I don't recall what is the in-game explanation of the alien's cloacking ability so I'll resort to what I have seen from sci-fi movies and theories.

If cloacking is somekind of naturaly generated low energy field emanating from alien's body, then wouldn't it be logical that this alien's view is affected by this field ? I'll explain why.

The way we see things in the world is by receiving in our eyes, the reflected light beams bouncing off objects. Therefore we see those objects.

Now if an object is preventing light from being bounced off by making it go around it or through it, wouldn't be logical to say that the actual alien being cloacked would have a bit of a distorted view of his surroundings because light isn't properly being caught up by its eyes ?

Wouldn't this be possible to implement a distorted view of the alien's point of view ?

The only thing is what kind of distortion it would be.

By the way, since in-games we still can see cloacked aliens because they are actualy something like 5% visible, is it because of the graphic's engine limitations or an actual programed limitations to give marines a chance ? If I know there is a cloacked alien around, I simply stand still until I see some weird low color fluctuations and shoot.

these are mysterious aliens. and yes it was included that aliens are visible because being 100 percent invisible is quite unbalanced.
ps:ur grammar/spelling sucks =(

I don't think a change like this one is really necessary...it wouldn't add to gameplay, and I can't really think of a distortion that wouldn't drive me and others crazy, unless it was a pretty subtle effect. I wouldn't mind it in that case, but I dont know if it's worth the effort.



And x5, I respectfully disagree with your opinion on 100% cloaking. If cloaking became 100%, the only way to get around it is by getting the appropriate upgrade to counter cloakers. This style of rock-paper-scissors play works very well for a pure RTS game, but not at all for the FPS genre, because it takes out the skill requirement, for both the cloaker and the marine.

As long as people aren't changing their gamma to spot cloakers, it's possible (but not likely) that a cloaker will be spotted before it gets within range. Keep in mind that like the other upgrades, cloaking is only intended to assist you, not serve up the marine on a silver platter. The current cloaking can already be used quite effectively, and you can get kills with it reliably as long as you aren't stupid.

The only problems with the current cloaking system are smoke rendering and "gamma hackers", and while I realize these problems need to be dealt with somehow, I don't believe 100% cloak is the answer.

I agree with Sith, and IIRC the Kharaa cloaking works by checking the environment around the alien with photoreceptors and altering the alien's skin pigmentation and actually creating light (no idea how that works) so that the alien blends in with the environment. That's why you can't move quickly; you'd exceed the "refresh rate" of the Skulk or other alien's skin.

thats why you cloak where they wont loook closely. cloaking is already incredibly powerful. it isnt meant to be used to rush marines and stand in the middle of the doorway waiting for them to walk into you.
just because u have cloaking doesnt mean u completely ignore ambushing altogether.

Aliens should be given the ability to destroy lighting in rooms, I know that there are SEVERE limitations with HL1 engine, so I wont suggest that, but I will state that most maps ive played, have been very, VERY bright, especially for bases where there has been combat before. Isnt it reasonable to think that the aliens would learn that Humans need light to see better, and thusly take out the lights?

Anyway, im getting beyond my point. 100% cloaking, while it would be nice, would be partially overbalanced, for now. A way to rectify this, is to make areas of maps dark and gloomy and have Marines use a flashlight, with 95% or even 85% cloaking, this would open up extreeme ambush sposts, while retaining the low cloaking, and might even make room for flares (I know, I wont suggest that again, emphasis on MIGHT)

But currently, with the HL1 engine, we need to keep with the way it is now, its not possible to have these suggestions, but possibly in future versions, we might see 100% claoking, and motion trackers, possibly even special flares that show up claoked aliens, or possibly even Bacterial anomalies that give 100% claoking, but only in designated areas.

But as it is now, its the best and the most balanced it could ever be.

As for view distortion, I vote no. Only because, although your science and thinking are apt, this is not phase shifting were talking about, this is body camoflague, the only possible change I would make, is make the skulks eyes show up when cloaked, surely his eyes cant go invisible without some kind of second eyelid. Damn, I just shot down my own argument. I hate being this stupid.

this disortion idea reminds me of a posible field using the glow effect

Pika, if they took out the lights the aliens couldn't see either. Marines would be camping corners and waiting for footsteps; it would actually help them more than the aliens.

If I were going to add a new alien vision mode I'd implement something like the "eyeshine" night vision from Escape From Butcher Bay.

if lights can be taken out , why not bring back enhanced sight?

People that say that 100% cloaking is overpowered seem to forget that scan completely counters it. It is the only upgrade whose benefit can be completely eliminated.

The "eyeshine" effect is from the movies 'Pitch Black', and 'The Chronicles of Riddick', if you want to find out more. Pitch Black is a pretty good movie (the other one was okay, but nothing special)

Hummm, geting a bit away from the purpose of my post.

I am not asking 100% cloacking but if it was the case, then using a distorted view would help to balance the chances of marine survival and prevent gamma cheaters.

The current % of cloacking is understandable and it does give the marines a chance to survive but while being in action, people don't pay attention to the surroundings. That's why scanning and MT is there. To help marines spot those cloackers so they don't just sit there wating to be killed in the back.

This idea is nice, but there's been a lot of balance suggestion threads lately and it looks like this one will join the pile! When will there be cosmetic changes made to NS? That's obviously what it needs right now.

I'm sick of people saying that cosmetic advanced in NS can't be made simply becuase there's work to be done on the gameplay. You can do work on both, and with NS approaching the FINAL version 3.0, I must say we have done a lot for NS. No reason not to stop with gameplay refinements.

I cloak alot, and usualy no one ever sees me. I think it should be 100% for CO because they get scan, and it scans EVERY time they are by cloaking. When they get scan, my entire stratigy is destroyed and i ahve to do something new. Marines complain about my cloaking all the time, but they dont want to get scan so i figure they can suffer. For NS i dont care, because no one ever cloaks. (Its pointless to when you cant get focus with it, and the marines usualy get armor quick so your normal bite sucks)

i agree with what he is saying, i think there should be a bmp overlap like when gestating. for those of you who have played AVP gold then u know what kind of vision i mean

As far as I ken, Cloaking works very much like a chameleon, but it emits light as well (phosphates?) 100% cloaking is bad. I wouldn't worry at all when I had Cloaking. I don't mind people waiting for the fluctuation when I walk by.. afterall, that's what I do. It's the people with their gamma jacked up to obscene levels that annoy me.

As for a special cloaking effect, I'm interested in what you'd think of something that actually increased the gamma (or something to that effect) of anyone who was cloaked. Think of it as a result of the phosphates. More light entering the eye. Not only would this be less disorienting than having huge white fangs all over your screen that makes things harder to see (take a screenshot of NS. Crop a small part. Make a wiiide picture in Paint, all white, and put the screenshot in the middle. Now, main the white screen black. It's easier to see, yes?) but you'd be able to see Marines in darker areas more easily (as well as PUNISH PEOPLE WHO HAVE THEIR GAMMA UP BY INCREASING IT TO A POINT WHERE THEY CAN SEE NOTHINGZZZZZ)