PROPOSAL : TO BALANCE THE N-TEC, BUFF THE STAR 556!

[Zealocke 53]

Hello folks!

As i said in the N-TEC thread, my intention was to research and find what does the community wanted in terms of the N-TEC balance. The results have been quite impressive.

As of now.. from 159 people, 59 want the other ARS to be balanced and 59 want everything as it is right now.

Here is my opinion.

Like most people i think the N-TEC is quite balanced and versatile and doesnt need touch. The REAL problem is that you have no other option in the AR department that can be as effective as the N-TEC. And thats a HUGE issue.

Now we could talk about all ARs all day.. but why do that when we can focus on the only other AR everybody can get that doesnt ARMAS and the only other option you have in F2P. Here is where the STAR 556 comes in.

This is gonna be a little long, but please take the time to read.

WHY BUFF THE STAR 556?

The Problem

The STAR 556 is known for everybody as the starter weapon. The rifle with newbies start to get acustomed to the game. However, everybody switches to the N-TEC or other guns sooner or later and next to no one uses the star on high demanding matches. You wanna know why? Thats why i asked about the N-TEC in the first place.

The N-TEC is a balanced and versatile rifle that has a learning curve but when you know how to use it is a power house yet is still counterable. Most important, its very good at Long, excelent at medium ranges and somewhat decent at short range.

The STAR 556 is a decent rifle... with is decent at long, medium and short ranges. See a problem here?

All guns in the game, no matter how are balanced now, are designed to Excel in at least one type of range. EXCEPT THE STAR!! IT DOES NOT FIT IN THE BALANCE!!

Your enemy has an HVR? then you get another HVR or obeya/obir to counter. CQC? an OCA or Shotgun. Against a STAR?? ... EVERYTHING WILL DO!

Even worse.. the delicate balance of the STAR cannot be touched by mods.  Cooling jacket? gives to much bloom. Improved rifling? Also too much bloom on mid ranges. Hunting sight? Breaks your cqc capabilities. Reflex sight?. Barely works. Name me ONE mod setting you can use on a STAR thats is more effective than "decent" or works better than on the N-TEC. I DARE YA!!

"but zea, the star is the starter rifle... is build so newbies can learn the ropes of the game."

NO. WHAT IT DOES IS GIVING EM A FALSE SENSE OF A BALANCED GUN, AND THEN THEY HAVE TO JUMP TO THE N-TEC OR OTHER GUNS WITH A REAL LEARNING CURVE AND SUFFER FOR IT.

All weapons have a learning curve.. you cant learn to play the game with a gun made to be "just good at all ranges" when all the rest of weapons have better odds against it in their respective ranges. (except the snub maybe ?? [Click and drag to move] )

What does this have to do with the N-TEC?

The N-TEC is the REAL most balanced and versatile AR of the game. Yes, it takes time to master, but makes you learn the most about ranges, shoot discipline, cover, ttk and more.

So now.. knowing that the N-TEC is the most balanced AR in the game.. WE CAN USE IT AS THE BEST FOUNDATION TO BUFF THE STAR (and maybe the other rifles... but more on that later)

The Stats

STAR 556 / N-TEC (Source APBdb)

 

 

The Solution

 

As you can see in the stats the star is pretty similar to the ntec in terms of damage drop and having notable differences in the accuracy and bloom recovery.

 

So what do i propose for the STAR? to make it as the lore says:

"A jack-of-all-trades in its class, the Somatic Tactical Assault Rifle works best at short to middle ranges. While not the most accurate of rifles, the STAR 556 can fire fully-automatic without extreme loss of precision, making it a useful training weapon. "

 

In other words.. instead of how the N-TEC works.. (Very good long range/excel mid range/good close range). Make it the close range alternative (good long range/excel mid range/very good close range).

 

How? Here are some ideas for me.

 

- Change the ttk to 0.70 sec by giving 7% more base firerate.

- Change the bloom recovery so it recovers the same way and same speed as the N-TEC, but with less per shot modifier, so it can burst at mid ranges properly and mantain cqc capabilities.

- Reduce the bloom modifier for shooting on the move so you can reflex it properly and meaningfully if you want to.

 

And there you go, you got 2 balanced rifles instead of one with fairly good leraning curve and versatility and arent OP.

 

Conclusion

 

Finally.. if they really do changes on the star... Make it a choice of the starter weapon between the STAR and the N-TEC. That way you can have legitimate good learning curves and you will have a good rifle either way in the long run.

 

If some of my data is wrong please tell me and ill correct it as soon as possible. Any support, idea or opinion would be greately appreciated.

 

Thanks for reading, hope this very little proposal can help to make a more balanced game with everyone can enjoy.

PSD: We could make comparition with other rifles... but i think the STAR is the most comparable (and insulting) case.

[vsb 6171]

i think apbdb v2 has more up to date info, minus some range graphs iirc

 

that aside im not sure i want to alter the star too far into the close to mid range territory as it would risk interfering with the atac

 

wouldnt be mad at a ttk decrease tho i do think the star is pretty perfect

[Aeronaut 647]

i don't appreciate it when people yell at me.

 

regardless with what happens, im very curious on how they approach on balancing gameplay mechanics(nerfing, boosting, removing) when they do get to that point in time.

Edited June 12, 2018 by Aeronaut

[Zealocke 53]

12 minutes ago, Aeronaut said:

i don't appreciate it when people yell at me.

 

regardless with what happens, im very curious on how they approach on balancing gameplay mechanics(nerfing, boosting, removing) when they do get to that point in time.

 i was highlighting not screaming. sorry if you meant it that way.

[vsb 6171]

14 minutes ago, Aeronaut said:

i don't appreciate it when people yell at me.

 

regardless with what happens, im very curious on how they approach on balancing gameplay mechanics(nerfing, boosting, removing) when they do get to that point in time.

just close your ears so you cant sniff the sensations

[Zealocke 53]

18 minutes ago, BXNNXD said:

i think apbdb v2 has more up to date info, minus some range graphs iirc

 

that aside im not sure i want to alter the star too far into the close to mid range territory as it would risk interfering with the atac

 

wouldnt be mad at a ttk decrease tho i do think the star is pretty perfect

Maybe so.. but that doesnt prevent to make it a little better without becoming an atac.

the apvdb v2 has the problem of the weapon curves system, with i dunno how it works.. maybe someone can help?

[Similarities 226]

I was messing around with the STAR earlier in fight club and was wondering to myself why I don't use it more, it's a really fun (and strong) gun, I never found myself thinking during use "Man, if only this gun was more accurate when hipfired." or "Man, if only I had CJ3 or IR3." because it already deletes people up close, the hipfire is very accurate for an AR (perhaps a slight buff here could help distinguish it, but I think it's fine personally), and it's pretty accurate when in marksman as well, I think the STAR is in a pretty good place where it is, it's already very good in CQC for an AR because the spread/bloom is pretty low, and it's pretty good at mid-range because there's not enough spread/bloom to miss a lot of shots, allowing for near fully automatic fire and tap-firing near N-TEC levels. I think it's pretty versatile as is, but maybe a very slight buff to the marksman modifier or hipfire accuracy would help with making it stand out, but I can't really think of anything that should be tinkered with too much at all about the gun.

[skerblerd 24]

Star is fine

Edited June 12, 2018 by :^)

[Guacamole 8]

buffing the star to make it as good as the n-tec would just make everyone switch to the star since it is much easier and we would have an atac version of the n-tec.

[SLICKIEM 118]

STAR has it's useful scenarios, just like the NTEC does. NTEC is a great sustained-damage weapon with good accuracy, whereas the STAR is as well but in closer ranges where you can use it's far superior max bloom. However, what makes it more of a CQC weapon is that it's bloom recovery is sluggish compared to the NTEC. It's a more niche weapon, but I've seen it used very effectively and it's a GREAT newbie weapon.

[Revised 6]

I'm not even going to read this, the ntec has been nerfed what 3 times since G1 took over? Leave it alone let it rest in peace, and leave the star as it is its fine.

Edited June 12, 2018 by Revised

[Defibrillator 132]

The old forums were better of without polls.

[Zealocke 53]

25 minutes ago, Guacamole said:

buffing the star to make it as good as the n-tec would just make everyone switch to the star since it is much easier and we would have an atac version of the n-tec.

and whats the problem?

[weissraider 21]

7 minutes ago, Defibrillator said:

The old forums were better of without polls.

yea im sick of those polls. lets make a poll (remove polls/keep them).

 

All those silvers thinking the star does not need a buff make me sick. To many Ntec lows in that game.

[Zealocke 53]

21 minutes ago, SLICKIEM said:

STAR has it's useful scenarios, just like the NTEC does. NTEC is a great sustained-damage weapon with good accuracy, whereas the STAR is as well but in closer ranges where you can use it's far superior max bloom. However, what makes it more of a CQC weapon is that it's bloom recovery is sluggish compared to the NTEC. It's a more niche weapon, but I've seen it used very effectively and it's a GREAT newbie weapon.

thats exactly the problem.. its a niche weapon.. when it should be a normal use you usually see around weapon.

1 minute ago, weissraider said:

yea im sick of those polls. lets make a poll (remove polls/keep them).

 

All those silvers thinking the star does not need a buff make me sick. To many Ntec lows in that game.

whats the problem with a little change?. Dont be so attached to a meta :).

[Revised 6]

Just now, Zealocke said:

and whats the problem?

...... If you don't see a problem with everyone using the star if it got buffed and dropping the Ntec. I'm a a loss for how much of a bot you are then. Your whole argument is centered around the fact no one uses x gun because y gun is better in the same role. Saying you would be fine with that makes your entire argument moot.

[Zealocke 53]

Just now, Revised said:

...... If you don't see a problem with everyone using the star if it got buffed and dropping the Ntec. I'm a a loss for how much of a bot you are then. Your whole argument is centered around the fact no one uses x gun because y gun is better in the same role. Saying you would be fine with that makes your entire argument moot.

all i see is somebody who not even read my post and just whines cause i want to "change something".

No, not everyone would switch to the star cause the ntec is still better at longer ranges.

[Revised 6]

You literally said you would be okay with everyone switching to the star if it became better than the ntec. I'm not going to read a paragraph about a "problem" the poster intrinsically doesn't even have an issue with apparently. Because if it was flipped you said Ah sure that's fine. And then we just end up in the same spot.

[Gunsei 15]

STAR is a lazer gun at distance, and you can hold down fire and spray it in someones face, or preferably back side, for easy kills. New players start with STAR and secondary that honestly, in capable hands, never needs to be replaced.

IMO the main reason people use NTEC instead of STAR is because NTEC feels more punchy, its not really better. NTEC honestly takes a little more skill/effort than STAR IMO.

[PoshDoll 93]

now i understand why polls were closed during the g1 reign. damn annoying.

[Gunsei 15]

I just tried to make a poll about limiting or removing polls but it just spit errors out at me. 

[PoshDoll 93]

Just now, Gunsei said:

I just tried to make a poll about limiting or removing polls but it just spit errors out at me. 

could be the spam detection system cause i was trying to do the same at probably the same time as you were 

[Excalibur! 207]

Making the star more op? What in the actual f?

The star is more like a close range version of assault rifles, ntec a longer one.

[Zealocke 53]

Just now, Excalibur! said:

Making the star more op? What in the actual f?

The star is more like a close range version of assault rifles, ntec a longer one.

In theory..

in practice.. has less ttk than all the close range weps.

[Excalibur! 207]

16 minutes ago, Zealocke said:

In theory..

in practice.. has less ttk than all the close range weps.

You are more able for cqc than most asault rifles with their long range atribute.

 

I already explained this... there are plenty of range variants for each roll (i mean more effective at diferent ranges). 

Assault rifles (closer to longest range):  aces; atac; star; ntec; ursus. I do not name the cobra because the only time i used it it was trash, even it looks like trash.

Edited June 12, 2018 by Excalibur!