You could change things slightly so that the exp weapons need their own specific ammo rather than using the same as their regular counterparts. If it is harder to come by or manufacture then it would mean using the exp weapons becomes a far more tactical choice.
As far as making the game harder I would change the way that the rivals and reaper spawn to FNIX reacting to you as an escalating threat. Kill enough regular machines and progress the story far enough and the rivals get deployed. Do the same with the rivals and the reaper is unleashed. But in between the rivals and reaper deployment I would have a dedicated hunter killer mech based around a modified Stridsvagn 103 that plays to the strengths and weaknesses of the tank (such as the autoloader allowing the main gun to fire every 2-3 seconds but only having 50 rounds to use before it has to rearm) and having it chase players around the entire map not just sections of it.
I play solo and I don’t think it’s easy at all, not even with the PVG.
But if you attack with four people, it is obviously a lot easier. If you don’t have 4 times as much enemies shooting at you, as when you play alone. I often have more than 20 machines firing at me. You should have 80.
What I don’t understand is that now people are saying the game is too easy, while others are requesting bigger Plundra space, easier and quicker sorting the inventory, better loot spawning pool, more skills, higher chance for weapons dropping, all these requests help to make the game easier.
I admit I use the exp pvg and lmg and I still get hammered when playing certain parts of the map solo so at the moment I think that the balance is more or less in the right place.
The bigger plundra space I can understand to a degree, especially with base building coming in. In fact I would suggest splitting the plundra in the same way Fallout 1st does so that you end up with 2 seperate containers, one for building/crafting materials and the other for weapons, ammo etc and then use the equipment you find to arm npc characters you find/rescue in game that can act as guards, scavengers and specialists for your base. This would add an additional dimension to the game as firstly you would have to plan ahead when it came to where you build your base to give the best defensive bonuses as well as the most space for expansion but also constantly search for building materials and food/ammo/weapons/medical supplies etc to maintain and fortify your base against the inevitable attacks.
I agree that in solo, it’s a whole different game. Maybe make ennemies stronger when there is more than 1 people? (Boost damage increase and health of ennemies even more with adaptative difficulty)
I believe Base Building has it own area cut off from the main game, so best we wait and see what the devs have created. If there is a special resources pundra in that area, it should at least not be available in the main game.
Like said by many in this topic and in the topic i linked + what i quoted: you have always the option to go back to the normal weapons, without using the experimental weapons. This way, you still have the same planning, co-ordinating etc gameplay.
Only thing is, that you know in your mind, that there is a weapon(s) in game, that make your life considerably easier and the urge to use it could be great. Especially when you’re pinned down and need to get upper hand.
While my main char has sniper build, i use 6* .50cal quite rarely. I use it mainly against apo hunters (if they annoy me) and to take out apo harv’s rocket pod. Once apo harv doesn’t have it’s rockets, i use anything else against it. Even handguns, if i have surplus of ammo. But against apo tank, i prefer to use my 6* AG4. Oh, Reaper, in solo Guerilla is the only machine to whom i don’t hold my 6* .50cal usage back.
I’ll say it again - my problem with experimentals (MG and Railgun, to be specific) is how ubiquitous they become (up to the point hearing it makes me cringe) and how rare lobbys with scaled Skirmish and Guerilla difficulties, where I would approve extensive use of these overkills.
On Adventure, that sometimes even unscaled? Oh yeah, this is my hoarding adventure - just run between carcasses and grab free stuff. Where is fun? My high isn’t about hoarding, but in spending the hoarded.
I get that some people get off how powerful they are or doing long range target practice, but even for me thats becomes dull fast, whille major part of the game is missed out, despite how inefficient it is now.
Changing how the weapons are introduced into the game might be worth looking into, while I can understand the loot mechanic it never really made sense why tanks, harvs and the reaper would be carrying weapons designed for a person to use.
Implementing something along the lines of what I suggested about exo skeletons might work. You find a basic version of an exp weapon that is slightly better than its regular counterpart while exploring facilities and then have to scavenge parts from destroyed mechs in order to upgrade them into true high tier weapons. It could also raise the possibility of there being different upgrade paths for each one that give a range of effects both positive and negative. For example you could either build the standard exp barrel for the sniper or one that allows for a charged shot with higher damage but a lower rate of fire or even a complete rebuild of the entire rifle so that it can fire thermobaric rounds that do significantly more damage at the cost of harsher recoil, scarcity of ammo and drastically increased weapon weight.
I think that the reason tanks and harvesters have weapons meant for people is because they are methodically collecting them and destroying them. (Don’t ask me how they pick them up) This would also explain how we see so many soldiers without weapons. The experimental weapons could have been made by other survivors and then collected, or it could be reasoned that we are salvaging the robot’s parts and modifying other weapons. (Taking tank’s heating component for incendiary gun, etc.)
It was explained by the devs how experimental weapons came to be. Essentially, there was some scientist in some lab, experimenting on how to upgrade the weapons by using the technology machines also use and end result was experimental weapons.
As of why only Rivals have the experimental weapons in their loot pool - that doesn’t make sense by lore standpoint. It only makes sense by gameplay standpoint - Rival is miniboss and you’ll have a chance to get better rewards from it, if you take one out.
I suppose that two FNIX tanks and an apocalypse harvester will be enough to wish you had some experimental weapon, after a seeker reported your presence.
I also see the need of changing something about the experimentals but I would not change the weapons because I see the problem in the amount of ammo you have available for them. Therefor my idea is to create experimental ammo that you need to have the strong effects of some exp weapons.
Look here:
What I would like is the option to set rules for my game session. Like exp not allowed. Plundra not allowed. So that people that join my game has to follow the rules I’ve set. And the opposit if I join some other guys game.
The idea is that experimental weapons must be powerful, so the only way they can be “modified” is to use a type of experimental ammunition that can be obtained from weekly or daily missions. Basically this kind of mission would make real sense …
I got exp. Pvg 90 AND a exp. SMG Reaper drops on multiplayer. I thought it was a fair reward even if very lucky, because taking that Reaper down before it self destructed was feeling near impossible even if we were two. Alone I can’t do it at all, I’m sure.
I’m not at all experienced with multiplayer or games from before, where time doesn’t freeze when you go to inventory, so for me the op guns made the game playable. I HATE to die, but pretty much half of the times I died so far it was from falling or forgetting there is no pause, and the other half from standing too close to things that explode. I have died 1 time per a 100 bots killed by now, it’s pretty consistant.
I never run out of ammo ever. No need for looting perks. I havn’t had to use the schematics to make my own ammo either.
I understand that can be boring if you are a good player, but I’m not - even if my fiance says I’m not bad, that many more than I imagine are way worse. Mostly because he says I put effort in building the skill tree and think strategically on the ground. Guess I finally have some use of my hunter’s license required training - jägarexamen.
Reading your thoughts do make me think that I should try to do without the op weapons again if I start feeling it’s getting too easy. The more skills I get the easier it becomes now, too. I mostly play alone now and I guess it’s due to that I don’t need help so often now because of the op guns, so I don’t ask people to join me. One woman army.
I don’t exactly run around gunning down robots left and right. I always try to sneak by them instead if at all possible, but sometimes the missions are to take them down. Or I’m so far away they never see it coming.
Story wise, it makes sense to me that in a world with these kind of robots and AI, better guns are also a reasonable development. So that does not make the game feel unrealistic to me.
This became very long
Thanks for taking the time to read you who did