the enemy red triangles (doritos) in the FPS view, not just on the mini-map. So you can see exactly where they are relative to, be in higher or lower, behind a wall, etc... This will make it FAR more relevant. (Given the certs you have to put into it and how it doesn't always work as intended currently...) Right now, 3 darts with a limited coverage and that only (might) display info on the mini-map are a bit of a wasted effort most times.
It's 5 darts not 3 at max rank and they last long enough that you can pretty much cover an entire tower for the duration it takes to cap it. If I'm understanding you correctly you want the dart to auto Q spot anyone in it's range so that it puts a dorito over their heads? If that is the case have you thought about the implications of that? The recon device is FINE as is and it SHOULD have a high barrier to entry for what is essentially LEGAL ESP. If you think 1780 is a lot of certs for the ability to know exactly where your immediate enemies are then I suggest you find another class to play.
That is an interesting thought. So what you are saying is get rid of ammo completely. Then to make them work sort of like a beacon, anti-personal turret, and ex where it has a timer that starts after you fire it. Once you fire it starts to charge back up. I'd add that the higher your cert level with the recon dart, the faster you'd get a reload charge.
I think the darts are useful and as powerful as they need to be. Scout radars should be reduced in effectiveness to make them weaker than the recon darts. Recon should be a class defining ability of the Inf and currently the Scout Radar trumps the Infiltrator's class ability. Your suggestions are good, the graphic on the minimap should reflect the actual range the dart is scanning. They should fix the visual bug whereby the dart itself is invisible. One last thing, I find the reload thing very annoying. I shoot a dart, let it reload and then switch to my weapon but if you don't let the dart reload sequence fully complete then when you equip it again it goes through the entire sequence again. Personally I don't see a need for a reload sequence as the dart is not an offensive weapon - you should be able to fire all your darts in one go if you so wish.
I disagree with this, although I use my darts religiously. If I had constant darts I would be in a ever lasting radar hotspot. No one would ever be able to hide from me or anyone near me. I think the re-supply model is better for the game.
Honestly I wouldn't even want unlimited ammunition + cooldown. Not having to worry about ammo would be nice but the cooldown would be a deal breaker. I like being able to spam all five of them out in a base in rapid succession for maximum coverage. 95% of the time I am near an area where I can quickly resupply anyway, either by a terminal or an ammunition pack.
So what if you slowly regenerated darts, at maybe one dart per a couple minutes? It'd still be possible to spam all the darts in a wide area, and if the Infiltrator survives for extended periods of time, ammo isn't a concern.
I could see where this would be useful in some situations (sniping & soloing) & to some people, but at least for my usual playstyle having a time block on either my ability to spam or resupply darts would be a big nerf to my effectiveness. With that said however your idea might be an interesting sidegrade to consider, similar to how the HA gets different rocket launchers.
I meant a buff to the current recon darts, with regenerating ammo. You spawn with a max of five darts, fire as many as you'd like, and start regenerating ammo unless if you resupply from an ammo pack. I most definitely didn't mean spawning with one dart that regenerated every minute or so! That'd be silly. No one wants that.
