Informant Kit

[Onil]

One thing i don't like about the old civilian kit (current collaborator kit) is that it was always used to help the insurgents since it is on the insurgents team (and that's why it was renamed). I think it would be interesting to let the civilian decide who he wants to help but since we can't have a third in game team for the civilians, i only saw two options.

The first option was to add a civilian informant kit to the coalition spawn menu or as a request kit (limited in numbers of course). This would allow both teams to have civilian informants and they wouldn't be distinguished in game unless the name tag appears (1 meter close for enemy name tag).

The second option is more complex and requires more interaction and teamwork:

- Add an "informant kit" that (as the officer kit) can only be requested by a SL (Coalition Only)
- Add the following to the kit: Hands, Rocks, Binoculars, Hook, Red Smoke, Field Dressings
- Keep the Collaborator's model for the Informant so that it is hard to distinguish them
- Limit it to 1 or 2 kits only so that it is not over used
- Make so that it can be requested anywhere on the map by someone with an Officer Kit (Coalition Only)
- Make so that only someone with a Collaborator Kit can pickup the Informant Kit
- Make so that someone with an Informant kit cannot pickup any other kit
- Make so that the Coalition receives X Intel points when the Collaborator pickups up the Informant Kit (same amount as the current arrests) needs to be limited to the first time only so that it isn't over used.
- Make so that an Informant doesn't receive any penalty for being arrested or killed by the Coalition
- Make so that the Coalition receives a penalty for killing an informant (as when killing a collaborator outside of the ROE)
- Make so that the Coalition receives no Intel points for arresting an Informant
- Make so that an Insurgent that kills an Informant receives no penalty for the TK
- If possible, make so that the Informant appears on the Coalition's Minimap (i believe there was something similar with civilian kits or CO)

I know the second option is complicated and im not sure if everything in it is possible, but i will try to explain why each topic is there:

Basically a collaborator can try and contact the Coalition to become an informant. This will be a danger to him of course but i already saw it happen a couple of times (specially with mumble) and it is quite funny. A SL can accept the help and request him an informant kit.

Now to avoid collaborators tricking the SL just to get a kit with no penalties, the coalition would receive intel points for this kit exchange, hopefully that will do the trick. Also, removing the intel points received by the arrest, will hopefully stop the coalition from just arresting the informant right after the kit exchange.

On both options, the kit model is the same as the collaborator so that both the insurgents and the coalition can't distinguish them that easily. The red smoke on this kit would be used to mark the cache location for example.

I already tested the first option and it seemed to work fine but it needs to be tested in a real round with full server.

Anyway, tell me what you think.

[Liquid_Cow]

Interesting concept, since names only appear at close range as long as the informant keeps his distance enemy will not be able to tell if he's friend or foe. Quick check of the map would show if there is a friendly there.

Personally I feel that the job of observing the enemy is more of a sniper's role, though currently the way camo works in game it is impossible for the sniper to stay hidden in an urban environment.

[Spartan0189]

I don't think this would be easy to accomplish, there is a scoreboard to check team mates

Interesting idea though.

[Ccharge]

I like the idea but i think you would be better off attaching a big "Kill me!" sign to your character and walking into the insurgent main. This could line you up for uber big ambushes plus teams arnt going to co-operate.

[Onil]

Well i guess that depends which option you use and in which server you play...

Since mumble was implemented and used in some of the most popular public servers, the interactivity between teams was changed and improved, allowing this type of situations to happen.

In option one, you would either need to be invisible or well protected by the coalition. In option two you need a lot of interaction between the players and it implements something new and useful.

[Liquid_Cow]

It would not be hard for a "good" player to figure out who the informants were, but pub hacks would completely miss it. Even better, allow the informants to be armed... a couple of shots in the back... keep the insurgents on their toes.

The score board is no problem, it does not identify who a player is, only the HUD does that, and only friendlies who are close. Insurgent on the roof 3 buildings over would be impossible to tell from the informant, might lead to some TK's on both sides, though good players can quickly check their maps to see if there is a friendly in the area.

I'd like to see it as an experiment!

Even better, how about an Iraq civil war map where the differences between the two sides are nearly impossible to tell from any distance? No coalition forces, just Iraqis and Al Queda fighting over a city.

[Onil]

Even better, allow the informants to be armed... a couple of shots in the back... keep the insurgents on their toes.

that wouldn't be realistic... civilians are usually scared of the insurgents and either help them due to fear or help the coalition for protection, don't think they go around shooting unless they're part of one of the sides.

[Onil]

I just made an Informant Kit and tested it in a server to see if it would work.

The soldier model is the same as the collaborator so you won't notice any difference besides some of the equipment in the kit. I gave him red smoke to mark the cache locations and some field dressings but removed the medic bag, epipen and rocks. I kept the phone but don't know if it will still work with the insurgent mortars or not... the idea to keep it was more as a symbol of the informant and for a possible feature of marking a cache on the minimap with it.

You won't see the name tag unless you are less then 2 meters close to the enemy so that won't be a problem.

If you limit the kit to 1 or 2 per team it won't be that big of an advantage since the kit has no weapons and can only blend with the enemy. Also if you make so that he can't pickup any kits, he will never be a threat.

Coalition soldiers will have to be extra careful about shooting civilians as it can be a friendly, and insurgents will have to approach every civilian to make sure that it is a friendly and not an informant.

I think this would add a lot to the game and it would be quite fun.

[LithiumFox]

anyway of making it so that the informant shows up as a blue guy on the insurgents map, along with making their name blue? XD

I personally think EVERYONE's name should be blue... > > Using the "red names" is bad...

Instead, i propose an idea..

If possible, make everyone's name BLUE (cause its more... cautious than red XD)

Then right ABOVE their names just put "Civilian" or stuff like that... Something like that..

or you could do

Idea two


Civi's don't show up on maps. Neither insurgent nor OpFor maps. And civi's don't GET maps. =) When they press M they just get a cell phone. XD

=) It would make them seem more.. civilian like. =D

[Mary.au]

Civi's don't show up on maps. Neither insurgent nor OpFor maps. And civi's don't GET maps. =) When they press M they just get a cell phone. XD

=) It would make them seem more.. civilian like. =D

That would be fair cool, piss quite a few ppl off though

[Onil]

LithiumFox the RED NAME TAG (meaning enemy name) only appears if you're standing right next to an enemy and by that i mean around 1 meter... you will rarely ever see it.

BLUE NAME TAG (meaning friendly name) on the other hand, appears at far distances as long as you keep aiming at the guy for a bit.

And there is no point in removing the minimap from a civilian... he would probably have one and know the terrain better then the Coalition.

There is no need to over complicate things.

[Durkie]

So it are insurgent players that request the kit?
so they don't change teams and they will still be able to see the chases on the map even the ones that aren't visible for the coalition?

[Onil]

So it are insurgent players that request the kit?
so they don't change teams and they will still be able to see the chases on the map even the ones that aren't visible for the coalition?

Well the second option was that the US/GB SL would request the kit for an Insurgent Collaborator to pickup and become an informant for the Coalition while still being on the insurgents team. This would require contact & interaction between them which would rarely happen unless using mumble.

So i have been testing the first option, which is adding an civilian informant kit to the coalition team. The kit would be available on the spawn menu but limited to 2 per team and it is similar to the collaborator so that the only way to distinguish them apart is either being 1 meter close to them for the name tags to appear or to check the minimap.

[Durkie]

I think option 2 is more useful until mumble is fully integrated into PR