Metal Gear Online item ‘E. Locator’ detailed

To celebrate having posted their 2000th tweet, the official Metal Gear Online Twitter account put an item we’ll be able to use in the new Metal Gear Online in the spotlights. It’s an object we’ve briefly seen in action in the Metal Gear Online debut trailer: a grenade that can mark enemy players, called the E. Locator.

 

“Presenting the E. Locator (Enemy Locator)! When thrown, this support weapon marks players within the radius of its pulse! Feel free to ask us questions about the E. Locator!”

The studio proceeded to answer a bunch of questions sent in by fans, revealing more details in the process.

• What are the requirements for being able to use it? “Only to have it in your inventory under support weapons.”
• “It can be thrown underhand if you tap R2, and overhand if you hold R2 down.”
• “The radius is about 4-5 meters.”
• It will also go through walls: “If the radius pulse penetrates the space they’re in.”
• “It only marks enemy players.”
• “While the values may change, the pulse lasts a little over 10 seconds after it lands.”
• How will enemies be able to spot it? “The grenade casing is thrown in the air like all grenades, and can be seen, pulsing once thrown.”
• “The E.Locator emits a visible light pulse every second or so, and it makes a mid frequency beep. approximately 10 pulses or so after it lands (this variable might change though before release).”
• How can it be countered? “The only sure way to counter it is to avoid it. no you can’t throw it back, it cannot be picked up.”
• “While the final values can change, the default amount is 3, but again, we’ll check this for balance.”
• “It cannot be retrieved.”
• “We can’t discuss the duration of the marking effect just yet, however…”
• Can it also be used in the single player mode of MGSV:TPP? “Currently this is an MGO support weapon.”
• How does it compare to the one in MGO2? “This support weapon has been enhanced compared to MGO2, and not just shows players within the active range but marks them. This is the same effect as marking a player with binoculars but within the range of the pulse, and then leaving the effect on.”
• “The main differences [between this and MGO2’s] are that it marks all players who step within its radius at any point, and leaves the mark on afterwards and that it communicates the location of enemies it marks to the entire team of the person who threw it.”
• “Another way the E.Locator is enhanced for MGO3 is by sharing the location information with your entire team!”
• “It’s much more improved than the SOP system.”
• What happens when you hit a wall with it? “Bounces off.”
• “There is currently no mode that removes the use of this support weapon from player options, marking is essential in MGSV.”
• How will it show marked enemies? “Both on the map and visible outline through walls, similar to the marking system used through binoculars.”
• “There are currently no upgrades to the E.Locator, its pretty powerful already! […] but if you’d like it to be upgraded, we’ll consider any feedback on that.”
• Not too advanced for the time frame? “In a world of idroids, marking binoculars and metal gears, you never know what advanced tech the Boss gets his hands on.”
• “Another thing to bring up is the E.Locator, within its duration of effect, will tag everyone who steps into the radius, no cap on # of marks.”
• Won’t it be too powerful? “We don’t think E.Locators will ever be OP and will balance them accordingly if they become so. I can’t really speak about maps.”
• “Just a reminder the figures we’ve mentioned aren’t final but currently where things are, please submit feedback if you’d like to see changes.”

The team also provided some specifications on the item.

To cap off some of our discussion on the E. Locator we have some visual stats that went into its creation

Total Weight: 0.875 lb (0.397 kg)
Container Length: 5.512 in (140 mm)
Grenade Length: 3.53 in (90 mm)
Container Diameter: 3 in (76.2 mm)
Grenade Diameter: 2.5 in (64 mm)

Safety pin withdrawn, release lever striker rotates on own axis and strikes percussion primer. Pressure sensitive tape is blown off casing side ejecting the grenade. Laser sensor beams spread an pulse from the grenade tagging players within the radius.

This is the kind of info that we usually attribute only to our guns, but figure there’s interest in the support weapons as well.

So, if you have any feedback on this item, be sure to let the developer know!

Source: Metal Gear Online Twitter