RadioPatrol:
So I take it your highlight of my comment means you prefer "
any weapons used in real life prior to (e.g.) 1960 augmented by a bunch of futuristic ones?" ??
so in the time frame mention the sinper system with the longest range / biggest caliber is the M2 .50 Machine Gun .... not exactly portably ... I'll take a M 14 with a scope please
I would hardly call an M2 system a viable sniping system, Sgt. Hathcock's antics aside, portability being an immediate killer of the concept, though I'd have to say, it sure is interesting. Nevertheless, I might be heading into territory I know little about, but I would guess that a scoped bolt-action rifle would outperform a similar caliber semi-automatic (ala M14). (Part of the energy is used to operate the SA action) ...but like I said, I am just making a guess.
As a further aside. I read somewhere that the .50 BMG as used in the M82 is not so hot as a pure sniping solution (different to anti materiel) because of accuracy problems. This specifically relates to (1) match ammunition and (2) the sheer bulk of the thing. I believe in US military trials a bolt-action firing a different cartridge beat the M82 but for some or another reason the military adopted the M82 as long range sniper solution anyway. Hmm.. I smell something.
The same thing was said about the M-14.
Yeah, same caliber, so I guess same problem. I know this about the FN-FAL since I trained with one as a child. The troops in combat did figure out a reliable way to operate it in full auto (only in terms of suppression fire) by clamping the weapon sideways underneath an arm when firing. The recoil pattern then made the weapon "strafe"...genius!
Speaking of powerful handguns. Bethesda seems to have a misconception of the power of the 10mm . All pistols in my game (except for the .44) have DAM 6. Personally I think all handgun damage needs to be doubled if not tripled. It's rediculous when a raider can take over 5 10mm shots to an unprotected head. In fact I would like to see all weapon powers doubled.
I have drawn up a spreadsheet of most weapons since 1900 (that fall within the bounds of what we are talking here) and I would say that looking at statistics alone is not the right way. Sure for realism purposes it is in no doubt that even a lowly 9mm ought to take out a raider in the head with one bullet at short range. The issue is balance. If you want to enable a 10mm to do that, how do you scale the rest of the enemies? From my point of view the strongest enemy should be able to die easily via the weakest enemy whilst the strongest should be very difficult to kill with the weakest weapon. However, how do you incorporate weapon skill into this? I have yet to wrap my head around this.
Looking at my list I notice a LOT of similarities between many weapons that are purely statistical, but experience and common sense tells me there are huge differences. It is a well known fact for instance that an M-16 was far more accurate than an AK-47 which was in turn trumped by an FN FAL in terms of stopping power at longer ranges. All three though have their own pros and cons (and therefore uses in different situations) IRL. All these variations are impossible to incorporate due to a lack of variables ingame, but I am sure it can be made to work with range, damage and accuracy alone (not sure whether there are other differentiating variables). Incidentally, does anyone know whether different weapon degradation can be done for different weapons?
That is part of the reason why I reason that a FIXED weapon list is a priority. The whole list needs to be balanced holistically. Take the current in game list; obviously not balanced since the .32 pistol and chinese pistol have virtually no use, and once you discover the chinese assualt rifle there is no point in using the regular AR (the biggest problem here is them using the same cartridge I reckon).
I am toying with the idea of using .280 cal (7x43mm) rounds for the FAL. This round was developed in '49 by the british for their EM2 rifle but Belgians used it for FN-FAL. Wink
In reality the round failed because US were too stubborn and pushed their .308 cal which NATO ultimately accepted. In the game universe however US acknowledged the importance of this intermediate round and used it for their main Assault Rifle. The FN-FAL being supperior to both M14 and M16 (with that particular round) became the main rifle.
Just my personal opinion, but if real life weapon names are used then real life matching ammo should be used (as far as possible). I understand the "alternate reality" principle, but to me it would feel a little off. He he..I guess it would just have to be difficult for me to
unlearn what I already know about weapons. Nevertheless, looking at my list, the FN cartridge (whatever it ends up being) is actually used in very few viable weapons. Some sniper rifles, similar assault rifles (G3) and a few light machine guns.
Nothing to do with this discussion FO3 feels a LOT more
alternate reality than FO2 did. Err...come to think of it I never even noticed it AT ALL in FO2. To me it was just a futuristic post-apocalyptic reality (not alternate) beyond the CURRENT present (i.e. what it was in the late 90s to be exact). So even if the original designers say so, I was never aware of it since it was never evident (to me at least). Must be something to do with graphics then since in FO3 it is very clear, what with the 50s looking cars and the green monochrome consoles and all. (Can't now think of anything else really).
. .44 magnums take out bears. I agree with keeping pistols weaker on things larger than humans. I just get pissed off when I blast a raider's bald, unprotected head and he just gets pissed off and runs at me. Then I unload the remaining clip of 10mm rounds on his head and still have to reload 
