Magazine Alterations

Malik · Post by **Malik** » 2006-04-21 16:23

Right now it's impossible to know how much ammo you've got in a mag from the HUD. Right now you throw away half used mags, regardless of how many rounds left in them. Would it be possible for newer versions to have a key assigned to checking your magazine for ammo? It's probably work such as the switch to zoom animation does. The player would perform an animation dependant on the weapon to check the current ammo in the magazine, either partially revealing the magazine to check the markers or looking at the side if it has a transarent side on it. Just as the scope feature involves the player moving the gun in front of the face, the check ammo feature could too, and of course it'd obscure vision and take some time on many weapons and on some it wouldn't even be possible, so it wouldn't be as useful as the classic HUD approach to ammo yet it'd still add a gameplay element and influence players to use certain guns over others (currently weapons are only good for ammo, accuracy and power and sometimes the scope, otherise nothing else makes certain weapons more useful)

As I said about disposing off 'spent' magazines, would it also be possible to keep any magazines that aren't empty with the player using the next 'heaviest' magazine on a reload, rather than throwing everything away. Even if there's a lot of rounds left, sometimes it's best to reload ready for the next firefight, but it'd still be nice to be able to get full value for your money and use those leftovers when you're out of ammo. Though not as important as the first, this feature could be looked at. I've heard it's being used in Red Orchestra, and apparently that's the latest flagship for realistic games.

JellyBelly · Post by **JellyBelly** » 2006-04-21 16:54

Im not sure if its possible. You would have to code it so that each round spent, subtracted a round from the "magazine", which I dont think is possible.

[T]Terranova7 · Post by **[T]Terranova7** » 2006-04-21 17:38

You must have some sort of mental issues if you can sit there in an intense firefight, and count your shots especially if your laying down suppression fire with a SAW or RPK. Also I don't think its too far fethed. In vanilla BF2 didn't you have the magazine count and the ammo count?

the.ultimate.maverick · Post by **the.ultimate.maverick** » 2006-04-21 17:52

I count my shots - the ROF makes it hard with some weapons but with most it isn't too hard at all.

Campez · Post by **Campez** » 2006-04-21 18:18

I count my shots like Maverick, its more easy

Malik · Post by **Malik** » 2006-04-21 19:04

I guess it'd be kinda difficult, but there are definitely games out there where you can view your ammo counts from a small LED on the model itself. If little features like that can work, I don't see why it wouldn't be possible to display a sprite for each round on the magazine part of the model.

Post by **Wraith** » 2006-04-21 19:07

I just don't think it is realistic. "Most" weopons have no way to tell how many rounds are left other than counting them.

Malik · Post by **Malik** » 2006-04-21 19:26

Well, I was thinking of the whole G36 range with their transparent magazines, but I guess they're not really going to be in the final build. I guess I'll have to stick to counting.

How about saving spent mags though?

JellyBelly · Post by **JellyBelly** » 2006-04-21 19:29

I personaly wait till the gun goes "click" then start reloading.

Malik · Post by **Malik** » 2006-04-21 19:45

Well after a brief firefight it's hard to remember how much ammo you've got. Do you presume you have about a half a magazine and keep going or do you reload and risk losing it?

Major Ursa Norte · Post by **Major Ursa Norte** » 2006-04-21 20:09

I don't count rounds. I try to shoot controled fire and do it from cover so if I do hear that click, I can duck and re-load. Ammo counters are a bit arcadey and if you saved mags that were not empty, then there would have to be some way for you to unload the mag and combine rounds into another mag.

mrmong · Post by **mrmong** » 2006-04-21 20:43

why not an animation where the shooter looks at the magazine and the remaining ammo is displayed on the HUD as a number this would eliminate the need to code so much.

Malik · Post by **Malik** » 2006-04-21 20:59

Yeah I was thinking of that actually. If you want to check your ammo there's a slight time penalty. Might work as a nice feature, might not but it should be looked into.

Solitas · Post by **Solitas** » 2006-04-21 21:04

Checking ammo looks as if it would be a stretch, unless the magazine is transparent (as already mentioned) theres no real quick way of checking.
As for saving mags, I'm not in the military, nor have I had any contact with firemarms besides airpistols. But do you jsut throw away empty mags? or do you put them back in the pouch to be re-armed at a later date.

Personally I'd save the mags, but then the training I have recieved with firearms works on a conservation ideal. Never throw a mag away, you can't assume if you find spare ammunition you'll also find a mag to load it into.

longhairedhippy · Post by **longhairedhippy** » 2006-04-21 21:14

Maybe tracers could help....isn't it like every 4th or 5th bullet is a tracer...then all you have to do is count tracers...not sure what guns would / wouldn't have tracers, though, if tracers were implemented.

six7 · Post by **six7** » 2006-04-21 21:27

dedmon has some cool tracers on his map

. Seems liek a waste of time to code. we have more important issues to deal with in this game...

Deuce6 · Post by **Deuce6** » 2006-04-22 04:36

in real life, ttp's tell you to replace your mag after a fight. Let's say you assault through a position and your still alive. You form up a line of advance, replace your magazine, even if only you fired one shot, and prepare for an ambush. That way you always know you have a fresh mag ready

Just reload once you come through a firefight.

Deuce6 · Post by **Deuce6** » 2006-04-22 04:38

Solitas wrote:Checking ammo looks as if it would be a stretch, unless the magazine is transparent (as already mentioned) theres no real quick way of checking.
As for saving mags, I'm not in the military, nor have I had any contact with firemarms besides airpistols. But do you jsut throw away empty mags? or do you put them back in the pouch to be re-armed at a later date.

Personally I'd save the mags, but then the training I have recieved with firearms works on a conservation ideal. Never throw a mag away, you can't assume if you find spare ammunition you'll also find a mag to load it into.

you usually carry them back with you. Because you might not ever see any replacement magazines. I bought myself a ammo bag that I strapped to my leg while I was in Iraq. That way I wouldn't have to fumble with putting the mag in my cargo pocket and messing with the buttons. I just flipped the top open (which was held by velcro, or hook and loop fasteners for you other military types) and dumped them in. Very convenient.

trogdor1289 · Post by **trogdor1289** » 2006-04-22 04:40

Thanks for clearing that up Deuce6 i have a question did you tend to go through whole mags in firefights or just like a 1/4 then you switched in a fresh one.