Can the M42A ignore FF like the Smartgun?

[Haveatya]

Summary (a quick, 2-3 sentence summary):
Now this is just an opinion, I don't know how this will work exactly, it is just an opinion on attempting to make a weapon I have found less that optimal, a bit easier to use. Giving the M42A the same ability as the smartgun to not hit friendlies and only hit Aliens would make it usable in its role as a DMR/Sniper Rifle.

Benefits (How this will benefit the server and game as a whole):
The M42A could be a clear alternative to the smartgun, the rifle would be longer ranged and have higher alpha damage while the smartgun has better rate of fire and damage over time.

Details (Description of how you think this would work, the benefits, etc):
Currently, Specialists with this weapon have to go out of their way to establish very distant firing positions with clear LOS, when combat starts they are in very dangerous situations and often can't get more than a few rounds off before dying or running. Sentry guns and smartgun operators can sit in the second line and fire freely with impunity but marksmen can't without preventing themselves from firing. Giving marksmen the same capabilities as sentry guns and smartgunners would provide some balance, as I said earlier the M42A and Smartgun could become clear counterparts.

Implementation (Optional, if you have an idea how to implement it):
I don't know how coding for this game works, or how difficult making this modification would be.

[oprayx73]

jesus christ yes please im tired of getting shot by incendiary 50 cal and dying +1

[Infant Punter]

With doubts while reading the starting thread title, after reading and giving some thought, I'd actually support this. It could be appreciated as an in game aspect for no longer getting glacked from across the map by a friendly, and also you could assume from an RP aspect that a highly trained specialist scout sniper would be able to effectively shoot past their brainded retarded highly trained fellow marines.

Who knows. Maybe people who play snipers could even actually be useful for once.

That's right, I'll poke that bear.

+1

[Haveatya]

With doubts while reading the starting thread title, after reading and giving some thought, I'd actually support this. It could be appreciated as an in game aspect for no longer getting glacked from across the map by a friendly, and also you could assume from an RP aspect that a highly trained specialist scout sniper would be able to effectively shoot past their brainded retarded highly trained fellow marines.

Who knows. Maybe people who play snipers could even actually be useful for once.

That's right, I'll poke that bear.

+1

I can't even argue with that poke, I very often find myself using my m41 and grenades more than the m42 once things started. The point about specialist scout snipers was in my mind but never made it to the post, thanks for bringing it up.

[ParadoxSpace]

I would also like some form of damage buff. It's impossible to even take down boilers with the scoped rifle at the moment.
However, this suggestion gets my +1
It'd also be handy if it'd actually register if your shot hit or not.

[Haveatya]

I would also like some form of damage buff. It's impossible to even take down boilers with the scoped rifle at the moment.
However, this suggestion gets my +1
It'd also be handy if it'd actually register if your shot hit or not.

The shot registering probably has to do with character LoS, not any sort of secrecy. the incendiary ammunition might be the attempt to show you hit. A burning xenos seems like a decent indicator. Thanks for the post.

[TeknoKot]

+1

Make it another reason on why it's a specialist weapon so people can stop complaining "oh, but anyone can use a sniper", and of course less FF, yes.

[Mech__Warrior]

The only way I can see this happening is if it takes up all attachment slots.

[Steelpoint]

I still question why specs take the Smartgun and they rate it highly, its pretty mediocre when compared to most other spec weapons.

Making the Sniper ignore marines would be a boon but at the same time it further would question why a Spec would waste their coveted weapon slot on a crummy Smartgun.

When you compare the SADAR, Grenade Launcher or even a new Sniper that can now ignore Marines, and then stack those up to the Smartgun, you have to question why someone should pick a slightly upgraded M41A over a very powerful single shot weapon like the Sniper or SADAR, in which this buff would now give half the few benefits of the Smartgun to the Sniper.

I'm not against this change but I feel it would be another nail in the Smartgun coffin.

[Haveatya]

I still question why specs take the Smartgun and they rate it highly, its pretty mediocre when compared to most other spec weapons.

Making the Sniper ignore marines would be a boon but at the same time it further would question why a Spec would waste their coveted weapon slot on a crummy Smartgun.

When you compare the SADAR, Grenade Launcher or even a new Sniper that can now ignore Marines, and then stack those up to the Smartgun, you have to question why someone should pick a slightly upgraded M41A over a very powerful single shot weapon like the Sniper or SADAR, in which this buff would now give half the few benefits of the Smartgun to the Sniper.

I'm not against this change but I feel it would be another nail in the Smartgun coffin.

I won't make any suggestions on beefing up the smartgun, I am only trying to get the m42 to a usable condition that doesnt put the marksman at extreme disadvantage to just try and use the weapon in its designated role.

[Scrat505]

I still question why specs take the Smartgun and they rate it highly, its pretty mediocre when compared to most other spec weapons.

Making the Sniper ignore marines would be a boon but at the same time it further would question why a Spec would waste their coveted weapon slot on a crummy Smartgun.

When you compare the SADAR, Grenade Launcher or even a new Sniper that can now ignore Marines, and then stack those up to the Smartgun, you have to question why someone should pick a slightly upgraded M41A over a very powerful single shot weapon like the Sniper or SADAR, in which this buff would now give half the few benefits of the Smartgun to the Sniper.

I'm not against this change but I feel it would be another nail in the Smartgun coffin.

Smartguns have a large ammo capacity, built-in ammo feed, a built-in mag-harness (so you don't lose your precious toy if you get knocked down and have to run away), and a built-in meson/night vision. It's a fine support gunner weapon.

[Steelpoint]

Smartguns are a good support weapon. But they run counter to every other Spec weapon on offer. All the other spec weapons offer a strong way to counter T3 Xenos. The Smartgun does not.

But that's going off topic.

[Mech__Warrior]

Huh, perhaps I think of the .50 caliber rounds too highly. I figured they'd be somewhat armor piercing or hit hard, but hrm, allowing the M42A to ignore FF would probably be too much of a buff. I thought you were talking about the normal AR.

[Warnipple]

Yes please.

Seeing as 1 .50 cal round on a friendly marine is a one way ticket to medbay or worse.

[doodeeda]

This would help the sniper be a good long range weapon. Currently, you'll probably have a marine run into your shot while it's traveling towards your target. Since it would be further cemented as a long range weapon, specialists can take their own preferences into account when choosing their weapon. Long range or close? Smartgun if close.

[BalancedGeneral]

Marines don't never even more buffs. After the 'Xeno update' aka Xeno Nerfest, having a few things marines need to be smart about helps the horrid balance of the server

[Steelpoint]

>alien 75% win rate post-xeno update is considered a nerf.

[KeyWii]

After the 'Xeno update' aka Xeno Nerfest

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhckuhUxcgA

You have no idea what you've just done to yourself.

[Toroic]

>alien 75% win rate post-xeno update is considered a nerf.

The problem currently is not that marines are at a mechanical disadvantage, but that the playerbase as a whole is 10% very robust,
10% competent, 80% unskilled.

For the xenos, their best players are more likely to end up as t3 or ancient, which gives them more ability to influence the outcome of the game compared to the retards who burn through 3-4 larva as rambo young runners. You sometimes run into issues with blocking, but if you back out with some health to spare you are generally alright, and xenos generally do a very good job protecting and saving downed xenos.

In contrast, you have marines fighting each other intentionally, having mutinies, beating up the CL and getting shot, ejecting the SM, fight club, russian roulette for intentional fuck ups, and many grenade and friendly fire related unintentional fuck ups. Bad marines actively drag down good marines, and corpse recovery for cloning seems fairly inconsistent. Marines would win a lot more if it wasn't greytide, and if they could leverage their best players better.

That was a bit of a tangent, but is a big reason I'm going to give this buff a +1. Also, boiler shots ignore xenos blocking, which I consider an unnecessary buff. If that's how we're doing things, snipers might as well do the same.

[Steelpoint]

Your right in that regard, with Marines 99% are stuck in the same role with the same weapons, in addition to there being far, far, more Marines than Aliens most of the time.

If we had a full team of competent Marine players I would imagine that the game may actually be in favor of the Marines winning more than the Aliens, but that rarely happens on any large scale.

[Toroic]

Your right in that regard, with Marines 99% are stuck in the same role with the same weapons, in addition to there being far, far, more Marines than Aliens most of the time.

If we had a full team of competent Marine players I would imagine that the game may actually be in favor of the Marines winning more than the Aliens, but that rarely happens on any large scale.

I've run into squads of robust marines before, and they tend to be extremely dangerous moving as a group fairly early in the round when xenos are young. If they take over tablefort/loot mining storage/the crashed shuttle it can really swing the match in their favor.

[Monoo]

I'll +1 this. As much as I dislike the idea of my smartgun's signature feature being given to another weapon it makes a ton of sense.

Snipers are traditionally support roles in tactical games like this, helping to loosen up those rough enemies. The smartgun is currently the quintessential support gun; it encourages you to sit at the back of your squad and blast away. But I could see these two weapons creating a two-forked support tree, with smartguns covering CQC and the sniper as LQC.

[forwardslashN]

This won't happen. I've had a long conversation with apop about the smartgun's FF features, and that is why there is no longer a switch making it possible to toggle those features. The smartgun is the only spec weapon capable of ignoring friendlies, and that is intentional.