Feedback Request: Diagnostic Tool

HCFrog

Out of designing the Org Abilities, we've decided to make some sort of
diagnostic tool for y'all, for the purposes of duels, tournaments, etc.
You could use this tool on another player to find out some info about
what they're running.

Now up front, the first thing is: this tool would give you NO INFO
about their loadout, except for whether or not they had any Org
abilities running. I know people have their personal loadouts they've
developed through a lot of trial and error, they don't necessarily want
to share this with other people, and by no means am I suggesting that
you could see any of that info.

Here are the things I figure it might report on:

Org Abilities (just whether you had any loaded, not which ones)

Tactics Boosters

Are there any other things you'd want to know - health boosters?

Would it be okay for someone to have one of these tools, usable at any
time including during PvP, so they could tell if you had TBs or Org abs
going? It could use a confirmation dialog, but that opens up a whole
area for griefing (people spamming the confirmation at you during PvP
or something) that I'd greatly prefer to avoid. So the ideal situation
is that it reports information that can be public at any time.

My assumption is that TBs would be okay to report since they have a
visible activation FX already, and other players can see you start
doing them... but I could be wrong SMILEY

Advisary

would you need an ability to be loaded to use these tools?

**Symmetric**

I believe it should report any positive and negative buffs on a non-hostile player. This means items like TBs, Antibiotics, Health Inhalers, and Health Boosters, as well as any upgrades provided by Upgrade Masters and the like. It should also report any downgrades on the player, such as Death Effect and things like Despoiler, etc.

For hostile players, it should only report upgrades granted by items, and all downgrades. Put it on a timer, too, to prevent players from just running around reporting everyone's upgrades and downgrades.

And yes, a confirmation dialog would be a great addition as well.

Message Edited by Symmetric on 04-20-2006 03:08 PM
Message edited by Symmetric on 04/20/2006 11:08:55.

**Roukan**

HCFrog wrote:

My assumption is that TBs would be okay to report since they have a
visible activation FX already, and other players can see you start
doing them... but I could be wrong

That one PB coat gives the same animation.

Dragn-Mastyr

I like it. It'd be really nice to be able to check for TBs and Org Abilities so you can organize a nice fair duel or tournament. The only other issue I could think of would be any upgrades from like Upgrade Masters or Force Multipliers so we can account for those. But that's a pretty minor point IMO.

And it should be available to use on both hostile and nonhostile targets - otherwise what use will it be on Vector? Checking if the level 15 has a tac booster on?

In terms of questions, would there be a reuse timer? A usage timer (like lockpicking or whatever)? An ability required to use it?

All I can think of right now.

Peer

How about something along the lines of a Gieger Counter?

It basically just reports the number of upgrades a person has (either from abilities, applied buffs, or clothing).

Make it so the only way you can use the counter is in Block... and if you use it on a flagged player, you flag.

**PBlade**

Perhaps a display to see if they're using more than one type of tree (i.e - Operative and Hacker) maybe?

HCFrog

There would not be an ability required to use it, anyone could use it. (unless you want a new fight referee tree SMILEY

)

Probably no usage timer.

I think it definitely should show hostile info, as that's the only way
you could have an impartial ref or second opinions from opposing orgs
on Vector.

There would definitely be a re-use timer, maybe along the lines of 5
seconds or so, to avoid lagging up the game with a bunch of diagnostic
spam.

**Warboy**

HCFrog wrote:
There would not be an ability required to use it, anyone could use it. (unless you want a new fight referee tree )

Probably no usage timer.

I think it definitely should show hostile info, as that's the only way
you could have an impartial ref or second opinions from opposing orgs
on Vector.

There would definitely be a re-use timer, maybe along the lines of 5
seconds or so, to avoid lagging up the game with a bunch of diagnostic
spam.

Will it have a animation so everyone knows your scanning someone?

Also here are the things i think should be added into the scanner

1) Org Skills
2) Buffs
3) Tatic Boosters
4) Event Items in use (Neo's Insight, Zion hardware blah, Glimps of the source, etc)
5) Memory in use
6) Clothing Buffs

How about make the animation like a code bomb effect? The tool acts like the code anazlyer and when you use it, green code moves from you on the ground and red code comes into you from the air?

The reason to make it act like the code anazlyer so it has drop down menus and stuff.

Like
Player - Name1
              Name2
              Name3
              Name4
etc then

NameX - Scan for Org Skills
               Scan for Buffs
               Scan for Tatic boosters
               Scan for Event Items
               Scan for memory useage
               Scan Current Clothing

then it gives you feedback over in the area of the code anazlyer were it normally tells you the things used to make the item. Etc.

But you can scan everyone within 50meters at the sametime.

Message Edited by Warboy090 on 04-20-2006 03:27 PM
Message edited by Warboy on 04/20/2006 11:27:29.

HCFrog

Warboy090 wrote:

Glimps of the source

when I read that I thought it said "Gimps of the source"... :smileysurprised:

**Symmetric**

HCFrog wrote:

Warboy090 wrote:

Glimps of the source

when I read that I thought it said "Gimps of the source"... :smileysurprised:

lawl.

You're right about the whole Vector thing...can't place too many restrictions on the tool, or else it wouldn't be fair to the Vector crowd.

**Tytanya_MxO**

I dont tend to duel much myself but this will be a godsend to those that do SMILEY

The interest is generally in those buffs that could be given by external influences and parties, so yes TB's or health boosters but also things such as combat enhancement 1.0, health regen boost etc from the patcher tree. A scan before a duel could generate a simple report along the lines;

scanning.....

Booster present: present/none

Org ability: present/none

Clothing buff : present/none

Additional buff: present/none

if the scan involved a timer 5 - 10 seconds that was interruptable and also was unusable in stealth the actual ability it's use in general pvp would be minimal - the only time I can imagine it being relevent would be where someone has 'Delete Upgrade' loaded (they'd be able to use their skill that bit more efficiently than at present) - if it could be made mutually exclusive to that tree all negatives are really covered but even if not its not the end of the world.

Overall would be an excellent tool for player events!

**Warboy**

HCFrog wrote:

Warboy090 wrote:

Glimps of the source

when I read that I thought it said "Gimps of the source"... :smileysurprised:

:smileyindifferent:
Too much coffee for Frog today?

Also, i edited that post with some more info

Message Edited by Warboy090 on 04-20-2006 03:29 PM
Message edited by Warboy on 04/20/2006 11:29:12.

HCFrog

There will be some sort of animation.

Actually now that I think of it, yes there will definitely be a usage
timer on it, just like other abilities. Maybe even a fairly long usage
timer; that way the person has to stand still for a while to use it,
making it a lot harder to use in a hostile situation. It could even
possibly disable a bunch of your own abilities and remove all your
buffs or something like that... hmmm

[ heh tytanya and I had the same idea at the same time it looks like SMILEY

]

Message Edited by HCFrog on 04-20-2006 12:30 PM
Message edited by HCFrog on 04/20/2006 11:30:18.

**Byte_Crawler**

How about it also tells you if Hyper Dodge, Block, Sense, or Deflect is running in the buffer?

Maybe attribute number information?

PS: Everytime I look at your sig HCF I'm reminded of George Costanza and the Frogger episode. lol

So do you look like George?

Message Edited by ByteCrawler on 04-20-2006 03:31 PM
Message edited by Byte_Crawler on 04/20/2006 11:31:24.