Wierd aiming with the rifle, how does does this work?

[Bishounen]

I'm still reasonably new to The Long Dark and one thing that has been bugging me is the aiming model for the rifle. How is it supposed to work? While I'm not a marksman in real life I do know how to properly use the iron sights on a rifle and this game seems off, or the iron sights are REALLY badly mis-aligned.

When aiming with Iron sights on a rifle one should try to get this:

You place your target right on top of the center bar, and that is where the shot should go.

But when shooting in The Long Dark I end up with this: (not my image, but representative)

You will note the lack of alignment between the front and rear sights.

Is there some way to get the sights to align? I have sat for quite awhile waiting for a deer to get close, all the while aiming down the sights (holding down the right mouse button) and tracking the deer, waiting for the sights to align. Nothing. No change.

Am I doing something wrong or is it just this way?

[JoseyWales]

I don't see a lack of alignment but a lack of aiming correctly. The front sight is not even on target.. As for lining up they look correct to me.

Are your talking about no blur on the rear sight like in the first pic?

[Bishounen]

I don't see a lack of alignment but a lack of aiming correctly. The front sight is not even on target.. As for lining up they look correct to me.

Are your talking about no blur on the rear sight like in the first pic?

Just to clarify, that image is just one I googled. I didn't have a screen shot to go off of, so I just tried to find one online, and that was the best I found. (what is the screenshot button?)

And not the blur. I meant the top edge alignment between the front and rear sights. They don't align in the game. Not even close. The front sight is always well below the level of the rear sights, no matter how long I hold down the right mouse button. (IE: I am pointing the gun into the ground.) I end up just "bracketing" the target on top of the front sight and between the two rear ones. While this is fine for close shots (inside 10 meters?) if a target is farther away I almost never hit them because I don't know how to line up the shot. So I end up having to get dangerously close to wolves (just outside attack range) to hit them.

[Scyzara]

I have no idea how RL hunting rifle aiming works, but I made two screenshot for you to explain how to aim in TLD.

Btw, screenshots can be taken with either F8 (includes coordinates) or F9.

I've marked the presumable impact point of the round with a red square in one of the screenshots and aim for the head of a deer in the other one.

But to be honest I've never tried to shoot a deer from such a distance, can't tell you if it works. The rifle we currently have is certainly no sniper rifle, that's for sure! ^^

[Bishounen]

Thanks, that helps.

Yeah, that's what threw me. As you can see really clearly from your second screenshot, the top edge of the front sight is not inline with the top edge of the rear sight. It's just sort of halfway between the two marks on the rear sight. When properly aimed, Iron sights should be lined up so the top edges all align. Here is perhaps a better example, showing improperly, and properly aligned open sights:

As you can see by comparing this picture to your first screenshot, that shot SHOULD go into the snow before it reaches the deer, because the front sight is too low. The "proper" way is the bottom center example. The front sight is centered with the rear ones AND aligned, with the target sitting on top of the center bar.

I think perhaps this is something that I should bring up in the suggestions section then.

For now I'll just stick with the "bracket" method as you demonstrated. Thanks!

[Scyzara]

You're welcome. Some people also consider crouching to be helpful when they shoot wolves, you might try that as well.

[Bishounen]

You're welcome. Some people also consider crouching to be helpful when they shoot wolves, you might try that as well.

Oh, I do. I actually crouched anyway the very first shot I took in TLD. I assumed the game modeled aiming that way most games do; that just like in real life, crouching promotes better aim due to the more stable stance. When I then tried firing while standing later on it was confirmed.

[TheMyth793]

I've noticed your guns condition seems to be related to the accuracy but then it could be in my head.

[joki]

There is also rumors or wearing mittens lowering your accuracy, since it says in the rabbit skin mittens description something about lowering your dexterity. I think thats not the case, correct?