Reality and lasers

Most modern SF, except for the die-hard mathematicians and physicians (asimov's prodigy) don't use the scientifically accurate interpetation of lasers, but rather consider them superheated bolts of heat, or some other matter. This carries over to most SF-based games.

Homeworld is the only one I've seen that had vaguely accurate lasers. Actual constant-firing weapons are described as "beam" or "ray" weapons in most games. I don't think its a matter of people not understanding lasers, but more a matter of the word referring to something else these days.

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It's a game. It's supposed to be fun and colourful. Please leave realist weapons at the door.

I hate invisible insntant travelling machinegun, I hate invisible laser that disable some obscure function intead of creating a nice orange explosion.

I want varied cool-looking weapons effect, starwarsy laser that travel slower than planes, instant laser beam with special flare effects at both end, and, personnaly, I'm longing for a RTS with giant colourful shots like there is in shoot-them-up. I'm already making some for TA:
Blue_and_Red_Big_Ziccas.png
GreenWave.png
MonkeyLord_v03.gif
Self_Damage_Inverting_bis.gif
redshots.png
(units models not by me save the green tank, I just made the shots models and textures)

It really improves the enjoyment to have pretty shots all around the screen instead of dull tiny missile models. Just make sure the size and coolness of a shot model is proportional to its dangerousity.

That's why the invisible laser would be a special weapon. And you'd still get the warning that your units are under attack, you would just need more time to determine where the attacks comes from.

bad idea, atleast because who needs snipers if you got 200 tanks roaming around and more coming out every minute ... hey! its epic!
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U.E.F Marine: Sir! What do we do if we step on a mine?
Supreme Commander: Well marine, the proper procedure is to jump 100 metres in the air and blast yourself over a wide area.

Well, where's the strategy then? Just make more units than your enemy? I think some special features need to be implemented to enable us more choices.

If you'd mix invisible laser snipers with regular units, you could deal damage and the enemy wouldn't even know it, because he'd focus on visible incoming fire. I think it should a least be tested ingame to see the impact on player behaviour.

Strategy != Micromanagement.

Go read Sun Tsu's Art of War.

As a supreme commander, you shouldn't be bothered with these small-scale tactical things. Do you think Winston Churchill got to the battlefield and told his men how to use their guns ? No. He just sat in his chair, smoking cigars, saying: this division needs to go here, and this other one there. Deciding what kind of units go where and when, that's strategy. Figuring out what your enemy is up to from limited intelligence, that's strategy.

If you want to play a game where you do all the small stuff, go play WC3 or whatever.

I don't agree with all of that, 1:it shouldn't turn into that kind of game because you could do that with out a computer if you wished. 2:you should be able to do that but ALSO be able to take control of battles that you want to, if you can't do that you might as well not play.........

Nonsense, uXs.

First off, SupCom won't only be about strategy, but tactics as well. The point is, if you fiddle with micromanagement too much, you'll lose the fight. And vice-versa: good micro can give you advantage on a remote part of the front.

Secondly, you mingled fatures with the need to micromanage. Invisible lasers would be just one additional aspect that could be used on a grand scale. If a also use British WW2 analogy: British commando units were small, but they inflicted great damage.

And BTW, I probably read Art of War more times than you did.

I agree for the most part. I guess I'm just overly paranoid about including too much features where you have to start baby-sitting your units for them to be effective.

(I just finished the Art of War again last week.)

... OK I dont get it, explain me this, If no one can see the targeting laser, how will the sniper see it/use it? I mean, here I am with an invisible laser my enemy cant see but I can't see also, what use will that be??
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U.E.F Marine: Sir! What do we do if we step on a mine?
Supreme Commander: Well marine, the proper procedure is to jump 100 metres in the air and blast yourself over a wide area.

It's not about targeting lasers, but high energy beam emmiting devices, laser cannons, if you want.

"Das Universum ist ein Gedanke Gottes." - Friedrich Schiller
("The universe is a thought of God.")

If invisible sniper rifles are implemented, i can see ppl just sneaking them behind enemy lines and popping your commander. Soon, players would become paranoid and instead of enjoying the fighting, would be building more and more sensors and defensive units to protect their commander

You're kidding, right, Hellraiser? Majority of real-life attack lasers are invisible. And, surprise surprise, the crew still knows when it hits the target and when it doesn't. If you cant see it with your eyes, it doesn't mean it's undetectable. Besides, the effect of a powerful laser hit is visible. You could see when your units are being damaged by it.

Its not about realism, its about fun, plus having coloured lasers is way cooler than having invisible ones.
P.S Cough, where are invisible lasers used in real life?
______________________________________________________
U.E.F Marine: Sir! What do we do if we step on a mine?
Supreme Commander: Well marine, the proper procedure is to jump 100 metres in the air and blast yourself over a wide area.

In providing targeting information for artillery and air support

ABL YAL1 (Airborne laser for antibalistic purposes) uses 1.315nm laser, which you can't see.

MTHEL (Mobile Tactical High Energy Laser) uses 3.800nm laser, which you also can't see.

ZEUS system uses invisible laser as well...

etc etc.

And I still think it should be tested ingame. The talk abour cool colors doesn't really count here, because it would be a special feature.

Maybe it's not an ordinary laser, but a gauss weapon that gets heated to plasma by a laser?
=)

yeah taht would be okay with me..

-I have spoken.

Well, I like TA lasers... because they can miss.

Insta lasers are kind of blah in an RTS game.

Coolest lasers ever? From the movie The Black Hole. Nice sound, nice pulsing and good visual.

Maybe their role could then be "they don't miss but they deal mediocre damage"?

That's what I think of when I think lasers. Infinite range, they don't miss, and they deal out minor damage.

Of course you could build a giant laser complex which straddles a mountaintop and acts like artillary, dealing out ridiculous amounts of damage. (It would be highly viseable, and would make an easy target for a nuke, a boming run, bertha artly (damn bf2) which can fire OVER cover, etc).