Uhm, it does just that? At least in my NS version

Alright, that could be

I like this idea ... a lot

and the atmospheric side of it is also good - if any thing, perhaps boost the effectiveness of MT when in Ob's range (ie, give estimated life-form size: small/large for skulk-lerk-gorge/fade-onos) and then it all goes quiet when out of obs range...

price of obs would perhaps have to be changed for balance? can't decide if it should be more or less!

i take nr. 1

the main problem is, as already mentiond, the DMS boredom...

Um, dont observatories already expose moving aliens within a limited range without mt?

MT/obs is the counter to Cloaking/SC's NOT the other way around. here is why...

each SC cost 10rez and must be placed to form a "net" across the map to negate MT (this means 20+ SC chambers = 200+ rez). in hight traffic areas you will want to put more the one sc down because the marines will be looking to kill them. in the end it is pointless to try sc agains a "good" com. 2 to 3 obs (obs cost 15 rez = 30 to 45 rez) in base bound the hot keys will keep a steady "ping" of scan area and most of your SC will go down. throw in MT (MT cost 35 rez - first upgrade got by many good coms) and cloaking is no longer effective.
you may ask what about focus? armor one and MT can be had right at the start (ip = 20, armory = 10, obs = 15, AL = 25, MT = 35, armor one = 20). while the total cost is 25 more rez than the start rez half of it will be gained just in the time it takes to build all that. anyone stupid (and there will be) will jump the gun and rush in, get killed adding yet another 1-3 rez (25 rez on one rt is not hard to come by).


it is posable to win with sc but every one needs to get to MS at the start of the game 2 people gorge (you must pin in the marnes and defend the gorges at this point) and drop sc just outside MS. do to the slow respawn time of the kharra you will most likely need to camp untill 2nd hive goes up or untill you have 2 to 3 fades (or just one uber fade).

if you can take the base useing sc you most likely could have just rushed from the start and won right off.

1. Good idea, since it lets aliens walk around (making no noise), so you can still see most alien movement. But at most it will do is tell you there are enemy signitures nearby, instead of directly at this location. The problem is silence can pretty much nullify MT (well it wont be called motion tracking if it only picks up noise), if its "motion noise". Whats worse is "motion noise" no longer counters the sensory cloaking ability. Most skulks will be able to get around cloaked at medium distances to short distances if they use sensory. Thus cloaking will be significantly better as MT wont be able to do anything but tell you a skulk is over there (in a reasonably far area). This is of course once people start using cloaking effectively.

2. The global minimap change wont do much. One guy already mentioned how the minimap doesnt show enough to really tell you if a skulk is nearby. Usually if you can see the enemy on the minimap he is already within shooting distance. Also, all you will be doing is forcing players to flash their map and use it more often. Since the map is as accurate as the HUD MT (in some cases more accurate), you'll pretty much be able to use the map as a alternative way of seeing aliens moving towards your position. So really, this wont affect MT that much.

3. Limited Range, Near Obs only. Obviously this limited range thing has to be further than the normal observetory range. This really puts MT in a defensive position. Yes its normally used for defense, but now you have locked it into places where an obs exist. This mostly makes MT worthless until the team has enough resources to put observetories around locked down areas. Obs are weak enough that if the area isnt defended, they will be destroyed reguardless of turrets or electrification, which really makes you wonder if its worth spending 25 resources to drop a new obs for that area. Plus, MT wont be very effective because most of the time marines wont be moving with areas covered by an observetory. Therefore they wont be able to reap the benefits of MT on the field, only in stationary positions....plus the fact that they dont need MT when defending. Its easy enough to watch a few places with a turret or a phasegate near you. You can usually guess where aliens are coming from, and you can also hear them most of the time (because most alien players arent sneaky). Even reguardless of being sneaky, in a defensive position you have a lot more reaction time vs on the move.

4. Full Range, but must be near obs. This is basically #3, except now you can see everything on the map. This is mostly for the commander's enjoyment. This can only make it crutial for the commander to relay information, as again its too expensive to drop 25 resource observatories in any place except ones that are already locked down. Defensive MT is pretty much useless. So now your forcing the commander to relay the MT information to his troops. This wont happen too much, because one, once a skulk stops moving the MT cant see it, so the commander wont always know where they are. Two, the commander cant keep tabs on multiple marines in different rooms at the same time. This will again put the usefulness of MT in scope, as is it really worth 35 resources to research when it takes 25 to activate it for marines, otherwise taking up commander time to watch for blips for marines, then relay the information, and waypoint the blips for the marines?

5. Placeable static motion trackers. See future ideas.

Noise = Movement. I use the term 'noise' for other moving objects in the map not being picked up by motion tracking. I'm proposing that Motion Tracking should pick up everything, like the name of the technology suggests.

No idea what that means, when it acts exactly the same as MT does now.

Your logic is still a little fuzzy here, but I think what you're saying is "cloaking will become significantly better" even though Motion Tracking will be acting the EXACT SAME WAY except now highlighting stationary apparatus.

If you CAN distinguish RT locations & marine locations between skulk movement, I don't see how this will make cloaking "significantly better" when MT acts & behaves the same way as it does now.

We're trying to stray from the easy point & shoot circles combat style fighting. Moving the hostiles from the H.U.D to the minimap WILL BE an improvement. If you say the map is as, or even more accurate than the HUD, than good for you! When I play alien, I'll take whatever I can get.

Yes, this will be further than normal obs range. The main advantage of this idea is that it DOES PUT MT into a defensive position.

Commanders will just have to think twice as hard about researching MT for the early game.

You're missing the point of the thread.

Yes, why should on the move marines have the same reaction time of defending marines? Are you afraid the ambush tactic might make a comeback?

Exactly.

It's only as useless as the commander makes it out to be.

Any links?

Just wanted to say that I agree that motion tracking is overpowered. I'll leave it up to the devs to determine how exactly they want to deal with it - but please please please nerf it.

I'm confused.

An armory + obs + mt = 10 + 20 + 35 = 65 res.
An armory + arms + a1 + 4 shotties = 10 + 25 + 20 + 40 = 95 res.

If you're implying that these are comparably powerful upgrades, yet mt is 30 res less, I think that's important to note.

Agreed.