Limited enemy ammo in videogames

T

TamaNeko

It Wandered In From the Wastes
Any ideas on how to implement realistic enemies actually having only a limited amount of ammo in a videogame? Firefights in just about all other FPS games involve you being the only one with a limited amount of ammo, while the enemy can just keep shooting all day long.

The only game I know of that does this is of course Fallout 1 & 2, and it only worked there because combat was turn-based. How many rounds should enemies carry, and how can it be balanced between giving an entertaining firefight while still being realistic?
 
Rainbow Six games do it. (Atleast the real ones, before that Vegas shit.}

Turned-based games usually implement it.

Standard FPS games don't though on SP.

Anyways, I don't know what your asking, it's easy to define variables for NPCs.
 
They can just give enemies limited amount of ammo. And since the enemies are usually in some sort of cover, whether it be a pillbox or fort or whatever, they could have an ammo crate nearby and grab some.

While enemies that don't have access to more ammo could either duck for cover and draw a melee weapon (knife, fists, etc.) and wait for you to come by for an ambush, or just plain retreat. Or the enemy could just run up and attack you in close combat there. Of course, depending on situation and environment, the best course of action for an enemy without ammo would be taken.

But, then again, players could just take cover and wait for enemies to run out of ammo to make battle more easier. That is if the enemies' AI sucks and they keep shooting at a covered target.
 
I always hated looting a corpse and finding a half clip of ammo.

If it's a PA RPG like Fallout that makes sense where ammo would be in short supply. However if it's a legitimate military force wouldn't even a lightly armed individual have at least a full clip and a few spares?
 
Onozuka Komachi said:
I always hated looting a corpse and finding a half clip of ammo.

If it's a PA RPG like Fallout that makes sense where ammo would be in short supply. However if it's a legitimate military force wouldn't even a lightly armed individual have at least a full clip and a few spares?
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A few, yes. Not unlimited, as we see it in 99% of games. You don't need to make enemies run around with 5 shots of 7.62 mm for their AKs, but making ammo a factor for the bad guys would introduce a new level of gameplay to FPS games.
 
cops generally have between 18 and 60 rounds of ammo on them, depending on the weapon they carry.
soldiers probably don't even think of leaving the base in a hotspot without at least 150 rounds for their assault rifles.

anyhow, generally in games that implement this, you also have realistic damage. ammo count is usually no real factor, since you always have too much.

also, some games only allow you to pick up fallen weapons & the ammo thereof, because they figure you do not have the time or luxury of searching the bodies (ammo pouch, whatever).
 
SuAside said:
also, some games only allow you to pick up fallen weapons & the ammo thereof, because they figure you do not have the time or luxury of searching the bodies (ammo pouch, whatever).
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Now that is an excellent explanation and I can't believe no one (including me) thought of it. In most games when you kill an enemy there are still plenty more around so you could only afford to take easy to get ammo such as what's in a weapon. Most often they would have fired a few times at you so probably the clip would only be half-full.
 
Just finished Condemned 2. That game has limited ammo for everyone too. After they run out of ammo, they usually throw the freaking guns at you.
 
SuAside said:
soldiers probably don't even think of leaving the base in a hotspot without at least 150 rounds for their assault rifles.
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unless you're in the Australian army

Anyhow, isn't this a side issue? if squads of soldiers are firing several clips at a single guy and not killing him, surely there's a larger issue.
 
Well, if we're going to make limited ammo for enemies to make games more realistic, how about have damage more realistic as well. Most people I hear about getting shot just once they either are incapacitated or died instantly/shortly after (depending on where they were shot). But then being in a fire fight wouldn't be "fun."
 
34thcell said:
Anyhow, isn't this a side issue? if squads of soldiers are firing several clips at a single guy and not killing him, surely there's a larger issue.
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modern firearms are not loaded by "clips", but by removable magazines. 10 round clips can however be used to load magazines. just sayin'.

anyhow, the military nowadays doesn't really shoot to kill most of the time. they shoot to suppress. half the time, they can't even see the enemy. they have to suppress the enemy and move into a position where they can get to the enemy. this takes volume of fire. volume of fire requires plentiful ammunition.
 
Well, at least you don't develop carpal tunnel syndrome from clicking three million times every level. It is diablo-ish in the sense that you walk around tearing everything that moves to shreds, granted.
 
TamaNeko said:
The only game I know of that does this is of course Fallout 1 & 2, and it only worked there because combat was turn-based. How many rounds should enemies carry, and how can it be balanced between giving an entertaining firefight while still being realistic?
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I think you need to try Jagged Alliance 2 with the fan-made 1.13 patch.
 
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