Stealth Camouflage
From the Metal Gear Wiki
Stealth camouflage is an electronic device capable of rendering the user "invisible" to "semi-invisible." It has existed in several incarnations; prototypes were used by Night Fright during the Zanzibar Land Uprising and by Otacon and some members of FOXHOUND during the FOXHOUND Rebellion,[1] although The Fear apparently used a version forty years earlier during Operation Snake Eater (the only obvious difference being that this version was bio-electrically-powered).
Stealth camouflage was also used by Zanzibar Land mercenary Night Fright. It was undetectable by radar. He used it when he battled Solid Snake. Following the Shadow Moses Incident, Otacon gave his stealth camouflage to Solid Snake, who expressed dislike of the concept.[2] This particular unit was, however, destroyed during the Tanker incident. In 2014, during Liquid Ocelot's insurrection, Otacon built state-of-the-art Stealth camouflage capability into the Metal Gear Mk.II. Solid Snake (now Old Snake) did not use it due to its ineffectiveness against the Gekko's heat sensors, instead making use of OctoCamo.
Stealth camouflage is available in some games as an unlockable item. In all incarnations, when equipped, the space the user takes up looks to be distorted, allowing the outline, but not the user, visible. Equipments that are used are also visible (i.e. weapons). Although no one can see the person when activated, people nearby will see the use if they are using thermal goggles. Stealth camouflage also has no effect on the sound of the user's footsteps.
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[edit] Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake
Stealth camouflage was used by the Zanzibar Land mercenary Night Fright during the Zanzibar Land Uprising. It was undetectable by radar. He used it in his battle against Solid Snake.
[edit] Metal Gear Solid/The Twin Snakes
The stealth camouflage can be unlocked if the player submits to the torture. Otacon will give Snake the stealth camouflage during the ending. This will allow the player to use it the next time they play the game. Stealth camouflage is useless against the bosses and enemies arriving for a gunbattle due to alert mode being triggered in certain events in the game.
[edit] Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
In Metal Gear Solid 2, the stealth camouflage is available to both Snake and Raiden as unlockable items by collecting a certain amount of Dog Tags. While it is effective and prevents enemy soldiers from spotting the player, it can still come off if bumping into a enemy soldier and in Alert Mode, being too close to the soldiers can cause them to kick the player, as well as taking the stealth camo off. It's also not effective in boss battles either as the boss can see the player regardless.
[edit] Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
In Metal Gear Solid 3, the stealth camouflage can be unlocked for Naked Snake through two different ways:
- Beat the game without triggering Alert Mode.
- Shooting all the Kerotans in one save file.
Furthermore, while wearing the stealth camouflage, guards can still hear Snake's footsteps, and if an alert is triggered, Snake's camo index will drop to 95% and guards will attack him. A helpful way to get around this is to use The Sorrow's Spirit camo to muffle Snake's footsteps. Unlike the previous games, stealth camo in this game can help out with avoiding attacks during boss battles.
[edit] Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops
In Portable Ops, the stealth camouflage can be unlocked by attaining a tech level of 99. One account can only create one stealth camouflage, but more can be acquired via Wi-Fi.
The stealth camouflage in Portable Ops is battery powered and works for approximately 60 seconds each time it is deployed in an area and is useless in Alert Mode and against Bosses. Stealth camouflage will automatically deactivate when the battery level is depleted or when the player is bumped into by an enemy or vice versa.
[edit] Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
In Metal Gear Solid 4, the stealth camouflage can be unlocked through two different ways:
- Beat the game without triggering Alert Mode.
- Purchasing it from Drebin for 5,000,000 Drebin Points from Acts 1 to 4 or for 2,500,000 Drebin Points during Act 5 (after completing the game once). The player can also buy it from Drebin on Wednesdays to save 20% (4,000,000) on the price (after completing the game once).
Furthermore, while wearing the stealth camouflage, guards can still hear Snake's footsteps, and if an alert is triggered, they will be attacked regardless of whether he is wearing the stealth camouflage (indicated by a camouflage index of 95%). Stealth camouflage is also ineffective against Gekkos because of their thermal sight. With respect to camo index, the Haven camo, which can be downloaded, provides a 99% camo index while standing still.
[edit] Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Snake's entrance animation onto a stage originated from the first cutscene in Metal Gear Solid 2, in which his camouflage becomes non-functional from a landing impact on the U.S.S. Discovery. The closest Snake can come to "wearing" stealth camouflage is in Super Smash Bros. Brawl's Special Brawl mode, and access a modifier named "Clear." Turning this option on makes all characters invisible, similar to the effect caused through use of the Cloaking Device. The Cloaking Device is only availible in Super Smash Bros. Melee.
[edit] Trivia
- Stealth camouflage is not a recent concept, nor is it unique to only to the MGS games. It can be seen in various films such as Predator and Ghost in the Shell.
- According to the Metal Gear Solid 4 Database, the stealth camo apparently leaks electro-magnetic radiation, making it lethal after a long period of time, however, in the ninja VR missions, using stealth will decrease health. Unlike smoking however, the alleged effects of the radiation leaks are not shown.
