Ideas and Thoughts on Weapons/Abilities

Nubilus

Omni Ace
Ark Liege
Base Commander
Jul 27, 2016
45
40
18
25
Germany
#1
In the recent Chief Chat @Grummz asked the community to share their Ideas and thoughts on weapons and abilities, as well as our favorites from FireFall for EM-8er.

This is the Thread to post them in. Feel free to add any media you can find on old FF stuff for Grummz as a reminder/reference.
 

EvilKitten

Well-Known Member
Ark Liege
Jul 26, 2016
777
1,557
93
#2
http://firefall-wiki.com/w/Bio_Needler



Key components:
Extremely accurate (back in 0.6-0-7 it was the most accurate weapon outside of a scoped sniper rifle) out to medium range. It did moderate damage per shot but made up for that with a fairly high rate of fire. This weapon was the perfect support weapon for picking off smaller mobs while remaining at a tactical distance and still be effective.


(can't save a specific time so skip to 3:19)

One thing to note in particular...when I say extremely accurate, the reticle is a single pixel dot that barely gets large enough to form a circle under sustained fire mode. That's how accurate this weapon was :D
 
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NightStroke

Base Commander
Base Commander
Jul 26, 2016
135
231
43
#3
Alright I'm going to list of things first then find content about it.

1. Firecat Fuel Thrower
https://www.twitch.tv/videos/7847776 at 55:13 and 56:49
The alt-fire spews patches of fire that can be ignited by the primary fire. The fuel can be sprayed directly onto enemies or the ground. The primary fire is a stream of fire that does strong damage with a short range(both fuel spraying and fire throwing are about 40m).

2. Firecat Inferno Dash (ignites fuel Thrower Oil)
Get a thrust in one direction, leaving a trail of fire and setting anyone you make contact with on fire.

3. Firecat Burn Jets (momentum conserved) (Flamethrower things at feet that make you hover in the air. Later versions of this ability came with a downward shield)
Fire flames directly downward while hovering in the air. You can still fire weapons and all.

4. Recon R36 assault rifle (beta version)
High precision long range rifle with a high rate of fire. Pretty effective out of scope, as seen. Low recoil.

5. Raptor Charge Rifle

6. Raptor SIN Scrambler (Never was really good, but the idea of it and what it could have been is cool)
Can't find footage of the ability alone, but it reverses the hostility of the enemy you hit. I guess you could mix in stuff from Sombra's hack. Maybe throw a projectile: wherever it makes contact, you gain vision on all enemies within a radius. If you hit machinery or an enemy, they change hostility for a duration.

7. Mammoth Teleport Shot
Fires a quick projectile, you teleport to it whenever it hits terrain or achieves max range (which is pretty moderate). Does some damage upon teleporting
 
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Mahdi

Firstclaimer
Jul 26, 2016
1,079
2,330
113
44
South Carolina, US
#4
I can see there will be a LOT of people who will cover the awesome firefall weapons so I won't go into that. But for things to do in my heavy/tanky player style I would love to see some bad ass things. What I like to take into consideration is the load outs based on what you will fight. Melee vs ranged, flesh vs armor, bio vs mechanical. Oh the Armored Core juices are going to flow.

For a heavy mech style I still would like to see system upgrades to where, in a straight line, they can still be fast. But turns, running, and lift offs is where they'll incur the usual penalties. But I believe they should have a great forward boost to get into the scrum. I loved the shield concept from the beginning of the first artwork. For being in the middle, and taking into account it wouldn't have a player controlled aim, having grenade pods mounted on the shoulders for a.o.e. dispersal would be fun too. An systems boosted energy shield that expands off the physical shield for a half sphere coverage, but still allow the slower walking, is something I'd like to see. If you wanted to go with sword or some kind of melee, I would like to see an EMP or static weapon that can help disrupt circuitry in the kaiju's mechanical armor.

Side note on that, wonder how hard it would be to put in some kind of achievement challenge for breaking all the controlling armor and systems to allow the kaiju to enrage and attack tsi-hu as well as us.
 

Nubilus

Omni Ace
Ark Liege
Base Commander
Jul 27, 2016
45
40
18
25
Germany
#5
As an engineer "main" in FF, I have to throw this stuff in:

1. Multi-Turrets
http://firefall-wiki.com/w/Multi_Turret
Higher Tiers or certain customization aspects could change: Damage, Duration, Max. Turret count etc.

2. Refill-Stations
Ammo refill basically. Could be on a resource (X amount of clips refilled) or time counter before it runs out

3. Deployable Shields
Provide cover for allies, lock down chokepoints.
Could let "Friendly" shots and Frames through but keeps out the creeps.

4. Actual moving 'n' shooting Drones
Think those Lil' fellas from the FF Cinematic.
They could provide firepower depending on which weapon type was used to craft it.
Maybe buff Companions accuracy with sensor Drones or boost their shield regen.
They also could repair Omniframes on the go and during combat.
May have a Fuel/Energy timer.

5. Repair Beam/Station
Since the Omniframe WILL need armor repair and the next base could be far away OR during an invasion where you can't go back to base and may need fast emergency repairs

6. Health/Ammo/Repair-Kits
Basic Consumables like this would be good for those who go somewhere solo, like while scouting (if that's gonna be a thing).

7. Decoys
http://firefall-wiki.com/w/Advanced_Decoy
http://firefall-wiki.com/w/Decoy
Be it holographic or physical. Decoys could be used to trick enemies into an ambush or divert their attention to somewhere else while the real you blows them up.

8. Flamethrowers
Because mowing down hordes of enemies in a cone in front of you with fire looks badass. Also, Alien BBQ.
Could count as energy damage stats-wise.
Maybe modify projectile type to balls of fire (Basically fire-grenades).

Looking at you with these two @Torgue_Joey

9. Grenade-Launchers
Blow shit up from afar.
Would deal Explosive/Splash Damage...
Could be modified for energy/plasma grenades or Something along those lines.

10. Shoulder Mounted Mortar and Missile Launchpods
For blowing shit up from REALLY far away.
Don't use up close though, you might damage yourself or others with it.
Might want to use a Medium to Heavy-Type Frame for those

I may add more to this once I got more ideas.
 
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echo1

Commander
Jan 26, 2017
3
3
3
#6
I wish for the way back Firefall weapon crafting system during the beta. The idea was simple, weapons have 3 primary stats: power, fire-rate, weight -and it was always a pick 2 problem.

For example:
1. If you craft for power and fire-rate, then your reload time is hella long and you get movement debuffs - ie. You can't jump as high
2. If you craft for fire-rate and weight, then you won't hit as hard - somewhat helps if you think about crits but too often you ran out of ammo you had to use your shitty secondary AR or shotgun
 

PIghead Elderberry

Kaiju Slayer
JUMBO KAIJU SLAYER
Jun 4, 2017
248
510
93
CA USA
#7
I also enjoyed the original crafting with that kind of min max aspect.

I really really liked the resource quality aspect of crafting to keep us always thumping to get the "little bit better" resources to make a "little bit better" weapon by crafting.

Charge Rifle & Overload

I liked the arcing damage and really like overload and the great visual (and audio) impact of seeing the hemispheres of overload smashing up a tower or bunch of enemies anywhere.

Sniper Rifle

I enjoyed the original sniper rifle with the detonation effect where one could 'get in the zone' and shoot critters just for fun with an 'aim, shoot, pop... aim, shoot, pop...' mechanic. I loved this with the wasps the most, or whatever reason.

R36 was loads of fun as well as an alternative.

I like Recon, of course, but the others were good as well.

Grenades

When at some point we had a chemical grenade that left a kind of stagnant puddle of sludge, it was great fun to toss it out and wade through it. It was a great 3D visual and really felt like a sticky puddle. It was loads of fun to toss that, and then wait as the poor souls or bugs in it began to die.

Firecat with the combination of abilities and weapons felt amazingly powerful like you had some kind of divine wrath at your fingertips.

The most important thing was that from the very get go in the little canyon area with the one tower, combat was just plain fun. The game started with this tiny bit of fun and expanded on it (until the theme park level cap nonsense etc. as we all know).

With the dynamic encounters all over the place, pretty much all the builds were enjoyable in their own way really.
 

Pandagnome

Kaiju Slayer
Fart Siege
Welcome Wagon
Happy Kaiju
Jul 27, 2016
7,730
10,079
113
Island of Tofu
#8
I was a mammoth quite a slow-poke but loved that dome shield i could pause for a few seconds itch my chin or take a sip from my camel back drink pack.

The hmg was super fun getting close and personal in corridors and saying hi to all those npc fiends.
What i also thought was cool is the sound effects i like cool sounds that fit well with firing a gun to how the shield deflects shots to how the alarm blares out with the red light when chosen have captured stuff etc etc !
 
Likes: Mahdi
Jul 26, 2016
382
605
93
Australia
#9
I liked the soft organic weapons in FF, their shape wasn't like military weapons, they had character.

You can see below, how the one gun can seem to be similar, but the more ornate one seems to have a history; a story to tell.


One gun is more mechanical and practical. More military than renegade.

Below is a concept gun from Anarchy Online, it's modern and also has a sense of futurism, something beyond our current idea of a pew pew. I guess it has a sense of the world that it resides from being nearly 30,000 years into the future.


I guess it's apart of the package of the artstyle, than a functional piece of equipment.


What I don't want to see is military styled 20th century weapons you see in Battlefield, CoD Infinite warfare...
 
Jul 26, 2016
1,461
2,441
113
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#10
Alright I'm going to list of things first then find content about it.

1. Firecat Fuel Thrower
https://www.twitch.tv/videos/7847776 at 55:13 and 56:49
The alt-fire spews patches of fire that can be ignited by the primary fire. The fuel can be sprayed directly onto enemies or the ground. The primary fire is a stream of fire that does strong damage with a short range(both fuel spraying and fire throwing are about 40m).
I liked that thing. It's too bad Red5 were just thinking of replacing weapons instead of adding more to the pool.

Honestly something like this sounds like something needed for Em8er since we are basically fighting off mobs and boss like creatures. Though if we could set up trap fields that lasted for a longer period of time that can be set off by other players or enemies it would make idea of Player centered around defense via traps and mines a bit more interesting.

It's what i liked about one assault class. You could power up and shoot a ball and then take it out causing AOE damage.
 

0V3RKILL

Tsi-Hu Hunter
Aug 5, 2016
193
376
63
#11
I have to admit that the most fun frames from firefall to me were recluse, dragonfly and arsenal. their weapons and abilities were fun and effective. Tho all of this is irrelevant cause I don't think mark wants to remake anything from firefall. I rather have totally new things.
 

NightStroke

Base Commander
Base Commander
Jul 26, 2016
135
231
43
#12
I have to admit that the most fun frames from firefall to me were recluse, dragonfly and arsenal. their weapons and abilities were fun and effective. Tho all of this is irrelevant cause I don't think mark wants to remake anything from firefall. I rather have totally new things.
During chief chat Mark was talking about how he wants to see what weapons and abilities(specifically which versions and stats) people really loved from firefall so they can be recreated in ember. Do keep in mind that the idea of ember rose from the failures of firefall; ember aims to be what firefall had the potential to become. What's being taken from firefall is verticality and combat elements, which means we want the coolest weapons and abilities that existed in firefall.
 

PIghead Elderberry

Kaiju Slayer
JUMBO KAIJU SLAYER
Jun 4, 2017
248
510
93
CA USA
#13
WRT AOE:

I agree that it sounds like some AOE is going to be required if we have swarms of aggressive attackers - and AOE after all is always fun to use.

FF had a lot of fun AOE graphics and audio to make things feel like they were powerful (and they were). There was a lot of tinkering with it from too soft to way too powerful. Finding that balance is tricky and depends upon the enemies, but I do love a taste of AOE for the sheer fun of it.

AOE is what gives us a chance to revel in glorious visuals as clouds of fire and explosions light up a landscape and beckon us to glide over and take part in a fight. You don't get that with precision shots. That sort of 'come hither' gorgeous battle visuals is great.

If AOE can be the thing that players use to create organically the sound and visual effects that 'announce' combat to those around, then we don't need minimaps and map markers - because we will hear and see the combat.

So - to me AOE in moderation gives some added fun for the sheer fun of it, AND gives a chance to make things visually stunning to those seeing combat from far away - always nice in an open world game.

Just as long as it does not replace the need for skills - which I am sure that it will not.
 
Likes: Mahdi

Mahdi

Firstclaimer
Jul 26, 2016
1,079
2,330
113
44
South Carolina, US
#14
No clue where to toss this bit in because so any threads on UI, mods, minimaps, etc.

I would like to see very little thrown at us and/or menu customization to limit what is displayed. Example the enclosed pilot option.

Someone in another thread spoke well about the random events just running around in the world of firefall. From hearing and seeing things from thumpers to chosen assaults. I think it would be awesome for every player to have an S.O.S. function. Something that will ping an entire zone. I also get this from free space exploration games and their S.O.S. events. (Privateer 2/rebel galaxy)

Never know what thumper resources you may cash in on to help escort a group who took it too far. Or a raid going on a base that is getting out of hand.
 

PIghead Elderberry

Kaiju Slayer
JUMBO KAIJU SLAYER
Jun 4, 2017
248
510
93
CA USA
#15
No clue where to toss this bit in because so any threads on UI, mods, minimaps, etc.

I would like to see very little thrown at us and/or menu customization to limit what is displayed. Example the enclosed pilot option.

Someone in another thread spoke well about the random events just running around in the world of firefall. From hearing and seeing things from thumpers to chosen assaults. I think it would be awesome for every player to have an S.O.S. function. Something that will ping an entire zone. I also get this from free space exploration games and their S.O.S. events. (Privateer 2/rebel galaxy)

Never know what thumper resources you may cash in on to help escort a group who took it too far. Or a raid going on a base that is getting out of hand.
That was me in the other thread. I agree with you.

In recent Chief Chat Mark also spoke about how much he liked night combat in the old FF when it was dark and night battles and that he wants to see that same thing in EM-8ER. I agree totally.

Night means we see plasma trails, fire bursts, projectile arcs, the night sky glow from a distance... all things that make it incredibly fun to make that carnage AND all things that signal WITHOUT UI clutter what is happening and where.

Your idea is a good one for a PING sort of action. That could alert others for help, or of the start of an invasion somewhere.

I recall when we all hunted invasions and Nados in FF, we would alert each other as to where they were located.

If we could have this sort of PING involve some mega-visible mega-flare that roars up into the sky and leaves a trail of fire and smoke, that would be visible in night an day, AND which lingers enough for people to look around and see it and then zip on over, that would for me be ideal.

It would be like a reverse Crystite Meteor where we all heard in in the entire zone, and then could look up and see the lingering trail and go find it. This would be a lot easier as it would be finding a battle not a downed meteor.

The PING could also be a device that did this periodically for x minutes or xx seconds to make sure everyone say it, AND perhaps the Tsi-He would attack it to try to stamp out the alert.

If we could have this sort of mechanic - it would be it's own mini-battle to defend the device while it kept up the alert and NOT be some instant marker for everyone's minimap and compass. I don't know it this would work, but it would make for another opportunity for combat and great sound and visual effects to fill the sky.

I am all for the game actions and environment being the signals to others of where the action is and where to go next - vs. chasing dots on minimaps.
 
Likes: Mahdi

Meower

Omni Ace
Omni Ace
Jul 27, 2016
45
130
33
#16
I just want another poison damage AOE grenade launcher. I'm absolutely in love with the idea of DOT's and poison to really whittle down the enemies and give them a nice explosion to finish it off. Just me!
 

PIghead Elderberry

Kaiju Slayer
JUMBO KAIJU SLAYER
Jun 4, 2017
248
510
93
CA USA
#18
I just want another poison damage AOE grenade launcher. I'm absolutely in love with the idea of DOT's and poison to really whittle down the enemies and give them a nice explosion to finish it off. Just me!
I love the pop at the end of a death.

That is why the first sniper rifle was so much fun for plinking, if you jacked it up enough for one shots, it was "shoot, die, pop" "shoot, die, pop" repeat repeat repeat... very relaxing and fun because of the final pop. Without the final pop, not as much fun.

Having the DOT and pop reward at the end is like that.

It is always nice to get a nice death/kill audio visual reward for anything and everything.

Just as nice to see a chunk of armor fly off for a "hit reward" as well. I hope we'll see some physics based damage eventually - limbs getting lost or whatever on Kaiju or Tsi-Hu.
 

0V3RKILL

Tsi-Hu Hunter
Aug 5, 2016
193
376
63
#19
During chief chat Mark was talking about how he wants to see what weapons and abilities(specifically which versions and stats) people really loved from firefall so they can be recreated in ember. Do keep in mind that the idea of ember rose from the failures of firefall; ember aims to be what firefall had the potential to become. What's being taken from firefall is verticality and combat elements, which means we want the coolest weapons and abilities that existed in firefall.
sorry for not being clear. Anyway, I agree the basic idea comes from firefall, like thumping. There will be thumping in ember but look how much better it is. that's what I am referring to. it wont be the same, look, feel and such. It's going to be better and very much original in it's own way. Oh! and the engine finally supports modern systems lol.
 
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Mcguy

Firstclaimer
Apr 22, 2017
5
5
3
27
#20
The Arsenal Light MG was a freakin machine man, I loved that gun, Perfect amount of fire rate. perfect recoil, the gun was just over all perfect.
Mybe a ability like Explosive rounds? those made that gun even cool!
 
Likes: Mahdi