Currently, infiltrators can bring two things to combat, the other is sniping, which in all honest isn't going to bring much to the combat as decisive factor. The other thing is hacking, which is itself very situtational in use. So, here are few ideas for advanced hacking for those who truly wish to play the role of the old hacker INF. Advanced terminal hacking, new last tier: - Capability to hack shield generators and SCU, temporary causing them to switch sides (or until re-hacked) 2 new cert trees, vehicle hacking and advanced vehicle hacking: Vehicle hacking tree: - 1st tier: Capable of hacking ground vehicles, disorienting the controls. Hacking can be started from 10 meters distance. - 2nd tier: Capable of hacking ground vehicles, disorienting the controls, in addition shuts down utility slots temporarily. Provides additional distance. (Ex. S-AMS) - 3rd tier: Capable of hacking ground vehicles, disorienting the controls, shuts down the utility slots temporarily, in addition forcing anyone but driver to eject from the vehicle. Provides additional distance. Advanced vehicle hacking tree (Requires 3rd tier of vehicle hacking tree): - 1st tier: Can now hack air vehicles to disorient their controls. - 2nd tier: In addition shuts down all additional air vehicle utilities (No more flares etc). - 3rd tier: Distance greatly increased to air vehicles, duration to hack decreased. Note: Controls disoriented could mean just to random the keymapping of the vehicle, so suddenly Forward can be at left turn etc. Why? This provides INFs the much needed anti-armor capability, as they are currently the only class that can do absolutely nothing against armor. Perhaps you can't blow anything up. But it would be fancy to be capable of harassing the armor. Vehicles would get an warning much similar to lock, but it would warn them that they are currently being hacked.
I'm all for vehicle disorienting. There was a bug during beta that inverted controls on quads and believe me it was impossible to drive like that. I'm just wondering how effective this could be in terms of gameplay: it's already hard enough to sneak behind infantry, how often would you expect to get close to an enemy tank, or aircraft, and have all the time to do the trick? Sunderers are slow and often deployed, Flashes are forsaken all around the battlefield, but I'm afraid the changes you suggest (very interesting) would turn into very little opportunities for us to harm vehicles. Maybe a PS1 style hacking would be better, as we could just take control of the enemy vehicle then decosntruct it, which is like destroying in a single shot. I would save the disorienting effect for a new kind of primary weapon that only Infiltrators should have, a short / mid range EMP or microwave weapon that can disable vehicles weapons, jam vehicle equipments or scamble their controls.
That's pretty much the point. If INFs could do it from afar, every single sniper would be effective AV as well as AI, which is pretty much an balance issue. This would force INFs to get close (completely doable). And I really don't think blowing up vehicles fits the theme of INF, but if you can disable the spawning capability of sunderer temporarily, capable of hacking enemy aircrafts (most likely causes them to collide with ground), it would fit the role of INF and at the same time promote their utility. Not to mention they would become more crucial in fights (which they aren't at the moment). Challenging, sure, but it would be viable.
As hacking improvement, every Infiltrator will be able to do that, snipers included. As a primary weapon, Ifnfltrators will be forced to choose: harm infantry or jam vehicles? I'm saying that because I don't think I've ever managed to get close to a Magrider during these first 3 months of PS2. Not without dying, at least. I would never put certs in a skill to do such a difficult thing. I'd rather be able to shoot something like a magnetic harpoon or a small jamming droid that sticks to the enemy vehicle and disorient commands and weapons. That would be so cool!
I keep sneaking past enemy vehicles a ton, but that's because I use the Scout Rifle, and primarily play as medium / CQC inf that attempts to hack all the stuff.
I find I am more than often able to get close to vehicles, even if it is just waiting in a crevice/behind a rock next to an actively used road. Sure it is more difficult than ranged but that is sort of meant to be the point of having a cloak (even if, as people know, my opinion of the cloak is far from satisfactory). That said, I think if it took us as long as current hacking did we would be unable to do anything to a moving vehicle as it simply wouldn't stay in range long enough. Unless of course we attached a device to the vehicle and could then do it as long as we had LoS? Maybe a sticky hacking device than can be thrown. Personally, I would settle for just being able to eject a vehicle's occupants - at least I then have a chance at taking out the vehicle's driver and render the vehicle temporarily immobile (although squad members can drive the vehicle too if the locking is set to squad/platoon) or take out a gunner making the vehicle less effective.
I would kill for vehicle hacking. Maybe change it to your faction's vehicle (just the colors) but you can't repair it, or de construct it. Or the hacked vehicle will explode after a certain amount of time or if someone hops in and tries to move it.
