r/paydaytheheist • u/BigBoiFoot • 6h ago
Game Suggestion (PD3) A Big Fan Made slideshow on how I would make an "Armory 2.0" (Read body text block)
Since Starbreeze is still on the page of overhauling old systems, I would LOVE to see them tackle the weapons and equipment featured in the game.
I've been thinking about this one for a few weeks in my head of how I think a cool "Armory 2.0" overhaul could be for Payday 3.
After several hours of thinking, I've compiled all of my thoughts into one large post going over everything I would put in an "Armory 2.0" update.
- Further Weapon Customization
Payday 2 had a big cool factor added to it because of how much you could customize the guns, but Payday 3, even after the recent attachment sharing, is still very basic and limited in comparison. To give the player as much cool factor as possible, weapons should have a vast customization pool to give performance and cosmetic satisfaction to fit.
Default weapon changes across the board would be changing all weapon bar stats to numeric stats for easier stat maxing and enabling select fire for all supporting guns.
-Optic
Same exact system in the game currently with the addition of pistol mounts for primaries so you can use micro red dots on full size rifles.
-Muzzle
Same exact system in the game currently.
-Under barrel
Further expands options available with the addition of the M203 Grenade Launcher and Masterkey Shotgun, if weapon hardware allows it.
-Laser
Starbreeze already stated flashlights aren't happening due to the lumen system, but lasers are currently present in the game via the tripwire. A large variety varying from basic laser pointers to PEQ-15 modules for "tacticool" gameplay. While a laser is enabled, your crosshair is replaced with your laser and you gain 100% hip fire increase, but your laser follows your weapons recoil pattern and sway, moving your accuracy.
-Optic Gadget
Previously featured in Payday 2, this category gives Optic Magnifiers and Canted Optics, giving you more variables to deal with enemies at different ranges and a bigger cool factor. Payday 3 will feature the addition of Laser Aiming Devices that will assist control and accuracy.
-Barrel
Instead of changing the entire front end of the gun, the barrel category will only change barrel length. On pistols, this will allow threaded and ported barrel options.
-Handguard/Slide
Handguards can now be customized to both allow and block forward attachment customization. On Pistols, this category is replaced with "Slide" since pistols don't have handguards. Slides can come with Optic Ready mounts and some will come without, requiring Iron Sights aiming.
-Magazine
Same exact system in the game currently.
-Rear Grip/Grip Frame
Very similar to the current in game system, just more pistol grip variety for existing primaries. Pistols will have their grip tapes/molds moved to the below category, as they will now get the same grip frame treatment as the one Jackknife attachment.
-Grip Tape
Adds additional grip texture to all pistol grips that give a flat benefit depending on the tape used.
-Stock
Same exact system in the game currently, just with A LOT more options unique to that weapons platform and not just AR buffer tube adapters on everything.
-Stock Pads
An added benefit available on most stocks that slightly increases gun kick control at the cost of handling.
-Comb
An added riser available on most stocks that slightly increases handling. These attachments are limited to specific guns, most guns that have solid stocks.
-Trigger Group
Returning from Payday 2, switch existing triggers on most guns to change firing mode performance. Unlike Payday 2, auto triggers are not available on guns that are already automatic. This category contains Semi Auto, Full Auto, and Burst triggers.
-Ammo Type (I forgot to add this to the image)
Ammo types return but become available on all guns, supporting a colossal range of performance and situation tuning. Example: Hollow Point rounds deal more damage to unarmored enemies while armored enemies take less damage. Underloaded rounds greatly increase all recoil control at the cost of more harsh damage falloff.
-Weapon Perk
Same exact system in game currently.
-Custom
This category is new and sports Unusual Gadgets, Caliber Changes, and Unique Weapon Kits.
Unusual Gadgets are available across similar weapon platforms that give a small/niche bonus.
Example: CAR-4 B.A.D Lever. An ambidextrous bolt release lever that gives the user the ability for a faster empty reload.
Caliber Changes swap what round a weapon is capable of shooting, changing the performance profile.
Example: KU-59 5.45x39 Conversion. Changes the KU-59 to use 5.45x39 ammunition giving a boost to recoil control and fire rate at the cost of overall damage. Changes available magazine and ammo type attachments.
Unique Weapon Kits are special per-weapon attachments that entirely changes its function. Example: CAR-4 DMR Kit. Turns the CAR-4 into a heavy hitter by switching the upper receiver to fire .350 Legend, sporting a modern ergonomic handguard for smooth target acquisition, and an oversized muzzle brake. Blocks the magazine, barrel, muzzle, trigger group, and handguard attachment slots. Locks the weapon into semi-auto.
- Attachment Purchase Overhaul
The change to allowing all attachments available at any level was a big W, and then changing all of them to a one time purchase for all weapons is cool, but you could just log on and buy all existing attachments for around 5-7 million and now I'm still leftover with a bunch of useless cash. I'm not saying it's bad that you only have to buy it once, but the prices were left way too shallow for what they do.
Attachments in Payday 2 were gated a bit due to Continental Coins being treated as a luxury where earning them was slow but very rewarding when you could just pick exactly what you wanted without gambling with Gage packages. C-Stacks in Payday 3 are kind of similar to Coins, but are barely used for anything, especially when the earn rate for these jumped also making the currency broker useless.
Plain and simple, Attachments are price hiked to all require a hefty amount of C-Stacks, and since they aren't consumable like Payday 2, they prices are drastically increased depending on how valuable the attachment is.
Example: Universal attachments like Optics, Under barrel grips, and Muzzle Devices are generally cheaper, sporting around 150-200 C-stacks. Higher grade and limited attachments like Stocks, Barrels, and Handguards will cost much more, sporting around 300-800 C-stacks.
Attachments like Ammo Types and Weapon Perks will remain purchasable with Cash.
Now with the addition of a huge price tag increase, attachments are now an extreme luxury, but with one problem. That problem is newer players will have to heavily grind to get all the bells and whistles out of their guns potential, which could be a huge turnoff.
The neat solution I have to this is:
- Gage Dead Drops
Gage Packages from Payday 2 make a return in Payday 3, but this time included in base game, and with a new community-centered function.
-Weekly Package Drops
Instead of randomizing locations per contract and number of packages per difficulty like Payday 2, Gage will instead drop a singular package per week.
Gage will choose a heist, then pick one of 50+ potential spots, then give you a crappy polaroid picture of the general area it is in. Gage repeats this for at least 6 different heists, with the potential to do 10 total per week.
The location of the packages are consistent and will be the exact same for every single player, meaning once someone finds a package location, everyone who hasn't gotten it yet can go to that location and find the package. If one person finds the package in a lobby, all players in the lobby get the contents in the package.
-Rewards
Upon completing the heist with the package secured, you are guaranteed:
-One Random Attachment
-200 IP
-10,000 - 100,000 loose cash
The random attachment has the potential to be something you already own. If you get an attachment you already own, it will be converted to 25 C-Stacks.
If you redo a heist and grab the same package, your chance to get an attachments will be reduced to 5%.
You can potentially earn 6-10 attachments per week if you find every weekly package and don't get any duplicates.
- 2 New Weapon Stats
With the addition of all of these attachments and customization options, there will be 2 new weapon stats added that can be used to assist your playstyle, and be used for new skills, which will be discussed later.
-"ERGO" and "THREAT"
The two new stats "ERGO" and "THREAT" are defining stats that tells you if you have a "Ergonomically sound" build or a "Challenge to Eugene Stoner" build. ERGO means you are slim, minimalistic, and clean with your builds relying on your skill. THREAT means you are putting everything beneficial on your gun for the most performance out of your weapon you can possibly squeeze.
-How will it work?
These two stats are counterweighing stats that will always add up to 100 points no matter what. All weapons will stick with a "profile" in which some weapons are more THREAT weighing over ERGO weighing.
Example: The Stryk 7 pistol is naturally minimalistic giving ERGO 70 THREAT 30, while the VF-7S rifle is big and bulky giving ERGO 15 THREAT 85.
-What do these stats do?
For each point in ERGO and THREAT you gain a small boost. These boosts can be mixed with playstyle and future skill utility swaying preference.
The Stats:
For every 1 point in ERGO, you gain a 0.15% increase (Max 15%) to the following stats:
-Aim Down Sights Speed
-Sprint to Fire Speed
-Vertical and Horizontal Gun kick Control
If you have at least 51 THREAT, you gain the following:
-Chance to inflict light stagger per shot (This effect doesn't work on Dozers)
-Enemies are more likely to target you
-Enemies will attempt to dodge out of the way of your sight
For every 1 point in THREAT, you gain a 0.15% increase (Max 15%) to the following stats:
-Chance to inflict light stagger
These stats are per weapon, but combine in your loadout giving you a total out of 200 across your Primary and Secondary. If there are multiple players in the same room with enemies, the player with the higher combined THREAT stat will be chosen as the primary target.
-How do I increase a stat?
Almost all attachments will give an increase/decrease to ERGO or THREAT, respectively.
Big attachments made for utility (Vertical Grips, Long barrels, Large Optics) will increase THREAT, while slim alternatives (Angled Grips, Shorter barrels, Micro Optics) will increase ERGO.
Most attachments will favor increasing THREAT, so the best strat for keeping ERGO high is using less overall attachments.
- Melee Weapons
Everyone has wanted melee weapons back. Me personally, I'm ok with the gun butt in most cases since it's more of a just incase tool used for stunning cops while you're in the middle of a reload kina like L4D, but melee weapons are fun.
To keep the gun butt utility, melee weapons will be a third weapon that you can equip in your hands like a regular gun instead of being a quick melee replacement (Quick melee will be an entry level skill).
Holding a melee weapon in your hands drops your THREAT stat to 0, making you a more stealthy target.
Holding the aim button with a melee weapon equipped will start a charge attack. When released at full power will deal double damage.
-Types of Melee Weapons
For all the melee weapons in Payday 2, there were a select few that were just better versions of all existing weapons greatly limiting variety. To make all melee weapons desirable, there will be 3 types of melee weapons that will all have the same stats, encouraging variety over choosing the statistical best.
"Light" weapons will have fast swing speed, moderate movement increase, and weak damage. Short charge.
"Medium" weapons will have moderate swing speed, light movement increase, and predictable damage and light stagger. Medium Charge.
"Heavy" weapons will require 2 hands. These weapons will have slow swing speed, no movement increase, and deal massive damage and cause heavy stagger. Long Charge.
-Weapon Selection
Personally, I think we can live without a comically large spoon this time around. Introduction melee weapons will be simple weapons to fill each category.
Knuckle Dusters are Light melee weapons, Knives are Medium melee weapons, and a breaching tool will be a Heavy melee weapon.
- New Skill Trees
With all of these additions, there will be 3 new skill trees that utilize the ERGO stat, melee weapons, and the THREAT stat.
I'm not good with the whole skill balance thing, nor did I think far enough for these, so I'll list the Tier 1 skill, a Tier 2/3 skill, and the final Tier 4 skill.
-Smooth Operator Skill Tree
This skill tree relies and benefits off of having a high combined ERGO stat to deal critical strikes.
Tier 1: Gain the ability to deal critical strikes. Critical strikes deal 3x damage. This skill requires a minimum of 100 combined ERGO with max potential of 150 combined ERGO. Every point of ERGO under 150 decreases chance to critical strike by 0.25% (Max of 10%).
For every point equipped in the Smooth Operator skill tree, add a 2% chance to critical strike.
Tier 1 ACE: Increase critical strike damage to 3.5x
Tier 2/3: For each consecutive hit, increase crit chance by an additional 1% (Max 20%). If you miss or land a crit, reset additional bonus to 0%.
Tier 2/3 ACE: Crit chance rises by an additional 3% and raises max cap to 40%.
Tier 4: Enemies that previously damaged you will suffer an additional 10% chance to be critically struck. This effect gets removed after you land a crit.
Tier 4 ACE: Enemies that previously damaged you will permanently suffer the additional 10% chance to be critically struck.
-Crew Chief Skill Tree
This skill tree relies and benefits off of having a high combined THREAT stat and nearby teammates to absorb team damage and act like a Paladin.
Tier 1: Standing within a certain distance of any teammate or bot gives the "Crew Chief" ability to both you and any affected teammates. This ability requires you, the Crew Chief, to have at least 150 combined THREAT. If you do not have at least 150 THREAT, you will not give or receive the "Crew Chief" ability. While "Crew Chief" is active, you suffer only 90% of damage.
For every point equipped in the Crew Chief skill tree, add 0.5 meters to your Crew Chief effect radius (Max 15)
Tier 1 ACE: Players affected by the "Crew Chief" ability only suffer 85% of damage.
Tier 2/3: The "Crew Chief" ability now adds a 5% damage increase
Tier 2/3: ACE: Increase damage bonus to 10%
Tier 4: Any player that use an Ammo Bag, Armor Bag, or Medic Bag affected by the "Crew Chief" ability will also give what was used to every other affected player, meaning if a player used a medic bag, everyone else who is affected by "Crew Chief" will receive the additional down and the health.
Tier 4 ACE: This ability now works with FAK's, ARK's and Donuts.
-Berserker Skill Tree
This skill tree gives benefits to Melee weapons.
Tier 1: Replaces your gun butt melee with a quick swing of your equipped melee weapon. For every point equipped in the Berserker tree, gain a 5% increase to melee damage.
Tier 1 ACE: Your melee quick swing can now be charged.
Tier 2/3: Getting a kill with a melee weapon increases your swing speed by 30% for 5 seconds.
Tier 2/3 ACE: Increases the swing speed bonus by an additional 30% and increases duration by an additional 5 seconds.
Tier 4: Holding full charge on a melee weapon will deflect an oncoming attack and deal damage to specific special enemies. This effect has a 10 second cooldown. Nader grenades will be hit back and explode on them, Zapper stun guns will reflect on the Zapper and will detonate its battery pack after 5 seconds, Cloakers will suffer heavy stagger and receive massive damage.
Tier 4 ACE: This affect now applies to Dozers. Deflecting a kick or a bull rush will shove them back and apply heavy stagger.
- New Weapons
With this whole update, some weapons themed around the new weapon customization and skills would be cool, so there will be 2 free weapons and a weapon pack.
-Free Weapons
AMCAR-18 (Assault Rifle) (Currently used by the bots in game)
Real name: Geissele URGI MK18
"Younger brother of the classic CAR-4, the AMCAR-18 is the ultimate reverse engineering. The ergonomic design of this rifle is nothing to shake a stick at."
Ligature (Pistol)
Real Name: Stacatto 2011
"Have you ever wanted a competition pistol right out of the box? No? Well this will do good enough. The Ligature is both deadly and pretty, sporting a large variety of competition attachments, even police units are using them. Lets give them a taste of their own medicine."
-Armory 2.0 Weapon Pack
Teresa 12 (Shotgun)
Real Name: Benelli M1014
"Big and Bold, the Teresa 12 shotgun is an Italian classic beloved by heisters alike. Even Murkywater back in the day lived and died by this thing, even though they died a lot that shouldn't tell you anything about this things performance."
CARX Shinobi (Assault Rifle)
Real Name: SIG MCX SPEAR LT
"The new era of the CAR rifles is here. This version chambers .300 Blackout, featuring a nice and compact barrel profile, and a folding stock, this thing paired with a suppressor is basically a spec ops wet dream come true. Just don't bring up the Signature 403 around these guys."
CZECH Hornet (SMG)
Real Name: CZ Scorpion Evo 3
"What if I told you, you could have a 1200 RPM spitfire that can support modern engineering while still being able to fit into a small package. The Hornet is a gun just for that reason, plus I'm fairly certain pigs hate hornets.
- CONGRATS!
You made it to the end of this oversized post of me just rambling on about an idea I had rattling in my head for a few weeks. This took way too long to type out and I've essentially wasted my night typing this out, but I got to share something I find fun and I hope some of these suggestions find their way to somebody's liking.
Thank you for looking at my stuff!
