Minigun vs Linkgun

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Gnam

Member
Feb 13, 2002
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Yes, please.
Just curious what people think of UT3's weapon designs, the changes since previous games, etc. Overall I think the weapons are a good compromise between UT1 and UT2k4 but there are a few things that stand out for me -

The Minigun/Stinger alt-fire currently makes the Linkgun rather redundant. Now that both weapons have projectile attacks, the Minigun is basically just a Linkgun with a more powerful projectile mode and lot more range on the hitscan mode, so why bother picking up the Linkgun?

On one hand, I feel that they could create quite a streamlined and efficient competitive weapon set by simply cutting the Linkgun out and leaving the Minigun as is. On the other hand, I feel that one of the major strengths of the Unreal series has always been the variety and diversity of its weapons. Therefore, in the end I'd rather see the weapons changed so that both a Linkgun and a Minigun can be in the game and they can both be unique. Of course the question then comes to how they can do that?

I tend to feel that the Link Gun and Minigun could best be differentiated by dedicating the Minigun to hitscan fire and the Linkgun towards projectile fire. I actually like the UT3 Minigun alt fire a lot, but for the sake of uniqueness, I think it would be best to make the Minigun alt-fire hitscan once again. There are a few options for this:

a) Make it more similar to the UT1 minigun; the current primary would be the faster-firing inaccurate mode and the secondary could be the slower-firing ultra-accurate mode.
b) Going closer to the UT2 route, you could keep the current UT3 primary as the accurate mode and make the secondary even faster firing and more inaccurate...however to make the spammy alt fire mode more challenging to use, increase the windup time and make it considerably longer - make it act like the Quake 2 chaingun.
c) Make the alt fire a hitscan shotgun-type mode, making the weapon essentially a hitscan version of the original Unreal stinger.

As for the Linkgun, it's ok as-is and would be relatively unique if the Minigun was changed, but I wonder if it could be revised to emphasize projectile fire even more. Some options:

a) If the Minigun is implemented as in UT1 or UT2, then just replace the Linkgun with the Stinger, using a shotgun-type alt fire. In order to differentiate it from the flak primary, make one or the other very fast or hitscan, while the other is slow and retains the ricochet.
b) Replace the Linkgun with a re-balanced Ripper.
c) Just keep the Link Gun but ditch the alt fire and make both modes projectile. One mode would be very slow and powerful like the current Minigun alt or Link primary, while the other could be twice as fast and deal half the damage, handling more like the Quake 3 plasma gun.

Opinions on this?
 

Jrubzjeknf

Registered Coder
Mar 12, 2004
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The Netherlands
A Link Gun without the ability to link would be a bit awkward, don't you think? :D

Keep the link as it is, its a good weapon. I like your ideas for the stinger though. That projectile never did it for me. Stinger c would be nice, the feeling of having such power in your hands is great.
 

Sir_Brizz

Administrator
Staff member
Feb 3, 2000
26,020
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The plasma always was redundant in the way you are describing.

Personally, I like the Stinger alt, and I use the link gun for completely different things. I say keep it how it is.
 

-AEnubis-

fps greater than star
Dec 7, 2000
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The Nicest Parts of Hell
One of the things about the unreal series that make it unique is alt fires. Most weapons have alt fires (barring 2kx rockets which were lame anyways) that are significantly different in style and application.

If you did a link gun with two projectile modes, they'd be too similar in what you apply them for. Compare a projectile shotgun with attached grenade launcher, to a plasma rifle, with attached ... plasma rifle, and the flak cannon will win 3/4 times (roughly).

So giving each a projectile mode, and a scan mode is good. It spreads out the functionality, so you don't have to switch guns quite as much. The point of the shaft right now, is accuracy. At certain ranges, it's more advantageous than stinger because of the cone. Usually, I'd use them as follows.

ME >> Bolts >> Shaft >> Mini >> Shards >>| (distance to target)

Sometimes swapping shards for the closest ranges, and bolts to the longer. The Bolts ROF is good if you wanna spam from afar, but if you know where your opponent is going, the shards are better for damage, and harder to see coming, and travel faster I think. They fire a bit slow for the closer ranges, but are good if you want to push them away from you. Bolts up close just melt people, and fire fast enough to be efficient at it.

I find myself trying link all the time first, because it's accurate, and if it doesn't reach, then switching to stinger. They are heavily suited to different ranges IMO though, which leaves little room for effective tweaking.
 

TheIronKnuckle

What the hell is this "ballin" thing?
Shotgun fire mode? Flak Cannon anyone? ;)

i was thinking that. I say just make the stingers alt fire shotgun style just like in unreal and how the flak cannon does it. However make it a hitscan shotgun. Make the reload time REALLY long and make it stronger then the flak cannon.
Essentially you don't want to miss with this gun because it takes too long to reload, but it will be worth it because it is the strongest gun in the game. You would also be discouraged from using it from too far away: despite being a hitcan fire mode, it has an incredible spread, and it's highly unlikely that you would land every projectile on one enemy.
Also, this fire mode should have the "pin your enemy to a wall" effect.
 

Nereid

・ ω ・
Apr 15, 2003
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i was thinking that. I say just make the stingers alt fire shotgun style just like in unreal and how the flak cannon does it. However make it a hitscan shotgun. Make the reload time REALLY long and make it stronger then the flak cannon.
Essentially you don't want to miss with this gun because it takes too long to reload, but it will be worth it because it is the strongest gun in the game. You would also be discouraged from using it from too far away: despite being a hitcan fire mode, it has an incredible spread, and it's highly unlikely that you would land every projectile on one enemy.
Also, this fire mode should have the "pin your enemy to a wall" effect.

lolol BULLET GUNZZZ

Link is fine as it is. Stinger is fine as it is (except the primary fire spinup makes it more spammy and less effective at its intended purpose of a finishing weapon).
 

MonsOlympus

Active Member
May 27, 2004
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You know one thing I miss, its the kind of blending between alt and primary of the UT minigun it just wasnt the same in UT2kx...

Stinger is fine :)
 

LANCE.xd

Flak Monkey
Feb 19, 2006
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The Countdown Node
Didn't the UC2 stinger have some overheating mechanism which improved the gun? Why not just keep that in? (I never actually played UC2, so if there were any glaring flaws with that mechanic feel free to tell me.)