Crystalline Armor OP

[Bystander]

First time playthrough here, doing Hydroplant.
The Crystal Armor is way overpowered, I can sneak past all enemies - and I'd never levelled up sneak.
(Hint: Under Accesibility settings tick toggle crouch so you can just sneak all the time.).
All enemies will walk into you and still ignore you.
Actually creates a bit of a personal dilemna that I'm skipping crafted content, except I know those enemies will just respawn after some time anyway. Maybe it works better in co-op when only one person gets sneak mode? Though it looks like it can be farmed.
Needs balancing, Either timeout, proximity or only low level enemies.

[Bystander]

I uploaded a video to make the point. This is me overencumbered moving a forward base, so walking slowly. At the start I sprint for a bit so the sniper sees me, then just start normal walking.
https://youtu.be/A2zKr6PtSko

[Alla Ya'fbar]

Yeah. GATE set should have it as well.

[MechWarden]

Yeah, when Crystalline Armor was first introduced it felt like the effects were a bit too much, along with its sound effects being a bit triggering. Being able to bump into people and creatures, stop them in their tracks, and without alerting them felt too powerful and silly.

Logically I'd think that if you are moving close enough, and within sight, (and not sneaking) that it should do some sort of sneak check. While sneaking it should use your stealth skill and any buffs/debuffs you have, but with a bonus due to the armor's effects. Bumping into people or creatures, or them bumping into you, should automatically alert them.

That said, once you have alerted creatures, especially Order Soldiers, I found out the Crystalline Armor seems to be way less effective against enemies actively looking for you, which is good! It does help with escaping, and it does protect like armor, but you can't just ninja-vanish after rounding a corner for a second; with the exception of that sniper in the video, which I guess logically tracks since seeing camo at a distance is harder to notice while up front.

Also that's really silly that you can slow yourself down enough to trigger stealth via getting over encumbered. Good job on finding it, but also the stealth effect should activate while standing still or while sneaking, not just walking slow enough. The downside of going in via stealth is how slow you need to be to maintain it. If you want to go fast and still be safe you have to move past enemies and risk not having a safe escape path. Adding in some or all of my suggested changes would make the stealth effect feel less like a cheat mode and feel more exciting and meaningful with those logical risks.

Lastly, I'm hoping some of the next type of enemies are able to see through that. GATE Keepers should be no joke, and should be able to see through the cloak or have a way of canceling the effect while in proximity, not unlike the craftable trinket you can wear. I'd be disappointed if an early stage stealth suit could hard counter later stage and hyped up GATE Keepers.

[Bystander]

I've become so used to it now that when I swap out armor components - for an environmental Anteverse for instance, I'll still be crouching thinking they can't see me like a kid with their feet sticking out behind the sofa.

[-=Ðﮐ=- Arctic Howler]

bit of a necro...

it needs a duration and/or battery and security bots(at least containment and defense) should outright see through it... they're robots, they aren't using human eyes to see, they're on a whole different spectrum of vision from us, they'd see you, it's just refracted light that can be countered by a little vial full of the same substance...(which ironically works great as a battery charger...)

Edit: don't get me wrong, love the armor... but I not only completely evaded the guy who makes it kinda important to get(reaper) but gods.... i completed everything but the tier 5 hacking tool craft just by using the armor to sneak around gathering the materials in hydroplant and still use it... bumping be damned... I have a pointy stick and a sneak attack from hell thanks to this armor...

[MechWarden]

I have to say that in my solo Apocalyptic run, I've been using that armor a lot. I'm still surprised at how effective it is, but I also have to say that it is REALLY convenient on simply progressing without things being too bogged down with tedious Gatekeeper combat.

That said, it might not be a bad idea if there was an anti-cloak effect to make such cheese less over powered. (also I'm sure if that's a thing later on, only got 2 reactors done)

[Kai]

There is no "walk" button keybind in the game though technically its UE5 so it should be in there.

On gamepads you can slow yourself down via stick direction.