Ideas for Infantry Mechanics

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aggimajera
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Ideas for Infantry Mechanics

So, I have a few ideas that might be considered tedious but are quite integral to the infantry experience. They might find a good home in your game if implemented properly!

1.) Reloading. Reloading the weapon is not a mindless act for the average grunt. Under stress, it takes a bit of focus to reload your weapon. More often than not you will be stationary, in cover. My suggestion is that reloading isn't a simple button press, but a very simple QTE that can affect how quickly you insert your magazine/hit the catch. Think of the "Active Reload" mechanic from Gears of War. Purpose being you will be more cognizant of your position (i.e. take cover) when you reload so you can allow yourself to execute the QTE effectively and reload faster, in line with the slower/methodical approach this game seems to be taking. Obviously, in a pinch the reload can be executed seamlessly too but there is the huge risk of being caught in the open with an empty magazine.

2.) Weapons stoppages. Its a fact of life that M16's or M4's sometimes get double feeds or brass over bolts. Could be poor maintenance or lubing, environmental factors, or poor quality magazines. Featuring these as QTE's akin to Far Cry 2's weapons jams would add an extra layer of tension to room clearing, as there is the very slight possibility your weapon could have a stoppage at a critical moment. Maybe there could be a feature where every so often you might take a moment to apply CLP to your bolt.

3.) Weapon at the ready. There are 3 types of carries for a rifle: controlled carry, tactical carry, alert carry. Having your weapon at the alert or tactical carry at all times is a little tough to pull off as it is quite tiring on your arms and doesn't permit you to run at full speed. Alternating between carries happens all the time, obviously raised to the tactical or alert when you are entering hostile zones or a gunfight. I think having a mechanic where your weapon is lowered to the controlled carry to allow you faster movement speed would fit in nicely. It goes without saying that entering an uncleared building or rounding a corner with your weapon lowered would be suicide, so it would add an extra layer of thought to the player.
BobTank63
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Re: Ideas for Infantry Mechanics

I think 3 is a good idea. I have never handled a gun IRL, but I could see how one could change the way they carry their weapon depending on the situation.

1 is okay. As a gamer, I’m not a fan of doing a QTE every time I reload (I’m a firm believer that QTEs don’t mix with FPS games). Maybe make it so that you can’t cancel the animation while reloading? That way players will still have to think about the action of reloading.

I don’t think 2 is a good idea. While jams do happen, I don’t think that just deciding to ruin your game by RNG is good game design. Yes, the game is supposed to be realistic, but at the same time it is still supposed to have an element of fun to it. Also, QTEs are still bad.
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aggimajera
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Re: Ideas for Infantry Mechanics

I do suppose at the end of the day a QTE is very hit or miss concept. I appreciate your feedback and don't disagree with your assessments, as the devs must make decisions to balance realism with good game design. I handled all sorts of weapons in the Marine Corps and consider reloading a deliberate action. I'm sure the devs might be able to find a way to make reloading a firearm more engaging than just hitting "R".

Perhaps you are right about the weapons stoppages being counter-intuitive to fun game design. They do occur though and I personally feel they have a place in a product like this. At the same time, I absolutely get your gripe as a fellow gamer.
Blade0351
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Re: Ideas for Infantry Mechanics

I think a QTE every reload would be a bit much but there should be the ability to conduct a tactical reload or speed reload and when doing so, retain the mag with ammo and have one round in the chamber added to the current round count meter (if they have one). I know someone else brought this up and I think that'd be cool.
BobTank63
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Re: Ideas for Infantry Mechanics

Blade0351 wrote: Sat Oct 23, 2021 12:53 pm I think a QTE every reload would be a bit much but there should be the ability to conduct a tactical reload or speed reload and when doing so, retain the mag with ammo and have one round in the chamber added to the current round count meter (if they have one). I know someone else brought this up and I think that'd be cool.
The round in the chamber would be a nice touch. Also, conserving mags would be a neat mechanic. Maybe it can be like the player taps the reload button to do a quick reload and drop the mag and holds it to do a more slow reload and keep the mag.
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Kean_1
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Re: Ideas for Infantry Mechanics

BobTank63 wrote: Sat Oct 23, 2021 4:23 pm
Blade0351 wrote: Sat Oct 23, 2021 12:53 pm I think a QTE every reload would be a bit much but there should be the ability to conduct a tactical reload or speed reload and when doing so, retain the mag with ammo and have one round in the chamber added to the current round count meter (if they have one). I know someone else brought this up and I think that'd be cool.
The round in the chamber would be a nice touch. Also, conserving mags would be a neat mechanic. Maybe it can be like the player taps the reload button to do a quick reload and drop the mag and holds it to do a more slow reload and keep the mag.
.....or one tap vs. two like it is in Insurgency Sandstorm. One is a "tactical reload" where the magazine with any remaining ammo is retained while two taps discards the mag along with whatever is in it for the sake of a shorter reload time.
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Re: Ideas for Infantry Mechanics

Kean_1 wrote: Fri Oct 29, 2021 8:29 am
BobTank63 wrote: Sat Oct 23, 2021 4:23 pm
Blade0351 wrote: Sat Oct 23, 2021 12:53 pm I think a QTE every reload would be a bit much but there should be the ability to conduct a tactical reload or speed reload and when doing so, retain the mag with ammo and have one round in the chamber added to the current round count meter (if they have one). I know someone else brought this up and I think that'd be cool.
The round in the chamber would be a nice touch. Also, conserving mags would be a neat mechanic. Maybe it can be like the player taps the reload button to do a quick reload and drop the mag and holds it to do a more slow reload and keep the mag.
.....or one tap vs. two like it is in Insurgency Sandstorm. One is a "tactical reload" where the magazine with any remaining ammo is retained while two taps discards the mag along with whatever is in it for the sake of a shorter reload time.
With the tracer bullets that Amper confirmed, it could be useful just as indication that you're about to run out of ammo.
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aggimajera
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Re: Ideas for Infantry Mechanics

Kean_1 wrote: Fri Oct 29, 2021 8:29 am
BobTank63 wrote: Sat Oct 23, 2021 4:23 pm
Blade0351 wrote: Sat Oct 23, 2021 12:53 pm I think a QTE every reload would be a bit much but there should be the ability to conduct a tactical reload or speed reload and when doing so, retain the mag with ammo and have one round in the chamber added to the current round count meter (if they have one). I know someone else brought this up and I think that'd be cool.
The round in the chamber would be a nice touch. Also, conserving mags would be a neat mechanic. Maybe it can be like the player taps the reload button to do a quick reload and drop the mag and holds it to do a more slow reload and keep the mag.
.....or one tap vs. two like it is in Insurgency Sandstorm. One is a "tactical reload" where the magazine with any remaining ammo is retained while two taps discards the mag along with whatever is in it for the sake of a shorter reload time.
IMO Sandstorm is one of the most comprehensive shooters out there, and the reload feature of speed vs tactical was genius. The intention behind my suggestion was to make the act of reloading a deliberate action on the part of the user and less of a "fire and forget" sort of thing. Running out of ammo in a pinch is a terrifying ordeal, and interestingly I think making reloading more of a consuming task would actually force the user to be more cognizant of their round expenditure and further encourage the user to move through the environment with more thought to cover or concealment. I reason I went that direction was to suggest something that would allude more towards more of a survival horror type game and less of an FPS. In my opinion, the more features that differentiate this game from more marketable and streamlined shooters, the better this product will be.
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Kean_1
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Re: Ideas for Infantry Mechanics

aggimajera wrote: Tue Nov 09, 2021 9:55 amIMO Sandstorm is one of the most comprehensive shooters out there, and the reload feature of speed vs tactical was genius. The intention behind my suggestion was to make the act of reloading a deliberate action on the part of the user and less of a "fire and forget" sort of thing. Running out of ammo in a pinch is a terrifying ordeal, and interestingly I think making reloading more of a consuming task would actually force the user to be more cognizant of their round expenditure and further encourage the user to move through the environment with more thought to cover or concealment. I reason I went that direction was to suggest something that would allude more towards more of a survival horror type game and less of an FPS. In my opinion, the more features that differentiate this game from more marketable and streamlined shooters, the better this product will be.
I get it and I agree. It's these elements in a game that can really affect the gameplay in a good way IMO. Yes, it forces the player to really think about what they're doing. Are you really going to try and reload while running out in the open in a game that takes such things into consideration? ....probably not. Cover becomes more important. The support of your team (AI or co-op) becomes more vital. .....communication, tactics and so on.

It's these mechanics and other similar aspects that promote a more tactical approach and make games like this much more engaging IMO. ....and rewarding to be honest.
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