[Suggestion] Underbarrel Launchers Buff

Discussion in 'PlanetSide 2 Gameplay Discussion' started by Scroffel5, Dec 5, 2021.

  1. Scroffel5

    Let them reload faster. If the grenade launcher doesn't insta-kill unless I hit someone, and I have to keep reloading this thing and being completely vulnerable while I do it, I want to at least be able to reload it again without having to stand on or near an ammo pack for like 5 seconds. Same with smoke grenades. I don't really spam those, though. I tactically place them, but I need to be able to actually do it fast. As for class specific underbarrel adapter, I don't care if that gets buffed or not, and as for shotgun underbarrel, I have never used it, but it being able to reload faster is fine with me.

    Either let us reload faster or give us more ammo for it.

    The reason I ask for this is because I was solo bombing a doorway in an overpop that was camping us, while a tank was literally trying to pop me with the halberd, which I couldn't hit because only the halberd was visible. So since I only get 3 shots of it, I had to keep waiting after I shot like 4 because the resupply is longer than the reload. It seems like I am the only person thinking to do these things with an underbarrel grenade or smoke launcher, and it really helps the push, but the fact that you can't sustain it is problematic. Any class that isn't Engineer can't use its tactical power very effectively because you only get 3 shots, so either let us have more shots or resupply our shots faster.
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  2. Demigan

    Or let us fire it without having to deliberately equip it. Press X to fire (using the current COF) and press X again to reload for example. Add a solid COF increase for firing and a hefty recoil.

    That would make UB weapons pretty powerful, so it would be best if it doesnt OHK anymore. Just imagine an LA that can run into a room firing its Carbine and has a OHK shotgun ready at any moment, that would be OP. but if it did say 500 damage? Great for finishing a fight or starting a flank.
  3. Scroffel5

    Im not gonna sacrifice my OHK to be more effective. I'd rather have to press 1 again to switch to it and keep my OHK abilities than be able to fire it at the same time as my gun and lose it.
  4. RabidIBM

    I would support underbarrel buffs, their general lack of use shows how underwhelming they are. I don't see the 2 suggested buffs as mutually exclusive.

    @Demigan I've been told that the issue with this concept is at the coding level. Apparently having 2 weapons at the ready with 2 triggers is bad mojo for PS2's code. The underbarrel is coded as a separate weapon with a draw animation which makes it look like a different firing mode. I can't speak as an authority on it, but that's what I've been told.
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  5. JustGotSuspended

    to be fair underbarrels are decent, they just lack ammo reserves and resupply too slowly to actually make them useful, even on the engineer class.
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  6. Scroffel5

    Yeah exactly. I literally used the smoke launcher so effectively. I cut off the vision from two sides and turned them into sitting ducks, cut vision of the snipers, then ran in and "smoked" them. I died to getting TK'd. And the spamming a doorway when you are being overpopped is a great strat, but you just resupply too slowly.
  7. Demigan

    Easy workaround: when you press X or B or whatever triggers the shot, you switch to the UB weapon with 0 switch time, fire and switch back instantly. Your normal fire will be interrupted but I doubt that is a problem. Its no different than an ability, quickknife or grenade only you tie it to when the weapon is out.

    Also when rocklet rifles were introduced on PTS the devs showed they had the option to make massively unstandard and weird exceptions to the weapon rules.

    Even if the code doesnt allow more than 2 triggers It wouldn't be too far a stretch to link it to either the scope, grenade slot when the weapon is out or quicknife when the weapon is out. Assuming you dont bind it firing to toggle attachment (x) or switch firegroup (B). With 0 switchtime and forcing the weapon to fire or reload then switch back you could circumvent any limits. And copying the previous COF size onto the switched state should be possible too since the PTS rocklet rifles could do similar things.
  8. Demigan

    You would rather have an ultra-limited UB weapon with OHK than a highly useful utility? 99% of the time I see UB weapons used its by those spammers who fire UB grenades from the teleporter room to the spawnroom for cheap OHK's.

    But fine you could add two types: the light UB weapon and the Heavy UB weapon. The Heavy version is the one we currently have with all its drawbacks and power and the light one will be my version. Sound like a compromise?
  9. csvfr

    UB attachments are fine as-is, even though a separate trigger would be more realistic on the shotgun. Since the underbarrel shotgun is a shell-by-shell pump action type having it not OHK would make it less useful as a victim would likely kill the shooter before a new shell was chambered. It is not a semi-auto shotgun we are talking about either. Also it is not to hard to swap to the underbarrel during an engagement as it is faster than a reload and can be done when taking a brief sidestep into cover. Real life underbarrel grenade launchers have separate sights that can take some time to set up, so don't think that is unrealistic though.
  10. csvfr

    MAXes have 2 weapons, can't say it would be an issue.
  11. UberNoob1337101

    Wouldn't it theoretically be possible to make a macro that switches to underbarrel, fires, then switches back? It's not exactly instant but with some tuned numbers it could more-or-less be.


    Extra ammo capacity would be a welcome buff because having 3 grenades is sad. It's not too bad with Ammo Printer but 2 more nades and UB shotgun shells would give some wiggle room.
  12. Demigan

    That would be a worse Railjack. Half a second to swap, fire, wait for unknown refire time (which exists also for single-shot weapons and prevents reload to begin), half a second to swap back.
    I dont think such macros would be useful, besides that its unfair to let players with macros to have advantages and other players not. you need to make it a feature everyone can use. UB weapons are too restricted and niche, which is why you can usually count the amount of times you see one used in a months playtime on a single maimed hand.
  13. Demigan

    Nah they arent fine. They see use by a fraction of a fraction of the playerbase. Also you seem to misunderstand my idea. Imagine being able to fire your weapon normally as you close the distance and then finish off with a UB shotgun. Since you damage the target you could kill them with it. Or the other way around you get the drop on someone and start with the UB shotgun and finish with the regular ammo immediately. That way you cant kill the shooter before the next shell is chambered since you'll be able to kill them first, which justifies the use of UB weapons as an enhancement to your playstyle over other attachments.
    Similarly the UB grenade launcher would become a much more tactical weapon. It can deal more damage at range than the UB shotgun, it has an AOE to damage players out in the open or behind cover and it allows you to flush enemies out of cover, interrupt their shield regen or finish someone damaged off who hopped behind cover. Since you can do it immediately without sacrificing your normal firepower and defensive capabilities it would see actual use instead of this "once in a blue moon you'll find an afficionado".
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  14. csvfr

    Sure, it would increase utility of underbarrel attachments but how would the reload function? Currently the underbarrel begins reloading automatically which would make contemporaneous usage of the main gun impossible. It would need to be either a separate button, pressing the underbarrel fire button (X) again, or an aggregated reload when doing a regular reload (R).

    In comparison, having to reload both arms on a MAX when pressing R, even though one is nearly full with ammo, makes the MAX defenseless for the reload animation. Having separate reloads would be much better, e.g. tap R once to reload the arm with the least ammo, or twice or hold it to reload both.
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  15. Demigan

    Well exactly as I described:
    Press X once to fire. Press X again to reload. This means you can reload when you have the opportunity and not immediately after firing.
    Also as mentioned if you really want to keep the current UB attachments you can have a Heavy UB attachment which are simply current UB attachments and a Light UB attachment to fire my version.

    I like the idea for the MAX though. You could "cheat" a bit and make it "tap to reload the lowest ammo, hold to reload both". And if you reload both it takes away the wait time before the game recognizes you hold the button off the total reload.
  16. Redfeather1975

    I like the idea of holding buttons to do different things. That is a good idea csvfr.
  17. Scroffel5

    I like that idea.