A Different Stealth Slash Weapon Possibility

Today we tested out the "periodic visibility" stealth mechanic as described in the design post for the "Stealth Slash Pickup Weapon."

The stealth feels controllable, and it's not very confusing for the hidden player to estimate where he is. While in stealth mode, the player alternates between .8 seconds of invisibility and .5 seconds of visibility, with the total duration of the stealth mode being several seconds long (between 5-10 seconds). However, we discussed an alternative design to the stealth that is also interesting:

Upon activating the stealth weapon, the player turns invisible for 2-3 seconds. If the player walks within close range of a valid target during this time (enemy player or turret) the player automatically ends stealth mode and attacks any targets within range. The most significant difference is that the player gains stealth mode for a much shorter period, but gains complete invisibility during this time, rather than blinking. This gives less time for the player to reach a target during stealth, so it must be activated shortly before striking. This also means the player does not have to learn how to anticipate walking with the blinking system. The shorter overall duration on the stealth-mode is necessary because the player will quickly lose track of his own location otherwise. Either way, having the player automatically activate the melee attack upon coming into range may be good to have even if we also allow the player to manually trigger the attack.

One concern I have with the shorter duration alternative is that an opponent is more likely to walk away and wait out the brief stealth period, since it is so easy. It then becomes difficult to use the stealth to actually attack unless approaching enemies who are too occupied with one another to realize someone is turning invisible. This is not necessarily bad. In contrast, the longer blinking stealth gives the user more time and opportunity to use the attack portion, or use it to gain concealment while moving around the map.