Grappling players

A thought just crossed my mind when reading KP's reply about the grappling hook and the buckler.

He said that the grapple should not work on a medium with the buckler held in front of him.
This got me wondering; is the grapple attached to a specific location on a player, or does it attach itself to the player object as a whole?
By this, I mean, does it stay on the one spot where it hit you (and therefore simply looking around -turning- would make the grapple coil around you and snap) or once it has become attached it can simply rotate all around you, no matter what direction you're facing?

I personally hope it's the first one, because it might limit the potential abuse of grappling people since it would be easy to break off a line that was spotted and as such not be that effective against those it might be abused on (heavies) while still retaining it's usefulness (someone caught unaware or someone on a route will still be hampered by it).
And also because I want to see people die crushed by the rope coiling around them :o

EDIT: And while I'm at it, would you have to be facing the buckler when it comes back? Would it slice the top of your head off if you're not careful?
Also, what happens if you switch weapons while it's away (if it is even possible)? Is there still a possibility it will slice your head off? As a matter of fact, will there be any head slicing?

You can switch weapons while it's away (don't feel like finding the quote).

Can you grapple vehicles? If not, can you grapple a player in the vehicle (like the gunship). It would be funny to see ppl hanging off of a vehicle in the air. :p

no blood

Can you grapple vehicles? If not, can you grapple a player in the vehicle (like the gunship). It would be funny to see ppl hanging off of a vehicle in the air. :p
Paragliding/waterskiing anyone?

I hope you cannot grapple other players in the final release. Flag chasers would be all over that, and it would reduce the effectiveness of other postitions such as defensive snipers. *points to self*

Well, it's not like it'll be a hitscan weapon.
I'm hoping it'll be just slightly faster than a disc, so MAing someone would still be a challenge.

if you can grapple vehicles it'd be hilarious to see like 10 ppl hanging from a gunship or whatever it is

also, im assuming that inertia will play a large role in determining how the grapplegunamajig works... when you grapple someone does it stop them? Since heavies are such easy MA targets, couldnt ld just grapple them and stop them? Or would they get drug behind like a gayman tied to a rednecks bumper?

I hope that you can grapple players/buildings/vehicles. While i was hesitant on the grappling hook, i trust the devs, and from thinking about its use;I think there are a lot of really interesting, unique, and cool tactics/strategies that could come out of it.

if u can seriously grapple onto vehicles and not let go untill you see fit, then I forsee strats of several Heavies latched onto vehicles and the vehicle does a fly by the base and the HOs drop in..like fukin paratroopers.

Weight will be a crucial issue in balancing the grappling hooks. Thrax already said that a light trying to pull a heavy will barely work, and that the light will have to disc under the heavy to get him far off the ground. I would hope this some idea plays into grappling vehicles and such. If you have four heavies grappled to a full gunship, then it will probably not be able to lift off, or if it does it will travel very low and slow. Alots of things like this have interesting demensions to them, and I can't wait to beta to test them all out.

A thought just crossed my mind when reading KP's reply about the grappling hook and the buckler.

He said that the grapple should not work on a medium with the buckler held in front of him.
This got me wondering; is the grapple attached to a specific location on a player, or does it attach itself to the player object as a whole?
By this, I mean, does it stay on the one spot where it hit you (and therefore simply looking around -turning- would make the grapple coil around you and snap) or once it has become attached it can simply rotate all around you, no matter what direction you're facing?


Think this was covered in an indirect way. Don't know where to find it, but I believe Thrax stated words to the effect of 'There is a "grace distance" from the grapple that prevents line breakage by trees passing through the line. This is to make the grapple easier to use.' Believe that would also apply to people.

Your "break spin" would effectively become the "drop mines to defeat a single ELF" move. It would work most of the time, and be effective enough that grappling players wouldn't be thought of as an effective way to slow them down.

if u can seriously grapple onto vehicles and not let go untill you see fit, then I forsee strats of several Heavies latched onto vehicles and the vehicle does a fly by the base and the HOs drop in..like fukin paratroopers. And I can see someone with a Pod fly head on into your cluster of heavies beneath your Gunship...

Bowling for Henries anyone ;)

And I can see someone with a Pod fly head on into your cluster of heavies beneath your Gunship...

Bowling for Henries anyone ;)
Yeah, that'd balance it out i think because the henries were so easy targets...

Please also keep in mind that the vehicles can't fly if they have too many players attached? (Seems logical) Or they get damn sluggish with 4 henries dangling of it...

PLEASE Devs, we need more info on what you can grab and on what not. please?

EDIT: Now that I think of it it would be Sooo cool if you could attach to vehcs and keep yourself attached and all the stuff we have been thinking of. ofcourse if the devs would somehow figure out how to balance it(The sluggishness/easy target thing seems appropriate)... It would add so many tactics to Tribes... ;) :P

Well, it's not like it'll be a hitscan weapon.
I'm hoping it'll be just slightly faster than a disc, so MAing someone would still be a challenge.
Yeah, it would be a challenge, but I think people would learn it prettty quickly and abuse it. Latching onto vehicles would be kick ass though.