Hitting targets at range.

[Crafty]

Something that I've only really thought about recently is the effective range of most weapons (referring to guns). I always used to end up with some kind of DMR or sniper rifle by the end of the game so I decided to switch it up a bit this time and now have an M4 Carbine I got from a mod I installed (basically an assault carbine with a red dot sight). The weapons I've been using are awful at any sort of mid/long range firefights, I can't hit anything over about 300ft away, miss well over 50% of the time at the 200ft range (purely guessing the distance but still child's play for any sort of rifle) and only start to have any real effect in CQC.

I'm firing in short controlled bursts and missing everything but when I enter VATS I have a 60%+ chance to hit the head and insta-kill them. Why? Am I just really bad? I like to think not, they're definitely in my sights and I have max guns skill and trigger discipline. Is it a design feature (limited draw distance so I guess it would make sense to limit the range)? Or are there realistic factors I'm just not considering like bullet drop and wind? Or is it purely the mods I'm using and SMGs disguised as ARs and carbines?

I love this game to pieces and have no problem using VATS but I just want to be able to have a decent firefight at range, any ideas?

[R5CYA]

yeah. there's a mod that lets you change bullet spread. lemme see what it's called.
i think it's "selective fire", by pelinor http://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/40188/?

[Maxwell Sinclair]

Do you, have realistic ballistics installed? If not then you need to start leading the targets considerably with the short range weapons, Guns have a pretty terrible hitscan dealy in this game. So that can be an issue.

There are mods on the new vegas nexus which can make things... Easier? Eh... Different. By adding realistic ballistics to bullets, including wind and corealis(Spelling?) The curvature of the earth... for sniper shots etc. If you don't have one of these mods installed then bullet drop and wind do not exist.

It would sound as though you're using an SMG disguised as an AR if anything. I've learned through testing that if you can see it, you can hit it. When it comes to bullets in fallout. Try leading the targets by a bit, get a feel for the distance, I had the same problem when I first started using a modded L96A1, I kept missing until I got a feel for the travel time of the bullet. Try testing it on the water or something, see how long it takes to splash as you aim further and further out.

[Crafty]

Now that I think about it more carefully it probably is classified as an SMG, it has a ridiculously high RoF and I practically flip over backwards with the amount of recoil from full-auto fire. The only mods I'm using are ones like 'Weapons of the New Millenia' and 'Dragonskin Tactical Outfit'. I guess I'm just used to seeing heads explode from on top of a cliff after one shot.

Just out of curiosity do you know how fast projectiles from guns travel? Is it realistic or slower/faster than the real equivalent?

Edit- Thanks R5CYA, I already have select fire installed which is practically the same thing but it only works on a few guns from what I've found. I might try that mod instead although the features that both mods offer aren't really what I'm after. Thanks though. :)

[Maxwell Sinclair]

Originally posted by wowcraftify:

Now that I think about it more carefully it probably is classified as an SMG, it has a ridiculously high RoF and I practically flip over backwards with the amount of recoil from full-auto fire. The only mods I'm using are ones like 'Weapons of the New Millenia' and 'Dragonskin Tactical Outfit'. I guess I'm just used to seeing heads explode from on top of a cliff after one shot.

Just out of curiosity do you know how fast projectiles from guns travel? Is it realistic or slower/faster than the real equivalent?

Edit- Thanks R5CYA, I already have select fire installed which is practically the same thing but it only works on a few guns from what I've found. I might try that mod instead although the features that both mods offer aren't really what I'm after. Thanks though. :)

The travel time is slightly under realistic. As in, a bit slower I believe, I've not done a lot of rifle shooting irl. I was taking what were probably 5-600 ft shots with the L96, at walking targets, and I had to lead about... 1 step in front of the target. For a rough range estimate, sit on top of the hill that is just behind the devils gullet (Head towards jean sky diving until you reach a cliff edge.) I was firing from there, down at the powder gangers who walk about by the plane at jean skydiving. I did take one pot shot at the camp to the south of jean and I managed to get a hit, I didn't even count travel time since he was sitting down.

I know that with the whole hitscan deal that bullets have, you need to lead or you will miss. Although I've had some rediculous shots where I hit the air next to the target and they died. The AER-14 prototype is just... Its nuts for hitscan, you aim NEAR the target and it blows their brains into ash. Its an energy weapon though.

Is dragonskin tactical outfit from the high desert tactical shop? That shop was great, I cleaned out their entire inventory for like... 20 gold bars. I love some of the armors they offer. I'm using project nevada right now though, project nevada is brilliant. What with the helmet visors and the cybernetic implants and such. If you want a really BA set of armor, I can suggest one.

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=251653690

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=251653678

It is listed as... Kerebos Panzer Armor on the nexus. You get a DT of about... 81, it gives a bunch of skill and special boosts, but does have a charisma downside. Its a little unbalanced I guess but its pretty epic looking. Oh and it all counts as light armor, so if you have perks revolving around light armor well... It gives you them too.

[Crafty]

DTO puts bits of tactical gear (combat helmets/armor, balaclavas, tactical goggles and gas masks) into merchant's inventories and are sold in various camos with a few different variants. I don't know if it adds a shop or not. Because I like the look I always look like a 21st century special forces soldier in full assault gear by end game.

Basically all the mods I install add apparel/weapons used by modern miitaries. I just installed 'Precision Ballistics and Munitions' off of the nexus and will try that later. Forgive my stupidity but what is 'hitscan'?

E- Oh my goodness... I just googled "High Desert Tactical Gear", needless to say that it's already downloading. As for the panzer armor, I might give that one a miss. It looks cool but 81 DT is just a bit too OTT.

[R5CYA]

the mod i linked to has a spread modifire. set that at 0 and single fire or burst mode and people will be dropping like flies. do you have realistic headshots as well? i always hated shooting a guy in the head only to have him be able to run away afterwards.

[Crafty]

Thanks for the suggestion, realistic headshots sounds good too. I'll try that mod if this "realistic ballistics" fails to impress.

[Maxwell Sinclair]

Originally posted by wowcraftify:

Thanks for the suggestion, realistic headshots sounds good too. I'll try that mod if this "realistic ballistics" fails to impress.

HDTG is a great mod, in the shot of the panzer armor from behind you can see Arcade ganon wearing some of the gear.

They're a shop close to the gun runners. Oh and they sell some stuff such as... A reskin of the chinese stealth suit (Snakeskin pattern), the helmet for it is a seperate item and has a small visor instead of that god aweful bubble, It gives the stealth field when crouching. They also have camo'd up enclave suits, all sorts of tacitcal armor, vests, jackets, berets etc. Its an epic mod, I personally like the ADUC T-45D power armor. its basically a factionless set of T-45 with a cool urban camo to match.

[White Knight]

I just use vanilla and usually have a PER score of about 8. If you can see it, you can kill it. It is difficult to score a hit against super-mutants at extreme ranges but I think that has to do with their natural armour rating. Armour-piercing rounds overcome that. Explosive ones are more fun though:)

I'm sure sniper mods are fun but they aren't necessary to overcome some short-comings of the game. It's not as though you can't make shots at extreme ranges in vanilla is my point.

[Crafty]

Yeah, I'm yet to try out the plethora of mods I've installed thanks to this discussion but I hope they will improve my game nonetheless. I think the issue I had boiled down to using an SMG disguised as a carbine at distances pistol rounds become annoying lead pebbles gently tapping my enemies rather than lethal projectiles. I'll probably just start carrying more AP rounds with me and attach a scope if I can find one.

[Maxwell Sinclair]

Originally posted by wowcraftify:

Yeah, I'm yet to try out the plethora of mods I've installed thanks to this discussion but I hope they will improve my game nonetheless. I think the issue I had boiled down to using an SMG disguised as a carbine at distances pistol rounds become annoying lead pebbles gently tapping my enemies rather than lethal projectiles. I'll probably just start carrying more AP rounds with me and attach a scope if I can find one.

Install the kriss vector mod. It comes in 3 camo patterns, has 2 versions. One with a high powered scope, one with a holo sight. (You have to pick one of the files) Runs on .44 magnum rounds. Its really strong.

It is a high polygon weapon though, so it can mess up your framerate if your system sucks.

http://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/54829/?

[Crafty]

Thanks! My system can handle it, there's no problem there.

[Maxwell Sinclair]

Originally posted by wowcraftify:

Thanks! My system can handle it, there's no problem there.

No problem, its a very nice gun

[R5CYA]

Originally posted by wowcraftify:

Thanks! My system can handle it, there's no problem there.

don't be too sure. it depends on what else is going on on the battlefield. we are limited to 4gb of ram and that's if you installed the 4gb mod.

[Maxwell Sinclair]

Originally posted by R5CYA:

Originally posted by wowcraftify:

Thanks! My system can handle it, there's no problem there.

don't be too sure. it depends on what else is going on on the battlefield. we are limited to 4gb of ram and that's if you installed the 4gb mod.

I don't even use that o-o

I've had a lot going on within the battlefields. More specifically I'm running into battle in first person (Non vanilla visor view due to project nevada) In the T-57c Airforce Power Armor (Also not vanilla) carrying a lightsaber (Also not vanilla) The fact that I have a lot of modded items and such taking place, while still charging head long into battle with Nephi and his crew, and other encounters of that size... My system runs fine without the 4gb launcher.

Just got me Salt Upon Wounds helmet, put it on to check the visor view out...

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=256771291

A picture is worth a thousand words.