Sole Fenychs
Sinq Laison Gendarmes
Gallente Federation
696
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Posted - 2015.07.18 19:06:00 -
[1] - Quote
IMO sniper rifles are very badly implemented right now.
Headshot multipliers are a bit silly, considering that the main input method for this game is an analog stick with a rather large deadzone. There is no fun or satisfaction in that, especially as you also have sway to consider and can't move at all while attacking a target. So you work both against a game mechanic, as well as the physical properties of your input device.
Just buffing the damage doesn't work, because it would be the whole Rail Rifle situation from a few patches back, just even worse. Death from nowhere, with no way to retaliate.
Personally, I'd say that there are two options - Either you add more skill to sniping (Really, hitting with hitscan weapons has nothing to do with proper sniping) or you make it more of a support option.
For the former, I would suggest a ballistic trajectory. Make it like a PLC, but focused on infantry at long ranges. Hard to hit, but damn satisfying. You wouldn't even need sway in that case, instead using a charge-up or maybe strong recoil. Make the projectile flashy, so that a sniper can be located properly and needs to keep moving.
Much more fun than waiting for the sway to end and then hoping that no one runs up to you with a gun while you are waiting for enemies to render. Suddenly, EWAR would be much more involved for a sniper. You would constantly be scanning ahead to avoid enemy encounters and make sure that no one is on your tail.
For the latter, snipers should gain support WP (e.g. more WP for kill assists), as well as beneficial effects like the aforementioned "spotting". A sniper rifle could be focused on inhibiting enemies instead of killing them outright, which would give the weapon an actual role and make encounters between snipers and ordinary players much less frustrating for both sides.
Maybe even allow snipers to destroy equipment with an AoE.
Basically, make it anything but "sit like a duck and hope people run into your crosshair, occasionally change positions and hope the level design doesn't punish you" and "meh, someone is killing me from nowhere, what a *****" for snipers and non-snipers respectively. |