Flares (Suggestion)

[Shiek4d5]

I noticed the airdrops have an orange smoke now when they fall. I think it would be cool if we could craft different colored flares that mean different signs: Green = Friendly or All Clear Red = Hostile or Danger Blue = (add your suggestion here I can't think of anything) Purple, Pink, White, Black, ect... Orange = Airdrop (obviously) These can either be pre-assigned in the crafting list or you can leave it upto the players to decide what each color represents. Personally I think it would be better to label the flares and color code them in the crafting list so everyone knows what they mean when they see it. Otherwise one color could mean something different per server. Also, there are many strategic options for these flares in MP. One could use them to decieve others, lure them into a kill zone...

[Shiek4d5]

I think Black smoke should mean HELP! As it usually is a bad sign when you see it in the distance, often it meant your village or house is on fire, but here it could mean distress with the same ominous feeling.

[legolas141]

I would like road flares as well. the kind that produce light instead of smoke, (what I originally thought this thread might be about.) The smoke is good during the day, but road flares would help at night as well as in dark buildings. Let them produce more light in a bigger radius than torches but have them go out after so many minutes of use. You could either hold them like a torch or throw them to light a room up.

[Vinyl]

What if someone tries to lag you out or crash you with tons of flares? Or create a smoke screen outside or inside your base?

[Throck Morton]

[QUOTE=Vinyl;129197]What if someone tries to lag you out or crash you with tons of flares? Or create a smoke screen outside or inside your base?[/QUOTE] Good point. My initial thinking is that there would have be a server side hardcode limiting the amount of smoke/flares at one time, which would be based on specific size of an area and the amount of players in that area and the current random gen memory that is currently allocated in memory, etc. /shrug

[Shiek4d5]

[QUOTE=Throck Morton;129199]Good point. My initial thinking is that there would have be a server side hardcode limiting the amount of smoke/flares at one time, which would be based on specific size of an area and the amount of players in that area and the current random gen memory that is currently allocated in memory, etc. /shrug[/QUOTE] Well they could make it a local limit instead of server limit where there are so many flares one can hold and craft of one type. It may require a hardcode to check player's backpacks for a specific amount, if it is above 5 of one type for example, it will delete the extras and grey out the item in the crafting list. If it is greyed out then there should be another code that prevents objects to be placed in a specific layout on the grid, so players won't be able to craft it without a list. Another way would be to make it like the rare items that require a book to be learned in order for it to appear in the list and be craftable, except in reverse, once the limit is reached the item will be striken from the list. I don't know how they would make it appear again though...

[Hinado]

Well the easy way probably would be to just cap the total amount of active communication flares. For example each player could be limited to 3 active communication flares. If someone has 3 active flares and uses another one the flare with the shortest active time left could just end immediately. People that use smoke flares as intended should practically never need more than 3 flares active at a time. Flares with other uses like light generation or flares to call for supply drops could be capped separately. For example flares to call supply drops could be limited to one active per player at a time which only ends after the drop is landed (so that players can't just throw other flares to hide their supply drop calling flare). Ofc you'd need to have more light producing flares active because some players would like to use it to enlighten large areas at some times (depending on size of the base). Could maybe be 5 or even 8 per player.

[Arigas]

There are flares in game right now, but they appear to be very weak pipe bombs in function. Would be nice to be able to mark important locations with flares. There could be an option to enable only showing friends flares, that would help prevent smoke screening of your base, unless your friends are ♥♥♥♥s. Obviously should be able to retrieve the flare to stop it smoking. As far as crafting goes, could add a recipe for an empty flare, then using another recipe, add in the smoke producing goodies and colouring. Retrieving the flare could yield the empty container, allowing for re-filling and re-using. An alternate way, is to add a sort of setting on it that you can toggle through the different colours, meaning one flare for all your needs

[Shiek4d5]

[QUOTE=Hinado;129285]Well the easy way probably would be to just cap the total amount of active communication flares. For example each player could be limited to 3 active communication flares. If someone has 3 active flares and uses another one the flare with the shortest active time left could just end immediately. People that use smoke flares as intended should practically never need more than 3 flares active at a time. [/QUOTE] Oh, I see what you mean. I was suggesting at least 5 of the same flare to be deployed at a time and should last for at least one game hour or two. Or each survivor can only deploy one of a type at a time and need to wait until it runs out in order to place another, but that would need to have the flares take the ID of the player who deployed it in order to monitor it.

[Vinyl]

If a point of a flare is to mark a location isn't a 1 hour time the anti-point of that? And instead a block the places an icon on anyone's map who views it a better solution? Much like the bedroll home icon.

[Shiek4d5]

[QUOTE=Arigas;129288]There are flares in game right now, but they appear to be very weak pipe bombs in function. Would be nice to be able to mark important locations with flares. There could be an option to enable only showing friends flares, that would help prevent smoke screening of your base, unless your friends are ♥♥♥♥s. Obviously should be able to retrieve the flare to stop it smoking. As far as crafting goes, could add a recipe for an empty flare, then using another recipe, add in the smoke producing goodies and colouring. Retrieving the flare could yield the empty container, allowing for re-filling and re-using. An alternate way, is to add a sort of setting on it that you can toggle through the different colours, meaning one flare for all your needs[/QUOTE] Yes, that is possible to make it reusble. Though I think it would require three new items to be added; the empty flare, the filling, the finished flare (whatever the filling was to make it, which would probably mean more item types would need to be made)... If there are five different fillings we would need to craft, then that means there need to be 5 different finished flares that need to be added as well. Each of them need their own coding and decals. It may be easier to make them a onetime use considering the coding involved. They would just need to make 5 recipes (which they can copy/paste and change a few names and numbers) and would only have to make one animation for them. Though each type would need seperate coding for the colored smoke.

[Shiek4d5]

[QUOTE=Vinyl;129317]If a point of a flare is to mark a location isn't a 1 hour time the anti-point of that? And instead a block the places an icon on anyone's map who views it a better solution? Much like the bedroll home icon.[/QUOTE] Hmm, yes but a block is bulky and could cause a few problems with some, making it an item like the pipe bomb is another story.

[Hinado]

[QUOTE=Vinyl;129317]If a point of a flare is to mark a location isn't a 1 hour time the anti-point of that? And instead a block the places an icon on anyone's map who views it a better solution? Much like the bedroll home icon.[/QUOTE] I also think 1h is to long. I thought it should be used as a long range communication system, mostly for coop. Maybe 1 flare to drop for loot heavy locations to signal your allies that they should come and grab some stuff or to signal horde positions to others. I think 15 or 30min ingame time should be enough.