The most useless piece of equipment in the X-COM arsonel

[darkestaxe]

I never used the motion scanner prior to reading this thread, and I now agree, in certain situations it can save lives. Using it is _such_ a hassle though, I'd love to see a mod/option to make it less painful. I'd even accept some amount of "error" (readings randomly sometimes off by a tile or two) if it just displayed it's reading superimposed over the battlescape.

huh, and I was just thinking I should just admit I was wrong then lock the thread, but apparently it's helping people! I have no problems with being the baitiot. (bait idiot)

[Sturm]

I never used the motion scanner prior to reading this thread, and I now agree, in certain situations it can save lives. Using it is _such_ a hassle though, I'd love to see a mod/option to make it less painful. I'd even accept some amount of "error" (readings randomly sometimes off by a tile or two) if it just displayed it's reading superimposed over the battlescape.

Why hassle? It's just clicking on the scanner and choosing scan.

[Mackus]

Well, it is kinda hassle. It'd be nice if you could put it on soldiers in some different way, like helmet or goggles for example, so it wouldn't use hand slot. Then it would be less annoying to use.

[Sturm]

Well, it is kinda hassle. It'd be nice if you could put it on soldiers in some different way, like helmet or goggles for example, so it wouldn't use hand slot. Then it would be less annoying to use.

I see. I think it was based on the motion tracker from Aliens.
It would be cool if it would be possible to put the whole Land Warrior system on soldiers.

[Solarius Scorch]

Well, it is kinda hassle. It'd be nice if you could put it on soldiers in some different way, like helmet or goggles for example, so it wouldn't use hand slot. Then it would be less annoying to use.

That would be way too easy, and used in every turn by half the squad. That would be a hassle!

With all due respect, I can't understand how using a hand-held item is a hassle at all.

[Mackus]

That would be way too easy, and used in every turn by half the squad. That would be a hassle!

With all due respect, I can't understand how using a hand-held item is a hassle at all.

Well, that where "kinda" is for. Learning to use Motion Scanner efficiently takes too long relative to its usefulness in my opinion. Its not that there aren't situations where its extremely useful, such as ufo interiors. Its just that many beginner players just wont bother to try it more than once.
There is also fridge logic problem: why Xcoms R&D didn't came up with Motion Scanner that you can put on your helmet?
But them you'd also have to answer why Xcom troopers don't carry nightvision googles. Or flashlights.

[Solarius Scorch]

But them you'd also have to answer why Xcom troopers don't carry nightvision googles. Or flashlights.

They do. That's why they can see something in the dark.
(hence the light circles around them)

[skyhawk]

I can see I should clarify my comment. The "hassle" I'm bitching about has nothing to do with it being a handheld item, or consuming TUs to use. I'm perfectly fine with all this. My gripe is it covers up the battlescape, and uses that stupid little arrow, then I need to close the device and start matching up the direction the soldier is facing with the arrow on the display, and try to figure out roughly where stuff is. A bloody stupid waste of time all that is. It should show it's results superimposed on the battlescape somehow.

[Solarius Scorch]

I can't relate - the scanning results were always pretty obvious to me... But then I'm a genius, so how would I understand?

[bread1804]

It is extremely useful in UFO breach or base assaults (confined areas) if you're playing the game properly without save scumming.  It is a survival tool much like smoke grenades.  You use this at the beginning of your turn where the only motion detected is the alien's.  You can find where they are camping and waiting with reaction fire, giving you a tactical edge (especially if you can bust down UFO inner walls).  Also gives you a good idea of how many aliens there are (ie. sometimes a medium scout would have 3-4 aliens inside, going in without preparation is reaction fire suicide).  It is a niche tool, but definitely not useless.  I find incendiary ammo more useless, as it is almost impossible to kill anything with it other than setting camp fires.

[Sturm]

I can't relate - the scanning results were always pretty obvious to me... But then I'm a genius, so how would I understand?

True. It may be something related to some type of intelligence that allows intuitively understand it without having to do any conscious process of sorting it out on paper or in memory. I guess we can consider ourselves to be made aware of our privilege.

[KORfan]

You use this at the beginning of your turn where the only motion detected is the alien's.

It is a niche tool, but definitely not useless.

Yes, this is the key to understanding the use of the motion scanner.  It must be used at the start of your turn, before you move any troops, or have only moved the operator.

[Solarius Scorch]

Having moved the operator isn't much of a problem, it won't get mixed with anything else, except maybe an alien directly above them. But it's not good practice.

[Unknown Hero]

@ bread1804

It is a survival tool much like smoke grenades.

Smoke Grenades and Motion Scanners can also be used in an assault way.


@ KORfan

Quote from: bread1804 on Today at 04:58:40 am

    You use this at the beginning of your turn where the only motion detected is the alien's.

    It is a niche tool, but definitely not useless.

Yes, this is the key to understanding the use of the motion scanner.  It must be used at the start of your turn, before you move any troops, or have only moved the operator.

It should be used in this way because of the way it was implemented in the original XCom game.
Display directly on the combat area (ex: with 3D boxes) where are located the detected units, and all the hassles of using it vanish.


@ Sturm, @ Solarius Scorch

Quote from: Solarius Scorch on Today at 03:24:58 am

    I can't relate - the scanning results were always pretty obvious to me... But then I'm a genius, so how would I understand?

True. It may be something related to some type of intelligence that allows intuitively understand it without having to do any conscious process of sorting it out on paper or in memory. I guess we can consider ourselves to be made aware of our privilege.

So cute! 
Kawaii! 

Divide your team in different squads; one squad with soldiers equipped with Flying Suits to enter the UFO on the top, by the hole made with a Blaster Launcher, to kill Alien Commanders and make panicking Alien Soldiers; one squad on the floor to enter by a door/hole; one squad on the floor to enter by another door/hole; one or two others squads to check the farms around; all squads equipped with Motion Scanners making use of them before moving then after moving, all in the same turn, and all of this in smoke from Smoke Grenades...
...and the supposed superior intelligence of some becomes again what it is in reality:

"intelligence of the ignorants" 

So funny, thanks! 

[Solarius Scorch]

Why would I need to use so many scanners in the same area? Because using them in remote places causes no problems, and using them in the same area gives roughly the same results...