Your approach to weapon customization/sidegrades

[FIREk]

So now we know that we will be able to modify our weapons somewhat - give our Cyclers more punch at the cost of other stuff, like accuracy, range, rate of fire, recoil etc.

Since these weapons appear to be implemented as drops and items in the cash shop, it's doubtful that we will be able to create our own variants by moving some sliders around - why buy something off the cash shop if you can just make the same gun with a bunch of sliders?

Therefore I see two possible implementations:
1) A limited range of variants (up to 6, for instance), which differ from the default variant significantly,
2) Dozens of variants with different permutations of stat modifications - kind of like in Borderlands, for instance.

Which would you prefer?

Myself, I would definitely prefer number 1, if only for te fact that this option is easier to balance, and that these few variants could come with noticeable visual differences (like a bigger ammo mag, longer barrel, tactical front grip, etc.).

[Talek Krell]

I think the Borderlands method would be a lot more difficult to keep under control, so I'd prefer option 1 as well. That said, I think they know/have told us little enough that it may be different from both of these possibilities.

[Raymac]

"7 words.... Wep Pin Cuss Tim My Zay Shun" -THE art dude.

I kinda take that to mean many options.

[Legion]

I would expect the standard types of scopes, extended magazines, and accuracy or damage upgrades. I wouldn't expect grenade launchers or shotgun additions.

[Graywolves]

Originally Posted by Raymac

"7 words.... Wep Pin Cuss Tim My Zay Shun" -THE art dude.

I kinda take that to mean many options.

Our boy T-Ray son!



From my understanding it'll be like "Longer Barrel - +4 Accuracy -4RoF" or something along those lines.

[Traak]

three magazines taped together?

[Brusi]

Hopefully it won't just end up with people always choosing the ++damage mod and ignoring all the others.

[Sirisian]

Not a fan of the sidegrade system at all. I'd rather just have a system where players unlock upgrades using resources to give them different features on the rifle separate from menial statistics changes. Things like buying a rifle and then after 5 kills you unlock a grenade launcher attachment. (If it isn't obvious I don't care much for the whole 20% garbage).

[Bags]

Please we don't need more spam in PS.

[Sirisian]

Originally Posted by Bags

Please we don't need more spam in PS.

That's kind of jumping to conclusions for PS2. All we know really regarding spam is that they're planning to have more types of grenades. Also it was just an example.

Depending on the weaponry there are tons of extra upgrades a person could have that aren't just number changing. Like having a decimator with an upgrade that allows you to guide it a little bit after firing a la Crysis. I could list hundreds of them, but they have 2 qualified game designers already.

[Legion]

Originally Posted by Brusi

Hopefully it won't just end up with people always choosing the ++damage mod and ignoring all the others.

Yeah, that happens all the time in BFBC2, I guess it will depend on how many hits it takes to kill with and without the extra damage.

[Talek Krell]

Originally Posted by Legion

Yeah, that happens all the time in BFBC2, I guess it will depend on how many hits it takes to kill with and without the extra damage.

Along with the severity of the penalties probably. There's no particular downside to the damage bonus in BC2, so hopefully changing that will help.

[FIREk]

Originally Posted by Brusi

Hopefully it won't just end up with people always choosing the ++damage mod and ignoring all the others.

Well, weapon customization is supposed to be about sidegrades, so there should always be some drawbacks. Like a +20% damage Cycler with -15% rate of fire and 30% more recoil, for instance (stats off the top of my head, of course).

This way, there are no upgrades that give you a flat statistical advantage (like in old APB, where everyone would get the power, RoF and accuracy upgrades, invalidating the others). You get more powerful bullets, but you fire less per second and it's more difficult to keep all of them on target, so you might as well just have a Gauss. .

[Graywolves]

I remember Higby saying that if you could get 20% damage upgraded it wouldn't decrease shots to kill much. But that they also don't plan on anyone being able to get to a 20% damage increase at all anyways.

[FIREk]

Originally Posted by Graywolves

I remember Higby saying that if you could get 20% damage upgraded it wouldn't decrease shots to kill much. But that they also don't plan on anyone being able to get to a 20% damage increase at all anyways.

I knew I should have put in 15% or something. :P The 20% was just off the top of my head, it wasn't supposed to count towards the +20% power difference.

The way I understand weapon customization, it isn't supposed to give you a statistical advantage, and is only supposed to make the weapon do the same thing, only a bit differently, to fit your preferences. The 20% is most likely supposed to come from certs, not guns.