Great idea.  In the old Looking Glass game Terra Nova, you could launch tiny flying recon drone cameras to scout out areas, it's a really cool bit of gameplay. 

Some kind of window-in-window tech?

I like both ideas some form of reconisance in this game would be nice so far its purely light bots. I think some kind of bot maybe like a command bot it could use satellites or recon drones and watch the whole field and issue commands to people. They could also use Nexus to improve squads. This would add a really interesting function to pvp battles.

Clearly there is a deliberation to be made in regards to the ambitious and the practical..

At this point in time, considering the limited content and gameplay mechanics, i believe Perpetuum to be best served by the ambitous..

In regards to the above, expanding on the possible gameplay mechanics inherent atmospheric and weather effects seems a natural road to take.

It would definately give PvP, in perpetuum, something no other MMOs (or multiplayer games i know of) have to offer. How to leverage all those gameplay possibilities though is the real question.

just updating the signal detector seems like a copout

This, absolutely, yes please. I'm tired of not being able to see stuff on my top monitor...

@ Baudolino - Being ambitious leads to the initial assault changes that turned them into FOTM. Let's leave ambitious on the drawing board, throw the board out the window, and then shoot it with a 50 caliber machine gun.

how about decoys ? basicaly without visual confirmation you'd be pickung up a robot on your sensors of a selectable type (or bound to the decoy type).

anyway this game has loads of potential for proper electronic/sensor warfare implementations.

As far as "Launch UAV" goes i think there`s a way to do it in a meaningfull way.

Personally i would like to have 2 different detection methods in the UAV.
1. Electronic that can be countered with masking skills and mods.
2. Visual detection - the user has to look through the UAV camera himself in order to
                              actually see what`s going on. That way detection relies on user focus
                              rather than an "I win" functionality.

ALSO..

Enhanced weather effects would also affect the effectiveness of and usability of the UAV.

Weather conditions
Light rain , Strong rain, Fog, no rain
Light Snow, thick snow, blizzard, no snow
Light winds, strong winds, hurricane

Atmospheric conditions
Moon vs no moon
Cloud cover vs no clouds (high clouds or low clouds)
Maybe EM storms or something

Atmospheric and weather conditions create various ground conditions that effect visibility, detection levels, mech Speed, locking ranges etc..

I think thermal vision, light enhancement and searchlights should be integrated rather than modular, but they should remain upgradeable..

Im very like it! Nice ideas to make weather condition as pvp factor!

[joke]Whats about to change some resists in dependable of weather? Kains kills artemises during EW storm [/joke]

did someone dig up my beta topic?

weather should affect all aspects of combat. from thunderstrikes to sandstorm that affects weapons range/damage, or even dealing damage

A perfect tie in to the self-destuct feature that is supposed to be coming soon. Actiavate and a bolt of lighting strikes your bot and you splode for aoe splash damage!

Same thing that happens if you beat on plutonium with a hammer.