http://i.imgur.com/yjfjClK.png

Overall the concept is just to give a bit more freedom in our weaponry but I also feel like it could maybe borrow from where we're going with the Dropsuits in that it'd kill off unnecessary variations of the same thing (Assault Rifle, 'Blindfire' Assault Rifle, Federal Assault Rifle, etc) . BPO's could easily enough just have the modules permanently built-in and not require any additional components.

CONCEPT:
Every weapon starts out with it's baseline stats (in this case, a standard Assault Rifle).

Damage: 30.90 HP
Rate of Fire: 800.00 RPM
Clip Size: 70
Max. Ammo: 350
Reload Time: 3.00s

MODULAR FUNCTIONALITY THROUGH COMPONENTS:
A - The weapon being customized.
B - The weapon's fire-mode. In this case the applied Component makes it semi-automatic (a Tactical AR).
C - The weapon's power core. This determines it's performance as it would have been in a power-level
----------------------> (MLT/STD/ADV/PROTO/Specialist/Experimental/Officer). In this case, I'm using a Proto power-core.
D - The weapon's SKIN. Because I love PYRUS ARs but I hate only being able to get them through boxes.
E - The weapon's driver component. This could be used to reduce the skill necessity - Aurum and Loyalty Store models would have these built in since they're intended to be used with lower skill requirements. In this case, I'd be using an 'Aurum Driver Component' to reduce the skill level down to Assault Rifle Operation 3, instead of 5.
F - The weapon's accessory component. Intended to be more for function than performance. In this case, a scope.

OUTCOME:
The Fire-mode component determines that it is a Tactical Assault Rifle.
The Power Core component determines that it is a Prototype in performance.
The SKIN is white.
The Driver Component is an 'Aurum' driver, reducing skill requirement.
The weapon's accessory component is a scope.

In this case I've made the equivalent of a 'Codewish' Duvolle Tactical Assault Rifle, just with a white SKIN.

HOW YOU GET IT ON YOUR SUIT:
Separate window UI specifically for weapon customization. You save the respective weapon, name it, then apply it as you would normally in the fitting screen - but now with less 'lists' of weapons as they'd only be 'frames'. The weapon is unique to you.

HOW SALVAGE COULD BE HANDLED:
Simple enough. The base weapon 'frame' gets dropped, as do the components, rather than a bunch of different variations that we'll just wind up selling anyway.

POSSIBLE CRAFTING?:
Could even use some of the Battle Salvage (Broken Optronic Sight, Crushed Magazine Housing) to 'restore' parts and apply them to your weapon.

Feel free to discuss, just wanted to get the concept out there as I saw it.

Accessory thing probably won't get put in if this becomes a thing.

I just want a plasma grenade launcher undermount of my assault rifle

I have always liked the idea of being able to mods weapons. My only thoughts other than that is, we are just now finally to a point where all of the rifles are reasonably balanced. Doing something like this would likely have a whole new balance pass with it.

Not sure if it is worth another year of balance passes...

I like the idea. But would there be a way to simply purchase a fully equipped AR? Meaning, could I go to the Marketplace and buy a fully functioning AR or would I need to buy all the different mods and put it together?

Not a big deal. I guess you could always build the first one, and then you could restock that one.

Two things:
1. Does changing the fire mode also changes things like damage and clip size?
I assume it does but that brings up the point, why call it fire mode if it changes all of these things?
On the other hand, if fire mode doesn't then what possible reason would I have for using say a 'Breach fire mode'?

2. I don't think the SCR has iron sights...
both variants (base and assault) have 'yellow' dot sights
I could be wrong mind you

Can't see why not. It's no different than pre-fitted suits, yanno?

Please don't take any more forum breaks. I've missed threads like this.

things

I think it might be better to try to sell the idea in more distinct stages, as to try to sell it in a way that can be seen in distinct components for development.

With something like:

Stage 1:

Weapon PowerCore + SkIn.
Depending on What development can be done, this could potentially only be added to a dropsuit without making weapons truly "moddable"

Stage 2:
Weapons can be modded directly as you suggest, with PowerCore + Skin + Fire Mode

Stage 3:
The visual mods such as the scope.

As for the Aurum component I feel that could more easily be rolled into having Aurum / LP cores as to not overly clutter the fitting screen, and potentially allow that room to more choice based mechanisms that actually impact weapon performance.

Note: The main problem to keep in mind with steps 2 / 3 is that potentially making a weapon into a fitting module we may run into the problem we have now with dropsuits, where having them becomes a huge hit on performance over current weapons. If that's the case, then perhaps have the weapon mods only be attached to a dropsuit as to avoid the performance hit.

i.e imagine each weapon slot having 2 slots expanding outwards that are attached to it.

Idea has very good merits and takes a look at how to do things.

However there does beg the question of various scenarios such as what happens when salvaged? restocking? aquiring new parts and much more needs to be discussed much further and thought down and up.

For example I can see a large number of scopes being BPOs and isk only minus cosmetic scopes (scopes that like replace the red dot with the caldari symbol instead)

Idea has very good merits and takes a look at how to do things.

However there does beg the question of various scenarios such as what happens when salvaged? restocking? aquiring new parts and much more needs to be discussed much further and thought down and up.

For example I can see a large number of scopes being BPOs and isk only minus cosmetic scopes (scopes that like replace the red dot with the caldari symbol instead)

Actually, I just thought about this, but there'd be an INSANE amount of value to having weapon cosmetics like this that you can only get with District Kredits. I'd PC the hell out of this game to get my hands on weapon cosmetics if they were only available through PC

Weapon customization needs to happen eventually. By far the funnest part of "Army of Two", and one of the funnest parts of "Dead Space 3".



I think there should be a few minor upgrades you can make to a gun, at the price of your gun costing more ISK/PG/CPU. Upgrades might include adding a scope, clip extender, heat sink, tightened dispersion etc. For balance, upgrades would have a considerable fitting cost added to the weapon.

Upgrading enough would add the prefix 'Modified' to your weapon title.

Along with upgrades, a player could choose from a few different balanced options, such as fire mode (auto, semi auto.), scope type, which don't offer an advantage, but are just a preference. Or for another example, a player could turn up the damage (to a point) but doing so would turn down the fire rate, allowing you to create your own 'Breach' variant.


If this were implemented, I think we could do away with 'Rifle Variants' altogether. Instead of choosing between a burst,breach, tactical, or standard assault rifle, a player would simple start with a basic assault rifle, and customize it himself into any of those.

To make a TAC AR, a player would have to add a scope and change fire mode to semi auto. Bam. A player then could turn up the damage like a 'Breach', and have even slower fire rate. Breach Tactical assault rifle!




TLDR;

We can do away with all rifle variants by making weapons fully customizable.

1.) Have basic weapon upgrades: Clip extender, Heat sink, tighter dispersion - Which increase the fitting cost and ISK cost of your weapon significantly.

2.) Have a trade off-system where you choose one thing or another: IE: Choose auto, or semi auto. Choose High Damage Low RoF, or Low Damage High RoF etc.

Idea has very good merits and takes a look at how to do things.

However there does beg the question of various scenarios such as what happens when salvaged? restocking? aquiring new parts and much more needs to be discussed much further and thought down and up.

For example I can see a large number of scopes being BPOs and isk only minus cosmetic scopes (scopes that like replace the red dot with the caldari symbol instead)