[Sichr]

I will admit that I think that the heavy weapons need a serious damage boost. As-is, there's no reason to go for a light, medium or heavy machine gun over an assault or battle rifle.

I can think of a reason: lack of access.

Player: "I want to pick up a Ultimax 150."
Armorer: "Sorry man, I don't have any of those. I have an Ultimax MMG ready to go right now, or I can get you an 150 if you don't mind waiting a month."

Well this changes when you are trying to get:
 
Ultimax + 100 rounds of belted ammo (13F) X Battle riffle with 1 clip of HP rounds...(20F)

[Sichr]

...
Well, after your post, he clarified that he wasn't calling =you= ignorant, but he is right. A lot of times when someone goes from 'random Joe on the street' to 'customer' their I.Q. seems to drop like 50 points--especially noticeable when someone steps up to a fast-food order counter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eREiQhBDIk

[Carmody]

I have not read the whole discussion, but I agree that all weapons of any given category seem to be copy-paste.
However this is not very surprising given that:
   - the dissimulation value has been removed (one less option to differentiate two weapons)
   - more important to me: the amount of modifications that can be done afterward on weapons makes them very similar: this one does not have a smartgun, I'll add it later. This one has a better recoil compensation, I can add the same on this other one. Built-in modifications could be a very good and easy way to create some diversity among weapons, but this ability is killed by the modifications rules.
OK for the ones that are trying to find the limits with maximum possible optimisation, then the base package makes some sort of difference, but it is even worse: there is almost 1 single best weapon per category

I do not say that modifications shall be forbidden, but that they are part of the explanation why all weapons look alike.
my two cents

[Wakshaani]

I care about how they look, which the Gun Haven Heaven books are great for!

...

What, I like my Gear Porn!

Agreed. We need more images of more of the weapons and armors and vehicles.

I believe that the Gun Deck cards at GenCon are something along this line.

I *think*.

I've not seen them, mind, but in my head, they'd have the name and art on one side, the game data on the back. Make 'em darn useful *and* darn pretty.

[Bull]

Wak:  I've seen them.  And that's pretty much exactly what they are.  the only way they'd be cooler is if they doubled as a deck of Playing Cards.

[Wakshaani]

Color me jealous, then!

And there's some for vehicles as well?

Dude.

*dude*

[hobgoblin]

I have not read the whole discussion, but I agree that all weapons of any given category seem to be copy-paste.
However this is not very surprising given that:
   - the dissimulation value has been removed (one less option to differentiate two weapons)
   - more important to me: the amount of modifications that can be done afterward on weapons makes them very similar: this one does not have a smartgun, I'll add it later. This one has a better recoil compensation, I can add the same on this other one. Built-in modifications could be a very good and easy way to create some diversity among weapons, but this ability is killed by the modifications rules.
OK for the ones that are trying to find the limits with maximum possible optimisation, then the base package makes some sort of difference, but it is even worse: there is almost 1 single best weapon per category

I do not say that modifications shall be forbidden, but that they are part of the explanation why all weapons look alike.
my two cents

And this is different from real life how?

[CanRay]

Wak:  I've seen them.  And that's pretty much exactly what they are.  the only way they'd be cooler is if they doubled as a deck of Playing Cards.

I keep wanting to have my future told using my Deadlands deck, but I'm afraid of what I'll awaken if I try. 

[Carmody]

And this is different from real life how?

I don't know. I have zero knowledge in weapon-smith and have no clue about what changes a decent weapon-smith can make on a weapon.
How easy/hard it is to turn a revolver to FA mode, how easy/hard it is to reduce the barrel of a submachine gun (say an UZI)... I guess in those cases it is pretty hard but I may be proven wrong!

But, are there that many differences between current weapons of the same category? I mean, differences that can be expressed in SR4 statistics or modifications.
And in case realistic aspect opposes to interesting gameplay, which one should prevail?

PS: these are really open questions, I do not try to promote any answer

[hobgoblin]

Wak:  I've seen them.  And that's pretty much exactly what they are.  the only way they'd be cooler is if they doubled as a deck of Playing Cards.

I keep wanting to have my future told using my Deadlands deck, but I'm afraid of what I'll awaken if I try. 

Heh, tempting the great huckster?