Sniper Rifle Questions - Higby's Asking!

[OCNSethy]

https://twitter.com/mhigby/status/423315803899846656

Since he is asking... I would like a range finder / scope combo and a larger magazine for my RAMs please.

[BlaxicanX]

Aside from non-ES attachments (like range-finders, which really need to be in the game), I can't think of anything to be honest. Sniper rifles, unlike other guns, have a really specific way of working; they HAVE to be high velocity, high damage, highly accurate, otherwise they're useless. Not a whole lot you can change in that formula.

[synkrotron]

I can't get on twitter at work so I won't see his exact questions for another twelve hours...

One thing I would like to see on my SAS-R is a 7x scope. This BASR has a OHK range of 200 metres and I struggle at the moment with the 4x scope over a range of 100 metres. Over 150 metres and the width of the crosshair of the 4x Trueshot virtually covers the whole of the target (I'm going to try the LX Mark IV to see if that is any better at that range)

There are times when I would prefer to take out my SAS-R rather than the Longshot because I know I am going to be tackling targets at closer range (between 50 ~ 100 metres). But if I see an enemy sniper in the distance I am unable to counter with the SAS-R. Which seems a bit daft because 200 metres is a good distance.

I could ask for a 4x for the Longshot for the closer work but I guess that would be silly. Plus, the SAS-R loads quicker and does not suffer scope sway.

In fact, if I could, I would give up one of my slots to be able to carry an extra scope. I mean, lets face it, a scope isn't that big an item to carry and it would mean that I could take out my SAS-R and switch my scope to suit my current target.

[Plaqueis]

I don't see the point with rangefinder after the OHK rangecap... didn't need it before that either since rendering distance is so short.

All i'd like to have is ability to hold breath like normal person, instead of having the lungs of 90-year old heavy smoker...

[ketarakh]

Target's shield/hp indicator to pick and finish off wounded foes. Would greatly improve sniper scavenging.

[synkrotron]

I don't see the point with rangefinder after the OHK All i'd like to have is ability to hold breath like normal person, instead of having the lungs of 90-year old heavy smoker...

LOL, yeah, great point there... And when you "run out of breath" it's like you're having a fit or something...

Someone made a point here, just recently, that he doesn't bother holding his breath, and I must admit that for the shorter range shots, and the 7x scope, it is possible, even for me. But for the 200 ~ 300 metre shots I feel I really do need to hold my breath and it's one of those critical decisions.

[BlaxicanX]

Hm. On that note, I think it would be great if we could cert into holding our breath longer.

[AThreatToYou]

TR: Target piercing ammo. If target is killed, remaining damage potential of shot goes on to strike anything behind. Possibly also has larger magazine (by 1 or 2 rounds). (if you don't like that, then fuck it, give em anti-max rounds)

NC: Experimental nanite canister ammo. Ability to slightly damage heavy vehicles with sniper rifle. Possibly deal slightly more raw damage to other targets, but not enough to change shots to kill or headshot range.

VS: I don't know. Explosions are always cool, right?

The reason I post these strange and non-sniper effects for sniper rifles is that I fucking hate infiltrators and want them to do something other than uselessly kill a guy behind friendly lines who is just gonna get right back up or respawn with no consequence related to his death. I want them to be able to support in other, more significant ways. TR get a little bit of infantry crowd-control, NC get vehicle control, and VS get.. explosions. I don't know.

The aforementioned range finers would be great too.

[synkrotron]

Hm. On that note, I think it would be great if we could cert into holding our breath longer.

Would that make sense? I mean, the cert system buys you physical items that improve you shield or adds things to your weapons, vehicles etc.

I reckon that holding your breath is more of an experience, or development of a skill, so what I would propose is that as your time with a sniper rifle increases so does your ability to hold your breath for longer, not by much, and up to a maximum amount of time. Or it could be linked with your accuracy, which could also be taken as a measurement of your skill level as a sniper...

just thinking is all...

I'm kind of with Plaqueis on the range finder thing... I am finding that I more or less have the measure of my scopes now and I can tell, by using the dots to judge how how a person is, how far away he is and hence whether I need to allow for bullet drop.

[torokf]

The Railgun has to be BADASS
Can't 'EFFIN WAIT

http://i.imgur.com/U5BNy33.jpg

[almalino]

I want ability to shoot without the need to uncloak first. Shooting should uncloak me automatically.

Nice certed feature could be uncloak sound mute. The more you certed into it the less sound you produce cloacking uncloacking.

[Ghoest9]

I play NC.

I dont really see a need for empire specific features.

I would like a range finder.

It woul be cool if we could shoot while cloaked and that itself would drop the cloak.


I think this is true for all empires.

[Ghoest9]

I play NC.

I dont really see a need for empire specific features.

I would like a range finder.

It woul be cool if we could shoot while cloaked and that itself would drop the cloak.


I think this is true for all empires.




What I do NOT want is a new gun with more drop than the existing rifles.

[Sledgecrushr]

A range finder would be awesome. It wouldnt necessarily be all that helpful but it would be a lot of fun adjusting your shot before you actually shoot.

[Wargrim]

I would like to see sniper rifles fire backwards and instant headshot the user, if they keep sniping at heavy vehicles 3 times in a row. This should help weeding out the worst of them.

[HereticusXZ]

Besides a digital range-finder that shows the distance between me and the target in my cross-hairs when I look down the scope? Ammunition variety like every other weapon in the game is on my wishlist!

Armor Piercing ammo to do very light damage to tanks, I say VERY light damage to encourage Snipers to work in teams to do anything effective against Tanks.


Incendiary Rounds that won't kill the target it hits, but does area damage to the target and those within 5-10m of the target. Considering what it's carrying I imagine it would have some low velocity for a heavy bullet drop. Maybe give it all the bells and whistles and show off some of those fire effects? Targets hit would light up on fire briefly? Such ammo might help encourage the enemy not to cluster up?


Lastly High-Velocity ammo so I don't have to lead the shot as much!


Aesthetically speaking though... I can't say I'm familiar with weapons but that nose bit that NC rifles have that makes it look like a hammer? I want to see that on the weapon with that same awesome -boom- you hear, make it loud and explosive like a real Sniper Rifle should be! not all quiet like other NS weapons.

Nanite Systems provides only the best in equipment to our wartime clients!

[Oty]

I play TR

For an ES Tr weapon I would like to have someting cool, from a feature point of view it would be cool to have a sniperrifle with rotating barrels. Just as an idea: a rifle with two barrels that rotate to fire 2 shots in burst. Maybe strong enough for a bodyhit+ headshot to grant a kill. there would be some recoil between the shots that the shooter had to control to keep the shots on target. This would add skill to get a kill.

an other thing this game really needs are binoculars. maybe as an infiltrator intem but rather as a cross class intem. Come on its war, binoculars are cool, to some extent useful for marking targets and could have features to cert into. maybe a cert to add waypoints or markers "on sight" like in the Bf 2 order menu(havent played the later games so dont know if feature is in them)

[ZephyrBurst]

A range finder would be nice, if anything, just to have it there at this point.

Being able to fire while cloaked (and it dropping the cloak) is silly to me. Snipers can already quickly make a shot and disappear again. That bit of vulnerability is necessary.

[Shamrock]

Bipod attachment to reduce scope sway, would probably need a drawback though.

http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j402/terrymiura/harris1.jpg

[BlaxicanX]

Would that make sense? I mean, the cert system buys you physical items that improve you shield or adds things to your weapons, vehicles etc.

I reckon that holding your breath is more of an experience, or development of a skill, so what I would propose is that as your time with a sniper rifle increases so does your ability to hold your breath for longer, not by much, and up to a maximum amount of time. Or it could be linked with your accuracy, which could also be taken as a measurement of your skill level as a sniper...

just thinking is all...

I'm kind of with Plaqueis on the range finder thing... I am finding that I more or less have the measure of my scopes now and I can tell, by using the dots to judge how how a person is, how far away he is and hence whether I need to allow for bullet drop.

It doesn't make sense for your character to have the lung capacity of a 90-year old with emphysema, either.

"Sense"... has no place in this game.

EDIT- And there are things that increase your physical abilities rather than just tech. For example, the adrenaline pump gives you a flat 10% increase to your movement speed as Light Assault.

[KesTro]

I absolutely do not want to see infils have the ability to become automatically uncloacked by firing their weapons. That would make counter-sniping and finding the buggers nigh impossible.

This has been mentioned in other threads but a lot of people seemed to like the idea of a TR sniper rifle that can fire two rounds before you need to pull the bolt back.

As for NC? Give it slightly higher base damage and a nice visual effect to go with it.

VS? Slightly more range perhaps.

A previous poster had it right though, it's pretty hard to tamper with the already delicate sniper formula.

[War Barney]

Theres nothing they need really, snipers can already 1 shot people, all I've seen here is a ton of ways to make snipers the most OP class in the game.

Shooting while cloaked would be to much, its hardly difficult to press 1 button to remove your cloak and it means you need to be more carful and actually think while getting OHKs

Seeing health again would be OP as hell, its bad enough that snipers can OHK people without them then being able to easily 1 shot people without a headshot by knowing whos injured.

[Dougnifico]

Bipod/Tripod/Stabilizer. Probably too op but worth a shot.

[bpostal]

Instead of mildots I'd like something a little more....


http://www.outdoorsbay.com/gallery-5/originals/218_RussianScope%28FF45006%29_06.jpeg

[JackD]

Considering that most attachments dont make any sense on them i would be fine with everything that is not useless.

[DirtyBird]

After the recent sniper changes I made a forced upgrade from the LA80 to the EM4 Longshot.
I can headshot at 300m, default scope is fine and I've never wished I had a rangefinder (try using your waypoint if you struggle).
The Ammo Belt replaced Nanoweave so there are more than enough shots in my magazine.


The question asked is not about abilities or attachments its, what do you really want to see in your empire specific sniper rifle?

I cannot think of anything you could introduce, thats better than what i already have access to, and would not initiate a nerf riot and social media meltdown.


But what ever you come up with has to walk that fine line and be damn good to make people part with the mandatory 1000SC.
Unless of course SOE take the same path they did in the early days in which they nerfed the LA80 as soon as the EM4 became available for purchase in the store.

[GreyFrog]

Sniper rifles are like shotguns, you can't make them better without making everything else redundant. So don't try. The current range now have some flavour due to OHK HS range differences and time between shots etc.

Completely invisible cloaks if you stand still?
Darts that detect mines?
I'd love sensor darts that are a small device and alarm the infil if tripped but nothing else. Can be destroyed.

I mean shit there are a massive amount of options....a new sniper rifle? How boring.

[synkrotron]

a new sniper rifle? How boring.

I agree, unless...

Now if they could give us a new BASR that would give us back headshots at 400+ metres, that would be something I would pay for. Obviously, it would nit a massive disadvantage at the closer ranges so that you would only choose it for sniping operations over 300 metres. Limit the scopes to say 12x and 15x, which would render the rifle "almost" useless at the close ranges.

That said, I would hardly use it because I'm finding that, since the recent changes I have been happily working within the 150 ~ 300 metre range.

By the way, I am totally unsurprised at the "sniper haters" giving their opinions here, even though the question is nothing to do with them...

[Plaqueis]

I don't see the point of bipod either since our characters don't even know how to go prone...

I like bpostals idea about changing the mildot to something more sniperlike.

[Shamrock]

I don't see the point of bipod either since our characters don't even know how to go prone...



Tripod then, as we can crouch.

http://www.americanspecialops.com/images/photos/scout-snipers/marine-corps-scout-sniper-hr.jpg

[WarriorCI]

Short Version:
PS2 already has empire specific sniper “scout” rifles

TR have the HSR
VS have the NYX
NC have whatever they have, I don’t know they all have 12 shots anyway

Make these guns different, and yet adaptable to move between closer range and longer range through modifications.

First change the animation for each weapon, make it new.

Second give empire specific attributes like:

TR increase the magazine size to 20 rounds, lower the damage, increase the fire rate, decrease max velocity, increase precision, and keep accuracy standard for TR weapons.

NC decrease magazine size to 6 or so rounds, increase the damage a lot, decrease the fire rate, increase the max velocity, and keep precision and accuracy to NC standards.

VS keep magazine size at 12 rounds, keep the damage the same, same fire rate, increase the max velocity so the NYX can actually hit something at range, increase the precision so the NYX can actually hit something at all, and keep accuracy the same.

And classify them as SNIPER RIFLES

Third, make sure that the weapons work best at medium combat range, however they can still in a pinch be used for short or long range combat situations.

Long Version:
Giving infiltrators a new ES sniper rifle is to me kind of pointless. All sniper rifles go boom, and hit things at long ranges, so in what way can you really change that game play. Sure you could change the look, and you could alter the weapons based on empire attributes, but you would still have a weapon that goes boom and hits things at long range.

The range finder is a cool idea for long range snipers I admit, but infiltrators are usually clumped into two categories long and short. The medium range weapons across every empire are basically the same, and are all equally disappointing. If I want to snipe at medium range I play a HA and use the Eidolon, AMR66, or the Warden, why can’t infiltrators use the battle rifles? They out perform almost every mid range weapon they are given; I mean seriously the low velocity short range versions of the standard sniper rifles that still sway even though they cannot even equip a X6 scope, or the ES scout rifles that all do the same damn thing ineffectively.

The only grey area left for infiltrators weapon wise is this mid range sniper rifle which could be altered to be something very cool and creative without having to stick to the goes boom and hits something at long range gameplay. Mid range is the real recon scout distance anyway, why not give infiltrators the advantage in the area? Also why can’t infiltrators use the battle rifles again? Why can’t the majority of classes use scout rifles? The HA and engy get to use the battle rifle, the best scout rifle in the game at the moment, and it seems like the infiltrator is the only class that has two unique weapon categories scout and sniper rifles. Like shot guns, scout rifles should be shared across most classes except Light Assault, with sniper rifles being the infiltrators exclusively.

[Dougnifico]

What about a scope attachment that allows you to use a rangefinder and adjust the scope so that you crosshair is on target from whatever distance you have set. They put this in BF4 and its done well.

Also, for a tripod, you can make it so that you have to deploy it like a turret before you can use it. The downside would be you are very, very easy to counter snipe and it takes extra time to set up.

A third attachment you could do is a straight-pull bolt where you don't have to leave scope, but maybe it takes longer than raking a bolt and pulling your face away.

All of these attachments would probably be the "big" or "popular" attachments for snipers so they could be made mutually exclusive.

[Kail]

TR - Flash Rounds - Causes mini-flashbang effect to target
NC - High Caliber Rounds - Causes mini-concussive effect to target
VS - Disruptor Rounds - Causes mini-emp effect to target

Mini effects are greatly reduce in duration and, as needed, strength. For example the mini-flashbang probably doesn't need much a strength reduction, just that it only lasts a second or two, while the mini-concussion most likely would need both strength and duration reduction.

[synkrotron]

Also, for a tripod, you can make it so that you have to deploy it like a turret before you can use it. The downside would be you are very, very easy to counter snipe and it takes extra time to set up.

I was thinking the very same thing myself and this would be for those high multi scopes for extra long distance targets.

[typhaon]

I want ability to shoot without the need to uncloak first. Shooting should uncloak me automatically.

Nice certed feature could be uncloak sound mute. The more you certed into it the less sound you produce cloacking uncloacking.

So - what do you propose to balance this? A 5-second no re-cloak period? An implant that allows regular troops to see cloaked at range?

Shooting from cloak, then instantly re-cloaking would be idiotic.

[synkrotron]

Shooting from cloak, then instantly re-cloaking would be idiotic.

I agree that shooting from cloaked would be a little bit unfair. I've now played 180 hours as a sniper, some 58 percent of my total game time and I've missed many a shot because I've forgot to uncloak... My fault... Pure and simple.

I too have thought it would be great to have the cloak drop as I pull the trigger but, consider this, the cloak does not drop instantly and what we are asking here is that as soon as we pull the trigger, the bullet flies from the gun, and really the cloak would not have dropped as quick as that.

So, yeah, as I said, I agree with the above sentiment, even though I'm mainly a sniper at the moment :)

[Azzzz]

Range finder and tripod definitely has my vote.

Tripod seems to fit more so for the TR as a kind of lock down mode. Maybe even fire 2 rounds at reduced damage similar to the Prowler. Both rounds hit for maximum damage and a single round for half.

Incendiary rounds seem doable as well. DoT would be a great addition to this game. Mind you, small amount of DoT.

Disruptive rounds can prevent shields loading for a couple seconds longer. We all know a few seconds longer to make your shields regen can be a serious pain in a firefight.

Armor piercing rounds to annoy vehicles. Low magazine size in exchange for decent damage. Obviously nothing to destroy a MBT or Sundy by yourself. Maybe give a Max something to think about before standing out in the open.

A round akin to a flash bang grenade. A second or two of not being able to see anything makes a difference in a fight.

Some of theses ideas are not designed to damage infantry but give them effects that support your allied infantry. Makes it so a sniper can be something other than death from far away and still contribute to the fight, whether big or small battle.

[Plaqueis]

Meh.. i think the sniper-rifles are ok as they are, i wish they'd spend the dev time on characters instead.. give the ability to go prone (would help across the board, not just infils), ability to hold breath properly, maybe tone down the cloak sound (you can hear that thing mile away) and so on...

If stuff like rangefinder and bipod is ever added, they should somehow make the infantry rendering distance way longer for scopes and bring back the old OHK from headshots, otherwise they're useless. Who would do long range sniping when you know you can't kill any target?

Just for fun, here's a screenshot of myself in DayZ SA (Mosin with long range scope, that stationhouse is at about 700 meters) :)

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n171/Sirkkeli/2014-01-12_00009_zpsbeb57e36.jpg

[Baneblade]

Would that make sense? I mean, the cert system buys you physical items that improve you shield or adds things to your weapons, vehicles etc.

SOE already shattered that particular logic barrier with Adrenaline Rush cert.

[BlaxicanX]

Some food for thought-

When thinking up ideas for the rifles, try to keep in mind A) How it would feel to be killed by the things you're recommending, and B) Snipers are already one of it not the most loathed type of player in PS2 due to the community's hatred of "being killed by things I can't even see".

I mean, a "flash-bang round" does sound pretty awesome in theory- but, how annoyed would you be if your screen was consistently turning bright-white blind over and over again because some dude 300 meters away is taking pot-shots at you.

[Plaqueis]

Some food for thought-

When thinking up ideas for the rifles, try to keep in mind A) How it would feel to be killed by the things you're recommending, and B) Snipers are already one of it not the most loathed type of player in PS2 due to the community's hatred of "being killed by things I can't even see".

A) If people get killed by a sniper in this game as it is now (and before the nerf too for that matter), there's nobody to blame expect themselves. Quit standing still and no experienced sniper will even try to shoot at you from range as getting a hit (not to mention kill) is practically impossible. To answer the statement, i only feel like a noob if someone manages to kill me with a sniper-rifle.

B) If the sniper can see you, you can see the sniper, no ifs and buts. Plain and simple. If the sniper manages to kill you, he's most likely in some of those 5 places within 300 meters from you that provide atleast some cover. So it doesn't require high IQ nor huge effort to get rid of the guy. Sadly (or fortunately, depends how you look at it), very few bother to even try.

[BlaxicanX]

- I'm not debating the merits of whether their hatred is justified, merely pointing out that it's there.

- That's a silly statement to make. You can see a cloaked infiltrator from 300 meters away, while simultaneously fighting the non-infiltrators that are 20 meters away? I doubt it.

[Azzzz]

Me personally, I find that i get killed by a sniper while when i'm least expecting it. Not so much during a fight. In the early days, absolutely, I was getting killed left and right because I didn't know what the hell I was doing.

Nowadays, a sniper will rarely find me just standing still or looking at the map for an easy kill but will get me because that sniper knows how to lead a target. Situational awareness is an always important factor :p

[BlaxicanX]

I rarely get killed by snipers myself. Personally, I find that it's actually because I tend to play aggressive roles rather than support roles- that keeps me constantly moving.

As an Infiltrator, it's the other Infiltrators, repairing or mana-turret wielding engineers and missile launcher using Heavy Assaults that are my favorite (and easiest) targets.

[Plaqueis]

- That's a silly statement to make. You can see a cloaked infiltrator from 300 meters away, while simultaneously fighting the non-infiltrators that are 20 meters away? I doubt it.

He/she'll be cloaked every now and then, not all the time. All that's needed is some effort to actually look for him/her.

[Methonius]

Make the VS sniper a full on laser that can be held down and quickly melts a target to ash. NO charge up just a beam laser that is continuous. Enough to maybe kill 1 or 2 targets if they are sitting close to each other. Make it overheat quickly. If they want, they could add a charge up mechanic but make it an alt fire mode that is a more powerful shot and instantly overheats the wep.

Since the NC sniper looks like a very fast rail gun. Make it able to pierce targets. First target dies. Second target takes half damage. Third target takes 25 percent.

Make TR sniper have 3 shots before going out of scope and have a small amount of recoil to readjust. But if at mid range it can still be deadly accurate and kill quickly. Make a alt fire mode where it fires all 3 bullets at once rapidly and insta gib 1 target.

[Timealude]

I want a charge up rifle.

[synkrotron]

I wonder what the terrible outcome of this "survey" will be then...................

[almalino]

I want a sniper rifle that you can throw like a grenade when you run out of ammo. And it should explode on contact.

I played too much Borderlands 2 :)

[kubacheski]

just one that can plink at vehicles. Large 50cal that can slightly damage or affect vehicle performance characteristics (speed, handling, climbing ability, etc). Make me be crouched and locked in place with no movement or something i.e deploy like a turret to offset the OP nature of it.

Other than that, as others have stated, you can't exactly change the shoot far and hit hard specialization of sniper rifle. Like asking how to change shotguns.....different ammo is about it. AP, AV, EMP.

[Belhade]

I like the idea of AP rounds for BASR being able to penetrate light armor (Flash, Harasser, maybe ESFs) and injure drivers or passengers.