Treblaine said:
Sorry. Aim Down Sights.
I'm really conflicted about the mechanics whether I like it or deride it, it certainly changes how you play. Some games I wish it was there, other times I'm so glad it isn't there.
The trade off is like crouching: more accurate but slower movement, though unlike crouching you get the Pro of a point-sight (rather than HUD crosshairs) but Con of the gun held close to face obscuring a lot of your lower view (made worse with recoil).
So really EVERY weapon is used a lot like a sniper rifle (sights for accuracy) but with full auto weapons and no zoom.
Also shotgun have their spread tightened by going into ADS (don't ask me how, but lots of games do it).
This I understand is more critical on console as going into ADS the aim-assist dials up to be even stronger "sticking" the aim to the target as if magnetic. The problem is how static this makes the gameplay, and how it favour campers hiding behind a corner with their weapon aimed and sighted in they have sacrificed mobility for a huge advantage in position.
It is a mechanic that need METICULOUS tweaking to work well.
I don't care about the realism aspect much... but I've shot enough guns that I know you really should use the sights for long range. The problem is the balance of hipfire spread, mobility penalty, raise-time, kick-amount, etc.
I certainly don't see it as an essential feature for PC games with mouse controls... but much more important for the consolers.
Thanks. I agree with most of what you said; I just haven't been paying enough attention to hear the abbreviation "ADS" before.
I've played lots of games on the Source engine, and I play different mods when I feel like different play styles, even all in the same "pseudo-realistic shooter" genre. Insurgency is good for when I feel like slow-paced, methodical gameplay, and most of the combat is longer-range, one-hit-kill stuff. CS:S is a mix, having gameplay at varying ranges while still having health that gets taken away quickly, while Firearms:Source generally has fast-paced gameplay at close range, with half an M14's magazine being required to take an enemy down with chest shots.
Day Of Defeat: Source is an interesting outlier: the crosshair/iron sight combinations help define the class differences. Riflemen have crosshairs and iron sights, while MGs and Snipers have no crosshairs at all if they're "undeployed". SMGs are always inaccurate even when crouching, and the "support" classes can use semi-auto mode for more accuracy on the BAR/StG44. By doing this, DOD:S makes a variety of play styles available within a single game.