Arms companies in gaming

[MGibster]

And good luck getting anyone to agree. Gun Nerds fight about quality of a specific model, type, ammo load, brand, etc.

There are other aspects one might consider. Reliability, ammo count, accuracy, cost, legality, and concealability are just a few I can think of off the top of my head. Whether any of that is consequential in a game is fairly variable.

 

[Jd Smith1]

And good luck getting anyone to agree. Gun Nerds fight about quality of a specific model, type, ammo load, brand, etc.

Yep. Which is exactly my point.

 

[Jd Smith1]

In most games, I find players drifting towards the same weapons over and over because mechanically they're just the best option. If you're playing Cyberpunk 2020, there's not much reason to take a light or medium pistol because even the lightest of armor will render both next to useless. A heavy or very heavy pistol is just as concealable as a medium pistol (a light pistol is even more concealable) and the difference in price isn't a barrier for most PCs. i.e. Nobody is going to bulk at the 100 eddie difference between the Budget Arms Auto 3 (11mm) and the Dai Lung Streetmaster (9mm).

Which is a system failure, IMO. But using a d20 system, there's really not many variables you can plug in.

But in systems using a count-up system and weapon range issues, you can really start to make player choices mean something. No one load-out will be viable.

 

[Shades of Eternity]

For me when I think arms companies, I think Rifts.

I really loved Wilk's laser line and recently picking up Northern Gun 1 and 2 really gave me that nostalgic feel for both the fluff and crunch.

plus the world allowed expansion into elements that you just don't get in other games (ex. Transdimensional alien gun runners, gods selling power armor for their own nefarious schemes).

with the Hodgepocalypse which is a 5e hack, I think it has to be done in the following manner.

1. Treat the arms company like another faction, with their own schemes and plot hooks.
2. reskin the common equipment (aka the heavy shotgun done by x company has a kewler name).
3. for the custom equipment that is more powerful, treat essentially like magical items (using a tier system in my own work, and give it a hook if possible).