Sean Tracy · Tech Director of Content

It's a good question because it kind of depends. It really depends, one, on the ship. So what's happening within that ship? Even what's inside of it: if it's cargo that's actually emitting IR or whatever, that could cause some problems, if it's not shielded. But it's also considered that there's always cross-section. So cross-section is almost a visual thing. So if you're getting up to 100 meters, you obviously see it. And if you can see it, he can probably see you. Now, if you're behind him, different story. You're probably not going to get called out, but you may be picked up from CS in terms of your radar. So you're going to want to try to occlude yourself. So if you're approaching to zero to 100 meters behind asteroids and stuff, yeah, you're going to get right up to him and he's going to have no idea you're there. But I don't know how you're maneuvering with all your stuff turned off. It really depends. But all those tools are there now, and you'll know they're there. It'll be pretty obvious, I think.

Mark Abent · Lead Gameplay Programmer, LA Studio

We actually have a test level that Kirk Tome was messing with where there's a gas cloud that has high EM and IR emittance. So if something flies in there, you're not going to see it. If you get close enough, if your radar detects cross-section, you'll be able to see it. So it really depends on what the other player's radar is and what your mission is doing to determine what you can see and how...

Sean Tracy · Tech Director of Content

When we're talking about cross-section, it really is cross-section. If you are horizontal to a guy versus being top-down, your cross-section is way less, way, way less.

Mark Abent · Lead Gameplay Programmer, LA Studio

It is, because the shield technology that we're using is based off SDF stuff from physics. And the beauty of that is it gives us a more accurate description of cross-section on the overall surface area. So we're 100% using the physical representation of that ship. So if you have one that transforms in different ways or even animates, you're going to get different cross-section. So like on the Hammerhead, if you look at it horizontally, the cross-section is a lot smaller than if you flipped it upside down.

Sean Tracy · Tech Director of Content

Then it's super loud. But a Gladius, being a good, decent fighter, coming at you nose first, it has a very small cross-section. So you may not pick it up. That's why the question is like, it really depends. But that's what's so cool about it. Again, that's the system we wanted to bring in here.

Mark Abent · Lead Gameplay Programmer, LA Studio

With that 'depends', we also wanted to add some stuff onto the UI to help you with that. So one of the things on there is what your signatures are emitting versus the ambient levels that are happening. So it gives you an idea of how well seen you are versus what's happening in the environment. The best way I describe it is like a Thief visibility meter.

Sean Tracy · Tech Director of Content

Thief or Syphon Filter. Maybe that's really old. Yeah, it's got a little visibility meter. So you've got that ambient level. So a good example, and this is more for FPS because they have the dB signature, so like sound: if you're in a room that has a generator running, it's super loud, that ambient sound is going to be like full bar. And as you run, your signature is going to move up and down as it is, but it's probably staying below. So that means you're stealth, you're not detectable easily, or passively from somebody else's radar. But could they focus scan you? Could they ping you? Yeah, they could still do all that kind of stuff.