Ammo pickup tiers

The ability to pick up magazines for any sort of weapon in the first game was, for the most part balanced (excluding for end-game weapons like the LAW and M99), but considering how many more classes and weapons will be featured in the new one would sort of make the system a little disorienting, both realistically and for economy/balance reasons. I propose Tier-based pickups, which appear on appropriate waves, for the required classes.



Group 1: Pickups achievable all around the map. Should spawn in once and not fade, Starter tier weapons should become less relevant as the game progresses anyways.

Tier I: A single mag for any class-based loadout weapon, including shotgun shells, AR mags, pistol clips, etc.

Medkit: Stimpacks for the injector and surgical equipment.

Toolkit: Torch fuses for the welder, of which the bright end burns. Might this interest the firebug, at all?



Group 2: Pickups that are spawned in occasionally by dispensaries or brought in some other way. These should be not too common, but keep on coming. Tier II would be the backdoor resort if the player develops issues managing later-game weapons.

Tier II: More advanced, includes around-the-map pickup mags. Comes with revolver and HC ammo, submachine gun and larger rifle clips make it here too.

Tier EI: Explosives one. Includes 40mm grenades and "practical" grenades (no concussion/incendiaries)

Tier FI: Flame one. Incendiary rounds and flares. Includes the incendiary grenade.

Tier HI: Basic Horzine/Sci-fi ammunitions. This means specialty medigun ammo too. To be fair, you wouldn't find this sort of treatment within stock arm packages, so in earlier waves more money would be needed to keep the medic class equipped. Includes concussion grenades.



Group 3: Should be the end-game goal of the player. Tier IV ammo should also be provided, but the player should still do most of the buying. These could be aired in via chopper drop or dropped off by vehicle, for effect.

Tier III: Now, I'm getting serious. Your BMG rounds, heavy caliber firearms, drum and beta mags. Light machinegun clips perhaps? The practical and powerful is provided in here.

Tier EII: Big booms. Rockets, pipe bombs and mines. Sure you want this stuff in a crate? Extra Practical nades.

Tier FII: Big burns. Propane canisters, napalm, and maybe gasoline for gas powered machines. Extra Incend nades.

Tier HII: High-end Tech gear. Includes the third and fourth tier of the Medigun ammo, as well as buzzsaw blades and laser do-dads. Just ammo for any later sci-fi weapons. Extra Concussion nades.



Group 4: The most rare. Like, weapon-specific magazines. You aren't really expected to be needing these, so they should spawn in very small quantities around the map in later waves.

Tier IV: The less practical but EXTREMELY powerful go here. Barret ammo, RPGs, slugs, cannonballs, whatever. Go nuts.

Weapon case: One of a variety of ranged and melee weapons might appear in here (none exceeding Tier II). Shouldn't carry more ammo than what can fit in the mag.

Rations: Wtf, a potato? What do you want me to do with this, eat it? (Happy B-Day to the ground)





Crates would be better off not despawning or glowing. If not relevant to the player, they shouldn't waste its contents. If a certain class has grabbed their share of ammo, that type of ammo should disappear within the model.

I like the idea of the support class being able to carry an ammo supply on person. It could probably level up to Tier III, but I wouldn't go any further.



I hope you enjoy this suggestion and let it fuel the imagination. Let me know what you think.