CUEmu - Thread Posts

Lukes_alt

Tue Mar 16, 2004 8:42 am

Pistol range needs to be capped at 35m at the most..

As things stand, pistoleers are running around at the max range of 63 meters, or worse with a range powerup, and going toe to toe with a rifleman who has to stand there taking a -50 to strike a moving target while the pistoleer bust off shot after shot super quick.

The pistoleer needs to have a -50 to strike any time outside of 35meters and never get a penalty to strike while moving within that 35 meters.

They should be able to tear it up close range, but thats it.

-LukeC-
GRIEF them all, let the CSRs sort out the rest.

Yakisoba1

Thu Mar 18, 2004 8:53 am

#145

Seems like pistols in the military are used in two cases:

1) by elite troops needing a close range weapon when quarters are too tight for a more powerful weapon. Training is characterized by an emphasis on head and vital shots becuase the most powerful pistol is not that good against modern armor.

2) by ordinary and elite troops as a backup weapon so that they have something that goes "bang" when the rifle craps out/is lost/runs dry. Training is VERY secondary to rifle training. Ranges are short, perhaps within 50 feet.

Pistols in entertainment are used in a few ways, unrelated to the above:

1) High art: Two fisted "John Woo" action. Fights are characterized by precision, trick shooting, intimidation and multiple weapons. Almost a dance. The gun replaces the sword, pretty much. Ranges are short, arms length in most cases/scenes

2) Gunfights: Fastest draw wins. Mostly in westerns, but Star Wars has this element in it as well, both in the primary source and the fiction. Ranges can be very long, over 50 feet, to emphasize the preternatural accuracy of the participants.

So what do we see in SWG today?

1) LONG ranges. 64 meters is an easy shot with a Republic blaster.

2) Single weapons/one stance: No dual pistols, weaver modified stance only, running and firing behind onself is not a stance.

3) Use of the pistol as a hand weapon (pistol melee defense 1) when this is rarely a trained skill anywhere, and beyond last resort, normally.

4) Pistol, rifle and carbine all cost the same skill points to train (one marksman tree per, then an elite profession above that), meaning that to be true to the players, all have to be balanced in combat effectiveness.

5) Pistol has a complimentary set of moves in the smuggler profession. It's the only weapon that has anything like that, save the bounty hunter special moves with verious ranged weapons. Commandos have signature pistols as well.

6) Weapons are not balanced nor consistant, relative to one another. Some domore damage than others, while being faster;some do less than they ought, there are crafting and economic factors that need to be accounted for in weapons production.

So how can we balance? Not just game balance, mind, but rather balance between what players expect from their game, what the points say we MUST do, with enough RL sprinkled on top to sell it and immerse the players in a good gaming experience.

1) Balance the weapons against one another and consider the following factors:

weapons stats as determined by ALL POSSIBLE combinations of resources and loot for that weapon, as well as damage over time. Deliverable: Best, worst and average weapons stats.

2) Since all the ranged weapons (or pistol, rifle, carbine anyhow) have the same number of skill points required to master, balance the damage over time of these professions BUT make them useful under different circumstances, so that flavor is maintained. Example: Pistols are great up close, horrible (on hit in 10) beyond 20 meters under combat conditions. Carbines are decent out to 50 meters, reasonable up close (and can have attachments that make them better close in, at the expense of far shooting) but have average damage overall. Rifles are great at 30-80 meters, but HORRIBLE up close. Only alternative is a weak rifle butt attack (like PMD1, but no knockdown). Riflemen should be afraid to have enemies close to them.

3) Avoid making one weapon the best. Pistols were the most prevalent weapons in the SWG movies, for the good guys anyhow, but this is a game that needs to be balanced for all.

4) Have other professions add lines of expertise with the other main weapons to balance out pistoleer. So scouts could have a carbine line, perhaps in the ranger profession. Commandos could replace the HAR line with a rifle line of moves. Bounty hunters would maintain their lines as they are, becuase we don't want to take stuff away from the players.

5) Balance defenses and offensive power. Pistols could have the best defensive modifiers, carbines the middle, rifles the WORST, while offsnsive power would be the reverse: Rifles are great, pistols are small, carbines are middle of the road. This is not a new idea, but is different from the situation today.

I know these are not new ideas, but I just wanted to say my piece and try to have something constructive to say about a great game. Good luck to the dev team in the weeks ahead.

--Yak

Eilla

Fri Mar 19, 2004 7:07 am

#146

Just an echo that speed and close quarters combat should bea key component. We should be the intermediate defense and offensebetween melee and rifle men within a group.

Disclaimer -- minor rant --

Whatever you do, Thunderheart, don't promise big changes for a specific publish and then fail to deliver. I can't take another "publish" that is a patch that, at best, adds light fixtures and removes thetent pitching requirements from walking your dewback.

Without dodge, pistols would be a complete waste of time. I feel betrayed by the broken specials. After all the time I put in (I'm a casual player) to finally get multitarget and watch in dismay as it did nothing ... your combat developers should take a moment to hang their head in shame and then shake it off and fix the problems.

Eilla

Wanderhome

Master Pistoleer

Hardthrust

Sun Mar 21, 2004 5:42 am

#147

Dual weapons a must, as well as being able to shoot from vehicles.

Pistoleers should be able to sneak attack. A quick draw that will not make npcs go aggro or reaveal your faction standing.

They need to be quicker,maybe a variation on burst run. They should be able to outrun any other profession with the exception of scout. No way should a heavily armored stormtrooper be able to keep pace with a pistoleer with armor or without.

Echuu2

Wed Mar 24, 2004 11:54 am

#148

Firstly:
I think that the pistoleer should have duel pistols seeing as they are meant to be an expert at that type of combat and there aren't that many powerful pistols around so adding 2 pistols would kind of balance out that class.

Secondly:
I think a pistoleer should have the duel pistol ability at novice pistoleer not when they master it otherwise there is no point in adding duel pistols if it takes so long to obtain them.

"The true essence of the force is every where never stronger or weeker in any area, always constant it is the weilder that is the vessel in which the force uses to carry out its will, but the force is neither good nor evil it is the heart of the wielder that uses the force that determines what form it truely takes."

Dragon2179

Sat Mar 27, 2004 12:13 am

#149

plz fix the specials. thats the most important point, which must be changed!

i think pistols should also be a little more powerful. most of the damage we do, can be easily healed with a stimpack.it doesn't need to deal asmuch damage asa rifle, but similar to it. the abilty to hit the enemy's mindpool is already a great advantage for a rifleman.

the idea to add dual pistols sounds great to me, cause this might raise the damage and speed rate to make the pistoleer prof to a real fearful combat class (not a pathetic one like now)

a master gunfighter should be able to stand a chance against a master crabineer or a master sharpshooter without being a bounty hunter or smuggler.

my opinion is, thatthe pistoleer should be like what the teras kasi artist is among the melee profs.

chhandlernseller

Tue Mar 30, 2004 9:34 am

#150

Hi devs long time reader first time poster in this forum...

i dont play much, but i love the game, i got 2 questions.....

1) The anatomy of a Mon Calamari in its current position confusses me. How does a Squid hold a hand gun... i think he should have a species set weapon pistol. Because with webbed digits its really hard to pull a trigger right.

2)Personally, you need to make working up a skill tree more rewarding. Its no funn grinding for xp when all i get is a certification and ooo point blank shot. I believe you should place Duel pistols when you get a1/1/1/1 in novice pistolier. It would just be cool thats all.

Thanks alot

Wow guys, i have not been on my account since 8 months, and i still pay for it, i think i love swg more than jesus......am i going ot hell?

Development Cycle Archive

Thread: IC 1-10: Combat Roles; Pistoleer