Hello. So, as the title states, let's start considering some human weapons. I had a similar thread up on the old forums, but that's gone now. I'd like to get the discussion started again. In addition to this, I'd like to get some discussion started on story material for human weaponry.
Here are several things to consider when figuring out the stats of a weapon:
How much does the weapon do on each hit?
What's the rate of fire?
How much does the weapon cost, and which stage is it available at?
Does the weapon have some interesting gimmick to it?
What sort of ammunition does it use?
What range is it effective at?
Now, balance is going to be something hard to come by while figuring out a weapon. Try not to dwell too much on numbers, and don't attempt to balance it on the spot, because the idea will look silly. On a similar note, it's generally a bad idea to make something obviously overpowered and then attempt to balance it by countering it with a crippling weakness. Think in moderation. Remember that anything above 10 damage is going to be killing a dretch in just two or three hits. That's not very fun for the person playing the dretch, especially at lower stages.
In addition to giving something stats, try to think about the theme of your weapon, and how it fits into the broader arsenal of human weapons, as well as the game itself. Here are some things to think about:
Does the weapon contribute to the general sense of humans feeling isolated and lonely against an alien threat at lower stages?
What sort of technology is involved in the operation of the weapon?
Does the operation of the weapon make physical sense? Even if not possible today, can it be feasible in a few centuries?
Is this weapon going to be a nightmare to model and animate?
While you consider the mechanics and operation of your weapon, try to figure out if a weapon already exists with a similar function. Consider each weapon already available, and how your weapon performs alongside it. If it works about the same, then there's really no point in including it. It may be possible to alter the current weapons to provide slightly more differentiation, but this is less desirable than trying to think up of entirely new niches. With new niches for human weapons, there's more justification to add new alien classes with.
Remember that a weapon is more than just a quick idea on paper. A lot of thought has to be put into the formation of a good idea. To give the best possible chance for your idea to be considered, put in as much detail as possible. Could you sketch the weapon out, or perhaps provide some story material about it? In the case of the latter, even a single paragraph would suffice.
Now, for this thread to really take off, I'd like to give a suggestion. When you post an idea, try to give some honest criticism about the idea before your own. This wouldn't apply to the person posting the first idea or two, but afterwards, I'd like to see a discussion involved. Tell each other if your ideas are good or not, and if they suck, why they suck. It's fine to laugh, but don't flame each other.
Go!