Throw Cams

[Surrealistik]

Summary (a quick, 2-3 sentence summary):

Engineers/Squad Leaders gain access to throw cams; these have an integrated full power flashlight and microphone and act as camera nodes on the Sec Cam and Overwatch console, automatically connecting with the Sulaco camera network, with the following title: Number (in order of throw cam deployment) + Location (qualitative name of the area they're in) + Coordinates (exact numeric coordinates of their location).

Once thrown (not dropped) they anchor to the ground. Can be manually anchored/unanchored with a wrench/screwdriver.

BOs can turn the microphone and light of deployed throw cams on and off remotely via the Overwatch console.

Throw cams are tiny objects that can fit in webbing/armour and can be destroyed with corrosive acid.

Requisition can order a crate of 7 at a cost of 30 points. Engineering and SL dispensers each start with a full box of 7.

Benefits (How this will benefit the server and game as a whole):

Makes BOs more useful in that they can monitor, scout and spot for their squad more effectively. Helps alleviate the withering boredom associated with the role.

Details (Description of how you think this would work, the benefits, etc):

Per the summary.

Implementation (Optional, if you have an idea how to implement it):

Hybridization of camera node code with beacon anchoring and station bounced radios.


And to preempt people who point out that cameras can be assembled, yes, I'm aware, unfortunately that's rarely a thing in practice given how tedious it is to manufacture the cameras, carry them with you, then set them up while you typically have better things to do as an Engineer.

[LordLoko]

Sounds ok and possible, it's basically a disposable SL helmet.

[SpanishBirdman]

Battle Scanners, I like it! Engineers already have way too much to carry though, i'd prefer it if standards had access to them in limited quantities. It seems like they wouldn't require much in the way of special IC skills to use.

+1

[KeyWii]

I play Siege too!

[Surrealistik]

I was more inspired by X-Com battlescanners TBH.

[Surrealistik]

Bump.

[KingKire]

neutral. I understand the need for command to get a clearer image on the ground and having more cameras would be a good way to get that done, but i have some small reserves on the subject as well.

thoughts:
- I feel like having 7 cameras would be too excessive for what they are worth unless they run out of power or some other situation. I would think a good balance point would be around 2 to 3 cameras. This would mean command would now have general access to about 12-16 cameras to search through if the squads were diligent at setting them up.( 2-3 throws and the squad leaders helmet)
- the limited amount of throw cameras are also balanced out by the fact that we already have camera assemblies that can be set up, although they are quite troublesome to network currently
- Having microphones would be nice, but i would understand if they weren't included as well from a gameplay/ programming standpoint.
-They should have some form of camera lighting installed. nobody wants to toss flashlights in front of the cameras, it just looks really out of place. Having the cameras installed with nightvision might be REALLY REALLY fun, as the BO in charge of the squad tries to yell and scream at where the enemy is in the night, and the squad desperately tries to find the xenos.

- The squad cameras should be hooked up to the same net as the squad leaders camera and not accessible by the normal camera network. This eliminates the headache of more cameras in the SULACO network and helps balance the fact that at any one time, an Overwatcher can only see up to 3 cameras.

Problems: Currently the squad leaders helmet cameras are a unique piece of equipment. I would not know how to make sure that the throw cameras are properly linked up to the Squad camera network, and how replacement cameras could be added into that network. ( only 3 cameras on a network at any time? Infinite cameras on a squads network? would you permanently set the squad network on the cameras startup? or can you change it over time?)

[Surrealistik]

As I said in the OP, the Throw Cams each have an integrated full power flashlight that the BO can turn on or off via the Overwatch console along with the integrated Microphone (which would basically use a variant Station Bounced Radio/Intercom code).

As for integrating the cams into the Overwatch network, you'd have them listed on an Overwatch console camera index for Squad the thrower corresponds to (they do not activate if the thrower has no squad); Squad ID locked.

[Surrealistik]

Apparently Apop likes the idea of scout drones the BOs could control which would basically be mobile, less numerous versions of this.

[Snypehunter007]

Old, lack of continued interest.

Locking.