Rifle Accuracy Modifiers

[Wagyu]

So, I was watching a video on YouTube of this game, and while it looks really cool so far, but when I was watching the character shooting at oncoming wolves, I was thinking "Holy crap, does this guy/girl have nerves of ice or something?" The thing is, the aiming system doesn't waver. At all. It's perfectly centered, focused straight ahead when in aim mode. Moving doesn't destabilize the gun at all, either. From what I understand of the plot of the game (and the premise of the sandbox), the main character is an airplane pilot. Experienced wilderness survivalist or no, they're not going to be Olympic-level marksmen. I'd like to suggest a system for adding a little more "wavering" to the long-range combat system.

I'm no game programmer, and I don't know how hard this would be to implement. But I'd do this by adding in an invisible stat that reflects the character's calmness, or lack thereof. Call it "collectedness" or "assuredness" or "self-control" or even "experience". The way I'd set this up is to have this "collectedness" stat be calculated based on two progressive variables and one fluctuating variable, and affect two and only two things within the game: the ranged-weapon aiming accuracy. and the rate of fatigue increase.

The progressive variables would be "length of time survived" and "number of wolves shot". Basically, this is supposed to represent experience with the territory and with shooting wolves. The longer your character survives, the better you know the area, and the more confident your character becomes. Same with shooting wolves - practice makes perfect. The higher these stats are, the less the gun wavers when it's being aimed. As for why these stats would affect the rate of fatigue increase, I figure that the more stressed a person is, the more inefficiently their bodies function. More experience = less stress = more efficient movements = less fatigue (within limits, of course). Even so, i wouldn't set this up to make a significant difference in-game, but it seems like a small change like this would have value if only for the sake of accuracy.

The third, fluctuating variable could be expressed as "impending danger", or "HOLY SHIT A WOLF'S ABOUT TO EAT ME ALIVE!" Obviously, if you're being tracked by a wolf, you're going to be nervous, and that's going to affect your behavior. I'd have this variable affect the overall "collectedness" stat through a multiplier. Basically, if there's a wolf within a certain distance, your collectedness drops. If the wolf is stalking you, it drops even more. And if the wolf is actively charging you, then your cool is definitely shaken. As danger approaches, your ability to aim precisely would decrease (which is pretty reflective of real life, IMHO). And if you try to run away from the wolf, your fatigue would likewise take a hit (due to panting, terror, etc.)

If you wanted to be really nasty (and don't mind the extra coding), you could add in a "shivering" modifier that kicks in when your character is too cold. If they're freezing, they'll probably be shivering, which might throw off their aim (at least until hypothermia kicks in). Or maybe a "surprise" modifier, where there's a random chance that a wolf will attack in complete silence, giving less warning. Basically, the overall goal here is for the character's gun skill to develop alongside things like repair and firestarting, but in a way that can't be seen by the player. It might make the early game harder, but I think that it would be more reflective of reality and would add an interesting extra challenge to the game.

[EternityTide]

If we are going to play around with stuff like you suggest, then I call for a hold breath function to be added as well, not to mention the ability to go prone. Why not allow the player to utilize snares as a bipod for the rifle as well? I do agree that shooting skills need to implemented (as in, you start off at 50% like you do with fire starting skills). But then I think that this should allow the player to use a melee "Rifle-whip" (I.E. slamming the butt of the gun into the wolf's face), so there are arguments to both sides.

[zerocool19]

I agree that level of fatigue and and level of cold should affect rifle steadiness. The idea of number of days survived and/or number of animals killed with a rifle as additional modifier(s) is kind of fun as well.

[LucidFugue]

I like the sound of these also, though can I ask that the effects are implemented through scope sway, recoil, reload time, and similar variables, rather than adjusting the deviation of a round from the barrel?

Reducing accuracy by such a blunt mechanism is fine for by the hip shooting where you have a dynamic crosshair, but when the only type of shooting is through iron sights or a scope, it just feels terrible to see a shot you aimed properly cause a puff of dust to fly up nowhere near where you were aiming (assuming the condition of the rifle is good).

[EternityTide]

wow guys, that's some thread necromancy you've got going there.

[SteveP]

good suggestion on the shivering.