Can I add just one thing - NOT using something for a period of time should result in the proficiency dropping. Anything based on practice degenerates with lack of practice. So it should be that if you use something enough to get its proficiency to 5, if you subsequently stop using it as much, your proficiency should drop, similar to something like standings, which can drop if you don't keep at them.

This would make "proficiency" actually mean something.

Unlocking specializations / variants is generally a better way to go about things than use-base power progression, especially if those specializations / variants are more or less "side-grades"

One thing to keep in mind though is that if variants of a weapon differ too greatly from each other, then players may feel they are being forced to play through content they do not wish to so that they can get to content they actually want.

As an example the Scrambler Rifle has a variant weapon in the Assault Scrambler Rifle, but I feel it can be justified in saying that these two weapons do not play quite the same as each other. So then you run into the problem with your unlock method as listed that a player will have to play through the Scrambler Rifle before unlocking the ASR, which may prove to be anti-fun to a player. As a general rule, you want to avoid players feeling like they have to play through undesirable content to get a desired outcome. (As a corollary to this, don't put valuable content behind annoying content because players will still do it, then hate your game) This, in time, can cause player drop off or players not expanding because desired variants are locked behind undesired weapon bases.

Now as a counterpoint you might say that it means we just need to be smarter about which weapons unlock which variants. As you propose above using Assault or Breach or Tactical to unlock variants in the AR, RR, SR etc. This does not eliminate the problem as described above due to the simple assumption that these weapons vary in some meaningful way. (Otherwise why have seperate weapons?) This variance, to player taste, may make one weapon distasteful but another weapon enjoyable even if the weapons were deemed variants of one another. (SR v ASR, or BAR v BRR)

Ideally the unlocked variants are of a more subtle approach than feel of the weapon such as Variant A having More Ammo per clip / Less Ammo total, or Variant B having less PG fitting, but more CPU fitting. These variants allow for tactical flexibility while retaining the core features that drew a player to that weapon type to begin with.

Weapons (including the Assault, Breach, Tactical, Burst variants of them) should be readily available to players without having to first invest in weapons they may not like. Although at the same time, your point remains strong that opening the flood gates from the word "Go" has it's own host of issues and problems.

Did anyone ever think about unlocking say for example T2 ammunition types or something rather similar for weapons through the proficiency skill rather than having flat damage increases?

I'll try to compose my thoughts on this matter but CCP Rattati did mention that he wanted to introduce modular weapons fittings and such. Perhaps increasing your proficiency opens up the use of these T2 ammunition types which offer only minute differences but are still worth getting if you plan on using weapons in specific ways.

T2 might excel in certain roles light increasing optimal range or modifying a damage profile more significantly but would also come with more notable draw backs for players who use them like increased spool up times, faster heat build up, or slower reloads.

Double post..

I agree on using EVE names for ammo where appropriate. I do not favor being able to live swap in game without the use of a supply depot, but you could have a Commando (are they called Vanguard now?) with two laser rifles, one setup for close quarters and the other setup for long range. Might see more Amarr Commandos/Vanguards around then.

Ah... Why not walk with your ammo? Take two ammo types, divide total ammo by two types.

Why do you oppose "live swapping?"

I understand if it's like I have the freedom to reach way out and now I can punish closely without worry

Absolutely rubbish.

Weapons should not do more damage the more you use them, that's just pathetic and one of many reasons why player retention in Dust was so bad.

In one of the interviews Hilmar gave he said he wanted more realism, well guess what, a real gun will do just as much damage if fired by a 4 year old kid or a 40 year old combat veteran.

Novas not even lit and you're already looking at ways to get advantages over new players.

You're a ******* disgrace.

But, but ... In EvE, that's exactly what they do!! A noob can go to nullsec from day one and get slaughtered by the nullsec denizens. But if they stay in hisec, they're safe. The way to make things better for noobs is to have some sort of grading system so that you don't have noobs having to deal with vets UNLESS THEY WANT TO....

Unfortunately, due to the different ammos only working on the different rifles, you have to swap out the rifle.

What's this "Breach Rifle" cr@p? I"ve never heard of such a thing. There's a breach variant of the Assault Rifle and various others, but the Rail Rifle is the base model of the Rail Rifles. The variants are just either faster (Assault variant) or just more powerful.

"Breach" variants of faster firing base weapons like the AR or CR were created as an answer to the RR being natively a better weapon for long range, just as the Assault variant of the RR was created to improve CQC use of the RR.

Unfortunately, your suggestions for the RRs wouldn't work.

According to the technology of rain guns, they only give kinetic and thermal damage. Also the nature of the charge is such that you don't get a choice of solid shots, explosive or EMP. You just get whatever isotope is in the charge, and that gives you the range and damage.

The T2 variants however are interesting, at least if you look at the EvE versions. One for extreme short range, like a blaster, and one for extreme long range, almost like a mini missile. These would be good to see explored.

You also missed out the other hybrid gun class - blasters, which are the Gallente variant, if you like. They use the same charges, but in a completely different way, and are far shorter range, but very powerful. The T2 variants are similar to those of rail charges, with similar long and short range roles.

In short the four gun types in the EvE universe are:

• Caldari - Hybrid/Rail - unspecialised T1 hybrid charges with specialised T2 variants for rail guns. Damage types Kinetic/Thermal
• Gallente - Hybrid/Blaster - unspecialised T1 hybrid charges with specialised T2 variants for blasters. Damage types Thermal/Kinetic
• MInmatar - Projectile/Explosive
• Amarr - Laser/EM

If you want to use explosive or EM damage types, use the appropriate weapons.

For a start, live swapping wouldn't work where the ammo type required a different rifle. Hybrid (therma/kinetic) ammo is used on blasters (ARs) and railguns (RRs and SRs). Projectile/explosive is used on artillery (CRs). EM is used on lasers (ScRs).

Swapping as needed between these four damage types would require changing the rifle. Even changing from thermal/kinetic to kinetic/thermal would require changing from an AR or variant to an RR or variant.