29 replies to this topic

[SamC]

A mobile sniper isn't a bad idea, but it would require modeling and animating a new character. Also, to make a useful mobile sniper, there would have to be a way to get it up to sniper perches, which would require adding in stairs or ramps and second stories, which are already tricky to map.

Players have already been trained by the existing games on how snipers act - they're stationary and can be killed by explosives only. The players would figure it out after a while, but it would probably put a few people off, making them relearn something they thought they already had figured out.

Most of the existing encounters with snipers have carefully designed cover to keep the player from being slaughtered. A mobile sniper would mean sniper encounter spaces would have to be designed so no matter where the sniper is, players would have somewhere to safely take cover and return fire. Not impossible, but difficult, adding more work for level designers.

The Rebels don't have a weapon that's good at long ranges against mobile targets, which could make fighting a mobile sniper frustrating.

There's not a good way to tell what would be in range of the sniper for the Overwatch. It's hard to tell from directly overhead what's in range and what's not. With the current stationary snipers, level designers can make sure snipers have a good overview and extensively test layouts. What looks like a great sniper spot from above could be terrible, leading to frustration when the sniper isn't firing at targets that look in range.

It's possible to have a sort of "mobile" sniper already. The level designer could place multiple snipers, with an Overwatch button for each, and make it so only one can be activated at a time. If another sniper is spawned, any existing sniper is deactivated, with a delay after clicking the spawn button before the new sniper spawns to simulate the sniper having to move to the new position. It's sort of a hack, but you'd still get some of the functionality you're talking about.

Mobile snipers aren't impossible, but I think it would require a lot of work to deal with the issues I outlined above, besides having to animate and model a new character.

[WAXT]

SamC, on 04 January 2011 - 12:52 PM, said:

Also, to make a useful mobile sniper, there would have to be a way to get it up to sniper perches, which would require adding in stairs or ramps and second stories, which are already tricky to map.

Stairs and ramps are difficult to map? I've had no problems with this.

SamC, on 04 January 2011 - 12:52 PM, said:

Players have already been trained by the existing games on how snipers act - they're stationary and can be killed by explosives only. The players would figure it out after a while, but it would probably put a few people off, making them relearn something they thought they already had figured out.

Relearn how to kill combine foot-soldiers? You confuse me.

SamC, on 04 January 2011 - 12:52 PM, said:

Most of the existing encounters with snipers have carefully designed cover to keep the player from being slaughtered. A mobile sniper would mean sniper encounter spaces would have to be designed so no matter where the sniper is, players would have somewhere to safely take cover and return fire. Not impossible, but difficult, adding more work for level designers.

Riot shield!

SamC, on 04 January 2011 - 12:52 PM, said:

The Rebels don't have a weapon that's good at long ranges against mobile targets, which could make fighting a mobile sniper frustrating.

Crossbow?

[SamC]

With the stairs and ramps comment, I meant adding overlapping second stories, which can be tricky when having to keep the Overwatch view in mind. Most of the existing sniper areas are just a closed off box, without stairs or hallways leading up to it. I was thinking of the extra work to connect these sniper spots. Not really difficult, just more work.

With relearning, I meant that when players see a blue laser, they're probably going to be looking for a stationary sniper they'll need to blast out of his perch. Probably not a big deal.

I wasn't thinking about the riot shield, you're right there.

There is the crossbow, but it's not all that great at shooting moving targets from a distance due to the slow flight time. Maybe that's just my lack of skill showing.

[warbrand2]

SamC, on 05 January 2011 - 01:16 PM, said:

There is the crossbow, but it's not all that great at shooting moving targets from a distance due to the slow flight time. Maybe that's just my lack of skill showing.

depends on the player i can snipe a fast headcrab easily at a range

[Quenquent]

SamC, on 04 January 2011 - 12:52 PM, said:

Most of the existing encounters with snipers have carefully designed cover to keep the player from being slaughtered. A mobile sniper would mean sniper encounter spaces would have to be designed so no matter where the sniper is, players would have somewhere to safely take cover and return fire. Not impossible, but difficult, adding more work for level designers.

-Sniper aim with a lazer, so the players know where he is.
-If god gave us a voice, it's to say "Sniper!"
-Because he's walking, he take more time to aim so to shoot too.
-Without sniper, the level designer do some cover : why change it?

[warbrand2]

mobile sniper pros cons (as far as i can tell.)

pros:

• costs less time and effort to keep a sniper in the current battle area.
  
• can avoid rpgs/nades/pistols to the face.
  
• tactical advantage

cons

• would require custom model ans AI
  
• not good in a group
  
• can die by gunfire not just explosives
  
• slower fire rate as they need to re-aim the weapon and turn the laser on
  
• primary target for rebels

[ChromeE]

From what i can see, the cons outweigh the pros. lets let this one go.

[warbrand2]

actually none of the cons are heavy downs for it in fact they would balance its damage out pretty well.

[ScrooLewse]

I have no opinion, yet I keep on talking...

Could the mobile sniper be a "light sniper"? Being a long-range foot soldier, as the SMG is the mid-range and the Shotty is the short-range? They would be dispatched in small squads, or mixed into shotgun and SMG squads like the elites in Citadel.

Light Sniper vs. Classic Sniper:

• Light Sniper does 35 damage per-shot, as opposed to the instant kill of the Classic Sniper
  
• Light Sniper has 25 health, one fifth of the Classic Sniper and half that of the standard Overwatch Soldier
  
• Light Sniper's laser is fainter then Classic Sniper's laser

Of course, all numbers are estimates just to get a feel of how it would work and are based off of Half Life 2 statistics.

[Gabe(HUN)]

Well....Mobile sniper idea It's good, but yes, the changing is very hard.
-making custom model and AI: well, the hardest is the model, because what will be think, how do this unit looking at?

a,like the other OW unit just a new color, or
b,the Female assasin from the beta, or
c,another wild look?

...the recolor is more easier I think... well the AI is the another problem:

a, create a wildly new or
b,just taking the combine soldier's AI with some point, like when this unit being a shoot, he/she(?)must crounch, or have got the ability to throw grenade or not?

And we can't talking about the sniper rifle: It will be:
a, the beta sniper rifle( the easiest I think)
b, the Orange box sniper rifle( what is unrealistic to carry the sniper one about 30kg sniper rifle in the close combats I think) or
c, create another new model?

And for the weapon: The rebels have got the chance to carry that gun or not?

-How can that unit spawned? I like the idea that spawn like the Elites in the ow_citadel, but it is way better when the new barracks system come out, when we create our own squads( )

- Is it tactically or not? I think yes with the cons too: Imagine when in a map like ow_breach the rebels spotting a marching combine squad with SMGs, shotgunners, and a sniper....when the rebels try to kill the shotgunners and the SMGs,the sniper can easily shoot down the rebels, recreate a new strategy for the rebels...the cooperation!!!!

-About the covers in maps: well...is it much more better than the situations in the most maps( like ow_ canals), when we haven't got any cover and the players with shields can't use these weapons so they running to death....It will be more better, then reducing the accuracy of the AI, because we are talking about some transhuman soldiers, with their weapons, that they can't famous in the category of accuracy, not like Chuck Norris with darts!!!

Anyway, I write this because I found a picture, when we saw a sniper unit for the HL2wars: Revolution (mini-mod for the HL2 wars) and I just write down my opinions to choosing what will be better...