Gun sticklers: likes, dislikes, wants for HL2 guns.

[subtlesnake]

To compensate for the loss of the cut-down G36 underslung 5.56mm they're giving it some flechette rounds.

I thought those things were baned by the Geneva Convention, along with exploding bullets and such.

 

[Fuzzy-_-Muff]

Geneva convention is for pussies

 

[Mechagodzilla]

If the realism of the guns had taken a step down from the first game(s), it'd be an issue. From what I've seen so far though, the HL2 guns are just as realistic, if not more so.

All the new guns just have a more 'realistic' feel to them, regardless of specifics in clip size, etc. The sounds, the damage and the bullet dispersal all work better.
After all, these guns are all based on real ones. None of 'em are 1:1 scale reproductions.

 

[Dr. Freeman]

any opinions on what alien weapons we will see in HL2?
all the rest of the weapons get talked about alot.. and rightly so since we have screen shots and such.. but i had alot of fun with the Spore Launcher and Displacer from the Opposing Force expanion.

the Hornet from HL1 was just annoying really... that gun caused tons of lag.

lol, chill ppl just thoughts. Ironsights and jamming are just nifty features I feel they add to the experience in some games, they work beautifully in call of duty and America's Army but maybe they just aren't right for HL2.

HL2 isn't the type of game to have the features u are talking about.. it just isn't the HL style (if there is such a thing ) so yah.. u will see it in a mod.

 

[Brian Damage]

I loved the Hive Hand.

I want to see the return of the Baby Trooper (Actual name of the spore launcher) and the ShockRoach.

 

[CrazyHarij]

It's gone: too heavy, too bulky, too expensive. What they're doing is taking the 20mm grenade part of it (upgrading it to 25mm) and turning it into a squad support weapon called the XM25 (also redesigned to make it look like part of teh XM8 'family'). To compensate for the loss of the cut-down G36 underslung 5.56mm they're giving it some flechette rounds.


As for the HL2 realism argument I lean mainly towards the realism end, though not so far as to include ironsight views or jams -- HL sits comfortably somewhere between the Ghost Recons and Dooms of the gaming world. Some realism is expected, even with the wholly skiffy backdrop.

It's all to do with the verisimilitude. I can handle the SPAS12 only having 6 shots instead of 8 because at least the capabilities of weapon aren't being changed too drastically. Ditto, the rocket launcher that's as easy to guide in the air as a laser pen (and that also miraculously doubles as both anti-air and anti-tank). The first example is just a minor game-balancing change to the weapon's stats; the seond something that's probably not to far off in the future for the real world.

Giving something as small as the MP7 a grenade launching capability is going too far into the bogus though. If you're going to change the gun that much why make it look so much like a SMG that we know all the capabilities of to begin with? At least HL1's MP5 had the launcher tube slung underneath to provide some attempt to fake the appearance of truth.


Attached pix are the US military's XM-25 project

That XM-25 weapon looks very interesting!

 

[SubKamran]

Wait, ironsights are the little aiming reticles on guns, right? I uninstalled Red Orchestra because it didn't have a crosshair. I hate it when games do that...I AM NOT USED TO IT!

No, no weapon jamming, no ironsights, I just want a gun that will shoot when I press the mouse button. I don't care if the animation is a mouse peeing, I WANT IT TO SHOOOOOOT!

 

[[sl@yer]]

I agree with what most people appear to be saying.....ironsights, etc would feel out of place in a HL game, even though they are welcome in games such as Call Of Duty (which has a completely different atmosphere).

I'd really like to see some more experimental weapons and alien weapons. Along the lines of an improved Displacer (although this might be the IR gun's weird strider-like fire mode) etc. Also.....I really really hope Snarks return....or at least a varient. Perhaps if you could pick up a headcrab and throw it at an enemy's head (or at least with the manipulator). I like the arsenal from what I've seen....but I hope that there are many more surprises in store.

 

[CrazyHarij]

Wait, ironsights are the little aiming reticles on guns, right? I uninstalled Red Orchestra because it didn't have a crosshair. I hate it when games do that...I AM NOT USED TO IT!

No, no weapon jamming, no ironsights, I just want a gun that will shoot when I press the mouse button. I don't care if the animation is a mouse peeing, I WANT IT TO SHOOOOOOT!

Remind me to run if I ever meet you in person

 

[snark^]

I thought those things were baned by the Geneva Convention, along with exploding bullets and such.

Flechettes are basically darts -- each flechette shell in the XM-25 will have 10-20 darts in it: pull trigger, they get shot out the barrel, shotgun style. Shotguns aren't banned IIRC, so I can't see flechettes having a ban applied to them.

There's a lot of misconceptions about the Geneva Conventions. ".50 cal bullets are banned for use on personnel" for one -- I've seen that argument shot down too many times on sci.military.moderated by guys who are in the know. HE rounds are used in vehicle-mounted cannons for anti-personnel purposes (think IFV's: Bradley's 25mm bushmaster, or the Warrior's 30mm rarden cannon). Where the line gets drawn has always been open to interpretative blurring, especially as new types of ammunition have come out. Most of the .50cal sniper rifles are classified as anti-material weapons in various militaries inventories for instance -- but they do get used on personnel, even though it's sheer overkill in most cases (note the .338 lapua came about as a round that has the range of the .50 but is more suited for anti-personnel purposes).

What currently isn't allowed are things like expanding or fragmenting bullets for small arms -- which is why all military small arms ammunition is the standard ball round.

 

[Mechagodzilla]

Flechettes are basically darts -- each flechette shell in the XM-25 will have 10-20 darts in it: pull trigger, they get shot out the barrel, shotgun style. Shotguns aren't banned IIRC, so I can't see flechettes having a ban applied to them.

Holy shite!
I thought up weapon idea for a mod that did exactly that not long ago, and now it's real.
I shoulda patented!

 

[kaf11]

fletchlettes have been around for quite some time. theyre pretty nasty, since they have small fins they level off and maintain a close group and dont spread too much. ive even heard of evil plastic ones that wont show up under x-ray and are near impossible to dig out of the unfortunate victim.

 

[Brian Damage]

They dropped larger flechettes out of open-cockpit planes in WWI... Able to punch right through an infantryman's helmet...