This is listed as one of the restricted topics in the suggestions forum:

“19. Combat - this is being worked on actively and strenuously. Once specific features are implemented, the administration will ask for feedback. ”

I'm assuming that only applies to suggestions for combat features not yet implemented, right? Can we suggest changes to currently working ones?

Second, this is not in the restricted topics, but I've seen Zhao say several times that stealth on ground combat similar to how ECM works in space will never be implemented. What I'm thinking of, however, is the possibility for a single PC/NPC not in a squad/party to be stealthy pretty much like ECM (but obviously extremely vulnerable if found due to being alone), and not just for its own sake, but because it's necessary for the suggestion as a whole that I want to make (the rest of which has nothing to do with stealth). Anyway, the question is, is it completely set in stone that there cannot be any kind of character stealth on the ground and I would be wasting my time with any kind of suggestion involving it? Or is it more that no one has suggested a reasonable way to do it?

Yes, Mikel generally allows suggestions involving changes to existing features.

Stealth is coming next sync.

Stealth is coming next sync? Hmm, depending on how it works, it might break the suggestion I want to make. I guess I'll make my own stealth suggestion anyway, and see how it goes. Maybe changes can be made to what is planned or something.

Here is what Sel posted in a different suggestions thread pertaining to Stealth, in case you would like to factor the information in, although I would recommend waiting until after the sync so you can factor in the complete system rather than a brief forum snippet:

“The rules (which will be posted during this weekend's sync) for the upcoming stealth system try to address this. If the ability to fake a ship's ID, a person's name, etc. is added, it will likely follow this model, unless we find some issues after release.

The core idea is that a related score is rolled when the ability is enabled (stealth, fake ID, whatever) and stored. Then, when it comes time to perform a check, the skills used by both involved parties are combined. For instance, in stealth, we consider the hider's stealth skill and the viewer's perception skill. The difference between these two is then used to select a threshold value, and the random score stored earlier is compared against this threshold to determine the hider's visibility. Thus, when your skills are equal, you have a ~50% chance of being seen, but when there is an imbalance, the party with a higher related skill gains odds of success.

This approach satisfies a couple of important constraints: (1) it doesn't give the attacker or defender an unfair advantage by allowing them multiple chances for success; (2) it scales behavior based on skills from both sides of the interaction. ”

Source: http://www.swcombine.com/forum/thread.php?thread=66097&post=765844#post765844

Hmm, I think the ECM system is more elegant and realistic (the farther away you are, the easier it is to hide, and vise versa, perception skill would be the same as # of sensors), but I guess that should work for what I want, as long as I suggest 1 addition to it.

That makes me wonder, there will be items that boost stealth similar of how we have items the boosts the perception?

Items enhancing stealth? I'd assume eventually. R&D and whatnot. Most of us use Ships or MSPs or whatever to actually scan for things - not sure how StealthMode combats a biological scanner. Maybe they'll have to implement a Stealth Belt to deal with that.


ECM system is too... well Static? You'd get people in Ghille suits with max stealth walking by without being seen except by people with max perception using Binocs. Nerfs all skill values in between.

I'd like Stealth to take movement into account, TBH. Motion does, by all accounts, make spotting someone easier. Maybe Movement should temporarily reduce your StealthScore by some small amount.

I like the random seed determined for the duration of Stealth. So if the random roll is particularly good, you could sneak by Everyone without having to worry about a bad roll or thousands of server checks eventually hitting that threshold and causing all enemies to share your location with each other. I imagine though, that StealthScore will be a hidden value, so the Stealther would never know that the roll is SO good as to be able to walk by boosted perception people.

Open a suggestions topic after the rules are posted and I'm sure Sel will give ideas that are presented due consideration; he's been very open-minded about expanding the features he's been working on based on useful feedback.

We have masks now that could work as a stealth item now, plus clone wars and such introduced personal invisibility shields.

Yeah or even give items based on current terrain a bonus (Snow Trooper, Rebel Camouflage etc). The current rules that will apply are pretty basic to fine-tune them later.

Is there any intent on adding a damage modifier for a successul attack from a stealthed position?

I'd like to suggest something like a 3x damage modifier or something similar with a close range weapon such as a knife or frag storm.

Something else like a sniper rifle could be effective as well. This kind of action has been seen in nearly every game I've played and while I could see it being something people would complain is OP, it is realistic though.

As Damon said, especially if stealth only works for individuals without a squad. A damage boost wouldn't be asking for too much for one attacker.

Stealth may work for groups in the future. How and what restrictions apply is currently not decided.

There won't be a damage modifier, and there will be party-wide stealth. It is currently being worked on to ensure that stealth and slot size of party members is taken into account.