I've been following the random weapon debate for nearly a year, this is the sum of what I've seen.
1. Last year, a Robin Walker email told us we were all going to get new toys
Quote:
The reason we focused on unlocking for the first set of weaponry was to give people some rewards for completing the Medic achievements. Some of them are a bunch of fun, and pretty easy to get, which will allow everyone to unlock the first weapon without much effort. That said, our plan is to ensure that everyone gets to play with some new toys soon, so we'll be adding some non-locked weaponry shortly afterwards. Our goal isn't to ensure that everyone has an identical set of choices, but it is to ensure that everyone gets to participate in the fun of selecting weaponry based on how they like to play a particular class.
2. Coding for New Item Menus
Quote:
// Items
"TF_Open_Charinfo" "Open Character Loadout"
"Item" "Item"
"SelectedItemNumber" "#%selecteditem%"
"NewItemsAcquired" "%numitems% NEW ITEMS ACQUIRED!"
"NewItemAcquired" "NEW ITEM ACQUIRED!"
"NextItem" "VIEW\nNEXT >"
"PreviousItem" "VIEW\n< PREV"
"CloseItemPanel" "OK, RESUME GAME"
"ChangeLoadout" "EQUIP THIS ITEM NOW..."
"CharInfoAndSetup" "CHARACTER INFO AND SETUP"
"Loadout" "LOADOUT"
"Stats" "STATS"
"Achievements" "ACHIEVEMENTS"
"CharacterLoadout" "CHARACTER LOADOUT"
"SelectClassLoadout" "SELECT A CLASS TO MODIFY LOADOUT"
"NoSteamNoItems" "LOADOUT NOT AVAILABLE - COULD NOT CONNECT TO STEAM"
"LoadoutChangesUpdate" "NOTE: LOADOUT CHANGES WILL TAKE EFFECT ON RESPAWN."
"EquipYourClass" "EQUIP YOUR %loadoutclass%"
"Equip" "EQUIP"
"Keep" "KEEP"
"ClassBeingEquipped" "%loadoutclass%"
"ChangeButton" "CHANGE..."
"DoneButton" "DONE!"
"EquipSelectedWeapon" "EQUIP SELECTED WEAPON"
"ItemSel_PRIMARY" "- PRIMARY WEAPON"
"ItemSel_SECONDARY" "- SECONDARY WEAPON"
"ItemSel_MELEE" "- MELEE WEAPON"
"ItemSel_PDA" "- PDA"
"ItemSel_ITEM1" "- ACCESSORY"
"ItemSel_HEAD" "- HEADWEAR"
"TF_BackCarat" "<< BACK"
"TF_CancelCarat" "<< CANCEL"
"TF_BackToMainMenu" "<< BACK TO MAIN MENU"
"TF_ResumeGame" "<< RESUME GAME"
"InventoryCountOne" "(1 OTHER IN INVENTORY)"
"InventoryCountMany" "(%s1 OTHERS IN INVENTORY)"
"CurrentlyEquipped" "CURRENTLY EQUIPPED:"
"CurrentlyEquippedCarat" "CURRENTLY EQUIPPED >"
"ItemsFoundShort" "(%s1 ITEMS IN INVENTORY)"
"ItemsFoundShortOne" "(ONE ITEM IN INVENTORY)"
"NoItemsExistShort" "(NO ITEMS EXIST YET)"
"NoItemsExistLong" "(NO SPECIAL ITEMS FOR %loadoutclass% EXIST YET.)"
"NoItemsFoundShort" "(NO ITEMS FOUND YET)"
"NoItemsFoundLong" "(NO SPECIAL ITEMS FOR %loadoutclass% HAVE BEEN ACQUIRED YET.)"
"NoItemsAvailableTitle" "AVAILABLE:"
"NoItemsAvailableTitle2" "BASE INVENTORY ONLY."
"ItemAcquireReason_Achievement" "ACHIEVEMENT EARNED"
"NoItemsToEquip" "YOU HAVE NO ITEMS FOR THIS LOADOUT SLOT"
"SelectNoItemSlot" "Empty"
"BackpackTitle" "BACKPACK"
"X_DeleteItem" "X DELETE"
"X_DiscardItem" "X DISCARD"
"DeleteItemConfirmTitle" "ARE YOU SURE?"
"DeleteItemConfirmText" "Deleting this item will permanently destroy it. This cannot be undone."
"X_DeleteItemConfirmButton" "X YEAH, DELETE IT"
"Backpack_Delete_Item" "BACKPACK - DELETE ITEM"
"DiscardExplanation" "You picked up this item but you don't have room for it in your pack."
"DiscardExplanation2" "Delete an item below to make room or press discard to throw your new item away."
"Discarded" "DISCARDED!"
"LoadoutSlot_Primary" "Primary weapon"
"LoadoutSlot_Secondary" "Secondary weapon"
"LoadoutSlot_Melee" "Melee weapon"
"LoadoutSlot_Grenade" "Grenade"
"LoadoutSlot_Building" "Building"
"LoadoutSlot_pda" "Primary PDA"
"LoadoutSlot_pda2" "Secondary PDA"
"LoadoutSlot_Head" "Head"
"ItemTypeDesc" "Level %s1 %s2" // s1 is the level number, s2 is the item type. Example: "Level 4 Medigun"
"of" "of"
// Attribute descriptions
"Attrib_ClipSize_Positive" "+%s1% Clip size"
"Attrib_ClipSize_Negative" "%s1% Clip size"
"Attrib_UberchargeRate_Positive" "+%s1% ÜberCharge rate"
"Attrib_UberchargeRate_Negative" "%s1% ÜberCharge rate"
"Attrib_DamageDone_Positive" "+%s1% Damage done"
"Attrib_DamageDone_Negative" "%s1% Damage done"
"Attrib_HealRate_Positive" "+%s1% Heal rate"
"Attrib_HealRate_Negative" "%s1% Heal rate"
"Attrib_FireRate_Positive" "+%s1% Faster firing speed"
"Attrib_FireRate_Negative" "%s1% Slower firing speed"
"Attrib_OverhealAmount_Positive" "+%s1% Overheal bonus"
"Attrib_OverhealDecay_Disabled" "Overheal bonus doesn't decay"
"Attrib_OverhealDecay_Positive" "Overheal bonus decays %s1% slower"
"Attrib_OverhealDecay_Negative" "Overheal bonus decays %s1% faster"
"Attrib_HealOnHit_Positive" "+%s1 Health on hit"
"Attrib_HealOnHit_Negative" "%s1 Health on hit"
"Attrib_CritChance_Positive" "+%s1 Critical hit chance"
"Attrib_CritChance_Negative" "%s1 Critical hit chance"
"Attrib_CritChance_Disabled" "No critical hits"
"Attrib_AddUber_OnHit_Positive" "Add %s1% ÜberCharge on hit"
"Attrib_Medigun_CritBoost" "ÜberCharge grants 100% critical chance"
"Attrib_DamageDoneBonus_Positive" "+%s1% Damage bonus on hit"
"Attrib_CritVsBurning" "100% Critical hit vs burning players"
"Attrib_DmgPenaltyVsNonBurning" "%s1% damage vs non-burning players"
"Attrib_NoCritVsNonBurning" "No critical hits vs non-burning players"
"Attrib_ModFlamethrowerPush" "No compression blast"
"Attrib_ModFlamethrower_BackCrits" "100% Critical hits from behind"
"Attrib_MaxHealth_Positive" "+%s1 Max health"
"Attrib_FistsHaveRadialBuff" "On Kill: +50 Health on nearby teammates\nOn Kill: +10% Crit Chance on nearby teammates"
"Attrib_CritBoost_OnKill" "On Kill: %s1 seconds of 100% critical chance"
"Attrib_Slow_Enemy_OnHit" "%s1% chance to slow target on hit"
"Attrib_Spread_Negative" "%s1% shot spread penalty"
"Attrib_BatLaunchesBalls" "This bat knocks out a mean stun ball"
"Attrib_DmgPenaltyVsNonStunned" "%s1% damage vs non-stunned players"
"Attrib_Scattergun_HasKnockback" "Knockback on the target and shooter"
"Attrib_BulletsPerShot_Bonus" "+%s1% bullets per shot"
"Attrib_NoDoubleJump" "Disables double jump"
// Unique item names
"TF_Unique_Achievement_Medigun1" "The Kritzkrieg"
"TF_Unique_Achievement_Syringegun1" "The Blutsauger"
"TF_Unique_Achievement_Bonesaw1" "The Ubersaw"
"TF_Unique_Achievement_FireAxe1" "The Axtinguisher"
"TF_Unique_Achievement_FlareGun" "The Flare Gun"
"TF_Unique_Achievement_Flamethrower" "The Backburner"
"TF_Unique_Achievement_LunchBox" "The Sandvich"
"TF_Unique_Achievement_Minigun" "Natascha"
"TF_Unique_Achievement_Fists" "The Killing Gloves of Boxing"
"TF_Unique_Achievement_Bat" "The Sandman"
"TF_Unique_Achievement_Scattergun_Double" "The Force-A-Nature"
"TF_Unique_Achievement_EnergyDrink" "Bonk! Atomic Punch"
"TF_Wearable_Headgear" "Headgear"
"TF_Unique_Headgear_Scout" "Batter's Helmet"
"TF_Unique_Headgear_Sniper" "Tooth Belt"
"TF_Unique_Headgear_Soldier" "Soldier's Helmet"
"TF_Unique_Headgear_Demoman" "Fro"
"TF_Unique_Headgear_Medic" "Medic's Helmet"
"TF_Unique_Headgear_Pyro" "Pyro's Helmet"
"TF_Unique_Headgear_Heavy" "Football Helmet"
"TF_Unique_Headgear_Engineer" "Mining Helmet"
"TF_Unique_Headgear_Spy" "Spy's Helmet"
3. New voice responses were found about new weapons
So far they are for sniper, heavy, and scout and include 9 responses each for finding a new weapon and several responses for getting awards (heavy calls them medals), presumably all classes will get these too.
Quote:
heavy_specialweapon01 "My fists, they are made of STEEL!"
heavy_specialweapon02 "NEW WEAPON!"
heavy_specialweapon03 "I HAVE NEW WEAPON!"
heavy_specialweapon04 "All will fear my giant new gun."
heavy_specialweapon05 "I have new way to kill cowards."
heavy_specialweapon06 "New gun is unfair to tiny baby enemies."
heavy_specialweapon07 "I am heavy weapons guy and THIS is my new weapon."
heavy_specialweapon08 "New weapon is GOOD."
heavy_specialweapon09 "Yes, I like this new weapon."
Quote:
sniper_specialweapon01.wav: This is...beauty!
sniper_specialweapon02.wav: Look how beautiful this is!
sniper_specialweapon03.wav: Just glance at it!
sniper_specialweapon04.wav: Hahaha...new weapon...somebody won't be lucky!
sniper_specialweapon05.wav: I'm sure I will like it!
sniper_specialweapon06.wav: Now I have a real cool gun!
sniper_specialweapon07.wav: It seems this is a very helpful thing!
sniper_specialweapon08.wav: Hahaha...like in (maybe it's "for", for example the enemy got a headsot like...) the morning of Christmas!
sniper_specialweapon09.wav: Look at this beauty!
4. Code for Random Weapon Generation was found last year
It allows random generation of an item from level 1 to 100
Quote:
item_quality_chance_unique
item_quality_chance_rare
item_quality_chance_common
Percentage chance that a random item is unique
Percentage chance that a random item is rare
Percentage chance that a random item is common
Quote:
.rdata:1039B0F4 aItem_quality db 'item_quality',0 ; DATA XREF: sub_1024AE80+235 o
.rdata:1039B101 align 4
.rdata:1039B104 ; char aMax_ilevel[]
.rdata:1039B104 aMax_ilevel db 'max_ilevel',0 ; DATA XREF: sub_1024AE80+219 o
.rdata:1039B10F align 10h
.rdata:1039B110 ; char aMin_ilevel[]
.rdata:1039B110 aMin_ilevel db 'min_ilevel',0 ; DATA XREF: sub_1024AE80+200 o
.rdata:1039ACD0 aCh_item db 'ch_item',0 ; DATA XREF: sub_102E89B0+11 o
.rdata:1039ACD8 aGenerateARandomItem_WithNoParameterWill db 'Generate a random item. With no parameter, will generate an item '
.rdata:1039ACD8 ; DATA XREF: sub_102E89B0+7 o
.rdata:1039ACD8 db 'of random item level, between 1-100. Specify the item level as th'
.rdata:1039ACD8 db 'e first parameter if desired. If the ch_item_name convar is set t'
.rdata:1039ACD8 db 'o an item name, ch_item will only generate items with that name.',0
5. The attributes were changed recently
Quote:
Attributes (heal on hit, no crits on nonburning targets, firing rate decrease, etc.) now say whether they are positive, negative, or neutral, which attributes they are incompatible with, and whether they need a certain kind of weapon. This will insure that randomly generated weapons have both advantages and disadvantages and you don't get healing rate bonuses on a non-healing weapon. It looks like neutral characteristics could be thrown in to make random weapons more interesting.
6. From the stuff above, it appears that there will be a ton of new script generated items. So many you won't feel bad deleting them.
The highest level weapon we've seen so far is 15, but the coding can go to 100. I doubt we'll see any weapon that does 100% bonus damage because that would require a 100% ammo clip penalty to balance it out (no bullets is no fun). I suspect the numbers will not go over 50%, possibly not higher than 15.
From everything I've seen, randomly generated weapons will have at least two attributes: one positive, one negative. Rarer items may have more.
If I'm right, there will be advantages better suited for all playstyles:
Quote:
One-shotters: High damage
Two-shotters: Faster firing
Medium Range Shotgunner: More bullets per shot
Spammers: Larger clip-size
Aggressive: Higher crit-chance
Bulletmagnet: Max Health increase
Soloist: Heal on Hit
Medic Buddy: Heal on Hit Negative (hurting enemies hurts you, letting medics build uber faster)
Trapper: Chance to slow enemy on hit (would be fun on a flamethrower)
Etc.
The trick will be finding the weapons with the right advantages for you with disadvantages you can handle.
Even if you do accidentally delete your +15% damage, -15% firing rate sticky launcher, don't worry because you might acquire a +10% version which you might prefer better because maybe 15% was too slow. If I understand this right, there are so many possible weapons, you will have to delete them.
7. Presumably hats will have trade-offs as well (everything else does)
Quote:
The code named 9 hats. I assume these will give your character advantages and disadvantages not related to specific weapons... possibly changing running speed, max hitpoints, random damage, crit-chance, damage resistance, damage bonuses, weapon spread, or status effect immunity. Yes, I think helmets could possibly prevent stuns, but there would have to be a downside like you lose your crit-chance or run slower. There is always a trade-off with any Valve item.
8. Limited Backpack space will make the game more interesting
Quote:
I see the limited backpack as a way to seperate specialists from generalists: store your favorite few items for 9 classes, or a ton of items for your favorite couple classes.
People who only play one or two classes will have a much wider variety of tools with those classes, while people who collect weapons for all classes will have fewer options for each. This is a trade-off, and
Valve loves trade-offs. Want to be a specialist or remain generic? They actually said before the medic update that they wanted to allow people to make that choice: specialize or remain generic.
When you delete an item, you never get it again. This is a good thing in general. Unlike MMORPGS where you keep getting the same crap loot over and over, this system allows you to tell the game which crap you don't want and you won't get it again. If you simply don't want it right now, it looks like the Discard option may not be as permanent as Delete.
If everyone has every counter available at all times, then everyone will try to use the perfect loadout for every situation. Valve's system will get players to personalize their loadouts based on their own preferences. Valve wants us to have fun choosing weapons based on how we like to play each class.
9. How will we get the weapons?
Quote:
There are a ton of new weapons voice responses and currently voice responses happen while you are in-game and alive. Valve uses the words "earn," "acquire," and "find" in relation to the new items (no special items acquired yet, no special items found, etc). So presumably in the course of playing the game you will earn/find/acquire your new weapons. They won't be achievement based, and they are unlikely to be entirely performance based (they won't require kill streaks of 20 people because they want everyone to have fun with new toys). The weapons could potentially be random drops, earned at the end of a winning match (like getting a Powerhouse Offense achievement), earned for being in the top scorers, or earned as a result of a new leveling/award/medal system. We really have no clue yet.
10. Will these changes ruin the game?
Flamethrowers will still be flamethrowers and rockets will still be rockets. Simply the damage, firing rate, crit-chance, clip-size, etc will be less predictable (though has damage ever been really predictable?) The code does suggest each attribute might have an appropriate particle system or glow attached to indicate them from afar.
Every positive attribute helps in some way, and every negative attribute hurts. No single weapon will be the best for everyone, but there will indeed be "perfect" weapons for each player. There will be a weapon perfect for Tom and one perfect for Erik. Some weapons will give advantages in the start of an ambush, but run out quickly in a siege. Other weapons will allow heavies to fire their guns much longer, but their guns might be less accurate... Trade-offs.
Quote:
Example: Bonus Damage Weapons:
The February 2nd patch reduced random damage spread applied to all player damage from +-25% to +-10%
Giving players new level 15 guns that do +15% damage will basically return the max damage you could ever take from a weapon back up to where it used to be. That's not game-breaking especially considering the weapon will also have a disadvantage.
[/spoiler]
