Suggestions to fix the smokescreen caused by demomen.

[Nitronumber9]

Now the demomen of Killing Floor are often facing the backlash of other players for causing a nearly blinding smokescreen, now if the games storyline is anything to go by it says

And now, there is just you. And a few friends. The few survivors from the first police and army units thrown in.

Now if your specially trained to go in there and cream Zeds, how are you meant to if you can't see them? Below are some suggestions hopefully TWI can code in to make it just that little bit fairer.

1) Motion sensors.
A motion sensor can both work wonders and at the same time keep you on your toes, using a 180 degree field of detection with updates every second. Smoke screen blocking your view? At least you know how many are coming.
Of course you still have no idea where they are or what they are through a smokescreen, so not the best idea.

2) Perk related target tagging.
Now as any commando knows the ability to see healthbars through smoke can help counter a smokescreen but what about the other perks? Medic we can strap a Heartbeat sensor onto the medics next dedicated weapon, Sharpshooters M14's laser sight to penetrate through smoke? but that still leaves 4 other classes to work out how they can see through smoke.

3) Smokeless explosives.
A new invention by Horizon tech has brought us smokeless explosive rounds. Whatever next? Fairy dust?

4) Thermal sights.
If you do your research into games with Thermal imaging goggles (Splinter Cell is a must for those) You will understand why I suggested this. Of course its already a surprise that these highly trained SAS guys don't already have them.

Any other ideas we can throw at Tripwire to hopefully sort the blinding rage that is the demoman?

 

[[UIT] Akame]

Regardless of the amount of time coding to achieve these, all except for 3 are worthless except as a counter to smokescreen. The heartbeat monitor included because the number of specs coming at you is less important versus which specs they are. Removing the smokescreen entirely is perhaps the only idea to really make the demo-man a worthwhile perk. The mob perks, firebug and demo-man suffer because a mob perk isn't needed because everyone other than SS and berserker can take out mobs as they reach the player and SS can deal with mobs using the M14 at range.

 

[AlLoCuRa]

thermal vision is not portable YET and the demo's smokescreen is the price the team has to pay for obliterating small zeds at a range.

 

[SpurryMoses]

I have another one:
5) Get over it and learn to throw grenades in a way that doesn't disadvantage your team (WARNING: this may require thinking while playing)

 

[omarfw]

While I do think that most of the time demo smokescreens are caused by general bad teamwork, I do find it annoying and unavoidable sometimes.

My suggestion is that instead of having it explode into laggy smokebombs, you have ACTUAL EXPLOSIONS. James bond action movie style. Not enormous ones, but looks wise. Something that is believable and badass looking yet quick that doesn't leave 5 seconds of smoke you can't see through afterwards.

 

[Zerethon]

I have another one:
5) Get over it and learn to throw grenades in a way that doesn't disadvantage your team (WARNING: this may require thinking while playing)

this, it's called "Aim to the side" not "Shoot them in the face you wannabe sharp"

Or, if you've got the cajones, learn to time them and rain grenades down ARTILLERY style

Demoman needs more ammo for suicidal for everything but pipes or something, though, the smoke is perfectly fine and a BONUS if you have a good demo

 

[Kogitsune]

Or, if you've got the cajones, learn to time them and rain grenades down ARTILLERY style

This is probably one of the single most entertaining things to do once one gets bored of just blooping everything to death.

 

[ANTHEM]

Or, if you've got the cajones, learn to time them and rain grenades down ARTILLERY style

That's the only way to go.

 

[HaTeMe]

What if they just make the smoke visible only for the weapons user? Wont be realistic but hey would make demo less annoying for everyone else.

 

[Ebay]

Demo and firebug should be the best combo in the game. Firebug is great for getting rid of small pests and Demo has a lot more firepower to get rid of big nasties.

It should work, but it doesn't. White fire makes everybody blind, makes it impossible to see if zed behind the burning one is burning too and Demo doesn't have enough ammo/damage to efficiently get rid of bad guys.

 

[widowmaker]

Demo and firebug should be the best combo in the game. Firebug is great for getting rid of small pests and Demo has a lot more firepower to get rid of big nasties.

Have you ever played on a hard or suicidal server?

 

[Yu_Fucndie]

3) Smokeless explosives.
A new invention by Horizon tech has brought us smokeless explosive rounds. Whatever next? Fairy dust?

They have smokeless gun powder. I'm sure they can make smokeless nades. At the very least make the smoke less dense and dissipate quicker.

 

[Das Bose]

Explosives create smoke, what's the problem?

Having said that, it would be nice to have the smoke clouds dissipate more quickly outside

 

[robdude19]

Leave smoke as-is

Leave smoke as-is

The smoke was implemented to offset the combat effectiveness of the grenade launchers, similar to the flamethrower curtain. The M32 clears everything but the toughest zeds with ease. It's the demo's responsibility to choose his shots carefully and blast zeds at long range so there aren't any nasty surprises sneaking to the front lines.

If you have a spammy noob demo blinding everyone constantly, give warning or vote kick.

 

[omarfw]

the chances of actually succeeding in getting everyone to vote kick someone for something like that are slim to none.

AND here's an idea, NO SMOKE. LESS GRENADE DAMAGE.

omg such a wild idea i know

 

[Ebay]

Have you ever played on a hard or suicidal server?

Yes. I'm level 6 firebug and level 6 demo.
Demo lacks the ammo to be effective and firebug lacks the damage to defend himself from big baddies.

Firebug still does ton of damage on suicidal to weaklings.

 

[omarfw]

Firebug still does ton of damage on suicidal to weaklings.

as they should since that is their role. I always lol when I see a firebug unloading an entire tank of fuel at a fleshpound.

fyi firebugs, the flamethrower does IGNITE damage and BURNING damage. it does not do damage like a projectile gun. unloading your who canister at something after it's already burning will not kill it faster and you're only wasting your ammo and decreasing your chances to run away from those grinders.

 

[widowmaker]

Uh... yes it does. Dotting a bloat is slower to kill than hosing him down.

The M32 and M79 don't do a great deal against scrakes and fleshpounds on higher difficulty levels. All it does it piss them off. Pipe bombs on the other hand are more formidable.

 

[ctalop]

Add wind. SMOKE BLOWS IN YOUR FACE! Or to the side, maybe just dissipate at once. Man, kick up some dust clouds inside a corridor underground and it will linger on until the end of the wave oh the possibilites

 

[SpurryMoses]

I always lol when I see a firebug unloading an entire tank of fuel at a fleshpound. fyi firebugs, the flamethrower does IGNITE damage and BURNING damage. it does not do damage like a projectile gun.

I hope the Firebug laughs right back at you, because you're wrong.
The flamethrower does inflict more damage as you project it.
Try setting a scrake on fire while playing solo, vs flaming him down (ie empty the canister) & compare how long he takes to die.