Something I'm concerned about with weapon updates + Some suggestions.

[CommandantSteele 52]

Before I begin: I dunno if this would be better in Social or in suggestions. I'll put it in suggestions since I feel like that's better. Could be wrong.

So, weapons are being balanced. That's great. But I've been chatting to a few folks on Discord and I've noticed something that concerns me: Some weapons feel like they're being nerfed to cut down the effectiveness of a particular mod setup, but in doing this they're making only that mod setup viable.

For example, let's take the classic NTEC loadout: HS3 and IR3. IR3 and the NTEC have both been tapped with the nerf/change bat a bit, but it feels like they seem to be balancing the NTEC around the fact that IR3 is so common. This is a bit of a problem if you don't use IR3 on the NTEC. Since the game is being balanced around the expectation that you're using IR3, not using IR3 means deliberately handicapping yourself.

In addition, due to the IR changes affecting all weapons, it feels like shotguns no longer have a useful red mod, as many people advise against using CJ in any form on shotguns as the spread/bloom gets awful. Now with IR3 making shots slower shotguns don't have a viable redmod since they need to get their shots out quickly to compete with SMG's, who can just hold the button down until they get a kill or die. This is especially notable on the Strife, which made heavy use of IR3 in order to help with it's abysmal range. A decrease in ROF on top of it's already abysmal ROF is simply unacceptable.

I've got two ideas that could fix this issue. 

1: Have weapon mods be tailored to individual weapons or weapon classes. So that way IR3 on assault rifles isn't the same IR3 that rifles/snipers get.

2: Introduce a new red mod (when the time is right) for shotguns: Slug rounds.

Slug rounds: +damage, +range, -99% pellets, -spread. Affected by bloom. All damage loaded onto one pellet.

(Note: I know this is probably a horrible idea, but it's an idea.)

Anyway. I'm moderately concerned about weapon builds becoming very static, and I'd like steps to be taken early and often to ensure that they don't.

Edited September 1, 2018 by Freewind

[CookiePuss 5382]

Im not against this idea.
Though it does sound like a lot of work to set up and balance.

[Kewlin 692]

I agree with your sentiment, but I'm not sure your solution is a fantastic fix, as having mods effect different classes of weapons quickly could easily make the game feel super complicated.

That said, I think this might not be a bad thing to look into after the game's switched over to UE 3.5.

[swft 356]

Slug rounds, as you describe them, would be absurdly overpowered.

[CommandantSteele 52]

1 minute ago, swft said:

Slug rounds, as you describe them, would be absurdly overpowered.

Most likely, but I figure I'd leave it with people who are experienced with the systems to do the balance work. In practice I'd expect them to perform like the NL-9 stun shotgun.