Beren Hurin
The Vanguardians
877
   |
Posted - 2013.07.31 12:55:00 -
[1] - Quote
A lot of people like to complain about why [X weapon] isnGÇÖt balanced because it doesnGÇÖt take skill A/B/C to use properly. They may also say that because Y isnGÇÖt performed while you use it it is too easy. What this isnGÇÖt taking into account is a concept IGÇÖm bringing over from Eve and will be very blunt about it being the filter through which I see this aspect of the game.
Damage Application is the consistency and ease of which you can apply most of your weaponGÇÖs damage using its unique properties.
The main properties of damage application are:
Damage Rate: This includes the strength of each shot fired and the consistency with which each shot is fired over time. Sniper rifle have long period during which their damage is not being applied, but a strong strength. Assault rifles classically apply their damage in very consistent bursts.
Optimal Range: This is the range within which each weapon can apply the most damage if firing directly on target. Other weapon properties may mean that it may still be difficult to keep damage on target at these ranges.
Effective Range: The range outside of the effective range of the weapon is largely ineffective against the target.
Falloff Rate: The rate which your optimal range transitions to effective range. If this is a short distance, then tactically your weapon requires you to fight in your optimal range more often. If this is a long distance your weapon is much more flexible.
Weapon dispersion: This property has a significant effect all ranges. The dispersion of your weapon may mean that, even though you CAN do full damage at 30m, getting a cone of fire to all hit the target at 25m will be hard. Two rifles may have the same optimal range, but very different dispersion rates. This boils down to GÇÿaccuracyGÇÖ.
Weapon kickback: Weapon kickback affects dispersion for high RoF weapons, but it is also a property that significantly affects damage rate. Your weapon may have a high inherent damage rate, but the kickback wastes ammunition if you are firing at 100% of the speed of its normal RoF.
Weapon Tracking: Weapon tracking is about KEEPING the damage on the target. The closer a target is the harder it is to track because it can move faster. If a target is far away and you donGÇÖt have a scope it also is difficult to track without aim-assist. To the extent to which your weapon type has tracking add-ons that help in its other damage application properties it is a strong weapon. A long optimal range weapon without a scope (like a MD or FG) makes damage harder to apply. Some rifles may be as long of range as other rifles but without the scope, making it weaker at that longer range than the scoped rifle. Not having a scope may be an intentional design choice to balance weapon flavors.
Weapon Trajectory: Some weapons fire directly at the target, and others indirectly. Some have travel time requiring a little more skill to lead the target, others you just point and shoot.
Skillshot Bonus: Some weapons are rewarded more than others for getting headshots.
AoE: Some weapons apply damage over a wide area more than others which may be less or non-existent.
All of these things will be really important to remember when we start to get more of the various weapons types. As some weapon classes (Hybrid vs laser vs projectile) are better at other distance over others, that doesnGÇÖt necessarily make them the best at those ranges. Laser weapons may have the better tracking, less dispersion, and better RoF at medium ranges. Projectile weapons may have better effective ranges and higher damage rates to work with while having a little more dispersion or tracking issues.
|