Guest Posted March 27, 2016 Posted March 27, 2016 (edited) The protopistol does not count. Disclaimer: This suggestion is by no means entirely complete and is almost entirely speculation. Participation in discussion is pretty much desired. Narrative: Ever thought what would happen if we decided some day would be a really good day to discuss what would happen if we were able to completely diversify the line-up of laser guns or ballistics entirely? Without adding 5 variants of the same space-station AKS-74U and effectively clogging up the code with redundant crap. Let's make that day -- sometime in the real near future, because this would be fairly cool. Suggestion: Rehaul how weapons are effectively made, modified and maintained through gameplay. Take, for instance, your average NT Mk58, a security officer's trusty service pistol. By default, it would spawn with effectively the same standard modifications a pistol normally would. Standard receiver, a non-intrusive but not really specialized grip, and there's no barrel or muzzle attachments. No laser sight or flashlight attached either, it's a fairly normal weapon that a security officer would get. But wait, what if that officer wants to gussy up their firearm to suit their specific needs and style? They'd head over to their local workbench that spawns in locations around the station, maybe even call an engineer over regarding specifics and get to work with modifying their Mk58. Say that this officer likes to spray an area with ill abandon without completely losing control over their weapon. They don't care so much about impact, only about the amount of rounds they send down-range in order to incapacitate. So out of metal, the engineer helps the officer construct an extended magazine so the officer can put more rounds down-range without needing to reload frequently. That ups their capacity from, say, 7 rounds up to 21. The engineer creates a new receiver with a hair trigger and a 2-shot burst mode, meaning it requires less pressure to squeeze the trigger properly and it also puts down double the ammunition for a burst. This obviously comes with its own issues such as an increase of screen shake and such. Now would be a good time to compensate for that, right? The engineer now helps the officer construct a muzzle brake or a recoil compensator attachment to slightly reduce the screen shake. They also construct a very snug and easy to maintain, sleek polymer grip. As it stands, the downsides of these attachments for the pistol effectively make it a close-range monster, but it starts losing a lot of accuracy and effective range past, say, 3 to 4 tiles? It still has suppressive value in a pinch, though. It's also fairly heavy and bulky due to the weight of the newly made receiver and the giant extended mag sticking out from the bottom of the grip. You wouldn't be able to pack this in your satchel or in your belt/holster while its loaded, though it would have a place maglocked to your armor. Hell, better yet, you could even reconfigure the rounds you're shooting from .45s to 9mm if you really needed to. I'm probably just biased, but I'm already fairly hyped in regards to this. Should I also mention that the sprite of the weapon changes based on the attachments? Yeah, I think I should, since it's effectively rule of cool in combination with function. I think the roughest part about this is being able to properly organize what attachments are reasonably palpable within the decade as well as the current setting. There's also a concern regarding lawful or even unlawful modification of a weapon with certain attachments. E.g., security would be regulated to not modify their weapon into the machine pistol I described under code green procedures. Weight and general scenario-to-scenario specifications would be fairly notable to bring up. Therefore, the workbench interface will get a weight meter to calculate where their weapon is on the scale of acceptable modification without turning their gun meant for self-defense into a firespitter. Traitors are exempt from this IC law sort of thing, though they can still be charged appropriately. Non-antags should not be turning their normal firearms into assault weapons, of course. So, regarding how to order important variables in which the attachments will modify, each one will bring one modifier or more modifiers up at the cost of possibly bringing one or more other modifiers down. Said modifiers are thusly for ballistics: Per-shot damage/environmental destructiveness Rate of fire/automatic fire conversions Effective range/accuracy Ammunition count Bullet speed Screen shake/perceived recoil Caliber/ammunition type Size/weight (slowdown from carrying the weapon is probable, for instance) ZOOM SCOPES (Anything from stuff that simply increases accuracy at a longer range while standing still and shooting or a medium-range scope) Energy weapons are a bit of a trickier prospect, given in sci-fi or sci-fantasy they're extremely differentiating in their own ways, but in SS13 every laser gun shoots the same. We'll see if I can change that a little. Some suggested modifiers for such weaponry: Per-shot damage/environmental destructiveness Rate of fire/automatic fire conversions Effective-range/accuracy Charge consumption Miscellaneous effects (burning, toxin, irradiation, clone damage, brain damage, random CRITICALLY EFFECTIVE hits) Cell stability/malfunction rate (on par with the AEG, meaning if luck isn't smiling on you it can fuck you over depending on what misc. effects you had installed in your e-gun) Recoil/screenshake (Yes, I mean this, even if you think it doesn't make sense. Your average e-pistol will have no recoil whatsoever but that laser scattergun you just jury-rigged might) Size/weight (slowdown from carrying the weapon is probable, for instance) ZOOM SCOPES (Anything from stuff that simply increases accuracy at a longer range while standing still and shooting or a medium-range scope) I also thought about shit like more rudimentary DIY weapons accompanying the Great and Powerful Great pneumatic cannon that launches decapitating floor tiles at mach 1, but I've no idea how to go about doing a pressure 15mm metal ball-fed rifle or a shotgun made out of bicycle parts. I am really not good at these calculative speculation things when it comes to the advanced shit of video games. Thoughts, though, in regards to the core concept? I suggest you read the whole thing, please. Edited March 27, 2016 by Guest
K0NFL1QT Posted March 27, 2016 Posted March 27, 2016 As much as I would love a modular weaponeering system, it doesn't make sense in the setting. This is a corporate mining/research facility, with standardised, corporate security. This isn't the sort of environment that encourages custom weaponry. The station is assigned X units of model Y gun, and it goes onto a rack until it's needed.
Guest Posted March 27, 2016 Posted March 27, 2016 As much as I would love a modular weaponeering system, it doesn't make sense in the setting. This is a corporate mining/research facility, with standardised, corporate security. This isn't the sort of environment that encourages custom weaponry. The station is assigned X units of model Y gun, and it goes onto a rack until it's needed. Probably, but diverse playstyles and a different round every round is always fun to daydream about. If not for sec, then definitely for antagonists/Cargonia/fun event shit. Edited the OP because I forgot to mention scopes and weight.
K0NFL1QT Posted March 27, 2016 Posted March 27, 2016 True. Nukies and pirates are another matter entirely. They are precisely the sort to trick out guns to their preference. But I wouldn't want to go ahead with this just to buff antagonists.
Carver Posted March 27, 2016 Posted March 27, 2016 This is a nuke op's and warden's wet dream (As well as an antag quartermaster's). But it does sound like a coding nightmare, as well. Otherwise, love it.
Dreviore Posted March 27, 2016 Posted March 27, 2016 This is a nuke op's and warden's wet dream (As well as an antag quartermaster's). But it does sound like a coding nightmare, as well. Otherwise, love it. Polaris has it already implemented and from what I've seen, it's not that bad If we're pulling Polaris implementation I'm all for it.
Arrow768 Posted March 28, 2016 Posted March 28, 2016 So you basically want to port over the modular weapons system from colonial marines ?
Dreviore Posted March 28, 2016 Posted March 28, 2016 So you basically want to port over the modular weapons system from colonial marines ? Polaris' implementation is much more flexible, and interesting
Killerhurtz Posted March 28, 2016 Posted March 28, 2016 No I didn't, I didn't even see it. But still. Why DOES protopistols not count?
Guest Posted March 28, 2016 Posted March 28, 2016 Because it's only one weapon in the game that has modular capabilities, and even then the modular side of it is a cheap varedit hack.
Mofo1995 Posted March 28, 2016 Posted March 28, 2016 protopistols are completely gone in newcode. You can't even get one with a chameleon gun.
Guest Posted March 31, 2016 Posted March 31, 2016 So you basically want to port over the modular weapons system from colonial marines ? Polaris' implementation is much more flexible, and interesting I would like to see either/both in practice. I mean, CM does it interestingly, I was there when the change first happened and it took a long while before a meta began to adapt and suddenly everyone got the same loadout for their pulse rifle every single time.
Redfield5 Posted March 31, 2016 Posted March 31, 2016 So you basically want to port over the modular weapons system from colonial marines ? Polaris' implementation is much more flexible, and interesting I would like to see either/both in practice. I mean, CM does it interestingly, I was there when the change first happened and it took a long while before a meta began to adapt and suddenly everyone got the same loadout for their pulse rifle every single time. I'd like to see some modifications for Mk. 58s, such as an underbarrel flashlight. Also, can the coach gun be sawed down like in the olden days?
Recommended Posts