Aesthetic ideas for the Shift

peregrinus

<div class="IPBDescription">Deep sea environment in space</div><i>**UPDATE: This is an idea for the SHADE (cloaking and disorientating structure) not the SHIFT (movement upgrade structure)</i>

In line with the sea based coral theme aliens have, it would be amazing if the Shift could create a deep sea aesthetic effect on aliens and the nearby environment.

Darkness, silence, strange forms and eerie iridescent colours are what you can find in the deep sea environment, so the shift could create such an environment in its area of effect.

This actually matches with the ideas UWE already have, for the shift to make things invisible and to have powers to disorientate a marine's senses.

Visual effects:
It would be boring to have the cliched Predator style invisibility which you see in every game for the past 10 years. Instead something more shimmery, with some iridescence would be unique, hard to see with the naked eye unless a flashlight is shone at the cloaked alien, then you can see some of the form. It shouldn't be OP right? Infestation, and other structures in the area of effect could change colour - I'm thinking a black light effect would be suitable here.

<img src="http://creaturessea.com/Pictures/robot-fish02.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
<img src="http://www.exploretheabyss.com/photo/gallery/gallery/biolumin/images/TeuthoweniaTopView.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
<img src="http://www.metrolic.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/420.jpeg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
<img src="http://c-c-t-c.com/jpg/theabyss_00.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />



Sound effects:
Marines will feel like they are submerged under water, things seem slower, with a deeper sound pitch and there are some ambient effects too, perhaps a Khaara version of a whale call can be heard when cloaked aliens are nearby. It would be really spooky to hear those noises and then turn your flashlight on to see some spectral forms around you, ready to attack. UWE said this effect is already planned for alien structures so it should only require an increase for things effected by the Shift. If the marines find and kill the Shift, it would be like their ear's popped and everything goes back to normal.

<img src="http://static.desktopnexus.com/thumbnails/415295-bigthumbnail.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />


I edited some screenshots to see how it might look for marines...remember just edited quickly ;)


<a href="http://img594.imageshack.us/i/ns22011070919380137.jpg/" target="_blank"><img src="http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/4066/ns22011070919380137.th.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>
<a href="http://img828.imageshack.us/i/ns22011070919191895.jpg/" target="_blank"><img src="http://img828.imageshack.us/img828/1916/ns22011070919191895.th.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /></a>

GreatOmnipotentDictator

+1

Great idea. I don't know if Shifts will see much use though if all the marines need to do is turn on their flashlights to see everything.

peregrinus

<!--quoteo(post=1859335:date=Jul 10 2011, 10:55 AM:name=GreatOmnipotentDictator)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GreatOmnipotentDictator @ Jul 10 2011, 10:55 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1859335"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->+1

Great idea. I don't know if Shifts will see much use though if all the marines need to do is turn on their flashlights to see everything.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

No the flashlights wouldn't fully reveal aliens, they would only seem some faint ghostly image (which will be hard to track when the shift is giving them a headache and there are lots of other light sources)

subshadow

I like it but it needs to be ALOT more subtle.
I don't think my stomach can handle fighting in such an environment. (remember that when aliens are winning, half the map would look like that)

PsiWarp

I think you mean the Shade? The chamber that handles cloaking and disorient and looks like a giant mushroom :P?

Taxen0

I really like this idea, whatever building it is. (I also thought is was shift =P)
the effect would have to be toned down a lot and maybe give a slight transparency to stationary objects (along with the constant spectral effect) instead.

as for uses, disable ARCs from shooting inside the area while the Shade(?) is operational?
unless it has its own direct LoS.

peregrinus

<!--quoteo(post=1859533:date=Jul 10 2011, 09:34 PM:name=PsiWarp)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (PsiWarp @ Jul 10 2011, 09:34 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1859533"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I think you mean the Shade? The chamber that handles cloaking and disorient and looks like a giant mushroom :P?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Yes! Shade! I get confused talking about this stuff we haven't seen :P

Not sure if I can still edit the OP....

ps the concepts I posted are quite trippy, I realize. Imagine it more subtly done...

peregrinus

I'm going to go ahead and take full credit for how the shade effect looks in game, in build 184 :D ;D

<a href="http://imgur.com/a/tHyoi" target="_blank">http://imgur.com/a/tHyoi</a>