Punisher Variant

[Majik]

After reading a discussion on the OF about combining support tools to save inventory space, I came up with an idea I thought might merit some discussion.

What about a variant on the Punisher, which instead of having a grenade launcher on the bottom, had a Nano Dispenser. This would obviously require the user to have both the MA and Eng certs.

I can't tell you the number of times I have been trying to get tubes or a turret up and come under fire, only to die because I couldn't get a weapon out fast enough. With this idea, it would just be a matter of switching from the alternate fire mode while fixing something, back into the primary fire to defend yourself.

Idea, comments, flamers?

[DeepStrikeck]

I like it

[TheN00b]

Hey, even better, we could do an even more drastic modification. The Punisher would become a standard machinegun with a nine-millimeter. As soon as you get it at an EQ terminal, you get a pop-up bar that gives you a choice between adding a grenade launcher, a nano-dispenser/BANK, a MedApp, or a REK. You can only get the last three mods if you have the appropriate basic certification. Thoughts?

[Manitou]

[Incompetent]

Sounds like a decent enough idea, but I think accidental TKs might spike without some sort of warning feature to keep people from accidently shooting there own wounded. Like if you have your reticle on a target close enough to heal, but you've got your primary fire selected, it'll display a warning in big red letters or something.

[TheN00b]

Well, I don't think that TKing would be much of a problem: Once you realize that you're firing bullets at a friendly, you'll stop, and since you were gong to repair them anyway, it just takes longer. One addendum, though, to my idea: The ammo packs for the support-attachments of the Punisher would the size of normal pistol ammunition. I don't want to completely supplant the BANK, MedApp and REK.

[Incompetent]

Thats assuming they aren't already heavily damaged, to the point where one or two bullets could put them down, which is typically when you need healing (not to mention alot of stupid people would shoot you if they survive, thinking you did it on purpose), but it's not that important. I just think it would be really, really embarrassing to run someone down to heal them, then kill them.

[TheN00b]

Originally Posted by Incompetent

Thats assuming they aren't already heavily damaged, to the point where one or two bullets could put them down, which is typically when you need healing (not to mention alot of stupid people would shoot you if they survive, thinking you did it on purpose), but it's not that important. I just think it would be really, really embarrassing to run someone down to heal them, then kill them.

You're right, it would be pretty damn embarrassing. But all you'd really have to do is look at the mode you're in before you pressed the mouse button...

[Incompetent]

Obviously, but the most easily avoidable mistakes are the ones that are made most often. I'm not in favor of idiot proofing all equipment, if you drop a thumper round on a friendlies head if your fault and you deserve your grief, but this is the sort of thing where a quick flash of red text would prevent alot of stupid misunderstandings (on both sides of the applicator,) especially among newer players.

I think it's a good idea and it would be very nice to see it implemented, but I also think that if they don't include some sort of warning, alot of people (myself included) would rather hang onto our normal applicators rather then opt for the underbarrel ones just to prevent any mistakes, and might be just a bit more wary about being healed by other people.

Edit: Let me put it this way. Auto-reload is stupid, if you forget to reload and you get yourself killed, its your fault, pay attention next time. If someone else gets killed because of that, so be it, you can't blame the enemy for taking advantage of your mistake. However, if some careless person TKs you because he wasn't paying attention to his fire mode, it wasn't your fault, you didn't get outplayed, you didn't do anything wrong, the enemy didn't do anything right, someone else just made a stupid mistake and you have to pay for it (or vice versa.)

[Majik]

Just imagining the look on a badly damaged noobs face the first time a friendly unit comes running at him pointing his punisher

[xenoputtss]

Maybe different sights (i think thats how it is spelled) could be used for the different modes. Have the regular cross hairs for the primary attack, and for the secondary, switch to something like a circle or a triangle in green.

But also, if you are dumb enough to not pay attention to the fireing modes (which I am) then you should not use this weapon mod.

[EarlyDawn]

I'd rather see the supressor be the modifiable gun.

[Majik]

Originally Posted by EarlyDawn

I'd rather see the supressor be the modifiable gun.

I only used the Punisher as an example since the artwork and functionability of secondary mode are already there. The suppressor would be good since it wouldn't require the MA cert, just the support certs. I just think the Punisher would be easier for them to implement.

[Lartnev]

Including a Nano dispenser with a Punisher is an awesome idea, but it'd have to have less capacity than a standard nano dispenser (just like it has less capacity than a thumper for example).

I'm not so sure about REKs BANKs and MAs.

[TheN00b]

Originally Posted by Majik

I only used the Punisher as an example since the artwork and functionability of secondary mode are already there. The suppressor would be good since it wouldn't require the MA cert, just the support certs. I just think the Punisher would be easier for them to implement.

Yes, the Punisher would not only be easier to implement, but it would actually be useful as a combat-effective weapon, something the Suppressor really isn't. This would give Agile support-characters with Medium Assault an effective, highly versatile, and inventory-efficient gun, something I think is worth doing.