Scope Magnification Penalties

Here we come to a peculiar sort of modifier, which as you notice is being calculated at the very end of the formula. This penalty, called a "Scope Magnification Penalty", is one of the unique parts that makes the new CTH system so different from the old one.

As repeated several times in this article, CTH is only one factor in several that determine whether the shot will hit its target. One of the most important factors is the use of scopes. Scopes installed on a weapon provide two important effects - one positive, the other negative.

The positive effect is calculated during the actual shooting of the gun, and will be explained in greater detail below. It is applied whenever the gun is being given extra aim at the target, and is definitely crucial for hitting targets beyond a dozen tiles with any certainty.

The negative effect will be explained here. Its purpose is to DIMINISH the effectiveness of the gun when used below the scope's "optimal" range. A gun with a scope mounted on top is harder to aim properly when the target is too close. This is reflected by a categorical penalty on Aiming CTH.

To understand how this effect works, we'll need to understand the concept of the NORMAL_SHOOTING_DISTANCE. This is another coefficient, externalized to the INI file, and one which has a massive impact on everything that has to do with scopes.

NORMAL_SHOOTING_DISTANCE effectively determines the optimal range of any scope based purely on its magnification factor. A 2x scope is therefore optimal when the target is at 2*NORMAL_SHOOTING_DISTANCE. A 4x scope is optimal at 4*NORMAL, and a 10x scope at 10*NORMAL. When no scope is installed, the normal distance is largely irrelevant except for purposes of 3D maths.

The default NORMAL_SHOOTING_DISTANCE value I'm currently using is 7 tiles. This means that a 2x scope is optimal for 14 tiles, a 4x for 28 tiles (sightrange), and a 10x scope is optimal at 70 tiles. Please remember that with the new system, decimal magnification scopes (like 1.5x) are possible.

While calculating CTH, we use this "optimal distance" to determine the range at which our scope becomes a LIABILITY - making shooting harder. In realism terms, this is related to the fact that a large device is obstructing our ability to aim the weapon at close targets, using the weapon's build-in Iron Sights as we would if no scope was installed. It impedes visibility of that target, and forces us to either aim with too much magnification, or aim by feel. Both of which are treated by the CTH system as being equally detrimental.

Let's see how the code deals with this:

Code:

Scope_Mag_Factor = a value derived directly from the scope we are using. A 2x scope would put this value at 2.0.
Best_Scope_Range = NORMAL_SHOOTING_DISTANCE(7) * Scope_Mag_Factor

if Range_to_Target is less than Best_Scope_Range, then
Scope_Ratio = Best_Scope_Range / Range_to_Target
Aiming_CTH is divided by (Scope_Ratio * AIM_TOO_CLOSE_SCOPE(-1))



This bit of code is best illustrated as an example:


Scope is a 2x, giving us a mag factor of 2.0
Best scope range is 7 tiles * 2.0 = 14 tiles.
Target is at 10 tiles distance.

Scope Ratio = 14 Tiles / 10 tiles = 1.4
Aiming CTH is divided by 1.4


In other words, when shooting a scope at this distance, we suffer a 40% decrease in Aiming CTH due to the difficulty of aiming a 2x scoped gun at a target that isn't at the best range for that scope. Naturally, the more powerful the scope, the worse the ratio would be at this distance. A 10x scoped gun is barely aimable at all at this distance, causing Aiming_CTH to plummet sharply to just a few points if any.

This is further complicated, as you'll soon see, by the fact that at sub-optimal range we don't even receive a 2x benefit from the scope, but rather a 1.4x benefit. These two factors combine to make short-range use of scopes very unrecommended. In fact, it's probably better to spend the APs to remove the scope, then fire, if the shooter has enough APs to do so at all.

The benefits from such a system should be obvious - it constrains long-range weapons to be used as long-range weapons. It forces us to either carry extra sidearms or other small weaponry, or have some of our mercs equipped with such weapons and dedicated to close-combat. A sniper caught at close-range would be unable to shoot accurately at his assailant. On the other hand, weapons equipped with no scope would obviously be extremely ineffectual at anything more than NORMAL_SHOOTING_DISTANCE.

Scope Magnification Penalties

Here we come to a peculiar sort of modifier, which as you notice is being calculated at the very end of the formula. This penalty, called a "Scope Magnification Penalty", is one of the unique parts that makes the new CTH system so different from the old one.

As repeated several times in this article, CTH is only one factor in several that determine whether the shot will hit its target. One of the most important factors is the use of scopes. Scopes installed on a weapon provide two important effects - one positive, the other negative.

The positive effect is calculated during the actual shooting of the gun, and will be explained in greater detail below. It is applied whenever the gun is being given extra aim at the target, and is definitely crucial for hitting targets beyond a dozen tiles with any certainty.

The negative effect will be explained here. Its purpose is to DIMINISH the effectiveness of the gun when used below the scope's "optimal" range. A gun with a scope mounted on top is harder to aim properly when the target is too close. This is reflected by a categorical penalty on Aiming CTH.

To understand how this effect works, we'll need to understand the concept of the NORMAL_SHOOTING_DISTANCE. This is another coefficient, externalized to the INI file, and one which has a massive impact on everything that has to do with scopes.

NORMAL_SHOOTING_DISTANCE effectively determines the optimal range of any scope based purely on its magnification factor. A 2x scope is therefore optimal when the target is at 2*NORMAL_SHOOTING_DISTANCE. A 4x scope is optimal at 4*NORMAL, and a 10x scope at 10*NORMAL. When no scope is installed, the normal distance is largely irrelevant except for purposes of 3D maths.

The default NORMAL_SHOOTING_DISTANCE value I'm currently using is 7 tiles. This means that a 2x scope is optimal for 14 tiles, a 4x for 28 tiles (sightrange), and a 10x scope is optimal at 70 tiles. Please remember that with the new system, decimal magnification scopes (like 1.5x) are possible.

While calculating CTH, we use this "optimal distance" to determine the range at which our scope becomes a LIABILITY - making shooting harder. In realism terms, this is related to the fact that a large device is obstructing our ability to aim the weapon at close targets, using the weapon's build-in Iron Sights as we would if no scope was installed. It impedes visibility of that target, and forces us to either aim with too much magnification, or aim by feel. Both of which are treated by the CTH system as being equally detrimental.

Let's see how the code deals with this:

Code:

Scope_Mag_Factor = a value derived directly from the scope we are using. A 2x scope would put this value at 2.0.
Best_Scope_Range = NORMAL_SHOOTING_DISTANCE(7) * Scope_Mag_Factor

if Range_to_Target is less than Best_Scope_Range, then
Scope_Ratio = Best_Scope_Range / Range_to_Target
Aiming_CTH is divided by (Scope_Ratio * AIM_TOO_CLOSE_SCOPE(-1))



This bit of code is best illustrated as an example:


Scope is a 2x, giving us a mag factor of 2.0
Best scope range is 7 tiles * 2.0 = 14 tiles.
Target is at 10 tiles distance.

Scope Ratio = 14 Tiles / 10 tiles = 1.4
Aiming CTH is divided by 1.4


In other words, when shooting a scope at this distance, we suffer a 40% decrease in Aiming CTH due to the difficulty of aiming a 2x scoped gun at a target that isn't at the best range for that scope. Naturally, the more powerful the scope, the worse the ratio would be at this distance. A 10x scoped gun is barely aimable at all at this distance, causing Aiming_CTH to plummet sharply to just a few points if any.

This is further complicated, as you'll soon see, by the fact that at sub-optimal range we don't even receive a 2x benefit from the scope, but rather a 1.4x benefit. These two factors combine to make short-range use of scopes very unrecommended. In fact, it's probably better to spend the APs to remove the scope, then fire, if the shooter has enough APs to do so at all.

The benefits from such a system should be obvious - it constrains long-range weapons to be used as long-range weapons. It forces us to either carry extra sidearms or other small weaponry, or have some of our mercs equipped with such weapons and dedicated to close-combat. A sniper caught at close-range would be unable to shoot accurately at his assailant. On the other hand, weapons equipped with no scope would obviously be extremely ineffectual at anything more than NORMAL_SHOOTING_DISTANCE.

[...]

APPLYING SCOPE MAGNIFICATION

Scopes work by dividing the size of the sway circle, essentially making shots more accurate. However, scopes only work best at a certain distance. Below that distance, the scope becomes less and less useful. Beyond that distance, the bonus loses its effect because the original size of the circle is bigger. Let's see how this works:

Code:

If at least one Extra Aiming Level has been added to the shot, then
Scope_Best_Range = NORMAL_SHOOTING_DISTANCE(70) * Scope_Magnification_Factor
If Range_to_Target is greater than or equal to Scope_Best_Range then
Final_Magnification_Factor = Scope_Magnification_Factor
Else
Final_Magnification_Factor = Range_to_Target / NORMAL_SHOOTING_DISTANCE

If Final_Magnification_Factor is less than 1, then
Final_Magnification_Factor = 1.



This is more simple than it sounds, but deserves an example:

Scope Mag Factor = 2.0 (a 2x scope)
Scope Best Range is then 2.0 * 70 = 140 meters (14 tiles)

If Target Range is 14 tiles or more, then the Final Mag Factor is 2.0
If Target Range is 10 tiles, then the Final Mag Factor is (10 tiles / 7 tiles) = 1.42
If Target Range is 7 tiles, then the Final Mag Factor is (7 tiles / 7 tiles) = 1.0
If Target Range is 6 tiles or less, then the Final Mag Factor is 1.0

Example #2:

Scope Mag Factor = 10.0 (a 10x scope)
Scope Best Range is then 10.0 * 70 = 700 meters (70 tiles)

If Target Range is 70 tiles or more, then the Final Mag Factor is 10.0
If Target Range is 10 tiles, then the Final Mag Factor is (10 tiles / 7 tiles) = 1.42
If Target Range is 7 tiles, then the Final Mag Factor is (7 tiles / 7 tiles) = 1.0
If Target Range is 6 tiles or less, then the Final Mag Factor is 1.0

Finally, we apply the Mag Factor to the size of the Muzzle Sway:

Code:

Muzzle_Sway is divided by Final_Magnification_Factor



So we can see that the scope actually makes the muzzle sway much smaller, assuming of course that the target is at the correct distance. If it is closer, our scope doesn't provide the same bonus. If it is more distant, the Muzzle_Sway itself is larger, while the magnification doesn't grow, making the shot harder.

In addition, you can now refer back to the CTH formula, where I've explained that scopes below their optimal distance also decrease CTH considerably. This means that a shot with a 10x scope at 10 tiles is actually harder than a shot with a 2x scope at 10 tiles, despite them both giving the same magnification factor (1.42 for both).

INT32 iScopePenalty = (INT32)(dScopePenaltyRatio * gGameCTHConstants.AIM_TOO_CLOSE_SCOPE * (iScopeMagFactor /2));

; This value is multiplied against 1/2 the scopes mag factor to determine the
; actual penalty applied. Setting it too low will make it impossible to use
; scopes within effective range