History Main / InvisibilityFlicker

* In ''Literature/HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban'', Harry's cloak slips in Hogsmeade when he's throwing mud at Draco Malfoy, causing his head to be momentarily visible. His head does not have permission to be in Hogsmeade.

** A variation in ''Film/StarTrekIIITheSearchForSpock'', where a Klingon cloak is just slightly flawed, and Kirk spots something is up when a star seems to shift position slightly as the cloaked ship passed in front of it.

** And any stealth power provides a general defensive bonus and leaves the character at least slightly translucent (vaguely useful against other players at range) even while "suppressed". There are also a very few [[strike:dirty tricks]] attack powers which, under the right conditions, ''don't break stealth'' and can be used repeatedly on non-players with little to no risk.

* ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'''s Infiltrator class can cloak nearly perfectly until the first shot is fired. This works great with sniper rifles but leaves you exposed while both working the action on the notoriously slow weapons and waiting for the cloak to cool down for reuse. In ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'', The cloaking ability is changed to add a slight flicker. Since enemies got an improved AI that allows them to notice you while cloaked instead of just standing stupidly until you're visible, this means that they can sometimes see that flicker if they're close enough and will start to shoot at where they think you are.

* ''VideoGame/MonsterHunterPC'' has the invisible BlobMonster enemies, who periodically reveals themselves with each step they take before turning invisible again so you know where to attack when they reappear. They'll also become visible when trying to devour you.

*** Mordred the phantom assassin has the skill blur which renders her model transparent (but not technically invisible), making her look invisible. The only way to see her is to notice the faint blur or her shadow. Interestingly, actual invisibility and frost-based slow effects will reveal her full model (until the transparency is refreshed).

** Hunters received a ''Predator''-style cloaking ability in ''Cataclysm'', making them and their pet completely invisible when standing still. When moving (at half-speed while cloaked), the Hunter and pet make a rippled effect like the Predator than can be noticed by other players. The cloak also prevents lock-on for any direct attacks, but the Hunter can be hit by area-of-effect spells and abilities. Also, any aggressive action aside from planting traps will drop the cloak.

* In ''VideoGame/{{DONTLOOKAWAY]]'', if the survivors shine a light at the Entity while it is invisible, it appears as a flickering shadow.

* ''VideoGame/GhostInTheShell'' has its fifth boss, who comes at you with a cloaking device allowing it to take potshots at you. But while doing so it visibly flickers and gives away its position so you can shoot back.
* ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' has these for a couple of the main characters. Cyborg Ninja, being a [[ConservationOfNinjitsu lone ninja out for blood]], seems to blink back into view whenever he does anything more exciting than strolling down a hallway. And sometimes even then.
** Solid Snake not only disrupts his cloaking device but outright wrecks it during the opening sequence of the second game. He casually tossed his rain jacket aside, lept off a bridge, and made a 10-point landing on the boat below; the cloak completely dies in a flurry of discharged electricity. This entrance also made it into ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBros Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''.
---> [[NoFourthWall "Kept you waiting, huh?"]]

* ''Franchise/{{Halo}}''
** Attacking while cloaked will cause your cloak to disappear, although ceasing your attack makes it reappear. Obviously, this is for gameplay balance reasons.
** As terrifyingly effective as cloaked Elites can be, they can be spotted by the ripple they leave in the air, which becomes more and more visible if they're moving. Also, using your flashlight helps as well, just be wary of any enemies equipped with deadly melee weapons...
** The Active Camouflage in games from ''VideoGame/HaloReach'' onward partially drops while the user is moving.
* ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'':
** The Spy cannot do anything while cloaked except moving and collecting pickups. As above, this is an obvious gameplay balance issue, as a fully cloaked spy is absolutely invisible (his model isn't rendered at all) so long as he does not bump into anybody, and being able to decloak and backstab behind an unaware foe is already a powerful ability. Decloaking also takes a second and has a very recognizable sound effect, so it's not wise to do so right behind an enemy unless they're distracted.
** While not quite the same, the Spy's disguise ability masks their presence to enemies much like the cloaking device, by making them appear to be someone on the enemy side. As soon as you attack the disguise immediately dissolves. [[OneHitKill Luckily, one hit should be all he needs.]]
* ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'''s Infiltrator class can cloak nearly perfectly until the first shot is fired. This works great with sniper rifles but leaves you exposed while both working the action on the notoriously slow weapons and waiting for the cloak to cool down for reuse. In ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'', The cloaking ability is changed to add a slight flicker. Since enemies got an improved AI that allows them to notice you while cloaked instead of just standing stupidly until you're visible, this means that they can sometimes see that flicker if they're close enough and will start to shoot at where they think you are.
* ''VideoGame/MonsterHunterPC'' has the invisible BlobMonster enemies, who periodically reveals themselves with each step they take before turning invisible again so you know where to attack when they reappear. They'll also become visible when trying to devour you.
* ''VideoGame/{{Starcraft}}'' has various units (Ghosts, Wraiths, Scouts, Dark Templars, etc.) that are temporarily or permanently cloaked, i. e. invisible. You may catch a glimpse of an odd ripple where they are if you're lucky (many games, movies, and shows use this, in fact), but your units won't see 'em... unless they walk too close to a building or unit that is a Detector, which reveals them for all to see. (Using certain special abilities on the area also reveals them for a while.) Same goes, of course, for the cases when you're using them. Plenty of base defense tactics involve not leaving yourself vulnerable to cloaked attackers.
** Unusual in the Protoss Dark Templars are permanently cloaked and can attack (very effectively) without becoming visible. The Dark Templar hero is horrifyingly effective for just this reason, especially as he wields an InfinityPlusOneSword. Oddly, in a midgame cinematic, Dark Templar hero Zeratul keeps blinking in and out of cloak while facing off against Zerg Queen Kerrigan.

* In ''VideoGame/Battlefield2142'', the Recon soldiers use a very noisy cloaking device. It must be stowed away in order to use any other item and stops working when you climb a ladder or fall from a good height. The actual blinkery happens when the cloaker is struck with {{EMP}}: the cloaking continues, albeit with bright flashes of ultraviolet and static. Or, if a cloaking squad leader forgets to stash his perfectly visible [[RobotBuddy helper drone]].
* This has subsequently become a favored means of balancing stealth spells in video games. For example, in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI'', hitting something (or, if you use the spells unintelligently, ''being hit by'' something) cancels all stealth spells, and you must cancel Invisible status in particular if you wish to interact with anything, even doors. Similarly, in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTactics'' and its spinoffs, as soon as invisible characters take any action at all other than moving, they become visible.

* Likewise, in ''VideoGame/RomancingSaGa: Minstrel Song'', the "Lurk" and "Move Silently" abilities prevent enemies from seeing or hearing you, respectively...unless you run into one on your own, in which case a battle begins (Either in Melee; closer range and more BP) or you get the initiative (Attack First) and after you win the stealth abilities are no more.
* The Stealth ability in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' makes you invisible until you interact with something (unless the interaction is Pick-Pocketing), or until you get too close to something that's looking right at you.
** It is possible to still be stealthed while someone is looking at you, usually an enemy mob will attack you right away but other players can be less quick. If you manage to run away before they can lock on to you, it can be funny to watch other players scurry about, shouting about a Rogue in stealth mode while you stand a safe distance away.
** One up on this is the mage's "Invisibility" spell, which makes you ''so'' invisible that you can't even see anyone ''else.'' Although once again the spell is canceled if the mage tries to do anything useful, like casting other spells. Not to mention that the mages actually have a spell called [[FlashyTeleportation Blink.]]
*** The Invisibility spell actually operates as more of a PhantomZone situation than anything else; you can see other people who are themselves in your temporary "dimension". Invisibility seems to shift you to somewhere between the normal world and the ghost plane.
** Hunters received a ''Predator''-style cloaking ability in ''Cataclysm'', making them and their pet completely invisible when standing still. When moving (at half-speed while cloaked), the Hunter and pet make a rippled effect like the Predator than can be noticed by other players. The cloak also prevents lock-on for any direct attacks, but the Hunter can be hit by area-of-effect spells and abilities. Also, any aggressive action aside from planting traps will drop the cloak.
* Stealth powers in ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes'' work in a similar fashion. But while the stealth ability is "suppressed" when you are attacking, taking damage, or interacting with objects, any other benefits the power has will still apply. The Stalker archetype even gets a massive 'sneak attack' damage bonus for initiating their assassin strike while stealthed, as well as a much higher chance to deal double damage with their other attacks.
** And any stealth power provides a general defensive bonus and leaves the character at least slightly translucent (vaguely useful against other players at range) even while "suppressed". There are also a very few [[strike:dirty tricks]] attack powers which, under the right conditions, ''don't break stealth'' and can be used repeatedly on non-players with little to no risk.
* ''VideoGame/PerfectDark'' follows this trope. Cloaking will temporarily deactivate when you or an enemy attack (which includes firing guns, pistol-whipping, punching, and throwing things) under the [[JustifiedTrope justification]] that sudden movement disrupts the cloaking field. Shields will also blink occasionally; useful for spotting shielded enemies and seeing the shield strength of allies, on account of shields [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience being color-coded by how much power is left]] (bright-red for full and dark green for almost gone).
* ''VideoGame/PoEd'' has an invisible alien enemy who turns visible by default when they're about to attack, allowing you to shoot back.

* In ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion'' there were two types of invisibility spells. One was called "invisibility" and made you invisible until you interacted with an object (Like a door), got in a fight, or the spell wore off. The other, called chameleon, made you translucent and refractive in what was probably the most badass effect in the game. However, chameleon worked as a percentage, so it was still possible for enemies to see you even at 99% chameleon. [[GameBreaker If you got 100% chameleon, however...]]
** 100% chameleon also had the effect of making you completely transparent. Much fun is to be had in cloaking to 100%, riding a horse around, and convincing friends that you had turned yourself into a horse.
** While ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'' loses the Chameleon spell completely, the visual effect for the Invisibility spell is without a doubt just as kickass. Granted, by the time you build your Illusion skill high enough to use it, you may not need it for sneaking, but you can do the flickering effect over and over damn well with enough Magicka.
* In ''VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}}'' you can get a "Natural Camouflage" plasmid by sufficiently researching a Houdini Splicer, which makes you completely invisible as long as you stand still. Moving or attacking cancels the cloaking, but even machines and cameras cease to see you and even Big Daddies can bump into you without noticing (not that they're really aggressive if you're not provoking them). [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2xiVXrhwao So you can wait out a security bot alarm safely by just standing still (around 2:30 in the video)]]. Is this awesome? (Y/N).
* In ''VideoGame/PrinceOfPersiaTheTwoThrones'', there is an enemy who is invisible (but makes a very obvious metallic sound) until you hit them. This is unbalanced somewhat by the combat lock-on system still working even if the Prince can't see his enemy, so you can swipe your sword around in their direction until you hit them.
* ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII'' has the Wind Walk spell that turns a unit invisible until it runs out of time or attacks a target, upon which it (usually - you can alter the ability on custom maps) deals bonus damage. The Permanent Invisibility passive ability and other types of invisibility also break upon attacking or casting a spell, the former reasserting itself quickly when action ceases.
** In the custom map ''VideoGame/DefenseOfTheAncients'' there are a few heroes with variations on this
*** Rooftrellen's ability Nature's Guise grants invisibility that does not break when the target uses a spell, but it fades if the unit is not standing near a tree
*** Lanaya's meld ability also grants invisibility, but it has no set duration. Instead, it is canceled whenever she moves.
*** However, Slark's ultimate, Shadowdance, plays with this trope. It grants Slark invisibility for a period of time that is NOT broken by any actions at all, but it does leave a noticeable cloud of darkness wherever he is standing.
*** Mordred the phantom assassin has the skill blur which renders her model transparent (but not technically invisible), making her look invisible. The only way to see her is to notice the faint blur or her shadow. Interestingly, actual invisibility and frost-based slow effects will reveal her full model (until the transparency is refreshed).
*** Rikimaru, the aptly named stealth assassin has a literal version of this trope; he is permanently invisible, but whenever he attacks or uses a spell he is revealed for a period of time (that gets shorter as the ability is leveled up)
* All stealth units in the ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquer'' series had to uncloak to fire (except Pathfinders from ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerGenerals Generals]]'', who had to WALK for that instead). In the first ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert Red Alert]]'', submarines were handled as stealth units... Never mind that in RealLife, the first submarines did the perfect opposite: As they weren't equipped for prolonged periods underwater, they usually stayed afloat out of battle.
** In the FPS ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRenegade'', this happens to stealth Black Hand units. Also, falling damage made them blink, too. Usually the people who use them bunny-hop away. Note that they're still revealed even when the "falling damage" is zero (i.e. falling from a jump). Also note that bunny hopping in that game [[TooDumbToLive isn't actually faster than running.]]
** That and stealthed units/buildings in ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianDawn Tiberian Dawn]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianSun Tiberian Sun]]'' can be revealed by getting a unit close enough that they would essentially be touching it. And the force attack (ctrl) command is your best friend for targeting cloaked buildings.
* The [[BattleshipRaid Gleipnir]] from ''VideoGame/AceCombatXSkiesOfDeception'' is explicitly said to need to decloak in order to fire its Shock Cannon, though you can still see a ''Predator''-style shimmer if you're close enough - targeting it through the shimmer is necessary to beat its "first form" without losing any allies. Also subverted with the majority of stealth fighters you fight, as they fade from radar and remain untargetable even after they fire missiles, revealing themselves pretty much arbitrarily.
* In ''VideoGame/GlobalAgenda'', the Recon class pops out their stealth all the time when using their abilities or getting shot at.
* Reptile from ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' uses a cloak ability in later games.
* Happens all the time in the ''VideoGame/SpiralKnights'' pvp mini-game, Lockdown. In the game, the player can become a recon. You cannot see a stealthed enemy recon, but you will be alerted to their presence. Remaining near a stealthed opponent will lower your defense. Further, due to the game's mechanics, activating stealth immediately after attacking will cancel part of your attack animation and speed up your attack. So, a common tactic is to stealth near your enemy, lower their defenses, attack, and immediately restealth.

* ''VideoGame/EscapeVelocity: Nova'' has this for the Wraith, every time they get close, they flicker a bit, same when they're angered and they attack you. The Polaris gets a cloaking [[{{OrganicTechnology}} organ]] but requires you to decloak in order to fire weapons, later in the specific storyline, the Scarab and Raven are upgraded to have a specially modified Polaron ([[{{MacrossMissileMassacre}} multi-]])torpedo tubes that allow you to fire while cloaked.
* In ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'', the invisible Novistadors in the sewer de-cloak when attacking.

* Used in ''VideoGame/DungeonCrawl'' to indicate your Invisibility spell is about to run out. Also, you can occasionally get a glimpse of where invisible creatures are while you're fighting them, and being invisible while standing in something that gets displaced (fog, water, etc.) reveals your position.
* In ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBros Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'', invisible characters (either by playing Invisible Melee or using a cloaking device item) will flicker visible whenever he or she is attacking.
* In ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'', one of Kaname Tosen's Bankai abilities is to prevent anyone within a certain vicinity from seeing him. This is interpreted in ''Bleach: Shattered Blade'' by him becoming invisible except when attacking, upon which he'll teleport right to the opponent to perform the attack. The dust kicked up by his footsteps, however, can still be seen, giving him away whenever he moves.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Warframe}}'', Ivara's Prowl ability is temporarily disrupted by attacking with audible weapons, and deactivates in response to sprinting, "Bullet Jumping", and other maneuvers. Averted by other Warframes' invisibility, though, which allow you to attack with impunity... though most abilities don't silence your weapons (Loki's can, with an optional augment) and enemies are smart enough to shoot at where your attacks are coming from.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}: Operation Anchorage'', the Chinese Stealth Armor's invisibility is only active when the user is crouched, and the {{McNinja}}s that wear it tend to stand up and [[HighlyVisibleNinja blow their cover]] when attacking.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Evolve}}'', the medic Lazarus has a cloaking ability that flickers whenever he uses another ability.
* In Blinx 2 players can play as the main antagonists of the first game the Tom Toms, who have access to various gadgets. One of them is an InvisibilityCloak that players must move painfully slow to use effectively, as sudden moves generate shimmers that can quickly make them more visible than they were before using it.
* ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'', champions under stealth "shimmer" upon taking damage, revealing a short after-image of the champion and their position upon taking a hit. Damage-over-time effects will really screw up an enemy's stealth as even though stealth may not technically be broken, [[SeeTheInvisible the positional information]] can be enough to doom them.

* In ''VideoGame/GhostRecon: Future Soldier'', the adaptive camo stops working when you're attacking, getting hit, sprinting, or [[WeaksauceWeakness standing tall]].

* ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'''s Infiltrator class can cloak nearly perfectly until the first shot is fired. This works great with sniper rifles but leaves you exposed while both working the action on the notoriously slow weapons and waiting for the cloak to cool down for reuse. In Mass Effect 3, The cloaking ability is changed to add a slight flicker. Since enemies got an improved AI that allows them to notice you while cloaked instead of just standing stupidly until you're visible, this means that they can sometimes see that flicker if they're close enough and will start to shoot at where they think you are.

* The Zaibach stealth-cloaked Guymelefs in ''Anime/VisionOfEscaflowne'' occasionally do this.

* Inverted in A. Lee Martinez's novel ''Monster'', in which the title character develops a different superpower every time he wakes from sleep. Partway through the story, he takes a nap and, waking, finds that he turns invisible whenever he closes his eyes. Yes, this means even ''blinking'' makes him succumb to Visibility Flicker.

* Cloaking devices in ''Franchise/StarTrek'' work on the same principle: you have to decloak, if only for a moment, if you want to open fire. Similarly, the Jem'Hadar on ''[[Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine Deep Space 9]]'' have a biological invisibility power which seems to deactivate when they attack. If they're capable of staying invisible while they strangle you (or slit your throat with one of the bladed weapons they favor), we never saw it.

* In most varieties of 'TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'', "attacking" cancels out invisibility spells or items affecting a character. But not bashing inanimate objects with a club, or stabbing a willing target, or opening a cage with dangerous things in it. It's apparently a very intelligent spell.

*** There is also a spell in the Spell Compendium called ''Superior Invisibility,'' which removes almost all of the round about way of detecting invisibility, as well as lasting minutes per level. You cannot be seen, heard, smelt, detected through heat signature, revealed through flour or like objects thrown around, or even picked up by magical detection or scrying. It even defeats ''see invisibility'' and other spells generally used to detect invisible creatures. ''true seeing,'' however, can still see through it. Of course, it's an eighth level spell so by the time you're high enough level to cast it, a lot of creatures you should be facing at that level are capable of using true seeing at will.

* ''VideoGame/GhostInTheShell'' have it's fifth boss, who comes at you with a cloaking device allowing it to take potshots at you. But while doing so it visibly flickers and gives away it's position so you can shoot back.

** Solid Snake not only disrupts his cloaking device but outright wrecks it during the opening sequence of the second game. He casually tossed his rain jacket aside, lept off a bridge, and made a 10 point landing on the boat below; the cloak completely dies in a flurry of discharged electricity. This entrance also made it into ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBros Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''.

** And any stealth power provides a general defensive bonus and leaves the character at least slightly translucent (vaguely useful against other players at range) even while "suppressed". There are also a very few [[strike:dirty tricks]] attack powers which under the right conditions ''don't break stealth'' and can be used repeatedly on non-players with little to no risk.

** In the FPS ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRenegade'', this happens to stealth Black Hand units. Also, falling damage made them blink, too. Usually the people who use them bunny hop away. Note that they're still revealed even when the "falling damage" is zero (i.e. falling from a jump). Also note that bunny hopping in that game [[TooDumbToLive isn't actually faster than running.]]

* In ''VideoGame/GhostRecon: Future Soldier'', the adaptive camo stops working when you're attacking, getting hit, sprinting or [[WeaksauceWeakness standing tall]].

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* In ''VideoGame/{{Warframe}}'', attacking enemies with your weapons causes the invisibility given by Shade to break. Very annoying when you're trying to BackStab and sneak. For some reason, your abilities don't break cloak. Averted by the invisibility from Loki and Ash, though, which allows you to attack with impunity... though those abilities don't silence your weapons (Loki's can, with an optional augment) and enemies are smart enough to shoot at where your attacks are coming from.

** Notably averted, however, in the first movie, where for a whole fight scene you only see ripples spreading on the water and the poor sod contorting in painful fashion from blows no one ever sees.

* In addition to other reasons like game balance or badass visual appeal, some video games may use this effect as video-game shorthand: rather than invisible characters actually becoming visible to other in-game characters, they become visible to the ''player'' to indicate "the enemy has a pretty good idea of where you are right now, enough to shoot at you because you're doing something that gives away your position".
** This is like light or sound meters in stealth games: the character usually doesn't have such a device on his person; it's shown as part of the user interface to tell the user something that their character just knows. Such as "Cloak or no, I'm not too stealthy when I'm firing a weapon that can wake the dead".

* The Spy in ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' cannot do anything while cloaked except moving and collecting pickups. As above, this is an obvious gameplay balance issue, as a fully cloaked spy is absolutely invisible (his model isn't rendered at all) so long as he does not bump into anybody, and being able to decloak and backstab behind an unaware foe is already a powerful ability.

The trope has the requirement that the flicker is in universe even if nobody sees it. The most common form is when the invisible object gets hurt, is physically contacted in some way or launches an attack itself. In action sequences, this often happens just before the invisible object does something awesome. Many times, it is also used as a form of balance. While this usage is especially common in games where it would be unfair for one party to be indefinitely invisible, it can also be seen in other mediums with handwaves such as the need to draw power away from the cloaking device to power the weapons.

* In ''Manga/SoulEater'', Black Star, who is quite skilled at stealth, insists on making the biggest entrance possible, thus preventing his sneak attacks from working. On the other hand, when appropriately motivated he is essentially composed of Badass, and doesn't particularly need surprise.

*** There is also a spell in the Spell Compendium called ''Superior Invisibility,'' that removes almost all of the round about way of detecting invisibility, as well as lasting minutes per level. You cannot be seen, heard, smelt, detected through heat signature, revealed through flour or like objects thrown around, or even picked up by magical detection or scrying. It even defeats ''see invisibility'' and other spells generally used to detect invisible creatures. ''true seeing,'' however, can still see through it. Of course, it's an eighth level spell so by the time you're high enough level to cast it, a lot of creatures you should be facing at that level are capable of using true seeing at will.

* In the ''WorldOfDarkness'' lines - both new and old - many supernatural creatures, like vampires and mages, have the ability to turn themselves invisible by making onlookers ignore them, rather than actually erasing evidence their presence. The usual drawback is that these abilities require the user to appear nonthreatening - anything that draws attention to them, like drawing weapons, attacking, running or shouting will break the mind fog effect.

* In addition to other reasons like game balance or badass visual appeal, some video games may use this effect as video-game shorthand: rather than invisible characters actually becoming visible to other in-game characters, they become visible to the ''player'' to indicate "the enemy has a pretty good idea of where you are right now, enough to shoot at you, because you're doing something that gives away your position".

** Solid Snake not only disrupts his cloaking device, but outright wrecks it during the opening sequence of the second game. He casually tossed his rain jacket aside, lept off a bridge, and made a 10 point landing on the boat below; the cloak completely dies in a flurry of discharged electricity. This entrance also made it into ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBros Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''.

** The above was a pretty common tactic for hunting snipers in the online multi-player part of the game. The counter-sniper could sit prone in stealth for minutes at a time. And this is pretty much true invisibility. So you go stealth, move onto a ridge or building where you can see where the sniper is shooting from, and wait until you find him. Once he fires, you zoom in on him, switch to armour mode, shoot, then back to stealth. You don't waste energy, it only takes 2 shots to kill the enemy sniper, and you are invisible again seconds later.
** The third game finally let you defy this with the Assassin module.

* ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'''s Infiltrator class can cloak nearly perfectly, until the first shot is fired. This works great with sniper rifles, but leaves you exposed while both working the action on the notoriously slow weapons and waiting for the cloak to cool down for reuse. In Mass Effect 3, The cloaking ability is changed to add a slight flicker. Since enemies got an improved AI that allows them to notice you while cloaked instead of just standing stupidly until you're visible, this means that they can sometimes see that flicker if they're close enough and will start to shoot at where they think you are.

* In ''VideoGame/Battlefield2142'', the Recon soldiers use a very noisy cloaking device. It must be stowed away in order to use any other item, and stops working when you climb a ladder or fall from a good height. The actual blinkery happens when the cloaker is struck with {{EMP}}: the cloaking continues, albeit with bright flashes of ultraviolet and static. Or, if a cloaking squad leader forgets to stash his perfectly visible [[RobotBuddy helper drone]].

** Except for continuing to sing or dance if you were before turning invisible. A Dancer with high Brave and Sunken State is thus [[GameBreaker essentially unkillable]], unless the first hit kills her completely. Meanwhile, she can either be steadily chipping away every enemies HP, or, far more entertaining, turning them all into silenced, blinded, confused, poisoned, slowed, stopped, and sleeping frogs.

* ''VideoGame/PerfectDark'' follows this trope. Cloaking will temporarily deactivate when you or an enemy attack (which includes firing guns, pistol whipping, punching, and throwing things) under the [[JustifiedTrope justification]] that sudden movement disrupts the cloaking field. Shields will also blink occasionally; useful for spotting shielded enemies and seeing the shield strength of allies, on account of shields [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience being color-coded by how much power is left]] (bright-red for full and dark green for almost gone).

* In ''VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}}'' you can get a "Natural Camouflage" plasmid by sufficiently researching a Houdini Splicer, which makes you completely invisible as long as you stand still. Moving or attacking cancels the cloaking, but even machines and cameras cease to see you and even Big Daddies can bump into you without noticing (not that they're really aggressive if you're not provoking them). [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2xiVXrhwao So you can wait out a security bot alarm safely by just standing still (around 2:30 in the video)]]. Is this awesome ? (Y/N).
* In ''VideoGame/PrinceOfPersiaTheTwoThrones'', there is an enemy who is invisible (but makes a very obvious metallic sound) until you hit them. This is unbalanced somewhat by the combat lock on system still working even if the Prince can't see his enemy, so you can swipe your sword around in their direction until you hit them.

* Happens all the time in the ''VideoGame/SpiralKnights'' pvp mini-game, Lockdown. In the game the player can become a recon. You cannot see a stealthed enemy recon, but you will be alerted to their presence. Remaining near a stealthed opponent will lower your defense. Further, due to the game's mechanics, activating stealth immediately after attacking will cancel part of your attack animation and speed up your attack. So, a common tactic is to stealth near your enemy, lower their defenses, attack, and immediately restealth.

* ''VideoGame/EscapeVelocity: Nova'' has this for the Wraith, everytime they get close, they flicker a bit, same when they're angered and they attack you. The Polaris gets a cloaking [[{{OrganicTechnology}} organ]] but requires you to decloak in order to fire weapons, later in the specific storyline, the Scarab and Raven are upgraded to have a specially modified Polaron ([[{{MacrossMissileMassacre}} multi-]])torpedo tubes that allow you to fire while cloaked.

* The infiltration armor in both ''Videogame/PlanetSide'' games is damn-near perfectly invisible when stationary, but the cloaking becomes less effective when standing or moving. Cloaking in the first game has zero restrictions - you can sprint, fire, hack, whatever - but it becomes nigh-useless when firing or sprinting due to it become much more visible. In the second, the standard cloaking device is time-limited and the user cannot do anything except move with it active - forcing players to flicker their cloaking device to regenerate shields or attack an enemy - in addition to flashlights causing them to light up like a christmas tree, and any damage causing the cloaker's shields to flare up.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Star Trek Online}}'', there are some ships that come with an enhanced battle cloak. While it is active, the ship is invisible, but has the standard shields offline effect and a modified weapons offline effect that allows the use of torpedoes and mines. Firing a torpedo or mine weapon while it is active briefly drops the invisibility.

** It's been said that while the B-2 has a very stealthy signature most of the time, as soon as the bomb-doors open, it shows up on radar the same size as the B-52. For the target however, "as soon as the bomb-doors open" means it ''is'' [[ThisIsGonnaSuck about to receive 40,000 pounds of ordnance]] and it's too late to do anything about it.

* Long before stealth aircraft, there were submarines. Modern subs (especially the non-nuclear ones) are holes in the water but in order to fire any of their weapons they have to announce their presence. And "torpedo in the water!" is one giant OhCrap blink.

* Shadow battleships from ''Series/BabylonFive'' were not invisible but they phased in from hyperspace in a very blink-like manner (every other type of ship needs to open a GIANT glowing wormhole). Sometimes they did it right before obliterating enemy ships thus earning their place on this page.

** One up on this is the mage's "Invisibility" spell, which makes you ''so'' invisible that you can't even see anyone ''else.'' Although once again the spell is canceled if the mage tries to do anything useful, like casting other spells. Not to mention that the mages actually have a spell called [[TeleportationTropes Blink.]]

** As terrifyingly effective as cloaked Elites can be, they can be spotted by the ripple they leave in the air, which becomes more and more visible if they're moving. Also, using your flashlight helps as well, just be wary of any enemy with deadly melee weapons...