Project Reality Forums

Now, in another thread it was posted that laser targeting cannot be an unbroken laser. Is there honestly and for-truely no way that we know of to do this, or is some research in the works to make it a bit more interesting? Is there a way to use the laser, say, like the wire on the tripwire that would be 'attached' to the end of the wire, which would (be invisible, obviously, and) extend to the proper length of the target (perhaps, the length, and if a vehicle, adding some a bit of inside distance to ensure that the target will be hit, not the dirt to its side. If it doesn't work, don't sue me, I'm just trying to get juices flowing around here.



Now for the main course, this may be a bit silly of a suggestion, but I figure it could be interesting, or maybe just spark some creativity to the suggestion forum:

IR Chem-lites.

Chem-lites, for those of you who don't remember, are the glow-sticks that you crack and they begin glowing, often used on Halloween night, concerts/performances, etc.

IR Chem-lites, from what I understand, is that concept but instead of glowing, they 'glow' an IR signal, such as for bombers or helicopters, etc. I assume that they'd best be used as a 'grenade' type weapon, where on click you would crack the chem-lite, and then toss it to your area of preference. To drop them in front of you, you would right click and it would drop to your feet.

They would be similar to the lasers emitted by a GLTD but, preferably, with a longer 'lase' time. They would, in no way, replace a GLTD. But, if in the future Specops loses it's GLTD for a set of simple 'binocs with range-finder', or some other phenomenon, or even say the engineers adopt it, they could toss an IR Chem-lite into the enemy area, allowing an IR signal to be placed in areas not always easy to lase (say, tossing an IR chemlite in the front area of a heavily defended bunker on Kashan from behind the surrounding wall).




If you don't like the idea of IR Chem-lites, then feel free to say so, it came to mind and I thought it'd be a bit of interesting kit similar to the trip-flare.

I like the idea. It would act like the molotov, sticking to vehicles and being thrown like a grenade, and bombs and laser-guided missile can lock onto it, and it lasts maybe two minutes.

These would probably only be given to spec ops and officers, but the problem is that both of these kits already have nine objects. With officers, I suppose we could replace green smoke with the signal smoke and have the chem-lite be in the nine slot, but for spec ops, we have a serious problem.

Chem Lights cant be done due to the fact that the Battlefield 2 engine does not allow Dynamic Lighting. Its the reason we cant have headlights and flashlights on are rifles.

ninja'd
Edit: isn't there a dynamic lighting... setting... though..?? o.o;;;

Would be useful to mark friendly positions aswell if the lock doesn´t get confused.

LithiumFox wrote:ninja'd
Edit: isn't there a dynamic lighting... setting... though..?? o.o;;;

There is limited(ex:Lights in tunnels and in rooms, all placed by mapper.) But you cant have them moving and stuff and the type chem lights would ask for.

LtSoucy wrote:Chem Lights cant be done due to the fact that the Battlefield 2 engine does not allow Dynamic Lighting. Its the reason we cant have headlights and flashlights on are rifles.

I think it is complicated, I don´t know how. But I am sure there is a way of getting light. Saw on the BF2editor forums a thread about vehicle/weapon lights.

Ya i heard that it lags really bad if you don't have a high end computer. It is possible, but a small amount of coding and it should work, but would rather see new stuff then the headlights and chem lights.

waldo_ii wrote:I like the idea. It would act like the molotov, sticking to vehicles and being thrown like a grenade, and bombs and laser-guided missile can lock onto it, and it lasts maybe two minutes.

These would probably only be given to spec ops and officers, but the problem is that both of these kits already have nine objects. With officers, I suppose we could replace green smoke with the signal smoke and have the chem-lite be in the nine slot, but for spec ops, we have a serious problem.

I wouldn't think Officers would carry them too often, as they already have a form of Laser-Targeting, and wouldn't carry a bundle of chem-lites with them. I'd figure they'd be more likely in the hands (In PR, at least) of Specops or Engineers.

For specops, there are a few things that could be, more or less, ditched. However, it'd be all the more interesting if it was implemented as the engineer is, with it's Grappling Hook vs. AT Mine loadouts.

For one: Trip flares. For two: Grappling hook. In Kashan, Qinling, Muttrah, I figure you don't use the grappling hook all that much. For those maps, the Grappling hook could be removed, since there is less use for it (Most muttrah buildings are either modelled in the interior, or have ladders, and Kashan and Qinling are very open.)

For engineers, it could replace either of those (tripflare, grappling hook) or, in a map without the need for it, could replace the shotgun (how many times do you use the shotgun on any maps with attack helicopters/jets? Yes, more maps could eventually have the use of the shotgun-but that's not guaranteed for EVERY map).


It's unfortunate that Bunkers/Firebases can be destroyed so easily by 3 swipes of the knife. IR Chemlites would be another way, by aircraft now, that a bunker or firebase could be eliminated. Nonetheless...


Interesting use for the chemlites:

1) Blackhawk squad comes across unguarded enemy firebase. While passing overhead relatively low while transporting vital supplies or transporting a squad, a co-pilot engineer crewchief drops the chemlite on an AA launcher, and marks the firebase/AA via commander. In comes apache within the next few minutes, and it can confindently dive out of the clouds to take out the AA, especially if someone has now manned it, before it knows what hit him.

2) Specops steathily positions himself behind an APC (Say, on Muttrah) and quickly tosses an IR chemlite onto the back. He notifies the CAS on team and they easily get rid of the APC.

3) IR chemlite is placed on an actual flag area, before evacuation, and CAS moves in a minute later to drop an LGB, destroying the area. To allow for a quick assault on the area.



The chemlites should last at the least about 2 minutes. It would be more interesting, however, if it lasted 5 minutes or more, like an AT mine or C4 would. I assume that you would probably carry more than just one to be safe. I figure that 5 is a round number, allowing for a large margin of error. No more than 5 would be able to be dropped by any player at one time, perhaps?

LtSoucy wrote:Chem Lights cant be done due to the fact that the Battlefield 2 engine does not allow Dynamic Lighting. Its the reason we cant have headlights and flashlights on are rifles.

My post has absolutely NOTHING to do with Strobe-IR, Dynamic Lighting, etc.

It would be a simple white glowstick (the model, that is), that would act like a molotov (Thrown like a grenade, sticks to vehicles) and 'emits' a lase.

It's the GLTD's lase, tried and true, but in a convenient little plastic package that can be tossed onto a vehicle, out of a helicopter etc.

but that is not what the first thread is asking for .. the light would only emit light in the infrared spectrum, acting as a target for bombs and guided missiles

or in pr-ish: make a heat-source-grenade on which planes and fight-helos can lock on

edit: too late

[R-CON]Alex6714 wrote:Would be useful to mark friendly positions aswell if the lock doesn´t get confused.

I'm pretty sure a Strobe-IR could be implemented simply by marking the dropped item with the [X] AA lock symbol, used for friendly air vehicles (Have your buddy hop in a blackhawk, and you in an apache/cobra/etc and look at their chopper with AA missles equipped. You'll see the symbol I'm talking about) In no way would it 'follow' friendlies, but a heavily defended position could be marked as 'safe'.

That kind of IR-signal could be used in the engineers arsenal, as well. Who knows where you would fit it in some cases, but... who knows.


This thread is mainly for discussion and creative-suggestioning because I doubt that IR Chemlites would be extremely effective compared to the current magic GLTD laser, that sticks to things without you keeping the mark on them. They might be more useful when the target is close by, but cannot be directly lased.

If the GLTD was proper, or that it could just be useful, then by all means.

(Feel no obligation to discussing only my IR Chemlites; as I have suggested an alternative for Strobe-IR, feel free to discuss how that might work in code.)

I love the idea, it would give a bit more teamwork between the helicopter transport/jet/chopper squads and the squad leaders if you ask me...

That's what I had hoped. Honestly, the power of TeamSpeak with other squadleaders (especially ground squads when in CAS) will never be overcome.

However, in helicopters, it will become MUCH easier to see the layout of friendlies. Anyone looking NOT to get hit should probably make sure he has an IR-Strobe handy (granted, it'd likely be one-time-use and therefore it might be a good idea to either make it automatically reload after the first marker disappears, or give the equipped soldier many of them.

LtSoucy wrote:Chem Lights cant be done due to the fact that the Battlefield 2 engine does not allow Dynamic Lighting. Its the reason we cant have headlights and flashlights on are rifles.

saucy you really have to read posts before you start yelling hard coded like some expert.

Anyway the idea is solid, I like it and was wondering about it myself. Nice post

IRL, Frendly positions are typically marked by IR reflectors or strobes/beacons. IR isnt a locking system, merely an optical one that you can see very easily in NVGs and FLIR cameras (Air to air Excluded). If the other side had the same capability, I dont know it if would be used.

[R-CON]Alex6714 wrote:Would be useful to mark friendly positions aswell if the lock doesn´t get confused.

Yeah, this way the enemy couldn't see where you were unless they brought in an aircraft or AA of their own during a pickup.

eh, i dont think missiles would be able to lock onto something of that sort, if i do recall these IR chem lights are only meant for marking things for troops with NVGs. i've also seen a documentary of canadian snipers using them as trip lights, where a tripwire would set it off and alert the spotter

Nice idea to give the engi something to mark enemy or friendly targets.

And it would be great to get the hellfire able to lock on it. This would push cas in a much greater way as it is now...

And the engi had great new equipment for the loose of its c4 ...

waldo_ii wrote:I like the idea. It would act like the molotov, sticking to vehicles and being thrown like a grenade, and bombs and laser-guided missile can lock onto it, and it lasts maybe two minutes.

These would probably only be given to spec ops and officers, but the problem is that both of these kits already have nine objects. With officers, I suppose we could replace green smoke with the signal smoke and have the chem-lite be in the nine slot, but for spec ops, we have a serious problem.

give to engies

Celestial1 wrote:I'm pretty sure a Strobe-IR could be implemented simply by marking the dropped item with the [X] AA lock symbol, used for friendly air vehicles (Have your buddy hop in a blackhawk, and you in an apache/cobra/etc and look at their chopper with AA missles equipped. You'll see the symbol I'm talking about) In no way would it 'follow' friendlies, but a heavily defended position could be marked as 'safe'.

See that I like. Could also be used to help guide in friendly CAS;

"Enemy 200m north of my position!"
*drops beacon*
You are lit up to the heli as a friendly, who can then see which direction you're meaning.

Also adding such a device to Bunkers & FB's would be GREAT; at least once I've heard a gunner say "I almost hellfire'd your FB" cos they didn't know whose it was (you can open the map, but that takes time).

Only problem is, IR is IR, so anything you drop is visible to the enemy too.