>>10688016i think if there were a clearer downside it wouldn't be so bad. obviously its weakness is in potential DPS output, but realistically it's the highest DPS option and the highest burst damage option in most scenarios for the aforementioned reasons.
i think if they forced you to use the scope it would make a huge difference.
they already force you to use "iron sights" as is since pressing the fire button without holding the zoom button just does a melee attack, but since it's a third person game that zoom is just a slightly tighter camera over the shoulder unless you double tap the zoom button on a weapon with a scope.
if they did remove the zoom option and made you scope in for every shot it would stop you from being able to make a snap reaction shot on anything that's up in your face which is probably how it should be considering that a sniper in melee range still does about 50% of the damage a shotgun does at the same distance assuming both builds are optimized just for damage.
admittedly i think it would make the sniper "feel" a lot worse from a playability perspective but as is i'd argue a shotgun at its current best barely feels any better
really it probably comes down to a level/boss design problem as much as anything. adding in more long distance threats and combining every group of 5 little dudes into 2 medium dudes likely helps solve the problem as well.
