Just An Idea I Cooked Up: The Hunting Rifle Scope

[Jodddy]

Preamble that you don't need to read: I recently picked TLD back up after a respite from computer use and have been having a blast with it. My recent playtime has also lead my brain to cooking up ideas for things that I think could be implemented into the game. Like people have said before, The Long Dark is already a perfectly good game, this is just an addition I'd be interested in seeing, not fixes for problems I've encountered (not that I've encountered many.)

The Hunting Rifle Scope: A long range option for those who want to stay socially distanced.

• Cons:
  • Is very rare to begin with, and can only be found in select locations (Hunting Lodge, Trapper's Homestead, or Firewatch or Lookout Towers.)
  • Cannot be repaired (similar to the firestriker.)
  • The scope would not last long in a long-term playthrough, I'm thinking 2-5% condition loss from each shot taken, meaning 20-50 shots on a brand spanking new scope. Wildlife struggles can damage the scope and reduce it's condition. (50 shots may seem like a lot, but the scope is going to make you (or at least me) more willing to shoot things at further ranges, meaning you will be more likely to shoot something instead of avoiding it.)
  • The reticle or sight picture of the scope would slowly begin to show signs of wear, with small cracks or scratches forming into larger ones as the durability becomes lower. This is due to extreme weather and the forces of recoil from the rifle. Is it realistic that the scope would break so quickly? Not really, but neither is the player's ability to form plastic bottles and tea cups out of thin air to store drinks, or being able to be full body tackled by a wolf and not spill a drop of your tea during the struggle. I personally find this stuff rather funny to think about and have no problem with it as a gameplay feature, it's just not very realistic.
  • Takes longer to aim down sights, meaning you can't quickscope wolves while the scope is attached to your rifle.
  • The scope would be a 8 or 10x fixed magnification scope, limiting close distance engagement ability.
  • Breath stamina would burn quicker than iron sights while aiming down sights.
  • All conditions that affect aiming steadiness with iron sights also affect scoped aiming.
  • Cannot use stripper clip reloads while the scope is attached, single feeding only.
  • Scope weighs 1kg (2.2lbs) both on and off the rifle.
  • (This one is a maybe) Scope has to be zeroed, or sighted in, for your rifle using ammunition. This zero can be knocked off kilter by falling off climbing ropes or wildlife struggles. You may be wondering, "Well why wouldn't I just take the scope off before I started climbing a rope or moving through a dangerous part of a map?" You can! And you wouldn't lose your zero because marksmen from the first and second World Wars did this all the time, seeing as how their optics were quite fragile and would be stored in small cases when not in use. The compromise is that you need to lug tools around with you or have sets scattered around your restock shelters in order to take the scope on and off. That way you can't wander around slapping the thing on whenever you want to take a longer than normal shot. This scope is not an accessory, more of a conversion tool to make the rifle into a new beast.
• Pros (finally)
  • A rifle scope is going to increase your range to incredible lengths. I'm talking sniping the bear that lives on Misanthrope's Homestead from across the ice kinda ranges. 
  • A 8 or 10x power scope will also allow you to scout out areas from a vantage point and see what kind of structures or resources lie ahead of you, as well as potential threats.
  • Having a scoped rifle in your inventory increases the area which is revealed when charting with charcoal.
  • As your rifle skill levels up, so does the steadiness of your scope holding ability and the amount of time you can hold. At max level you should be able to hold dead still or very close to it, after all, you've worked hard and the game should reward you for this.
  • Crouching with a scoped rifle will increase aiming steadiness.
  • (This one is also a maybe) While the scope is in your inventory and not attached to a rifle, it cannot take damage during wildlife struggles or climbing rope fall as long as you have an overcoat clothing item or technical pack equipped. (I'm imagining Will/Astrid burying the scope deep in a pocket or pouch on the technical pack to protect it.) I was thinking you'd keep it in your character's pack (not the moose satchel or technical pack, just your theoretical pack that clangs and jangles while you walk), but you keep all sorts of other stuff in there (firewood, tools, food), so the likeliness for damage would be high if you were to keep it in there.
  • Scope spawns with a minimum of 50% condition. (You gotta make this thing worth it whenever you find one. Imagine the letdown of seeing it on a table and finding it's at like 17% condition.)
• Subsequent Gameplay Impacts
  • Will make the revolver much more relevant to pack as a backup due to the short range limitations. May also open the door for something else to fill the short range gap (I'm thinkin' double barrel shotgun.)
  • Due to the scope's high magnification, charging animals are still not to be taken lightly. Engaging too closely with a bear or moose can lead you to having to scuttle onto rocks and fight it with your revolver. The shot to shot recovery time will be overall slower for the scoped rifle.
  • This item will be very powerful in the right hands, and good players may exploit it in very long term playthroughs. Imagine being able to clear out the entire ice of Coastal Highway or all of Mystery Lake in one afternoon from one roost up on a rock or ledge.
  • With great power comes great responsibility. Yes, you can blow away every deer you see on Mystery Lake in one sitting, but why would you want to? That's a waste of meat dawg.
  • Much like any other item in the game, you can use this thing as soon as you find a rifle and the tools to attach it. But it takes time and skill to use this item, and I feel it won't live up to it's true potential until you've mastered the rifle itself. I feel like this will not be a "gg easy kill get ratio'd kid" item until late game depending on your playstyle. 

I hope anyone and everyone reading this has a great day, I'll see you out in the Cold Cold North!

 

Edited May 17, 2021 by Jodddy
Clarification