Idea for a new Firebug weapon

[Double_Deagle]

Ok, almost everyone can agree that the firebug needs a little more lovin', especially now that it's the only class that has only one weapon. However, the obvious problem is that it's hard to think of a weapon that is fire based and would fit in nicely with feel of the game and the perk.

Well, how about an M79 grenade launcher? I know there's going to be instant backlash just for saying that, but hear me out. For those not in the know, the M79 grenade launcher is a single-shot, shoulder-fired, break-action grenade launcher which fires a 40x46mm grenade. (Visual reference: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/M79_afmil.jpg)

Now, like I said, most people would still be against it because they see it as an explosive weapon. Well, why? Those types of grenade shots have several variations, the Firebug could shoot incendiary rounds. Basically, think of them just like normal grenades, they explode like normal for everyone else, but when you're a firebug they light specimens on fire.

As for the general stats, I would say put it in the pistol slot, and make it weigh 4kg. In real life, it weighs less than a pair of desert eagles, so you can't complain about that. I'm thinking maybe 10 rounds, but each shot only does half the damage of a normal hand grenade. The advantages of it compared to normal grenades would be far better range, accuracy, and impact explosions, along with a greater ammo count, and the disadvantages would be taking up weight better spent on other weapons or runspeed, and lower damage.

Also, as a weapon meant for the firebug, it should become incendiary at level 1 instead of level 3 like normal grenades, and I think the damage, ammo, and reload boosts, should apply, but the damage should only apply to the fire, not the explosive damage.

And if you want an example of how it could be useful in a specific situation, how about this? You see a fleshpound closing in, but it's surrounded by tons of other specimens. You shoot the FP, lighting him and the surrounding group on fire, damaging him but over enough time to not rage him, and clearing out the surrounding meat wall so your team has a clear shot at the now weakened FP.

Edit: Oh, I forgot to mention, there's already textures for this weapon in the game, they're just not used, evidence is in this thread: http://forums.tripwireinteractive.com/showthread.php?t=34353&highlight=guise

Also, if copyrights become an issue like with the Deagles, I suggest using the name Thumper, instead of just Grenade Launcher because it's a real nickname for it and it amuses me to no end xP

Thoughts?

 

[Skunkee]

I think there are enough topics about firebug weapons. Try bumping them instead of making more:

http://forums.tripwireinteractive.com/showthread.php?t=36029&highlight=firebug

http://forums.tripwireinteractive.com/showthread.php?t=34790&highlight=firebug

http://forums.tripwireinteractive.com/showthread.php?t=35373&highlight=firebug

http://forums.tripwireinteractive.com/showthread.php?t=35013&highlight=firebug

Plenty of good suggestions in those topics, and I'm pretty sure the M79 has been mentioned in several. Especially since people posted the skins.

 

[SgtStress]

How is this any different in end result from the flame grenades we already get ?

Yes one is thrown one is propelled, but the result is IDENTICAL. Burning specimens.

Your scenario - FP with specimens around it. We can do this now, throw a grenade, burn burn specimens. This idea offers nothing different to what we already have. It amounts to nothing more than extra flame grenades..

Why do people insist on coming up with flaming grenade type weapons for a "new" firebug weapon - WE ALREADY HAVE FLAME GRENADES.

 

[shaqism]

They don't even need a new weapon, firebug already mutilates everything :O

 

[Double_Deagle]

How is this any different in end result from the flame grenades we already get ?

Yes one is thrown one is propelled, but the result is IDENTICAL. Burning specimens.

Your scenario - FP with specimens around it. We can do this now, throw a grenade, burn burn specimens. This idea offers nothing different to what we already have. It amounts to nothing more than extra flame grenades..

Why do people insist on coming up with flaming grenade type weapons for a "new" firebug weapon - WE ALREADY HAVE FLAME GRENADES.

Mostly the difference is the effective range distance. There's only so far you can throw a grenade accurately. Also, it's a weapon that could be used by other classes if they wanted to mess around, notably the medic to give him a bit of crowd control.

 

[Nanostrike]

They don't even need a new weapon, firebug already mutilates everything :O

So why not give them more ways to do so? And I keep telling you, on Hard and up, they do NOT mutilate everything... In fact they are 110% useless against Skrakes, period, and due to the weight of their flamethrower, even have trouble getting away from them without whipping out the knife and going 'coward mode'.

 

[MotionLotion]

how about being able to use the welder as a close range weapon?

 

[shaqism]

So why not give them more ways to do so? And I keep telling you, on Hard and up, they do NOT mutilate everything... In fact they are 110% useless against Skrakes, period, and due to the weight of their flamethrower, even have trouble getting away from them without whipping out the knife and going 'coward mode'.

Scrakes are an absolute joke, heres a tip since you dont know. Hit them with a katana power swing and they stand there. Secondly I have 7.8m firebug damage, I know for a fact they do mutilate everything

 

[Sammers]

Damn, I hate the Firebug situation. I badly want them to have another weapon, so that they can feel they have a choice in how to make people burst into flames, just like other perks get somewhat of a choice in tactics. But I can't help but acknowledge (and hate) the fact that it will no doubt be very very useless to add anything else for it. Unless of course a very good suggestion appears and I know my fingers are crossed for one.

I've already suggested Gas Canister, but it's just a fire grenade that puts you at greater risk, I've suggested incendiary ammo, but that might be very difficult to pull off. I dunno......some kind of Chemical thrower a la Bioshock? Technically, those chemicals still burn people and it would make other players views a hell of a lot clearer during combat.

 

[shaqism]

The flamethrower is my love child and I wont abandon it :O

 

[dextronaut]

Damn, I hate the Firebug situation. I badly want them to have another weapon, so that they can feel they have a choice in how to make people burst into flames, just like other perks get somewhat of a choice in tactics. But I can't help but acknowledge (and hate) the fact that it will no doubt be very very useless to add anything else for it. Unless of course a very good suggestion appears and I know my fingers are crossed for one.

i was thinking, what about a weapon that has nothing to do with fire but has benefits for both medic and firebug class? i was thinking a C96. every class can use it of course, but only the medic and firebug get added damage with it and some other special thing like incendiary rounds etc:

 

[shaqism]

Maby give the law a bonus for firebug, and majorly buff it

 

[Double_Deagle]

Maby give the law a bonus for firebug, and majorly buff it

I doubt that would be a good idea, as a firebug carrying a law wouldn't be able to carry the flamethrower, the backbone of the firebug.

So, what's up with this thread? Seriously, out of over 10 replies, only one had anything to do with the actual suggestion rather than firebugs in general. No one is talking about the actual topic posted, and that's a bad thing.

Discussion is the mother of new ideas. If you like the idea, talk about why you like it, so we can see what makes it a good idea, and if you don't like it, talk about why you don't like it, so we can see what could be improved, or what not to do for another idea. Discussion is only a good thing if it's new, whereas most of the people in this thread are repeating what they have many times in other threads, so how about talking about the extremely detailed post I made? Thanks in advance.

 

[dextronaut]

So, what's up with this thread? Seriously, out of over 10 replies, only one had anything to do with the actual suggestion rather than firebugs in general. No one is talking about the actual topic posted, and that's a bad thing.

Discussion is the mother of new ideas. If you like the idea, talk about why you like it, so we can see what makes it a good idea, and if you don't like it, talk about why you don't like it, so we can see what could be improved, or what not to do for another idea. Discussion is only a good thing if it's new, whereas most of the people in this thread are repeating what they have many times in other threads, so how about talking about the extremely detailed post I made? Thanks in advance.

flamethrower, molotovs, thats about it as far as fire based weaponry goes. the fire nades you get at lvl 3 are pretty much molotovs. and we already talked about the M79 being kinda useless when you have a flamethrower and firenades you can already use. my idea is, a weapon that has nothing to do with fire, but benefits only firebug. think outside the box.

 

[Double_Deagle]

flamethrower, molotovs, thats about it as far as fire based weaponry goes. the fire nades you get at lvl 3 are pretty much molotovs. and we already talked about the M79 being kinda useless when you have a flamethrower and firenades you can already use. my idea is, a weapon that has nothing to do with fire, but benefits only firebug. think outside the box.

I still feel that the m79 is substantially different from fire grenades due to the range. The real effective range of the weapon is 350 yards, and there is not one map (that I know of) that has a clean sightline for more than that. Most likely, it would be programmed to simply fly in a straight line with a slower speed than a bullet. Like the law, just a bit faster. That would make it the only weapon in the firebug aresenal to not have a maximum range, whereas hand grenades are at best medium range. However, to be fair, the same lack of sightlines only makes that ability useful in certain situations, like farm, west london, and certain hallways of biotics lab. Nonetheless, just common enough to be useful.

To be fair though, I would actually far prefer incendiary rounds for a gun to light enemies on fire, it's just so far from the realm of reality. There aren't any bullets designed to be fired from a normal gun that light enemies on fire.

Actually, I just got an idea. What about a paintball gun? I know, retarded, but what if instead of paint, the balls were filled with napalm? Shooting a target doesn't cause any damage, but if a specimen is hit with a napalmball and then hit with any other bullet the specimen will then burst into flames. It could have a minimum range, and everyone could use it, but the firebug would get all his normal flamethrower boosts (reload/ammo/range). So he could spray at an approaching mob that's out of range of the flamethrower, and a commando could just spray a line of bullets across the mob, effectively lighting them all on fire at a distance. COMBO!

Anyway, it's kinda goofy, and I'm not sure it would work, but it'd be an interesting idea, and it's certainly thinking outside the box.

 

[Exterminatus]

How about if the firebug with the M79, instead of firing HE grenades, fired white phosphorous grenades that does little damage upfront but does a lot of damage over time? It fills an area for 5-10 seconds, and if an enemy stays there or has to travel through a hallway, damage is gradually ramped up. If fired directly upon an enemy, it "burns" them (white phosphorous burns when in direct contact with skin) and only ends when they die (or in the Patriarch's case when he heals himself).

It costs 100 Pounds for an HE grenade, 150-200 for a firebug.

 

[BEEEEEES]

New Firebug Weapon

New Firebug Weapon

 

[Double_Deagle]

How about if the firebug with the M79, instead of firing HE grenades, fired white phosphorous grenades that does little damage upfront but does a lot of damage over time? It fills an area for 5-10 seconds, and if an enemy stays there or has to travel through a hallway, damage is gradually ramped up. If fired directly upon an enemy, it "burns" them (white phosphorous burns when in direct contact with skin) and only ends when they die (or in the Patriarch's case when he heals himself).

It costs 100 Pounds for an HE grenade, 150-200 for a firebug.

I actually think that's a much better idea than what I made

It would actually be enough removed from the fire grenades to make people quit complaining about it.

 

[jesters puppet]

ok firebug is already nerfed to the 9's but choice is a luxory i do so much enjoy ^^
-molotovs are a must have
-being able to drop gas canisters for the flamethrower so they can be shot and blown up (please see dawn of dead 2004 for epic use of gas canisters as a weapon )
- a secondary fire for the flamethrower which extinguishes the pilot light and spews petroleum jelly (fuel) out of the end of the flame thrower without it igniteing, these pools of fuel could then be set fire to to make for some elaborate defense mechanisms hehehehe (surround shack with fuel with a trail leading indoors, as a last ditch ignite fuel, watch all specemins around house burn XD)
- flaming arrows/incedury ammo would be a complete nerf and would encrouch on sharpshooter territory, but maybe a firebug could ignite a sharpshooters arrows in flight and whilst in the bow, this would make for good teamwork. then again it would be only on an arrow per arrow basis as igniting whole arrow stock would be nerf, also this would be HELL on a freindly fire server XD

these are my suggestions i think the second and third would be EPIC, suggestion one would of course replace grenades for firebug, and 3 would be ok, but in general the firebug is already very powerful and althought these ideas are awesome it would nerf the firebug. although if the flame damage was reduced and these ideas added it might balance out............maybe XD

 

[Acemaster]

I still feel that the m79 is substantially different from fire grenades due to the range. The real effective range of the weapon is 350 yards, and there is not one map (that I know of) that has a clean sightline for more than that. Most likely, it would be programmed to simply fly in a straight line with a slower speed than a bullet. Like the law, just a bit faster. That would make it the only weapon in the firebug aresenal to not have a maximum range, whereas hand grenades are at best medium range. However, to be fair, the same lack of sightlines only makes that ability useful in certain situations, like farm, west london, and certain hallways of biotics lab. Nonetheless, just common enough to be useful.

To be fair though, I would actually far prefer incendiary rounds for a gun to light enemies on fire, it's just so far from the realm of reality. There aren't any bullets designed to be fired from a normal gun that light enemies on fire.

Actually, I just got an idea. What about a paintball gun? I know, retarded, but what if instead of paint, the balls were filled with napalm? Shooting a target doesn't cause any damage, but if a specimen is hit with a napalmball and then hit with any other bullet the specimen will then burst into flames. It could have a minimum range, and everyone could use it, but the firebug would get all his normal flamethrower boosts (reload/ammo/range). So he could spray at an approaching mob that's out of range of the flamethrower, and a commando could just spray a line of bullets across the mob, effectively lighting them all on fire at a distance. COMBO!

Anyway, it's kinda goofy, and I'm not sure it would work, but it'd be an interesting idea, and it's certainly thinking outside the box.

Flawless victory?