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GameSpot: Why LMG and Sniper Rifles Usually Suck In Call Of Duty & FPS Games

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman


Light machine guns are a weapon category that constantly struggles for identity in multiplayer shooters like Call Of Duty, Battlefield, and standalone battle royale titles. We look at the iconic weapon type’s struggle with nerfs, buffs, and finding a purpose.

Multiplayer shooters like Call Of Duty and Battlefield have a large number of weapon classes including assault rifles, submachine guns, sniper rifles, shotguns, and even rocket launchers. In-game weapons often channel the spirit of their real-world counterparts, such as SMGs being high rate-of-fire weapons that are great at close range but weak at a distance. One gun in particular has a lot of challenges translating to video games. The light machine gun is a weapon primarily designed to keep opponents’ heads down and instill fear. With the ability to respawn and try again, players in multiplayer shooters are generally not afraid to stick their head out, leading developers to explore creative solutions for what role the LMG should serve.

In this video, we’re going to look at what a light machine gun is, why they often don’t translate to games, types of suppression developers have tried, what happens when LMGs stray into other classes and get nerfed, how they fare in battle royale modes, and some creative implementations of the weapon. We’ll show off some of your favorites such as the M60 from Battlefield Bad Company and the RPD from Modern Warfare 2. We’re also going to explore why Lord Tachanka was the absolute worst character in Rainbow Six Siege until he was reworked recently.

rambo GIF


Personally I love LMG, and it's my first option when it's a good weapon in the game. Not the case of tachanka and R6S.

Thanks mods for the title change

Ratchet And Clank Reaction GIF by PlayStation
 
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StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
Havent watched the video, but I use an LMG half the time in COD. Half AR, half LMG. I do fine with LMG. You just got to stay back a bit. DP28, BRM, RPD, SAW have all been awesome LMGs in COD. If someone is trying to run and gun with these, you're doing it wrong. Even that weird one in World at War which ADS looks like youre looking at the side of the gun through a fork was a good gun if you got used to it.

The biggest reason why its not as useful as games way back is due to the maps being more rat mazy, run and gun, and SMGs got a big accuracy/range boost starting in MW3 or BO2. In COD4, World a War and MW2, it was hard to kill people from a decent distance with an SMG. Now, I see killcams and an AK47u is just as effective as an AK-47 at range.
 
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PKM fucking owns in Warzone, the recoil is fairly predictable and the damage (even at range) is great. Reload is a bitch but you just need to get used to the timing and take the right opportunities.

I am experimenting running with a Krig right now instead (and also really like it), but will probably inevitably go back to the PKM like I always do lol
 
PKM fucking owns in Warzone, the recoil is fairly predictable and the damage (even at range) is great. Reload is a bitch but you just need to get used to the timing and take the right opportunities.

I am experimenting running with a Krig right now instead (and also really like it), but will probably inevitably go back to the PKM like I always do lol
It’s super dependent on headshots but it’s an amazing weapon for trios ands quads regardless of the meta, very reliable gun and the ability to shoot a 100 bullets in one clip at range is not to be underestimated
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
The PKM is still pretty good in warzone, there was a time when it was my main class

but you’re right, LMG is one of the coolest weapons but it never gets the respect it deserves
LMGs now have suppressor. In Cold War, I loaded up my RPD with one. That was one of the biggest drawbacks in old CODs. And the reload time is fast. Not much slower than other guns.
 
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Razvedka

Banned
In real life LMGs primary purpose is suppressive fire. You pin down combatants with a never ending stream of lead while other elements move to flank them/finish them off. Running around and shooting with them is dumb, because that's the point of ARs, PDWs, and SMGs.

Probably why in the last few entries of Battlefield they introduced suppression mechanics, which LMGs excelled at.

Otherwise you're left with rifles sporting longer barrels (translated to velocity and damage) and 100rd+ magazines. They'd make ARs pointless. So they have to do stuff like longer ADS, longer reloads, terrible hip fire spread.
 
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SkylineRKR

Member
LMG is situational. I had my biggest killstreaks with it in MW 2019. Just find a good spot with clear sightlines. And spray at incoming targets.
 

Relativ9

Member
LMGs are pretty essential to capturing and holding objectives in Battlefield, team oriented clans use them all the time.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
That's really odd, I've consistently done well with the LMGs in the COD series. It was my go to in Modern Warfare, MW2, WaW, and BLOPS 1/2.
Me too.

I think it come down to the gamer. If someone is run and gunning with an LMG, you're toast. Slower paced style should be ok.

No doubt it's tougher now as the maps dont have big open areas like old COD games, but LMGs can still do well if you support the frontline run and gunners and toss some claymores behind you to help prevent enemy flankers from behind as you shouldnt be leading the charge with an LMG.
 
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01011001

Banned
the Spitfire innApex Legends says hello... that thing can be devastating if used correctly, and it has pretty good hipfire accuracy as well.

and the Devotion as well but that one is annoying to use as you need the Turbo Charger to fully utilize it
 
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StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
the Spitfire innApex Legends says hello... that thing can be devastating if used correctly, and it has pretty good hipfire accuracy as well.

and the Devotion as well but that one is annoying to use as you need the Turbo Charger to fully utilize it
One thing I will agree with anyone about LMGs in COD is hip fire is shit. Spray and praying a room as a desperation move usually doesn't work out.
 

AJUMP23

Member
I have always loved the LMG because you can lay down a great base of fire. I did use the one in Apex effectively, but in reality I was probably terrible. I used one for a little bit in COD but I left it a while ago for GRAU and Sniper combo.
 

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman


Sniper rifles are notoriously broken and overpowered in video games like Call of Duty, Battlefield, and other multiplayer shooters. From long-range shots to 360 no scopes, it’s time to take a look at why sniper rifles often struggle to translate to video games.

Sniper rifles have a rocky history in video games like Call Of Duty, Battlefield, and other multiplayer shooters. The complex physics of real-world long-range shooting is fundamentally too difficult to translate to video games, leading developers to both simplify sniper rifles and also exaggerate their drawbacks to keep them balanced.

In this video, we’re going to look at what sniper rifles are, how they are used in games, the extreme compromises used to balance them, some things developers aren’t trying to make easier, and what happens when they are forced onto small maps. We’re also just going to marvel at the skill of some players who can quickscope and even do 360 no scopes.

If you love multiplayer shooters, make sure to head over to GameSpot’s YouTube page to watch our Firearms Expert Reacts series, our coverage of Call Of Duty: Cold War’s mid-season 3 update that includes Rambo, and ongoing coverage up to the release of Battlefield 6.
 

jroc74

Phone reception is more important to me than human rights
In some games and situations its great because of the damage per second. At times thats more important if enough damaged is being dealt.
 

vypermajik

Member


Light machine guns are a weapon category that constantly struggles for identity in multiplayer shooters like Call Of Duty, Battlefield, and standalone battle royale titles. We look at the iconic weapon type’s struggle with nerfs, buffs, and finding a purpose.

Multiplayer shooters like Call Of Duty and Battlefield have a large number of weapon classes including assault rifles, submachine guns, sniper rifles, shotguns, and even rocket launchers. In-game weapons often channel the spirit of their real-world counterparts, such as SMGs being high rate-of-fire weapons that are great at close range but weak at a distance. One gun in particular has a lot of challenges translating to video games. The light machine gun is a weapon primarily designed to keep opponents’ heads down and instill fear. With the ability to respawn and try again, players in multiplayer shooters are generally not afraid to stick their head out, leading developers to explore creative solutions for what role the LMG should serve.

In this video, we’re going to look at what a light machine gun is, why they often don’t translate to games, types of suppression developers have tried, what happens when LMGs stray into other classes and get nerfed, how they fare in battle royale modes, and some creative implementations of the weapon. We’ll show off some of your favorites such as the M60 from Battlefield Bad Company and the RPD from Modern Warfare 2. We’re also going to explore why Lord Tachanka was the absolute worst character in Rainbow Six Siege until he was reworked recently.

rambo GIF


Personally I love LMG, and it's my first option when it's a good weapon in the game. Not the case of tachanka and R6S.

It’s due to the slow ADS time. They are amazing at range.
 

Marvel

could never
Finn LMG my fave, has a barrel that can fire extremely fast. Haven't used it in a while though due to it being weak.
 

Traxtech

Member
I don't play warzone anymore, but my go to gun from the start until I quit was the pkm. So many clutch wins with that bad boy
 

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman


In this Bonus Episode of Firearms React, Jonathan Ferguson discusses the basics of a modern day sniper rifle, its historical definition, and how they work (or don't work) in video games.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
00:27 - What Is A Sniper Rifle?
02:17 - What "Sniper Rifle" Used To Mean
06:02 - Snipers In Video Games
11:47 - Support Jonathan!
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member

I dont use sniper rifles in shooters, but the biggest problem IMO with sniper guns is they are usually one hit kills. Or two at most. And some are semi-auto. I can hit someone with 3 shots from distance with an AR or LMG where the enemy is a tiny dot of pixels and that might not even be enough to kill.

Combine that with games like BF which are huge open maps and snipers can perch in a bush or rocky cliff all match and there's no way someone with a non-snipergun can get them.

In closer combat games like COD I think they are fine as there's enough rat mazy small/medium maps shotgunners and SMG gamers can storm in and clear out snipers. Or some good aiming by someone with an M16 or RPD can take them out too. COD games are much more balanced in gun usage IMO.

But in games like BF forget it.

Thats one reason I dont play BF games. I think the first one I played was BFBC on 360. Then I tried 1943, then BF1. All snipefests where probably 1/3rd of your team doesn't even try to capture or defend points moving from objective point to objective point. They just sit in a bunch of trees or behind a rock all match and snipe.
 
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Me thinks this guy loves LMGs but simply sucks at shooters.

And just because he doesn't accept Tachanka as our lord and savior, doesn't make his opinion any more valid.

All hail Lord Tachanka!
 

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman


In this Bonus episode of Firearm Expert Reacts, Jonathan discusses the history of the light machine gun, how they differ from heavy machine guns, and of course, how they work in video games.
 

bender

What time is it?
I'm amazed more people didnt use LMGs in COD4. RPD on certain maps was godly (Bog). And it didnt even have a silencer option.

I did it on shipment. I died with an airstrike so two air strikes and choppers helped, but I did run my LMG out of ammo too.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
I did it on shipment. I died with an airstrike so two air strikes and choppers helped, but I did run my LMG out of ammo too.
RPD hunkering on the trash hill on Bog was great.

I'd always make a mad dash for it. It's better if you start on the side with the concrete walls (not the bus side) because its a shorter run. As you make a beeline for it to start a match (or during a match), toss a smoke grenade to the far end as there's guaranteed to be 2-3 snipers. Then take position on the dirt mound ensuring you skew a bit more opposite the buildings and fences to give you a bit more space. You never wanna be in the dirt field close to the fence.

Do a combo on the mound of standing and crouching and mow down people. Combined with 3x grenades you spray you're almost guaranteed to get a few kills. If you got space, plant a few claymores to the side for flankers or even on the other side of the dirt mound because it's hard to stop someone run right over the hill if you miss him.

Just got to watch out if the other team is good and has a combo of players storming your side through the fence/building and a guy who may try to flank the far side with that hollow container box. Impossible to cover your ass both sides if your team sucks.
 
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An LMG isn’t meant to be used by someone assaulting an objective. It’s for suppressive fire and defending a position. There are penalties IRL that extend to using an LMG in a role you should be using an assault rifle or smg, and I have no problem with games needing them to reflect that.

I’ve probably put 50,000 rounds down range between the M2, 249, and 240. A 240 is not a proper cab weapon lol, nor are other platforms in its class. A 249 properly equipped however can be quite serviceable.
 

Arachnid

Member
Soooomeone never farmed kills from behind the jeep in shipyard or the second floor of one of the Nuketown buildings with an LMG. K/D skyrocketing
 

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman


Virtual sniping comes in such a spectrum of flavours, from Call of Duty quickscopes, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive AWP picks, to measuring your range and bullet drop in games like ARMA 3 and Sniper Elite 5. But games don’t always get the humble sniper rifle quite right. With the help of Jonathan Ferguson, Keeper of Firearms & Artillery at the Royal Armouries Museum in the UK, we break down the differences between the virtual sniper rifle and its real counterparts.

0:00 - Intro
01:07 - History of Sniper Rifles
04:37 - Range & Bullet Drop
06:45 - Scope Glint
08:23 - Quickscoping
09:19 - Bolt Action vs. Semi-Auto Rifles
10:26 - Anti-Materiel Rifles
11:34 - Realistic Gaming Sniper Rifles
12:48 - Variety of Virtual Sniping Playstyles
15:10 - Ending

In this episode of Loadout, Dave Jewitt visits the Royal Armouries to talk to Keeper of Firearms & Artillery Jonathan Ferguson to chat about gaming’s obsession with the humble Sniper Rifle, and how its virtual depictions measure up to reality.
 

poppabk

Cheeks Spread for Digital Only Future
Not sure why Battlefield is listed, BF has suppression and bipods that you can actually setup and then use the LMG precisely like it should be as a suppression gun and if people pop their head out, you blow it off.
 

Sub_Level

wants to fuck an Asian grill.
Not sure why Battlefield is listed, BF has suppression and bipods that you can actually setup and then use the LMG precisely like it should be as a suppression gun and if people pop their head out, you blow it off.

yeah and even in CoD LMGs are great this year. RPK is literally Warzone meta.
 
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