loot rarity Custom Sandbox mode loot configuration options

[KendL]

The problem

1. I've played 8 hours in Sandbox mode with modified options as it is shown on the screenshot (Melee weapons - Common / Ranged Weapons - Abundant / Ammo - Abundant) but I have noticed that Firearms and Ammo are NOT spawning more often than on default "Rare" settings. Melee weapons do spawn more often.

2. It is unclear what "Abundant" means. Is it 2x more often? Or 20x? Or this option affects the map generation rules and defines whether CONTAINERS that *may* contain weapons (wardrobe with two halves / nightstands) spawn in houses? Or this option is not supposed to affect the "chance" of weapon to spawn but only increases the quantity?

 

3. Firearms still spawn where they originally can be found. No extra "sources" of weapons.

Proposed solution

 

1. It would be nice to introduce separate numeric multiplier options similar to how zombie multipliers work. "Ranged weapon quantity multiplier" / "Ranged weapon chance multiplier" / "Ammo quantity multiplier" / "Ammo chance multiplier".

 

2. Clarify the descriptions so that a user would know what to expect from this options.

3. Introduce a very small chance for "extraordinary" items (like weapons, nails, seeds, special magazines  or skill books) to be found in common places - on civilian zombies and normal book shelves for example. 0.1% chance by default could work - in fact there is a slight chance that a civilian could have a holster with a gun in it or a box of ammo. The multiplier however could increase this chance (say, a 30x multiplier will turn 0.1% into 3% chance) which means that what is supposed to be "abundant" will be "abundant" not only in special looting locations but overall on the whole map.

Description

Initially I wanted to benchmark all weapons in the game on runner zombies. I increased zombie stats and make them always run. I set spawn rates of weapons/ammo to "abundant" and expected that I will find a lot in the houses all over the map because I knew that there is a decent chance to find a gun case with weapons in a normal house in  a double wardrobe.

 

I picked a "lucky" trait on my character to increase the chances of finding weapons even further. However, after playing and looting a couple of houses I realized that not only I can't find "all types of weapon in the game" - but I can't find ANY firearms at all...

 

I was killed numerous times because even a small group of 2-3 runner zombies with increased stats is almost unbeatable in melee.

 

I tried with "lucky" trait and without it. In 8 hours I managed to find 1 rifle, 2 pistols and numerous shotguns however it's not super rare to find pistols and shotguns in just normal houses with two floors and wardrobes even on "rare" setting so I didn't notice the difference... and weapons are by far not "abundant". Because Abundant is supposed to mean that there are a lot, right? Or at least this is what a user expects.

 

This just doesn't feel right. 

 

• It may be that "lucky" trait overrides the modifiers of the loot spawn that I chose in the sandbox menu.
• It may be that weapon rarity modifiers do not affect GUN CASES containing weapons, but only affect the spawn chances of weapons themselves... which are not the main source of weapons because in civilian houses GUN CASES are seen more often.
• It may be that the difference is just not significant enough to be recognized. Like, if the default chances are 1% per wardrobe and "abundant" increases it to 4% per wardrobe it still means you will spend weeks trying to find what you look for.

[getstoopid]

Yes a simple multiplier and a description what "normal" means would be great...