lillitheris wrote...
hot_heart wrote...
OK, this is an odd one but...is there a logical reason why a lot of characters aren't making use of tactical cloaks in combat situations?
Or at least, I need a reason why Miranda wouldn't have one. Help! 
First, you have to define what a ‘tactical cloak’ is. In the games, it’s obviously a silly gameplay element with little to do with a future reality. It was designed as “in 2011 you’d be totally OP if you could be invisible!!1”.
– How does it work? By which means does it avoid visibility? Is it detectable by other means like infrared, sonar, magnetic fields?
– What else do you need to account for, does it block sound too?
– How do you counteract it?
– What is its usage limited by, power requirement? If so, why can it be charged up multiple times? How much does it weigh?
– Can a cloak be made that’s more effective than the standard version?
– How much does each version of the cloak cost? How many can reasonably be equipped with one? How much does detection/countermeasure cost in comparison?
Edit: I have Kasumi using a cloak but, in addition to being the best thing money can buy, it’s also pretty low on her list of equipment; an additional measure of protection beyond the real stuff.
My personal take on the Tactical Cloak, and the way I will handle it in all of my fanfics follows. But first I have to say that I have played the multiplayer version of this game extensively, and I think the way the cloak is handled there (excluding game stats) is pretty good. Both players and enemies alike can spot a cloaked character if they move too fast or get too close, and the Geth and Quarians both have technology that sees right through it. So, here are my thoughts on the matter, addressing your questions (all of which are excellent questions).
1: A Tactical Cloak blankets an individual in a holographic field that detects what is on the opposite side of them and projects it to a viewer's side, hiding them under a holographic blanket of sorts that them more or less invisible. They are visible only as a vague outline if one carefully looks for it, or if they somehow disturb the field and cause it to shimmer. The cloak also includes components to mask heat signature, as infrared would probably be the most common means of detection aside from sight, and it makes sense that designers would want the cloak to be fairly effective in most situations. However, certain forms of high frequency scanning pulses, and to a lesser extent sonar mapping devices, can detect the outline of a cloaked figure since there is still a solid body there, and can reveal the cloaked figure. Likewise, moving too quickly increases chances of detection by causing disruption in the fragile field created by the cloak, leading to shimmers and flashes that are much easier to detect visually, and the distortion is typically much more noticeable as a cloaked figure gets closer. Of course, any significant disruption of stability - the recoil generated by firing a weapon while cloaked, being caught in an explosion, falling down a flight of stairs, physically striking something, etc. - quickly disrupts the cloak's ability to accurately map and recreate surrounding objects and causes it to disengage immediately.
2: Tactical Cloaks do not dampen sound waves significantly. The "bubble" it generates may cause very small disruptions in sound waves, but a cloaked individual must make an attempt to be quiet while moving if they want to remain undetected. This also helps to avoid drawing attention to the visual distortion created, and so a measure of stealth is almost always involved in using a Cloak. In combat situations, with gunfire going off in the area, men shouting, and so forth, this is less of an issue, since the sound of footfalls approaching are rarely detectable to someone firing an assault rifle whether the incoming figure is cloaked or not.
3: As previously mentioned, a significantly attentive person may see the subtle distortion of the hologram created by the cloak, and a cloaked individual may give themselves away if they are not careful to move quietly. Furthermore, sonar mapping and certain high-frequency scanning pulses (especially common in use amongst more advanced Geth platforms) can map the outline of the solid body behind the hologram and reveal the cloaked individual to the scanning equipment. However, as such pulses tend to be either energy intensive (in the high-frequency version) or create a sound that is detectable by most equipment, if not by the ear (in the case of sonar), it is typically not a viable option to use them as a constant form of scanning, and so most will only activate such a form of detection (if they even have the equipment handy) if there is reason to believe someone may be using a Tactical Cloak in the area.
4: The tactical cloak itself draws power from the same power system as an individual's shield generator, and as such, disruptions to the shield - such as from incoming fire - will not be regenerated while the cloak is drawing power. Typically the cloak must be deactivated so that the extra draw is not present before shields will regenerate. It is a relatively lightweight system, adding no significant encumberance the the shield generator unit. If the cloak is deactivated or disrupted, it can be reactivated after a brief period of cooldown, during which the system remaps its surrounds and rechages, just as shields replenish themselves with over time when they are not subjected to stress.
5: While theoretically a cloak that is more effective than the "standard" version could be developed, current versions already address the issues of field integrity, power draw, and minimized distortion as well as can be expected. To make a significantly more effective cloak, one would probably have to resort to a heavy power system that would add significant weight and encumberance so that more electronics could be incorporated to enhance stabilization and adjust for field disruption, as well as to add to the power of the field's integrity. The added weight of such components could significantly offset the usefulness of current cloaks, as a backpack-sized suite of equipment and power systems would hamper mobility, make moving with stealth more difficult, and would be a recognizeable object that could prompt anyone who spotted it to activate scanning pulses or sonar to detect the cloak if it should be activated.
6: While Tactical Cloaks are prohibitively expensive for the average consumer, they are not so expensive that military and security firms cannot afford to equip a significant number of specialized operatives with them. While cloaking technology is too expensive to manufacture, distribute, calibrate and maintain for any organization to distribute them to every soldier on a battlefield, commando units, infiltration units, recon divisions and intelligence operatives often make use of them.
Detection, on the other hand, is not prohibited by cost but rather by balance of risk vs. reward. The specialized high-frequency scanning pulse technology developed by quarians creates a significant draw on the power systems that run it, which means it cannot be sustained for long without potentially impacting other systems. The geth have more success with this form of detection because it is incorporated into the vision of the platforms that utilize it, and thus can be activated and maintained indefinitely, but the tradeoff for Geth platforms is a significant weakening of their shields due to power draw. Sonar pulses, on the other hand, while simpler and less disruptive to power systems than the Tactical Scan, are easily detectable by the passive detection systems of the standard omni-tool, so using one on the battlefield or in a private setting is essentially the same as setting off a beacon that pings all nearby omni-tools with the user's exact location every second or so.
Anyway, sorry for the wall of text. But that's my take on it.
tl;dr version: In my take on it, Tactical cloak is useful for fooling visual senses and infrared, but imperfect, can't remain active while firing a weapon or being jarred significantly, can be detected by certain technologies, but those technologies in turn have drawbacks when used, and are expensive enough that John Q. Public can't afford them, militaries can't afford to distribute them to more than a few specialized units, and it would be a significant investment for private individuals to own one.
Modifié par Drussius, 12 juin 2012 - 02:33 .
Retour en haut
My condolences.
