milspec sux

[kestrel]

i want to talk about this season's new battle pass exclusive framework, "milspec", because imo it's both incredibly ugly and uninspired
this is the worst seasonal framework/skin combo we've gotten so far and a lot of the problems with milspec don't just come down to taste; they are objective flaws in its design and how it's implemented on various weapons

i'll rattle off my personal opinions on the skin to start with. i just think it's incredibly lazy. we already have 3 military themed skins in the form of bootcamp, warmonger and predator. did we really need a 4th? i would even argue skins like megacorp, tools of destruction and even glyphid trophy hunter fall under the same umbrella. it just feels unoriginal that the seasonal skin, which is supposed to be a premier offering on the battlepass, uses the exact same theme we've used many times before

it isn't even a good military skin either. the texture and models for the skin look less like military tools of war and more like cheap fisher-price toys. the models are comprised of basic geometric shapes that look too simple to even function. there's nothing unique or interesting about the framework. add to that the milspec colour scheme is very bland - it has hardly no texture and even if it did it's just green and black, very dull - and it makes milspec's entire design feel like an afterthought.

rather than adding a unique twist to each gun whilst respecting its design origins, it feels more like trying to force each gun to adapt to its theme, gutting each weapon of its personality and aesthetic to make it match the forced, tired "military" theme. other frameworks simply don't do this. even with the more transformative ones like waster, rival tech, megacorp and builder's choice, you can tell what the original design was supposed to be. you can see how the weapon was adapted

next, i'd like to share some screenshots of the skin in action to detail elements which i think are flawed design.

(i captured a bunch of screenshots to prove my point but i didnt want to spam my friend activity with them so they're on imgur and they won't embed. just deal with it)

exhibit A: the gun strips design off of stock skins
https://i.imgur.com/yQMgPYl.jpg
the GRS has a large mounted brace on the side which is designed to support the carrying handle. it looks very sturdy and that makes sense, the GRS is no doubt extremely heavy

https://i.imgur.com/Z8qncJN.jpg
with the milspec version the brace is removed and now there's just the handle on its own. it looks flimsy, like it could just snap off at any moment. that's a major flaw for a gunner weapon design, you really don't want guns as powerful as his falling apart

https://i.imgur.com/Bfmqiki.jpg
the stock minigun has the ammo drum clearly visible on the underside at the back, as well as an intricate network of pipes and alloys to make up the gun's build. it looks like an intricately designed weapon made by an expert who wanted to balance performance and cooling.

https://i.imgur.com/SsYnUGS.jpg
the milspec version completely ruins all of that detail. ammo drum gone, spin-up motor gone, instead you just have a single flat plate and rough, angular edges. it looks like some crap out of roblox or something

https://i.imgur.com/8HpmUPY.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/CmF80La.jpg
these two images are the autocannon's stock and milspec designs respectively. notice how the autocannon's magazine doesn't change at all between the skins?
this isn't a problem specific to milspec but it's especially jarring with this framework given how strikingly angular and basic milspec already is. parts of weapons that are used in animations (such as reloading) are typically left unchanged so that they don't cause issues in said animations such as your dwarf's hands clipping into the model. this makes sense - GSG likely doesn't have the resources to re-animate each loading model for each framework and that's fine. but the problem there is that when you have a framework like milspec which changes the appearance of the gun so significantly (for the worse), it makes the parts which haven't changed stick out like a sore thumb

https://i.imgur.com/0LJ7gJ3.jpg
the EPC's design clearly suggests it's a prototype due to all the exposed wiring and delicate mechanical parts. it's in the name: experimental plasma charger. it's a straightforward but effective design

https://i.imgur.com/niD4xBD.jpg
now what the hell is this? why does it have a floating barrel like you'd find on a gun that fires bullets, not plasma? why are the two generators on the bottom obscured by metal bits? the giant chunky connector on the bottom and the cube-like design make this look like a beta model or something

https://i.imgur.com/yL7pQxf.jpg
just by looking at the LOK-1 you can tell it's a frankenstein's monster of a gun, crudely cobbled together from existing parts. the colour scheme is excellent and it lives up to its "home-made" feel, with the gun's own blurb describing it as an "abomination". the LOK-1 is probably my favourite looking gun in DRG, i rarely even bother giving it a custom framework

https://i.imgur.com/xr64YsV.jpg
the poor LOK-1 definitely got it worst. this design is straight up awful. all of that convoluted, yet considerate design is completely trashed and milspec's gaudy, flat panels are just slapped on top with no consideration for the stock framework's design. it looks like it came out of a mould. this looks terrible in every way

exhibit B: several milspec designs copy the megacorp framework
milspec looks hauntingly similar to many megacorp designs - a paid DLC, might i add - and not in a good way. ideas and parts are just used verbatim

https://i.imgur.com/GG9dKKw.jpg
here's GK2 megacorp, one of my personal favourites. you can see the gun has been rounded down compared to its stock iteration, but not in a way that disrespects the original's detailing. it still looks like a weapon that could conceivably exist. the giant bump stock and front-heavy design add to the cold, mass-produced feeling that you would expect from... well, a megacorp.

https://i.imgur.com/nT8LaD9.jpg
remember that old meme "we have X at home"? that's how i feel about milspec. if it's not just making guns look bland and soulless, it's just patently copying megacorp designs. the lack of detailing and the comically large charging handle make this look like a NERF gun or something, it's ridiculous

https://i.imgur.com/vCha58M.jpg
megacorp warthog has a similarly enlarged stock - in fact it's the only skin where the stock forms a complete loop back to the gun. it looks heavy and dependable, like you could drop it down a cliffside and it'd still be good to go afterwards.

https://i.imgur.com/w3NrT1v.jpg
milspec warthog not only copies the full stock design but once again guts the original's design of any details or intricacies, leaving only solid plates of metal. and like the autocannon, the several parts of the gun which don't conform to the milspec framework just look awkward and out of place

https://i.imgur.com/X9oYJEz.jpg
megacorp shard gives the 3 torches around the ommoran chunk a more square feeling to them. i personally don't like it, but it does at least fit the megacorp theme

https://i.imgur.com/pbJYoHr.jpg
and here, you can see that they've been essentially copied from the megacorp framework onto the milspec framework. it's not even something you have to try to see, it's so obvious and frankly feels lazy
this is ignoring the giant chunky plating at the back, which just seems like it makes the weapon more awkward to handle. the attempt to implement the "floating barrel" motif onto the shard's lens also looks really ugly


a lot of the game's cosmetics aren't personally for me, but at the same time i can still see why someone would appreciate and use them. or at the very least, i can appreciate the effort that must've been put in to add a richly detailed framework for every single gun. i cannot say the same for milspec.
i ordinarily wouldn't complain about this type of stuff because i am just so beyond caring about weapon skins in video games but it's extra disappointing seeing that we got such a lame new framework in what is already the weakest update to the game in a long time, especially since the switch to a seasonal motif

[St0rmFury]

Lots of people seem to think that military grade / spec means superior quality or top of the line (I mean, you wouldn't send soldiers to the battlefield with subpar equipment, right?) when in reality it just means it's made by the lowest or second lowest bidder.

[Knuckle Sandwich]

holy wall of text

[kestrel]

Messaggio originale di SCamp:

It's called MILspec or Military Specification, short for "here's our ♥♥♥♥♥♥ version of the original that cut down on the costs and functionality, but at least it's not something disgusting that has wood furniture on it"

Messaggio originale di St0rmFury:

Lots of people seem to think that military grade / spec means superior quality or top of the line (I mean, you wouldn't send soldiers to the battlefield with subpar equipment, right?) when in reality it just means it's made by the lowest or second lowest bidder.

i understand "military specification" doesn't necessarily denote quality but rather mass produced firearms designed for armies of troops who may or may not make it back
doesn't excuse the skin from being so ugly though

Messaggio originale di Psycho:

I also took the time to read it and also disagree. A lot of the DRG equipment seems kitbashed and almost WH 40K-ish. While that's no doubt due to in-field 'tweaks' by frustrated dwarves I appreciate finally getting my mitts on some refined and well-engineered equipment; ones that won't actually tear your arm off accidentally in exposed gears. Maybe engineer actually spent a shift cleaning up some gear rather than lying face-down drunk under the table?

A very well reasoned and evidenced argument, however every argument can be counter-argued that improved design, better material use, and an attention to OSHA has internalised components, miniaturised clunky 'strap on' gadgets or made them outright redundant. That 'flimsy' handle appears to stress test to 300% of field dynamic loading so it appears safe unless you're using it wrong: like jamming open a closing blast door or something. Management signed off on it so I guess it meets company safety standards (as low as they are).

is it not better that way though?
the dwarves aren't soldiers or military men, they're a bunch of fat alcoholics who just want to shoot bugs, get paid and get wasted. giving them soulless military larp guns just seems antithetical to their personalities

[Mcceag]

Damn that's a lot of words. Too bad I ain't reading them.
If ya don't like it don't use it. It's a free battle pass and there will be more ways to make yourself look fabulous in the future.

[Vault Traveler]

OP: *writes an essay about how its not just because of personal taste*

Some people: lol

OP: Durr stupid people

Some People: Actual arguments

OP: LALALALALALALALA UGLY

[Vault Traveler]

So I am straight with you here kestrel, you just want that sweet gotcha moment where you can point at GSG and screaming from the mountains: "See that you morons I WAS RIGHT ALL ALONG!".

Your motif is so laughable obvious and a huge step down from your arguments you had years ago.

As I said several months ago you turned from a interesting, well thought out critic to a whiner and looking just for points to connect to bolster your conspiracy about GSG is just lazy now and milking the franchise.

Big thumbs down, again.

[NeloDante]

I like dwarves.

[kestrel]

Messaggio originale di Vault Traveler:

OP: *writes an essay about how its not just because of personal taste*

Some people: lol

OP: Durr stupid people

Some People: Actual arguments

OP: LALALALALALALALA UGLY

So I am straight with you here kestrel, you just want that sweet gotcha moment where you can point at GSG and screaming from the mountains: "See that you morons I WAS RIGHT ALL ALONG!".

Your motif is so laughable obvious and a huge step down from your arguments you had years ago.

As I said several months ago you turned from a interesting, well thought out critic to a whiner and looking just for points to connect to bolster your conspiracy about GSG is just lazy now and milking the franchise.

Big thumbs down, again.

you seem kinda mad bro maybe you should press V to rock and stone

[Vault Traveler]

Messaggio originale di kestrel:

Messaggio originale di Vault Traveler:

OP: *writes an essay about how its not just because of personal taste*

Some people: lol

OP: Durr stupid people

Some People: Actual arguments

OP: LALALALALALALALA UGLY

So I am straight with you here kestrel, you just want that sweet gotcha moment where you can point at GSG and screaming from the mountains: "See that you morons I WAS RIGHT ALL ALONG!".

Your motif is so laughable obvious and a huge step down from your arguments you had years ago.

As I said several months ago you turned from a interesting, well thought out critic to a whiner and looking just for points to connect to bolster your conspiracy about GSG is just lazy now and milking the franchise.

Big thumbs down, again.

you seem kinda mad bro maybe you should press V to rock and stone

Yeah nice try, do you think I am so stupid and dont see how you pick up on certain changes that swings in your mind so you can gather opinions against the current development?

Yeah swipe it away with your smuck one liners but the last several threads show a clear picture what you are aiming for.

Literally throwing stuff on the wall to see what sticks.

[kestrel]

Messaggio originale di Vault Traveler:

Yeah nice try, do you think I am so stupid and dont see how you pick up on certain changes that swings in your mind so you can gather opinions against the current development?

Yeah swipe it away with your smuck one liners but the last several threads show a clear picture what you are aiming for.

Literally throwing stuff on the wall to see what sticks.

i mean if you really think i'm that shallow you always have the option of simply not engaging with me. i don't have some conspiracy to destroy GSG or anything like that... dunno how you've come up with that. im just one guy

not sure what's prompted such an inflammatory response though given that this is over such an innocuous topic. i pointed out a couple people are reacting like crybabies, so what? that happens in every thread. i knew when writing the OP i was going to get responses like that, doesn't mean i can't make fun of them
you can quite plainly see i'm willing to engage with people who actually have valid counter arguments based on replies i have made to these people. im just separating the wheat from the chaff. im not going to waste time responding to someone who clearly has no interest in discussion and is just posting some dumb drive-by valueless post

[Qua2ar]

Opinons are opinions, but some are worth more than others. OP do have any artistic backround? This goes for anywone arguing against him too, the opinion of a nobody is not worth as much as the opinion of a renowned artist when it comes to critiquing art.

[kestrel]

Messaggio originale di Qua2ar:

Opinons are opinions, but some are worth more than others. OP do have any artistic backround? This goes for anywone arguing against him too, the opinion of a nobody is not worth as much as the opinion of a renowned artist when it comes to critiquing art.

i reject this idea that you need to have a background in the object or media you are criticising for your opinion to be considered valid

you don't need to own a michelin star restaurant to be a judge of food and you don't need to be a platinum seller artist to find merzbow uncomfortable to listen to

[Necrius]

Milspec freeze cannon's indicators don't show anything, they're pure props.

[Chibbity]

Messaggio originale di Necrius:

Milspec freeze cannon's indicators don't show anything, they're pure props.

Uhh..you sure? That's listed as fixed.

- Fixed the heat/ammo counter on the Cryo Cannon Milspec framework

[Aimee]

I disagree with most of your post, what a surprise there :P
But i would like to start off with a Thank You, for taking the time and writing this indept ''review'' of the weapon frameworks. I dont have all of them unlocked yet, and have yet to themebuild with them. So the time you spend on uploading all those pictures and sharing them here is realy nice.

Now what do i agree with...?
The paintjobs (another green one) is crap, just realy crap.
The EPC looks crap, it does not look like it shoots plasma, but instead looks like a normal barrel that shoots bullets or slugs. Not realy on theme that one.

Overall the weapon frameworks are realy nice, because they have a lot of surface area. That means the paintjobs you put on them are actualy visable even ingame, and i realy like that with frameworks. While still being distinct enough to allow themebuilding. It reminds me of the Starship Troopers and X-COM weapons a lot. Unlike the Megacorp designs that look a bit too modern and advanced for certain themebuilds, Megacorp reminds me of Umbrella from Resident Evil for some reason.
One general thing i also realy like, is the vents in the weapon designs that make it look like they can release heat. A lot of weapons in DRG look like they should produce a lot of heat. But most frameworks dont even take that into account. You can just shoot the Hurricane rocketlauncher endlessly without any steam or cooling mechanics in place.

What i realy like is that some weapons got ''cleaned up'' with these frameworks, just like Megacorp does. In specific the Minigun with concealed barrels looks good since you normaly want to protect a weapons moving parts.
The Thunderhead is always one of the stock frameworks i hated a lot. Exposed springs and pistons like its a weapon that is not being used in dirty and hostile enviorments. The Milspec version is a lot cleaned up with internal moving mechanics, and you can actualy properly hold this weapon if it existed irl, unlike the weird shape of the base thunderhead.

I think the Deepcore MK1 could have used a bit more flair, but the first thing i think about is a bajonet under the barrel. And that would be weird since there is no melee attacks on guns. So i would not know what i would improve on the framework then.

The Lok1 is by far my favorite design from the new frameworks. The base one looks like its tapped together and can fall apart at any moment, even though its suppose to be one of the most advanced weapons in the game. Locking on targets and shooting moving ammunition thats as small as a bullet. The Milspec version atleast looks weapon grade, with the cables and mechanics inside and no more tape on the handle.

The Shard Difractor is another one i realy like the new framework off. The base one has too much exposed mechanics, even though its supposed to shoot out lasers something that gets realy hot. The Megacorp one is cleaned up but does not show any sign of cooling. Another thing i dont like about the Megacorp one is that it turns the barrel into a square ish end, even though it shoots a round laser.
Unlike the Milspec version that looks a lot more sturdy and might actualy be able to handle the heat from shooting lasers, and does have vents that allow it to cool its vital parts.

All in all i think there are some solid frameworks designs among the Milspec weapon designs.