This is why the Desert Eagle sucks in real life:

[RustIronCrowe]

Wow... This thread has splintered even more than some of the rounds that are being discussed here.

Nonetheless, it is always a good read to see the gaming community actively participating in a discussion that could very well determine the direction in which future game mods could turn...

...Which is why I am adding a new entry to the thread...

The whole article started on a somewhat sloppy foot with Spicy Waffles' comparison between the 9mm parabellum and the .45 ACP cartridges, which (despite his having used a "plenty of guns in Real-Life" claim) really had very little to do with the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. scenario in context, nor did it have anything at all to do with the Desert Eagle, which uses neither type of round.

In an attempt to reconcile this with the basic desire to keep within the focus of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game itself (that IS what this forum is about, right?), myself and several others have added speculations and experiences that put some valueable perspective on the entire issue of ballistics within the game environment. There is a noticeable lack of input however that describes any practical resolutions to the creation of a more realistic ballistics measure for use in-game through the modification of basic parameters located in the wpn_*.LTX files. I, for one, should like to see all of this ranting and speculation come to some practical outcome...

My question is this: Has anyone come up with some solutions to the ballistics issue (through mods, etc) that enhance the realism of the game without compromising the playability? I have been fiddling with a number of the settings by making several custom weapons and adjusting existing parameters on my most commonly used weapons to better distinguish between various small arms, both in terms of general availability and functionality, and would love to hear of others' attempts to alter the standards for in-game play. Any takers?

To kick things off, I will offer a small bit of what I have done in-game, and a lil' commentary as to its overall effect. [NOTE: Just as a bit of a rant, I will have to say that it is a right pain in the ass to tweak the game considering how touchy the whole file structure is. Grr.]

For starters, I have adjusted the scope reticles for both the susat and standard lenses to better increase the accuracy of any scope-fitted weapon. This is a direct graphical adjustment to the FOV that simply increases the resolution and hairline accuracy of the reticle display, but (IMO) it has done a world of improvement towards the use of scopes in any range <= about 100 metres. Below are four screenshots of the same scene centered on a target exactly 50 meters away. (Note: No friendly stalkers were harmed during this experiment.)

This one is at normal viewing range-

Spoiler:

This one is the same shot but using ironsights. Magnification @ 1.5x.

Spoiler:

This next is with a modified 3x scope, which I have made the standard for all scopes mounted to Kalashnikov-style rifles. The accuracy over the stock scope is noteworthy... (Reticle is patterned after modern mp8.)

Spoiler:

This last is fitted to the picatinny rail as an enhanced 4x scope. If hit placement is primary in effectively stopping an opponent, then this scope alone makes any rifle thus equipped into a seriously dangerous weapon. (Reticle patterned after modern 805 "Ytec" design.)

Spoiler:

[RustIronCrowe]

...I have made a couple of other scope reticles, such as an EU model with green range numbers and a filthy, damaged one which is nice for beginning areas (such as what Siderovitch might have on stock), but the images would better serve in a seperate thread. Currently I am trying to incorporate the 'night vision' subroutine into a scope to allow a player to be able to mount a light enhancing scope onto a rifle and gain its benefits when night-fighting without having to wear a suit with built in vision modifications.

(On a to-do list: Allowing a player to remove the scope and use it in place of normal binoculars [slot 5], while eliminating the default possession of such a fine set of 5x optics at the beginning of the game... thereby making the binoculars themselves a more valuable and hard to come by commodity)

As far as directly modifying the ballistics qualities of various weapons, I have been having somewhat mixed results. The most significant adjustment so far is to simply have re-introduced the AKM-47 rifle into the zone, and allowing it to utilize the 7.62 x 39 cartridge. This is offset by the increased weight of the weapon as a whole, the lack of any side-mounting plates for scopes, and the slightly increased cost of the 7.62 ammunition, but it becomes a wicked force in the hands of roving bandits who have adopted it as their ideal sidearm (I have replaced the standard viper with it... makes the first few bandit encounters extremely hazardous!) It seemed logical that a large assortment of black market weapons would be available to Zone-trotters, and the AKM is still (presumably) in circulation in 2012.

[Trainman]

those are some amazing scopes you got there rust. i would be more than happy to try out your mod if you decide to release it.

[RustIronCrowe]

I was hoping to be able to incorporate it into some already existing project into which it would be a further enhancement, but if it doesn't find a home soon then I will certainly package it and make it available as a scope reticle modification with a couple of additional weapons and ammunition.

[noobaby]

Okay a "dessert" eagle has its pro's and con's but has anyone considered the real advantage of the DE.

ITS HUGE!!!!!,

If you pulled one on me I would be spending the next three weeks cleaning my tighty whities.

Taking it back to the zone if you will, why doesn't the enemy ever drop weapons and run. I do it loads in the zone and it saves my ass every time (not dropping my guns, turning tail)

I want to chase a yellow bandit half way across the garbage and shoot him in the back.

There should be a cowardice factor, like in the punisher game (which I loved).

Would this mean addingwhole new scripts and coding to the game and could this even be incorporated.

[dannyboy01]

it has been done, i think for a while just about every mod out had the npc's turn tail and leg it, at the slightest thing too, like a dog farting 3 miles away.

[Nyfie]

Well they run when wounded... humans and such... Which is annoying... chasing them for what seems like for ever... just to pounce on them and knife them.
But that's jsut me.

Oh and about the 9mm bullet being deflected by a human skull. Probably has happened. All depends on the angle or if it had to penetrate anything.

My dad knows a guy who in 'Nam, was a radio operator. Was on the horn for one reason or another. And a sniper had a shot at him. The round hit the receiver, went diaganel, hit the helmit went through it, hit the guys head, went INTO the skin (but not the skull), and traveled up, from one side of his skul to te other, under the skin, and stopped just above his jaw-bone.
True story.

[Trainman]

Ouch.

[Nyfie]

Knocked him out cold form the impact and gave him a severe concussion - but he survived.

[BlitZ, The 57th]

lord have mercy..... the...th...the... hordes of sentences omg ur still at it rust???

i mean who cares about a pistol when u know a metal baseball bat is always the best combat solution :P i personally like to throw rocks

NO ONE CAN BEAT MOTHER NATURE!!! water shall rust metal and rocks shall dent steel erosion shall wear off all mechanics!!

besides if ur talkin about army stuff... thats why they have tanks and planes to stop u ppl from making this sorta topic ... aggressively irrelevant or beyond comprehension