Would the laser sight work for a stealth based LA?

I often like to camp on top of enemy towers, shoot anyone who tries to spawn an air vehicle, that sort of thing. I also hip fire a lot, but considering how it is apparently as visible as having a spawn beacon coming out of your gun, should I still get it? Or do you think that it would be too "loud" in the sense that it would draw people's eyes to where I am, where they usually go through the door underneath and not really notice me

If you're camping you shouldn't need it. You'll be ADS during the camping portion so the laser won't mean anything and, if anyone comes up, the tops of towers are so close that non-laser hipfire will be well accurate enough.

For reference, what weapon are you using?

You can turn the laser off by pressing "L" and still get the benifit of it.

LC3 Jaguar at the moment, I probably spend about 25% of my time on towers or in trees, the other 75% is really just running round sticking to rooftops. As it is, I'm only ever actually noticed when there is someone is running from the edge of the launchpad to the centre of the tower, but I can usually get them before they've had enough time to react. Basically I know that it'd help me when I'm not on the tower or in a tree, but I'm wondering if it'll give me away when I am. Apparently pressing L to turn it off is currently bugged or something?

Ow, well, a Jag (or Lynx like I use) really wants the advanced laser. In that case, I'd grab it. The beam is there but it won't make too much of a difference, I don't think. There's a lot of banners and pointy crap up on those things to obscure you, regardless.

With anything but those two I'd skip it but it's the core of those weapons and you gain so much by using it, the trade off isn't, in my mind, a question.

Thanks for the advice!

Going to teach you a magic trick. Press L next time you have your laser sight equipped. It will turn the laser off but keep the bonuses.

Happy hunting.

I remember reading in another thread that turning the laser sight off with L does not turn it off for your enemies.

Anyhow, I don't think laser sight should effect your ability to sneak around too much, since no one ever looks up anyways

Hmmm, can anyone confirm this?

Would be something to consider passing on if this is true. The forward grip would go well with the .75 movement speed while ADSing, though sadly you only get one rank unlike laser. Plus I wouldn't have to manually turn it off anymore which gets old.

Yeah I want to know too. The posts I've read so far are conflicting.
So far Ive tested with allies since I haven't had an opportunity to test with an enemy. I know for allies the laser disappears with the cloak and pressing L also turns it off to them. (confirmed this in game yesterday)

I never bother turning off my laser, and it still works great for my stealth build. It's not nearly as noticeable as you've been made to believe. I'm pretty sure turning off the laser does nothing, because the laser will be shown on your corpse in the death screen, but I could be wrong.

Just discovered today that unless you are almost next to the ally/enemy who has the laser equipped it doesn't show up at all, meaning that unless they are right underneath me looking straight at me the laser wouldn't even render for them, and I think that at that point I am pretty much discovered anyway. I can also say that I went ahead and bought the advanced laser, and it didn't seem that I was being seen any more than usual. I'm actually pretty happywith it, as it means now I can equip the 3.4x holodot sight for longer ranges and just hipfire for people standing under me. Thanks for all who replied!

There's been a post by a bunch of guys who extensively tested Laser Sigths visibility for Infiltrators, here's what they found out:

Imagine that every player has two graphic models, exterior - which every other player sees, and interior - your *hands with weapon* that only youu see.

Let's say you login into game, choose your loadout with weapon with laser sights and spawn.You'll have your Laser Sight turned on by default.

Now, if you turn Laser Sights off, laser beam will vanish from both exterior and interior models. Enemies and allies won't see laser beam coming out of your weapon.

If you die now, or respawn, or even - perhaps - resupply, your interior model will stay unchanged, Laser Beam will be invisible for you,
But your exterior model will not retain it, after respawn laser beam will appear again, even though you don't see it on your interior model.
To make laser beam invisible once again you have to turn laser sights on, and then off again. It's useful to rebind the key to something closer for that.

That's how it worked at least pre 2.02 patch.

Ooooooh. That's extremely useful information.

AFAI can tell the render distance for the beam is something like 10m. It's not gonna give u away unless they're already almost on top of you.

We tested the Laser extensively for our Infiltrator, these are our findings:

• if you turn the laser off with "L", it gets turned off for everyone in your rendering range (friends and foes)
• if someone from outside your rendering range gets closer, the laser always renders - it doesn't matter if you have it on or off
• not 100% sure what exactly happens if you leave and get back into rendering range, but we think it renders again.
• if you activate the laser again, it renders for everyone, if you deactivate it then, its hidden again (for everyone in your rendering range)

So when you have the laser attached, try to activate and deactivate it in a safe moment, so that it is hidden again for all enemies in your vicinity (e.g. during reload).

is this still the case... and does the bonus still work?

same question to you sir... whats the status of this as of GU6

The bonus always works, whether the laser is visible or not. You can tell that yourself. Hit L to turn the laser off and on. Your reticle stays the same size. Unequip the laser and the reticle will return to the normal, larger size.

The rules for when the laser renders can be complicated. But think about it from a macro level. At any one time, there are hundreds of opponents running around with lasers equipped. It is a popular device. How often do *you* see lasers on the other guy? How often do you spot an enemy because of his laser? Hardly ever. So whatever the rendering rules are, don't worry about it. The laser isn't giving away your position.

In Beta, when they first introduced the lasers, it was nuts. Every swinging d1ck had them, and it was like star wars with little light sabers everywhere. Hence the rendering changes.

in the last update GU6, graphics were significantly improved for players with low settings in particular, while retaining FPS rates. I got shot the other day hiding behind a box because my laser was pointing out. Guy told me i should turn it off cause it still worked... BLEW MY MIND.

Glad i know about this now.