Initial Accuracy, Hand Cannons, and You [Video] (Destiny)
by CruelLEGACEY 
, Toronto, Thursday, September 22, 2016, 16:19 (3076 days ago)
Last week, I shared a video by Keen Koala discussing the accuracy and bloom traits of Hand Cannons. This new video is his followup, this time with in-game footage demonstrations. I found it extremely helpful.
The big takeaway for me is the fact that even within the limits of a hand cannon's ideal range (before any damage drop off), the HC's cone of accuracy is larger than a Guardian's head. So if you are just barely inside your gun's ideal accuracy range and you are aiming right at your target's head, you can still miss. Koala does some testing and discovers that in order to reach maximum reliability, you need to be at least 8 meters inside the limit of your HC's ideal range. So from the outer limit of your weapon's ideal range, walk 8 meters closer and NOW you will be able to reliably hit every single headshot (assuming you are pacing your shots and allowing your gun to return to resting position between each pull of the trigger). However, he also demonstrates that as long as you are inside your HC's ideal range, you can aim center mass and hit body shots perfectly reliably, even if you are firing quickly. So at the limits of your HC's ideal range, you should try to spam body shots rather than aim for headshots (or lead with a headshot and then follow up with quick body shots).
The other thing I noticed, and maybe I'm an idiot for not noticing sooner, is that the 2 little brackets on your HC's sight are actually showing your initially accuracy cone within ideal range. So if you ADS at a target and their head does not completely fill those little brackets, your shot can miss even though you're within ideal range. Personally, I never look at those brackets; I look at the little dot in the center of the sight. Turns out that dot is completely useless. I wonder how much confusion could have been avoided if HCs didn't have that pinpoint dot in the middle of their sights?
Initial Accuracy, Hand Cannons, and You [Video]
Very interesting about the sights, and about the 8 meter difference between max damage range and reliable accuracy range.
Furthermore: When he's firing for an initial headshot and following up with body shots, he's killing almost everyone in 3 shots, which is fantastic, and - more to the point - the same amount of shots it takes to kill people even if every shot is a headshot. The only caveat to that is when his luck in the chamber procs, which allows for a two-headshot kill against low armor characters. Even so, I don't think the risk is worth it. If you can train yourself to open with a headshot and then follow up with body shots, you can get into a three shot rhythm and it will be easier to hit "the zone" during your crucible play. Headshot, body, body. Headshot, body, body. Headshot, body, body, reload. and so forth.
Conclusions are inline with my experiences.
by slycrel 
, Thursday, September 22, 2016, 18:22 (3076 days ago) @ CruelLEGACEY
And I agree -- sights are a problem. I actually don't rely on them as much as maybe I should precisely because they don't seem to reflect reality all the time.
I also have issues about the way the gun models are -- they look pretty but are very misleading as far as where your gun is actually pointing. Which apparently drives my OCD crazy. I can't tell you how much I was disappointed that hiding the hud didn't also hide your hands/gun.
Conclusions are inline with my experiences.
And I agree -- sights are a problem. I actually don't rely on them as much as maybe I should precisely because they don't seem to reflect reality all the time.
I also have issues about the way the gun models are -- they look pretty but are very misleading as far as where your gun is actually pointing. Which apparently drives my OCD crazy. I can't tell you how much I was disappointed that hiding the hud didn't also hide your hands/gun.
It would be nice if you could holster your weapon. Lots of other FPS games let you do this.
Conclusions are inline with my experiences.
by slycrel , Thursday, September 22, 2016, 18:29 (3076 days ago) @ Kahzgul
I want to be gunfighting without seeing my weapon. I actually miss shots, wonder why, then go watch the video -- my brain has translated my gun position as being more accurate, but my sights are slightly off.
Probably because I sit too far back from my TV and have glasses. Er, poor eyesight. Whatever.
Initial Accuracy, Hand Cannons, and You [Video]
by dogcow , Hiding from Bob, in the vent core., Thursday, September 22, 2016, 18:34 (3076 days ago) @ CruelLEGACEY
The other thing I noticed, and maybe I'm an idiot for not noticing sooner, is that the 2 little brackets on your HC's sight are actually showing your initially accuracy cone within ideal range. So if you ADS at a target and their head does not completely fill those little brackets, your shot can miss even though you're within ideal range. Personally, I never look at those brackets; I look at the little dot in the center of the sight. Turns out that dot is completely useless. I wonder how much confusion could have been avoided if HCs didn't have that pinpoint dot in the middle of their sights?
When the big "ghost bullet" debate erupted I wondered about those brackets. I wasn't sure if it was just the sights I had selected for my current HC, or if it did actually represent the cone in some way. Good to know it does! Yes, I think removing the dot would have better communicated the cone to users, much like the circle does for the Halo 1 Hand Cannon.
Initial Accuracy, Hand Cannons, and You [Video]
by CruelLEGACEY , Toronto, Thursday, September 22, 2016, 19:18 (3076 days ago) @ dogcow
The other thing I noticed, and maybe I'm an idiot for not noticing sooner, is that the 2 little brackets on your HC's sight are actually showing your initially accuracy cone within ideal range. So if you ADS at a target and their head does not completely fill those little brackets, your shot can miss even though you're within ideal range. Personally, I never look at those brackets; I look at the little dot in the center of the sight. Turns out that dot is completely useless. I wonder how much confusion could have been avoided if HCs didn't have that pinpoint dot in the middle of their sights?
When the big "ghost bullet" debate erupted I wondered about those brackets. I wasn't sure if it was just the sights I had selected for my current HC, or if it did actually represent the cone in some way. Good to know it does! Yes, I think removing the dot would have better communicated the cone to users, much like the circle does for the Halo 1 Hand Cannon.
I'd always thought those brackets represented the extent of bloom's impact on my accuracy. So the dot was where bullet would go if I paced my shots, but if I spammed the trigger the bullet could go anywhere within the brackets.
Nope! lol