I think that motion tracking tech should grant access to small, placeable motion sensors. Motion tracking would obviously be lowered in price(say 15-20 res). These sensors would occupy a weapon slot(or could possibly be treated like structures), and could be dropped anywhere on the map by the commander for around 5 resources per sensor. The sensors would grant motion tracking in their radius and have around 230 hp(four bites, 8 spits). When destroyed, they would explode with the force of a mine, to keep the skulks from wiping them out immediately after they are placed, while allowing gorges to destroy them from safety. This would allow the marines to watch an area without having to be there, but they would have to actually be in an area at least once to be able to watch it.

Edit: alternately, the sensor could be made quite small, and not explode.

I actualy like this idea, cept...

make it so after researched, marines start with em free, and only 2 or 3. cept they dont do damage. but are very small, like the size of a bullet hole.

This idea was suggested a LONG time ago, and there were sketches of what they could look like and all

Well, since whenever I try to search that far back the search function crashes, I think it's time the idea was revived.

If a marine started with one in his fourth slot once the tech has been researched and did not explode like a mine I think it'd be much better.

They have to be very small too so that an alien won't see them while moving.

unbalancing imo.





marines arent the ones that are supposed to know where the aliens are. if they really have to know they get mt.

c4t, you've missed the point. Currently MT is the all-seeing upgrade. My idea is to replace it with sensors that must be placed by marines.

well in that case just do this:

give MT a max radius from the obs (I know Zunni wants this lol)
MT must be upgraded at each obs separately
make MT cheaper (10-15 res, depends on radius etc.)
possibly lower obs cost to 15

There ya go, each section of MT costs ~ 25-30 res...And when an obs is selected, show the MT radius in a different color from the green "uncloak" radius (a blue line moving in a circular sweeping pattern would be even better)

just drop more obs' if you want better MT coverage (in a safe/hidden place when possible)

the cost/range/research times would need some balancing but it would add some extra strategy to the game

I'm still a fan of the fourth-weaponslot idea, where the MT device is carried around by a given Marine, granting MT in that area, but only while that Marine has the MT box out and active. It also makes noise while scanning.

Alternately it could give the entire Marine network MT for that area only, or only Marines within a given radius (and the Comm, of course).


The down side to this is that one Marine (per scanner) cannot fight. They are a dedicated sensor Marine. This falls back to the classic 'niche' system, at least in part. On the up side, if it was only within a given radius, it would definitely promote teamwork. Especially if the MT device had a warm-up time, as well as a cool-down, to prevent someone from flipping back and forth between gun and MT.

Well, what using the placeable sensors instead of an obs would do is allow the marines to gain vision of an area without having to spend so much. The obs could remain in its decloaker role and keep the same price.

Also Talesin, currently MT makes commanding much easier, for me at least. I am able to watch the aliens attempting to take an area without actually having a marine there. I would like to keep that, while removing some of the "all-knowing" from MT.

i had suggested on the constie forums that the marines would be given special visors, with a different add on model like the jetpack. the comm can drop these cheap for 2-3 res, and these can be dropped on death and picked up by another marine. motion tracking upgrade costs can be lowered accordingly to account for the extra cost of dropping visors.

The problem with obs, though, is that they are very visible and therefore easily removed from an area. A commander who drops observatories all over the map will soon be a bankrupt commander. I also do not think the observatory should be made cheaper, because it already has three abilities in itself: decloaking, localized motion tracking, and distress beacon.

Allowing the marines to place the sensors would enable placing in more obscure areas, seeing as the comander cannot drop items on ceilings and walls. To help prevent the marines from running off with sensors, they should be droppable anywhere on the map, though they could possibly be restricted to the radius of the observatory.

*bump*

I want to know what the general concenses is on this

Marines don't need anymore nerfs. MT is not researched enough as it is especially with the huge explosion of sensory-first games.