Grappling Hook idea... (maybe ofn?)

Anyways, I was sitting around talking with my nerd t2 buddies and we were discussing the use of the grapple, etc. An idea I came up with (to stop lame 90 degree turns for 300+kph cappers), is to make the grapple line "break" under stress.

For example, when you pull the grappling hook out, you get a little "stress meter". Let's say you're traveling at 250kph and you want to grapple onto a tree off to your side to change directions... as you grapple onto it, the stress of the bar flies up, and if it gets too high, the line breaks.

Basically (my theory), is that the "better players" will be able to get better at it, then the newbies... giving it somewhat of a learning curve. So if the line breaks, you don't get the "full turn" like you wanted... just get throw off course. In other words, you can't just go 300+ in one direction and WHAM, change directions with it... because it'll break with the stress of your momentum.

What'd you all think?

heh...didnt think of that

interesting idea

ScytheBearer has informed me he came up with this idea in the original grappling hook thread, but I didn't see it.. and I'm not reading that huge thread for a small comment :p

i hope they implement that, an addition to skill and thought

So you want to get rid of one of the potentially cool uses of the hook? uhh no Guess that's what T2 players come up with. :shrug:

Good Call

Very good idea, I hope its considered if it isn't already in.

So you want to get rid of one of the potentially cool uses of the hook? uhh no Guess that's what T2 players come up with. :shrug:I don't see it as "potentially cool", I see it as "potentially overpowered/gay", and I thought a good idea would be to have a "stress limit".

In short: It has nothing to do with being a "T2 player", you ********.

I don't think the hook will be that big a deal, you should see a hook come flying out of the player and know that he is going to swing around. It's no different than seeing a capper heading towards a huge bowl in the terrain. We'll find out though.

I'm more worried about LD using a grapple on HO or Cappers, being "grabbed" by every other defender could get annoying quick.

You know, this has nothing to do with anything in this thread, but has anyone asked, does a grapple hurt the player it "grabs"? Can you swing from a teammate?

Yes it does do damage when it grabs. They said a little damage.

Have they said how "long" the grappling hook will shoot out?

god damnit...I actually have to agree with validuz... :(

the stress thing could be like the heat bar from t2 (except not resulting in some homo missle chasing you across the map)

It does make sense, regardless of Theta believing it will nullify the use of the weapon...some how...It's not that it should break because youre going fast and trying to change direction, but because you didnt use it well enough. That is, if you shoot it well and manage your movement properly it would be smooth, thus allowing you a directional change at high velocity. But if you shoot it and dont adjust your movement to create a good arc, the cable would essentially be loose until you extended it fully, which would cause it to snap.

I dont know how clear that is, but Im picturing someone going by a tree on their right side. The skilled player will fire the hook and jet to the left, tightening the line before he passes the tree and begins the arc. The less skilled player would fly by the tree, shooting it before he passes it, and would not jet to the left, essentially creating zero tension in the line. When he passes the tree and extends the cable fully, it would snap... :shrug: seems like an idea that could plausibly be implemented while adding another skill to master

Johnny X']I don't think the hook will be that big a deal, you should see a hook come flying out of the player and know that he is going to swing around. It's no different than seeing a capper heading towards a huge bowl in the terrain. We'll find out though.

I'm more worried about LD using a grapple on HO or Cappers, being "grabbed" by every other defender could get annoying quick.
Getting grabbed by a defender with it seems like it would be roughly as difficult as an MA. If you MA a capper, he's most likely fudgeed, if you MA a HO that's a big deal if he's on a route... if he's not on a route you might as well kill him instead of dragging him around. Also keep in mind that anything going through the cord breaks it so if you were to go over a hill, around a corner, pass it though a tree or whatever, you break free.

This might provide an interesting ballance for shield pack cappers, come to think of it. The guy would be roughly 5 times as tough but all it would take is that one shot (admittedly still a tough one) to solve that problem.

As for the hook being too powerful for cappers changing directions, remember this... to get a smooth circular path one will need to have the cord perpendicular to their path of travel when it attaches... that won't be easy for small targets like trees. Otherwise there will be slack and it will result in unpredictable bouncing paths. Also, since the cord is at least somewhat elastic, even a circular path would mean a considerable amount of energy stored in the cord so when they release they'd be going slower than when they attached.

Personally I think it's going to end up that all you need to do to break someone's grapple is shoot the hook/anchor thing. Otherwise I can really see things like the bouncing around from the ceiling ho I mentioned earlier getting out of hand.

I too am worrying myself as i'm in agreement with Validuz. However, I don't think the player should know of the stress threshold. It should be learned/memorized/subliminally embedded into the deepest depths of players brains only to be called out during the moment of action.

There are lots of things considered overpowering in Tribes2. Individually, each one sucks. But combine them all together - and it is fun as hell.
(Except for the elf, which always sucked).

Detpack sucked too... except in extremely rare, and specific circumstances.

Although...if it really does need to be nerfed - then I would suggest allowing chasing players to disc the grapple point to break the line. Much easier solution, more fun, and a more rewarding feeling for the chaser.

hrm. I dunno.

I too am worrying myself as i'm in agreement with Validuz. However, I don't think the player should know of the stress threshold. It should be learned/memorized/subliminally embedded into the deepest depths of players brains only to be called out during the moment of action.Either way is fine by me... with or without a hud/indicator telling you how much stress you put on the line, I think it would add an element that could be "mastered" (so to speak), and I think new players would like something like that.