Predator Sight Triangulation

[Art Andrews]

So, I am working on a little something for the site and was looking up reference for the Predator's targeting system and noticed that between Predator 1 and Predator 2 the targeting system changes in the order of how it locks on to a target! While I assume both are canon, which one makes more sense to you?

In Predator 1, the Predator sees a target, the triangle overlays on the target and you get the three beep lock and THEN the lasers come on...

Check out the video.

Predator 1 Targeting


In Predator 2, the Predator sees a target, the lasers come on FIRST, THEN the triangle overlays on the target and you get the three beep lock.

Check out the video.

Predator 2 Targeting


While I think the approach in Predator 1 is much more dramatic and I just tend to not like Predator 2 in general, in thinking about it logically, doesn't the Predator 2 method make more sense?

 

[DBOYSLADE]

Predator 1

 

[Usurper]

Prefer P1 to be honest, and that is not ONLY because it was the original , as you said it just has more of a impact imo anyway.

 

[roninpredator]

Dittto!

Predator 1

 

[berserk wolf]

I agree with everyone else. P1 method makes more sense.

 

[Art Andrews]

Help me understand here... do you just like the P1 better (I do) or do you think it makes more logical sense (I don't). If you think the P1 targeting makes more sense, please help me understand your POV on it.

 

[berserk wolf]

Help me understand here... do you just like the P1 better (I do) or do you think it makes more logical sense (I don't). If you think the P1 targeting makes more sense, please help me understand your POV on it.

Like um, in theory of an actual chase of the prey, wouldn't you want to have the "lock on" reticule be displayed on the HUD first then turning on the trilaser? Turning on the trilaser first sort of gives away your position, dont you think?

 

[PredatrHuntr]

You know what REALLY bugs me? In P1 when he first turns on the lasers, they aren't aligned!!!!!

 

[Art Andrews]

Like um, in theory of an actual chase of the prey, wouldn't you want to have the "lock on" reticule be displayed on the HUD first then turning on the trilaser? Turning on the trilaser first sort of gives away your position, dont you think?

Maybe I am not understanding it correctly, but my assumption would be that the lasers are what allows him to target and lock on and without the lasers already being on, how is he locking on to a target? While I don't like P2 as well, it makes more sense to me. Laser turns on and physically shines on target. HUD, sees laser, matches it and locks on. Canon fires. To have the HUD lock on BEFORE the lasers are on makes me ask, what is the HUD locking on to?

 

[PredatrHuntr]

Now, in all seriousness, the P1 way shows the targeting system locking on via the visor that the Pred is looking at. We see what he sees. Then the laser turns on, but realistically, the trilaser has already locked on, no?

If the targeting system is in the Bio, and shows a live feed via the display on the visor, then the two are linked. The canon should also follow in real time and blast anytime after its locked on.

In P2 I think its more realistic, but only because you see the laser 1st and it looks cooler.

 

[roninpredator]

I'm of the same thinking as beserker.
I see him using the locking mech as a scope. and the trilaser as a laser. sometimes you can have a bad aligned laser or a bad scope maybe that's why the pred has one of each.

Maybe I am not understanding it correctly, but my assumption would be that the lasers are what allows him to target and lock on and without the lasers already being on, how is he locking on to a target? While I don't like P2 as well, it makes more sense to me. Laser turns on and physically shines on target. HUD, sees laser, matches it and locks on. Canon fires. To have the HUD lock on BEFORE the lasers are on makes me ask, what is the HUD locking on to?

 

[Robillicus]

I think that in Predator 2 they were trying to go for a "dramatic" visual. The camera pans around the creatures left shoulder, and as it's panning, the cannon is activated and syncs with the cameras movement. The camera moves back from the creature as the targeting lasers engage. So, it's kind of a ONE-TWO-THREE sequence.

However, I think that the targeting lasers activate simultaneously with the tri-bar, triangular configuration. Since it's impossible to show both happening at the exact same moment, we get kind of a delayed shot order.

Realistically, it's just going to be preference. They're both different creatures, so their equipment can't be exactly the same. Plus, with the advancement of visual effects by the second movie, it's going to look a bit different. The heat-vision, for instance, was a bit cleaner than the previous film. Just sayin'.

Either one works fine for me. I don't particularly care either way.

 

[Origami Unicorn]

I think that in P2, he targets and then the lasers comes on just like in P1, they just cut it wrong, not to mention it's a different bio helmet

 

[Art Andrews]

I know I am getting way too nerdy on this and I guess a lot comes from assumption of how the system works, but here is an example of how a Hellfire Laser-guided rocketsystem works which is more or less what I was very clumsily trying to say in my last post:

"The original Hellfire design uses a laser guidance system to hit its mark. In this system, the Apache gunner aims a high-intensity laser beam at the target (in some situations, ground forces might operate the laser instead). The laser pulses on and off in a particular coded pattern. Before giving the firing signal, the Apache computer tells the missile's control system the specific pulse pattern of the laser. The missile has a laser seeker on its nose that detects the laser light reflecting off the target. In this way, the missile can see where the target is. The guidance system calculates which way the missile needs to turn in order to head straight for the reflected laser light."

In my mind, the way I see the Predator targeting system working is that the laser should turn on first to "paint" the target, the HUD picks up the laser on the target and locks on to the laser (not necessarily the target itself... just wherever the Predator has the laser pointed). The lock sound (three quick beeps) lets the Predator know the canon is locked to the laser and he can fire.

At the end of the day, I know it is just a movie, but it is fun to think about how this should work.

 

[Tsurabisu]

I think that in Predator 2 they were trying to go for a "dramatic" visual. The camera pans around the creatures left shoulder, and as it's panning, the cannon is activated and syncs with the cameras movement. The camera moves back from the creature as the targeting lasers engage. So, it's kind of a ONE-TWO-THREE sequence.

However, I think that the targeting lasers activate simultaneously with the tri-bar, triangular configuration. Since it's impossible to show both happening at the exact same moment, we get kind of a delayed shot order.

Realistically, it's just going to be preference. They're both different creatures, so their equipment can't be exactly the same. Plus, with the advancement of visual effects by the second movie, it's going to look a bit different. The heat-vision, for instance, was a bit cleaner than the previous film. Just sayin'.

Either one works fine for me. I don't particularly care either way.

I agree here. To me, it seems to be more of an editing mistake in the order they showed it. It could very well be that they both happen at the same time, but without split screen, you're not going to see it.

 

[Valkyrja]

Truthfully with the advanced (compared to us) tech they tend to use during their hunt I am surprised that the lasers appear at all. Yes, I know that it is for effect in the movie in order to generate a certain bit of awe and perhaps even foreboding. In the real though this type of laser is lousy to use as it can allow your prey to track back to your position. It would be a lot better to use something beyond the typical visual range (infrared, which would make sense especially with how they appear to view the world) to first paint the target, allow the electronics to lock on (calculate distance, density, etc), and then fire.

So a laser for X, another for Y, and the third for a Z?

Plus with the lasers being infrared it would also provide why they would have enhanced night vision. Of course we could say it does work this way and that they use the red light to make their prey scared so that they may do something really stupid.

Just my .02 and a half.

 

[Origami Unicorn]

Well Art, that's why the lair is here for all the nerdy fan boys and fan girls to talk about all the little details

 

[Skullsplitter]

I like to think about them as separate systems: The overlay works as an indicator, the laser as lead for the sync gun.

The videogames mixed it up though, but one mod for AVP2 did it by having you guide your laser by hand through laser, or target through the overlay and then point a laser to the locked target automaticly, needing another button for actual fire.

 

[strugglingrunt]

P2 is far more realistic most laser guided weaponry locks on to a target with the beam .

 

[Skullsplitter]

Reason why I see the two as separate is quite simple BTW: Laser to point, visual aim HUD to indicate, as the visual aim doesnt turn the pred's head by itself