Your opinion on radar in online shooters

[stinkypitz]

It seems many online shooters that have been released recently have the inclusion of a radar system to show where enemies and team-mates are. They all vary in functionality and accuracy, and I'd like to hear your opinion on them and how they impact the game.

Personally, I think they are a bit too omniscient in some cases where you know where all your enemies are no matter what, but thankfully some games try to balance it with required item use to trigger radar. My favorite use of radar in my experience has been the Call of Duty series, because there are many variables involved making it so the player cannot use the radar as a crutch, however the heartbeat monitor in MW2 is IMO a flaw in that system that gives some players a big advantage. Keep in mind that knowing where your enemy is is likely to give you the jump on them, which is a huge advantage.

EDIT: Forgot to add a poll.

 

[MrPandarium]

Well a short range radar can be usefull without being too omniscient. I think that as long as you can't detect snipers a radar is not too big of an advantage

 

[Radeonx]

My favorite radar is the one in Halo. It gives you an idea of where they are, but only relative to you, so you don't know where they are on the map. Also, crouching hides it, so there's an easy way to stay hidden.

 

[MR T3D]

radar is for pansies and thee blind.
halo's random radarless games are a lot of fun, same deal with project reality.
YEAH I LIKE BOTH OF THEM A LOT, MIND BLOWN?

 

[internetzealot1]

The best one I ever saw was in GRAW2, where it only showed the direction of the shots

 

[goodchild]

radar = good most times, but can be fun without it, too

 

[Cpt Fudg3 Cak3]

I too like the COD4 radar easily hiding yourself with a silencer and UAV Jammer its a sacrifice of stopping power but you have the element of suprise.

 

[dietpeachsnapple]

When the radar relied on the firing of an unsilenced weapon, I agree with it whole heartedly. A gunshot is easily argued as a manner by which a person gives away or 'telegraphs' their location to friends and enemies.

 

[comet5002]

I like it, because there's literally times when I can go like, 5 minutes without finding a single person, even my own teammates, and I know I'm not the only one that this has happened to. So on the whole I think that online shooters are better with radar.

 

[Chicago Ted]

I like Battlefield 2's system. Where enemies appear on the radar when they've been spotted.

 

[stinkypitz]

radar is for pansies and thee blind.
halo's random radarless games are a lot of fun, same deal with project reality.
YEAH I LIKE BOTH OF THEM A LOT, MIND BLOWN?

Agreed on radar-less Halo matches, I find them infinitely more enjoyable. The only catch is I have to play on a playlist called "MLG", which attracts some of the most annoying people on xbox live.

 

[supagama]

The heartbeat sensor is not half bad, the worst is the adjustable radar in halo 3, it can either be crap or it can be godly.

 

[almostgold]

Big fan of Halo's method. MW2 also does a good job IMO, with multiple ways to detect someone/multiple ways to counteract that(noise/silencer, UAV/counter-UAV or coldblooded, Heartbeat Sensor/Ninja perk). A little complicated, but it gets the job done and is pretty innovative. In general, I like radar as long as you can avoid it somehow, so it speeds up action but doesnt limit your approach.

 

[Pimppeter2]

I like COD 2s radar as well as the one from Halo

But I should also mention that those are pretty much only experiences I've had with online shooters.

 

[BlindMessiah94]

I think there should just be an option to turn it off or on on your dedicated serv- oh wait nevermind.

 

[DoctorNick]

I personally don't like how it's applied in most games, being that I much prefer hunting other players down.

If I HAD to put radar in a game, the way I'd like to see it done is, well, you've all seen the movie Aliens right? And they had the little ultrasonic scanners that would show movement, remember? But thing is, they couldn't be watching it 100% of the time, so I'd make it in the game that it's something you'd have to go out of your way to check that isn't just 'there' and I'd also make it so it just picked up MOVEMENT not ENEMIES, so what you think is a dastardly sniper might just end up being someones laundry flapping in the wind.

That's what I'd really enjoy I think.

 

[stinkypitz]

I personally don't like how it's applied in most games, being that I much prefer hunting other players down.

If I HAD to put radar in a game, the way I'd like to see it done is, well, you've all seen the movie Aliens right? And they had the little ultrasonic scanners that would show movement, remember? But thing is, they couldn't be watching it 100% of the time, so I'd make it in the game that it's something you'd have to go out of your way to check that isn't just 'there' and I'd also make it so it just picked up MOVEMENT not ENEMIES, so what you think is a dastardly sniper might just end up being someones laundry flapping in the wind.

That's what I'd really enjoy I think.

Now thats a good idea, I would like to see a game like that. Also I agree on the hunting players down thing, it is much more satisfying to work for your kill than to instantly know where he is and mow him down.

 

[Amnestic]

My favorite radar is the one in Halo. It gives you an idea of where they are, but only relative to you, so you don't know where they are on the map. Also, crouching hides it, so there's an easy way to stay hidden.

Not crouching specifically, just moving slowly. Crouching obviously forcibly limits your speed, but you can walk slowly by only lightly pushing the analog stick which hides you from it just as well.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

I like it. Then again, I liked knowing where enemies are. I'm not stealthy, so much as an ambusher type.