DUST Search - The AR - A neutral look

Arkena Wyrnspire wrote:

[P6] Conclusions

There are a number of conclusions to be drawn from this. The first is that on paper, the AR does not have notably superior DPS. A large number of weapons exceed it.

The next thing to note is that compared to most weapons, the AR is quite good at applying its damage. Not the de facto best, but it does it very well. This is caused by a combination of range and dispersion/recoil.

The third thing is that it doesnGÇÖt have a major disadvantage. This is in keeping with its status as a GÇÿjack of all tradesGÇÖ weapon.

Looking at the other statistics, only damage application is really that much better than other weapon systems. The raw damage isnGÇÖt exceptional, contrary to popular belief. ItGÇÖs the ARGÇÖs ability to apply that damage that makes it such an effective weapon.

Many think that the AR should be nerfed. I do not support this, at least not in the way that most expect. A raw DPS nerf here is not the way to go - instead, look at the damage application, as thatGÇÖs the area that the AR actually does better than other weapons at.
That includes range, dispersion, and recoil. In particular, I would highlight the recoil as something to be looked at. It doesnGÇÖt apply until halfway through the clip - this isnGÇÖt a good recoil mechanic, as this allows the DPS to be applied constantly throughout the clip.

If the AR is to be brought into line as a versatile weapon that doesnGÇÖt excel, then what it actually excels at should be looked at - in this case, itGÇÖs low recoil. The reason I highlight recoil as a potential solution is partially because excessive dispersion is a terrible mechanic - There is no real reason that you should miss if your aim is perfectly on target. The other reason I see recoil as a better solution is because itGÇÖs something that the weapon is lacking significantly in at the moment - simply tapping the trigger every odd second to completely negate the effects of recoil is not a good recoil mechanic.

TL;DR:
The one area the AR excels in is damage application. If the weapon is to be nerfed, then that is the area which should be looked at. It should also be noted that the ASCR is very similar to the AR.


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Cross Atu Conspiratus Immortalis Covert Intervention 1701	Posted - 2013.09.17 17:43:00 - [1] - Quote Arkena Wyrnspire wrote: [P6] Conclusions There are a number of conclusions to be drawn from this. The first is that on paper, the AR does not have notably superior DPS. A large number of weapons exceed it. The next thing to note is that compared to most weapons, the AR is quite good at applying its damage. Not the de facto best, but it does it very well. This is caused by a combination of range and dispersion/recoil. The third thing is that it doesnGÇÖt have a major disadvantage. This is in keeping with its status as a GÇÿjack of all tradesGÇÖ weapon. Looking at the other statistics, only damage application is really that much better than other weapon systems. The raw damage isnGÇÖt exceptional, contrary to popular belief. ItGÇÖs the ARGÇÖs ability to apply that damage that makes it such an effective weapon. Many think that the AR should be nerfed. I do not support this, at least not in the way that most expect. A raw DPS nerf here is not the way to go - instead, look at the damage application, as thatGÇÖs the area that the AR actually does better than other weapons at. That includes range, dispersion, and recoil. In particular, I would highlight the recoil as something to be looked at. It doesnGÇÖt apply until halfway through the clip - this isnGÇÖt a good recoil mechanic, as this allows the DPS to be applied constantly throughout the clip. If the AR is to be brought into line as a versatile weapon that doesnGÇÖt excel, then what it actually excels at should be looked at - in this case, itGÇÖs low recoil. The reason I highlight recoil as a potential solution is partially because excessive dispersion is a terrible mechanic - There is no real reason that you should miss if your aim is perfectly on target. The other reason I see recoil as a better solution is because itGÇÖs something that the weapon is lacking significantly in at the moment - simply tapping the trigger every odd second to completely negate the effects of recoil is not a good recoil mechanic. TL;DR: The one area the AR excels in is damage application. If the weapon is to be nerfed, then that is the area which should be looked at. It should also be noted that the ASCR is very similar to the AR. Generally agree, although I would add that the hipfire feels too accurate when compared with the ADS even before application of sharpshooter. The AR is not quite as "spry and pray" ready as the SMG (which is made for that very thing) but it is closer than most other infantry weapons in the game by a fair bit and when combined with it's range that distorts its utility profile. At present due to the only minor differences between hipfire and ADS the AR has a much wider effective range of utility than its on paper stats suggest, while the majority of other weapons have range effects that can be felt (i.e. alter the ways a merc must employ them for greatest effect) more clearly. LR - Must be within the optimal 'window' too little or too much range and it's effectively a beam of nerf foam ScR - Nearest to the AR but being a precision weapon its hipfire is more defined from its ADS TACAR - Same as ScR MD - Positioning is everything, maybe less "range" in the strictest sense but the weapon dictates how you engage if you want to be effective, and the sights are effectively meaningless. Sniper - Very clear gab between ADS and hipfire. Shotty - Much like the MD it's essentially hipfire only and its nature heavily dictates which engagements are even possible. SMG - Again nearly hipfire only, but still only one effective engagement category. I could go on but the point is, the AR is a versatile weapon and that's fine, what is less fine is that the versatility is in a sense doubled when the gap between ADS and hipfire is so minor. As it stands now the ADS is great for extended pinpoint range and the hipfire is great for CQC, due to the nature of the weapon the ADS should have a larger advantage over its hipfire use. Including that in the above would bring it spot on IMO. 0.02 ISK Cross PS ~ I test on several characters with intentionally very different builds and SP investments to maintain a well rounded first hand impression of the game. That being said, for those who care, my main has more SP into ARs than any other weapon and my Proto fits run ARs.