The current idea for a shotgun/sniper rifle for NC is going to lack against infantry for balance purposes. Trying to attach such opposite weapons will force the hybrid to be inefficient compared to the close quarters capabilities of the pistols and the long range capabilities of the bolt actions that already exist. My premise is based on the idea that infiltrator's (especially NC, the desperado) has a great switchable close quarters weapon as it is in the pistol slot. Let's just get right to it and compare some numbers. Chamber time for the new ES sniper/shotgun is 1.6 seconds so it's TTK(w/o headshot) is 1.6s before 8m. After that its ttk goes to 3.2s, which is drastically longer Comparatively the desperado takes 3 burst shots to kill which brings the TTK(w/o headshot) for the desperado to a bit below a second, and one second up to 22m. It takes roughly(within .2s) the same time it does to switch to a desperado, as it does to switch to the shotgun mode. Missing a shot with a 1.6s chamber time is also MUCH more unforgiving than a pistol shot miss. Chamber time for longshot is .8s New ES NC railgun has slower velocity despite being a railgun. The bolt action mode on the new ES rifle cannot use the straight pull bolt. So now let's look at the pro's of using a longshot/desperado comparitively to the new rifle. Faster velocity, staight pull bolt, custom optic, option for sup., much faster chamber time, more rounds in the longshot makes it a no brainer for whats better at range. In close quarters you still have the desperado which has a lower TTK than the shotgun mode, more forgiving, AND is effective another 15m passed where the shotgun is effective. Considering it does all this AND takes about the same time to pull out as it does to switch modes, there is little to no consequence to using this weapon in close quarters over the new ES shotgun mode. cons: Cannot MLG twitch oneshot kill headshot in point black range with a shotgun, have to use a bolt action -or-(a desperado will kill with 2 bursts to the head, .5s ish). Takes full length to bring out sniper rifle to hit long range targets. pros of the new ES NC rifle: Can one shot headshot kill with the shotgun at pointblank You can unleash shotgun rounds before switching to your pistol leaving more kills per reload, or more burst potential, but only if you live long enough in close quarters to empty the mag with a 1.6s chamber time(6.4s) and emptying a pistol mag (around 9-10s total depending on pistol) and lasting 9-10 seconds in close quarters just doesnt happen often. cons: Longer TTK at all ranges, no straight pull bolt, drastically longer chamber time, less shots per mag, lower velocity, and you are forced to land every shot with pellets essentially dead on. So that of course begs the question: Why would I trade velocity, drastically quicker fire rate, option for silencer, straight pull bolt, AND more mag size for a close quarters mode that is less effective than the desperado in terms of TTK, range, and kills per mag/magsize? Finally Im putting this in just for lore reasons, dont choke the NC with a shotgun just this once. A railgun does NOT shoot pellets SOE. give us a real railgun, the NC deserve one. I understand the new theme seems to be versatility, but this can be achieved through other designs as well. TL;DR: You cannot make a convincing argument that this weapon's alt mode currently is any more effective than just switching to your desperado, while trading so much long range capability. Attempting to make it better will result in an extremely complicated to balance weapon. Scrap the shotgun idea, and use literally anything else. Just for some constructive criticism, If i had to offer advice to improve, give it low ammo per mag or even make it reload after each shot for a trait like extremely fast velocity, extra max/vehicle damage, or reducing an infantry to 15% health with a bodyshot. It's a railgun after all, this is the right time to use NC's hard hitting trait SOE. (also the weapon looks BADASS thank you graphic artists!!)
exactly, people haven't tried it and are whining because that's what tr/vs fanboys do. Once you actually try it you realize its trash.
I found the NC rifle perfectly acceptable, probably the one rifle that needs the least amount of work done... Granted, I'm VS and simply presenting an outside perspective.
Forgot to put this in, as a side note I have something over 1400 kills with shotguns, and over 70 some hours as an infiltrator. I like shotguns. I like infiltrators. That isn't what this is about. Infiltrator's and shotguns, particularly a shotgun/sniper hybrid are/is going to be a **** storm to balance, this ES rifle is the perfect opportunity to use NC's hard hitting trait, and NC deserves a true railgun.
its not terrible if the max damage is intended, if the max damage is a bug then yes you are much better off with a longshot with pull trough bolt and a desperado or commissioner.
I'm VS, and I bet the NC are as tired of shotguns as I am tired of charge mechanics. I think it's still necessary to give the NC ESSR a toggle feature, in keeping with both TR and VS analogues, but it's kind of hard to think of something. Is toggling different ammo types a feature that's more TR (military) or NC (corporate mercenaries)? Or maybe if NC had the first variable zoom scope...
I believe we are in similar boats haha. I feel like charge would be cool, but I am not nor have I ever played vanu so I honestly don't know! Toggling ammo would be a great way to keep variety yet use high damage per shot mechanics. I'm sure there are others as well. Maybe give it 4 or 6 rounds per mag and make it more of a slower firing/harder hitting semi auto/bolt action with a switchable mode that uses 2 rounds of ammo for more damage/velocity in contrast to the TR and VS semi auto/boltaction like rifles. I'm HIGHLY skeptical that they will let infiltrators 2 shot max's and 8 shot MBT's. HIGHLY lol
Well let wait a couple of days and see what they do to the ES sniper rifles. I pretty sure they are intending to release them next week so im sure they all literally reading all the feedbacks to get an idea.
That's why I posted this and a similar thread prior, trying to get some feedback to the devs. Ideas I have seen tossed around that *could* fit A rifle with low ammo per mag(2-3) or even make it reload after each shot for a trait like: Extremely fast velocity, Extra max/vehicle damage, or Reducing an infantry to 10-15% health with a bodyshot. Or any combination there of. Toggle-able ammo. 4 or 6 round 445 damage hard hitting semi auto, but can expel 2 shots at once in exchange for longer chamber time, and a heavier shot. Can switch between low velocity high damage shots, and high velocity low damage shots. A semi auto with 8 shots, but with a 2 shot burst mode ONLY, each dealing 300 damage. Optimal for mid-long range. There are more I am forgetting!
Higby announced a few hours ago that the anti vehicle damage is a bug, so likely the max damage is a bug as well.
I'll get it since it looks neat and isn't too far off from the longshot in the sniper area. I can guaruntee that after the novelty wears off, it will be 99% sniper. The only practical use I can sort of see, and even this is more for fun, is carrying it and the crossbow with explosive or detect darts so you still have something CQC. Even then, I don't see much of anyone switching to the motion sensor over the dart gun in it's current form (maybe resupplying inside a base to annoy anyone trying to cap a flag, but switching back immediately). The explosive arrows are pretty much a joke though, so no need to use them over the normal. So, in short, it's a reskinned longshot with a gimmick. I'm not mad about it. We could have gotten something as terrible as the TR gun. The VS one is kinda cool. I'm assuming they will do something about the 10 second cooldown, but either way it's a 1 shot HS with no drop and high zoom.
Honestly, love every single one of the new rifles. Well, aside the NS one, which I feel I already have with a different skin. And I certainly approve of having the new rifles not being another top tier bolt action. But maybe they could just make the shotgun switch a bit faster?
I love the VS one, TR's could use a bit of love, but as for NC's, switching faster will not make up for the deficits of using this weapon.
