Experimentals that would profit from slight adjustements

Tl;dr at the bottom.

Experimentals are cool. They look cool, they sound cool and they definitely lifted the game to a new state when they were released, they took the retro-sci-fi style of GenZ further and fundamentally changed how some of us approach the machines in combat.

However, a lot of experimentals are simply straight upgrades to their normal counterparts, like the Kpist, PvG 90, KVM… there’s two experimentals that radically change the style the weapon they are based on is approached: Namely the Grg and the 12 gauge pump-action. And while they both boast a trait that heavily increases one of their aspects, they also completely pull down the versatility of that weapon. I want to suggest a non-invasive adjustment for each of the two, that would keep their experimental effect useful while maintaining what makes these weapons great.

For the Grantagevär, the raw burst firepower is doubled, at the expense of heavily decreased accuracy on the second shot, a potentially higher count fo wasted ammo and the fact that the EMP-rockets will always waste one shot, as an EMP is either hit or miss. I would suggest making the experimental Grg single-fire to be better able to dose the damage and stun that can be delivered from this weapon. The dual-burst automatic does not really allow for much flexibility and is absolutely counter-productive for EMP-players, as the burst fires way too quickly to be able to hit two separate groups of enemies that are standing far apart. Hitting far away enemies with both rockets can also become quite the hassle. HEDP rockets aren’t exactly strong in the first place, a machine gun, SMG or PvG will still kill any medium to big target faster than the Grg.

Secondly, the experimental pump-action shotgun completely cripples the buckshot and slug ammo, taking away everything that makes shotguns such great weapons: their versatility at every range by means of being able to choose ammo. While the infinite stun capabilities of the birstshot are fairly potent, especially in a team, the slug has basically no range and buckshot only about 5 meters, making them essentially uselss and turning any player facing apocalypse machines into a hotdog. I suggest simply making buckshot and slug ammo work normally, without explosions but with minimally increased penetration or simply no effect at all. The reload of shotguns is never fast enough to be able to stunlock an enemy and quickly load a mag of buckshot in and keep hammering it, but retaining the original properties of slug ammo and buckshot would make the 12g feel like an actual weapon again and allow for a choice between a low to medium amount of firepower or stunlock.

Tl;dr: Making the experimental Grg single-fire and making the experimental 12G retain the original properties of non-birdshot ammo would greatly increase the value of these guns without overpowering them instead of leaving them in the partially crippled state they are in right now.

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Can’t you for these special occasions not use the non-experimental Grg?

It’s not really a special occasion, and constantly switching guns is also not really what I consider quality of life. Every other experimental apart from those two can be used in the same situations as their normal counterpart and maybe some additional ones, the shotty and launcher take that away for seemingly no reason.

The Grg could use a fire mode selector (single shots with 2 rds. in the tube, and standard - 2 shots).

Exactly, I’d even go as far as saying to make the EMP round only load a single shot and keep the main two-shot if the devs really are adamant about its design, but it simply doesn’t seem like a well though-through idea to force one single firemode on a gun that lives from well-aimed shots.

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I do agree that if the devs could make a fire mode selector, that would be great.

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Yeah agree, both of those experimentals are definitely lacking compared to the others

I’ll add my two coins on grg and pump. And my coins ain’t do “slight adjustments”.
I dunno weapon’s code pattern in this game, so I’ll just leave my thought train here.

  • Expys’ effects are tied to gun itself, not necessarily to ammo - exp pump is example.
  • Same gun shows change in projectile behaviour with same effect, based on certain variable (lower accuracy - longer range).
  • Ggr code shows that different ammo shows different effects (blast, smoke, EMP wave).

Conclusion: one of possible weapon code patterns is each combination of gun (rarity included), ammo and accessories are actually in-game different guns (evidenced by hotkey ammo change - hiding current and loadnig “new” gun). I dunno if ammo have it’s own stats and gun is just “coefficient with effects” in equation (like it was implemented in STALKER series).

If so, why not to experiment on the experimental shotgun and graduate it from ersatz melee (we already got that) boomstick that mostly do scary noices? Don’t worry if it suddenly gets OP, because we already have PEWgun (a.k.a. exp Pvg90).

  • Birdshot -> dragon breath: same effects as exp G3.
  • Buckshot -> Flechette (as is now), just need work on spread and range;
  • Slug ->
    a) tiny frag/explody/rocket propelled projectile with adjusted ballistics: “frag12” (developed since '94, though), “HESH 12ga” (mid-XX century concept, advertised as antimateriel 12ga ammo) and “gyrojet” ammo respectively;
    b) concussion/flare projectile - works upon impact, with very short “flare” effect for confusing surrounding machines, minor fire damage(?). May works as “shootable sticky flare” (as done with Grg ammo and it’s throwable alternatives).

As for Grg - switchable firemode should suffice.