Modifications: The Good, The Bad, The Hopeful

[topaz cairn]

Ok, I have around 10-12 hours into the Beta now from a scratch save, only on Easy settings and think I have some thoughts on the new Modifications idea:

Good:
~Ability to find a good variety of parts in the Zone: From higher security level receivers to that 1 stock you need to finish a gun, even if you can't 100% build a gun you want due to bad RNG, could still save a lot of credits with the parts you find

~Zone exclusive parts: ATM I only know of a few, but a few is still great, the idea some parts are found in the Zone is both fun for explorers AND a small touch of story. Like we can only buy what is currently mass produced on the market, but older gun parts that were saved by families can be found still. Also some color variation is nice as well

~Customization: I have had a lot of fun making normal and goofy guns and it's just plain fun. Currently my favorite idea is a short barrel with a suppressor and a long foregrip, giving an "internal suppressed" look to a gun like the M4A1

The bad:
~Not all parts out there: Now it's not the WORST but it does suck that I can find enough parts to make something work but it's rough to make it...decent. Example: M4A1 only has the "M16" parts from all my adventures. This means you can't have sights or attachments unless you buy the M4A1 receiver and foregrip from the shop

~Need means to repair: We have cleaning, which is great, but I hope we get a system like ITRs upgrade station to repair Zone parts. Make it cost like 60% of the original parts cost, so if a barrel costs 1,000 credits, it would cost 600, then you can turn your "Old Barrel" into the "shop Barrel"

~Lower magazine and ammo security levels: This is more a personal taste, and maybe balancing would be bad with this changed BUT, let all magazines and ammo be unlocked by Security level 2. It feels bad that I could have all the parts and a working M4A1, but since I have not found any magazines and limited ammo I can't enjoy what I scavenged. If not maybe a rebalance to let some more rare magazines spawn a tad more frequent? Only found 1 M4A1 mag in my 12 hours feels bad.

The Hopeful:
~Pistol Modification: I'm sure it's planned, no doubt, but I am still hopeful HOW it will be added. The idea I could get a stashed GSH via parts and then can modify [via scavenging or buying] just a replacement part to give me a rail would be nice. Give us long slides, bigger "Zone only" magazines, maybe even means to alter fire mode for guns

Jam tied to specific parts: Ok so this is an odd "Hope" but I would love if, since the durability is now split by part, that only barrels and receivers can cause jams. What I mean is, if I have a 100% barrel and reciever but my foregrip and grip are like 10% I would still never jam. This would mean parts can wear different and if you're short on supplies you can focus what matters to get the gun working.

Upgrades: I would love the ability to upgrade parts from the Zone via a machine like ITR1. For example, if I find a Stashed M4A1 I could upgrade it to get rid of the "M16" top rail, and vice verse, I can upgrade the Shop M4A1 to add that rail if I wanted

[unkempt kite]

As far as I know, pretty much all parts spawn out in the radius. You mentioned needing to buy the m4 receiver but I know with certainty that it spawns out in the radius cause Ive built one from found parts. I do second the desire for an upgrade machine for converting 'Old' equipment to have storebought stats. Idk about an upgrade machine for removing/adding the M4 carry handle though since that problem comes up only on that one weapon. Maybe make the carry handle a separate component and allow swapping it out?

I do agree with lower security levels for ammo, though tbh I disagree about the magazines. Mags are already unlocked one security level before the weapon so I feel they're in a fair spot

[mint dust]

honestly with the new systems I really dont think we need a way to "upgrade" the zone parts into factory parts. One of the main benefits of the new system is you can now make the zone parts more functional. You can take a stashed receiver and put a dust cover with picatinnay on it to make it configurable. Or you can take your scrapped together gun and swap out the receiver for better performance. An "upgrade machine" would really defeat the purpose of the whole modular system.

That said, I think some tweaks could be make to the progression. Its overall pretty good, but I think the availability of picatinnay rails is delayed longer than it needs to be.

[unkempt kite]

well the thing about that is that the 'stashed' versions of parts carry permanently lower stats, you can't circumvent that through any means at present. Thats the part that I think should be 'upgradeable'

For example a stashed receiver will typically have a bit less damage than the 'real' version, and there is just no way to fix that but buying a new one

[mint dust]

But thats the point. Buying the non stashed receiver is upgrading your gun. Ie if there were an upgrade machine, the cost of upgrading would just be the cost of the store receiver

I think theres something to be said about the receiver debuffs. I think the penalty should be more interesting than “-5% damage” but i think if you want the real receiver you should buy it

[unkempt kite]

but there aren't storebought versions of some receivers, for example the M4a1 carry handle has no storebought version. You cant use it without accepting inferior stats

Plus this system means the ONLY time you will ever use stashed weapons is if you find stashed weapons above your Security level, since finding stashed gear at or below will always be objectively inferior to what you can buy.

And I only had enough parts for an over-Sec gun once in the entire playthrough, and half those parts were storebought (stock, grip, gas block, sights). Even then I used it for like one run then it was outdated.

imo stashed equipment shouldn't be forever inferior just because it was stashed. if its fixed up, their stats ought to be equal, or at the very least finding stashed equipment should make it cheaper to get a 'storebought' version through upgrade

[chilly axle]

I must voice in opposition any kind of "upgrade box" or like system. IMO, that was the worst part of ITR 1.0/2.0; if something can be customized, I want to do it myself. We now have the modular parts framework, so the concept of an auto-upgrading container is entirely obsolete.
-# Edit: That's not to throw shade at CMI for their past work. From a dev standpoint, player control is much more complicated to code than a box that does Convert A -> B.

As impersonally as possible, seeing complaints about stashed weapons having inferior stats to store counterparts make me think most who voice these concerns have never actually tested stashed and store weapons apples to apples. The actual stat differences are basically undetectable in the field. After completing three runs start to finish on default settings in 0.13 with only stashed weapons + starting Makarov, and one with only store guns, the only difference I noted was ease of weapon customization. They otherwise felt the same.

Now with modular customization, the one aforementioned shortcoming is basically null, particularly since most if not all store parts can be found in loot crates. I have ~8 AK-74 and AKM store-variant barrel assemblies, and evidently terrible RNG since that's a third of my total parts loot. Lots of people here and on Reddit have found tons of cool parts I am yet to obtain.

[unkempt kite]

Store parts can be found in the radius, not the other way around. I want my M4 with carry handle to not be objectively worse, simple as. I think the idea that 'this item was found in a crate so it deals permanently less damage' is utter nonsense and completely illogical. If its fixed up it ought to be the same.

If CMI doesn't fix it themselves, im stat editting it through a mod when the game hits full release because its dumb and discourages using stashed equipment outside self imposed challenges.

[topaz cairn]

For me it comes down a little less on Stats and more "stashed guns having limitations"

Yes, I did mention the ability to upgrade but it was a 2 part reason:

1. Mostly I can about durability, yes I likely will never notice 3 points in damage and 5 in accuracy, but I will notice if a gun can't go 1 day without going down a LOT in durability, meaning more money into upkeep

2. Pistols, and some Rifle recievers have attachment limitations you cannot get past with Stashed parts. I have yet to see this M4A1 w/o the carry handle in the zone, and in the current Beta pistols cannot be modified. This means I cannot put any attachments on a stashed Pistol or have a sight on the Stashed M4A1s I find.

Now Pzk Rubie mentioned a solution to the M4A1 deal, which is make the carry handle able to be removed, so that be a way to fix 1 complaint w/o an upgrade box

Pistols will likely get modifications, but if they decide it isn't viable then an upgrade box would be the only way to have the stashed sidearms able to take attachments

[quartz karma]

The stashed m4 carry handle can have picatinny rail installed, so you can add any sight you want

There, that's your "upgrade box": buy a part

I think the current stashed part system in the zone is great, you can find gun parts FOR 0 CHARGE out in the zone.

You can create guns real cheap, we'll worth the compromises of the stashed parts.
You can invest money buy buying a railed dustcover, or handguard, or carry handle rail mount to improve your stashed receivers.
That's an great upgrade stystem imo.
And finally, if you want to make the last leap of improving the gun. Sell the stashed parts and buy the store one.
Maybe just replacing and old barrel for a new. A lightweight grip to replace the heavy one

Like Harbringer mentions, I am too in opposition to a upgrade box. Continuing to add and improve the current modular system is the way forwards.

Same issue with the magazines. They need to stay with progression as well (sec lvl) or the balance will be off. The 30rnd 7.62x39 would Trump the 10rnd mag always. The 45rnd 5.45x39 mag would trump over the 30rnd always, same with kedr, glock ect...

I think magazines should incorporate even more with the modular gun system.

Have the VSS and AS VAL unlock at sec 3, but only the 10rnd mag. That would balance it with the rest of sec 3 arsenal.
The have 20rnd mag unlock (or found in zone) at sec 4.

The sr-25 is a lot better to the svd due to the 20rnd mag compared to svds 10rnd.
I'd even suggest a 5th sec lvl to unlock a sr-25 mag and give it a 10rnd for sec4, but that is probably taking it too far xD