This tutorial is the result of many hours of research and calculations to give the best possible semi-realistic action experience with modded firearms in Maximum Action.

The data and calculations presented in the following chapters are mainly based on real calculations and game data.

They are mainly intended for firearms and will allow you to have a strange mix of realism, movie and video game tropes to your weapon.

Some explanations are a bit weird because I don't know the game engine perfectly, so I based them on my test and how a weapon works IRL.

I hope it will help you in the creation and adaptation of your mod.

A - The weapon Mod

Outside the game, modded weapons are accessible via the configuration file (AppData) of you're operating systems. Specifically in LocalLow \ BalloonMoose \ Maximum Action \ Custom.

You will aslo find a file name Template who contain a XML file (TemplateWeapon.xml) thant you can use as base for you're model. The values contain in it corresponds to those use for the base weapon of the game the Beretta.

I advise all modders to copy TemplateWeapon.xml before modify it also create you're mod in a separate file and create a link to the game modding file on your desktop for easier access.

In game you can access them through a menu by pressing

[/b] in a scene, in an endless level or in the shooting range. You can move navigate through the menu with your mouse and spawn the original weapons of the game, the modded or consumable also enemy.

B - Tutorial Files

All of the tutorial files for creating your weapon are in the local game files. Specifically in the MOD_README file located in Maximum Action_Data \ StreamingAssets. You can acces it via the steam menu or by the system file of you're operating systems.

Inside you will find the file TUTORIALweapon.txt who explain the XML elements contain in every weapon of the game and also a list of the weapons of the game as well as a file which explains how to create a modded weapon.

A - BaseWeapon :

The base weapon is usually a weapon included in the game and is the bone of yours. This will determine the form, stats, caliber, animations and many other factors.

This will allow you to have a simpler shape of your weapon if you don't want to modify the xml file. Otherwise, it will just serve as a basic skeleton that you can modify as you wish.

You can find below a table containing all the weapons in the game sort by "caliber" to help you find the base that suits your weapon.

B - SemiAuto :

This elements allow you to define the firing mode of your weapon in automatic or semi-automatic if its value is false or true.

C - AmmoType :

There are 6 types of ammunition in the game, each one theoretically determines what types of weapons yours belong to and which ammunition it is compatible with.

- Pistol: Ammunition to be used by handguns of any caliber equal or less than 10 mm. (9mm Beretta)

- Pistol Heavy: Ammunition used by handguns with a caliber greater than or equal to 10 mm. (Colt 1911)

- SMG: Ammunition of any caliber for any weapon considered as a submachine gun (Heckler & Koch MP5 / Uzi)

- Shotgun: Ammunition of any caliber for all types of shotguns (Remington 870 / AA-12)

- Magnum: Ammunition for any weapon using the Magnum caliber. (.44 Magnum / Winchester Model 1866)

- Rifle: Ammunition for all weapons falling under the category of rifles or heavy weapons (AK-47 / M60)

For a modded weapon with ammunition not specified you can use the one you consider the most appropriate to your model.

D - ReloadTime :

This element determines the reload time of your weapon in seconds. It is better if it's equal to the time taken by the reload animation.

E - FireRate :

Rate of fire is the frequency at which a specific weapon can fire or launch its projectiles. This can be influenced by several factors in reality and it is usually measured in rounds per minute (RPM or round/min) or rounds per second (RPS or round/s).

In the case of this game the rate of fire corespond at the seconds between each shots and can be easly obtain by the calcul below :

RPM of the weapon x 1 sec / 60 sec = RPS

1 sec / RPS = Fire rate (in sec)

Remember to increase the result whith some weapon because some rapid fire rates can cause problems with the recoil animation.

F - Weapon Weight :

In the XML files you have two element:

<weightOneHanded></weightOneHanded>
<weightTwoHanded></weightTwoHanded>

It corresponds to the total weight of your loaded weapon and will determine the speed at which the weapon moves in or out of slow motion, depending on your grip and regardless of your mouse sensitivity.

Via the stats of the Beretta we know that one kilogram is routhely equal to 0.1 and that 500 gram is equal to 0.05 therefore the weight can be determined by the following calculation.

One Handed :

((N° bullet in magazine x Weight of one bullet in kg ) + Weight of the weapon in kg) /10

or the simplify version :

Weight of the weapon in kg (empty or full) /10

Two handed:

One Handed /2

G - Recoil :

The recoil is the rearward thrust generated when a gun is being discharged. In the game it depends of 3 elements to work proprely.

• 1 - recoilForce : This element adjust the intensity of the screen shake as soon as the weapon fires. You can simplify it by using the table below or can also calculate it to have a the real recoil but it will be more lower than the recoil of weapon in game:
  
  Recoil = (Bullet or shotgun shell weight in kg * Weapon Muzzle Velocity in m/sec) / Rifle Weight in kg
  
  In the certain case of big caliber weapon you will maybe have to double or reduce the result to have a recoil force more fitting to the game.
  
  
• 2 - up/downSpeed : This two elements controls the rate of rise and fall of the screen shake and weapon (in some capacity) at each shot. They allow to have a visual effect on the recoil of your weapon.
  
  The choice of the value is according to your convenience but the speed of rise must be always higher or equal than descent to avoid any problem of animation. I will recomand to watch slow motion video of you're weapon to match it the more closely.
  
  
• 3 - armForce : This element is the amount of recoil force the arm will take at each shot.
  
  It can be obtain by the next calculation:
  
  AR = ( Bullet Weight in kg x Weapon Muzzle Velocity / Rifle Weight in kg ) / 25
  
  It normaly the same as a recoil because the force forward is equal to the force backward when no resistance is applied but to match rougthely the value in game i have to divided it by 25.
  
  
• 4 - Example of base Recoil Table :
  
  
  recoilForce

  upSpeed

  downSpeed

  1

  0 / 100

  " "

  2

  0 / 200

  " "

  3

  0 / 300

  " "

  4

  0 / 400

  " "

  5

  0 / 500

  " "

H - Scope :

If your model has a rifle scope, there are three elements that will allow you to configure it as you wish.

• 1 - hasScope : Enable the graphics rendering of the inside lens of the scope when you aim with right click when the value is true.
  
  
• 2 - ScopeFOV : Set the magnification of the rifle scope lens according to the field of view.
  
  Magnification typically used :
  
  
  Magnification

  FOV

  1x

  80

  2x

  40

  4x

  20

  6x

  13

  8x

  10
  
  
• 3 - ScopeSensivity : Multiplies the sensitivity of your mouse when using the scope by the given value.

The values of a bullet will depend of 5 elements in the xml.

There are two ways to get it either by a cross calculation which will give you exponential values according to the ones of the Beretta or by using random values with the same scale that the one in games.

You can also base your values on the table below.

A - BulletSpread :

Bullets don't all go in a straight line. When you fire at a target the bullet will hit in cluster in a space , centered around the spot you aim at. This element will determine the size of this space that a bullet may possibly hit.

After some research and testing here is a table of general bullet spread by weapon which could be suitable in games.


B - BulletAmount :

This element determine the number of bullet shot when you pull the trigger. It will be most of the time equal to 1 but not allways it's depends of the type of you're weapons (modded, shotgun , rifle ...).

C - Damage :

This element will inflict a number of damage roughly equal to a value between 0 and the one you choose according to size, speed and force of your bullet.

Depending on its values the number of shots to kill a basic enemy (detonator and Trench-coat guy) can be as follows



D - Ragdoll Damage :

Define the strength of the ragdoll in a scale between 0.1 [soft] and 0.99 [stiff]

RagdollDamage = (0.8*BulletForce) /1200


E - BulletSize :

Determine the size of the bullet or lead on the screen when fired.

BulletSize = (0.3*Bullet diameter in mm or inch ) / 9 or 0.354*

*Caliber of a bullet in mm or inch frequentely chamber in a Beretta.

F - BulletForce :

It is a multiplier that will affect the impulse of the bullet on an enemy between 0 and the value define. You can use the calculation below to get it or use the real average or maximum velocity of you're bullet in feet per second because i'ts seems to be pretty close to the value in game. (Average feets per seconds for 9 mm bullet : 1225 / bullet force of the in game Beretta : 1200 )

BulletForce = (1200*Damage) / 25


G - UpwardModifier :

Determine the upward force between each bullet fired

UpwardModifier = (0.2*BulletForce)/1200

A - Shotgun Bulletamount :

In a case of the shotgun whe have 2 different types of projectile who can modify the Bullet amount :

Slugs : A slug is a "bullet of large caliber" inside in a shotgun shell. This projectile transform you're shogun on middle range rifle who can generally fire one at the time.

Pellets : The pellets are the most common projectile find in a shotgun shell. There's numbers contains in varies depending of the pellet size, shell length and gauge in reality.

In game the shotgun shoot approximately 4 to 6 pellet by shell but if you fancy, you can use the number of pellet contain in reality by using some links contain in chapter VII.

B - Pellets values :

Due to firering multiples projectile the elements generally use for a bullet as to be manage differentely.

When you use a shotgun with a basic shotgun shell they have to correspond to the values of one pellet contain in and not the full shell.

Example with the Mossberg 500 in game :

BulletAmount : 5*

Damage : 155** / 5 = 31

RD Damage : (265 x 0.8) / 1200 = 0.1

Bullet size : 0.2

Bullet force : 1325*** / 5 = 265

*Number of pellet fire in game

**Maximum damage to kill in one hit.

***Max velocity of a shell contain in Mossberg 500

I stick to real caliber to be easier to understand but this values can be used in the case video games, movie and other weapons with a bit of adaptation if you want.

A - IRL M4A1[upload.wikimedia.org] :

baseWeapon : ak_weapon

magazineSize : 30

ammoType : Rifle

semiAuto : False

fireRate : 750 x 1 / 60 = 12.5 -> 1 / 12.5 = 0.08

weightOneHanded : 30 x 0.004 + 3.01 = 3.13 / 10 = 0.313

weightTwoHanded : 0.313 / 2 = 0.157

recoilForce : 910 * 0.004 (4 g) / 3.13 = 1

upSpeed : 100

downSpeed : 9

armForce : ( 910 x 0.004 / 3.13 ) / 50 = 0.05

Using the Bullet table

bulletSpread : 0.007

bulletAmount : 1

damage : 40

ragdollDamage : 0.2

bulletSize : 5.56 x 45 mm NATO = 5.7 mm diameter ~ 6 mm = 0.17 in game.

bulletForce : 300

upwardsModifier : 0.05

B - Fictional Godwyn-De'az Bolter[static.wikia.nocookie.net] :

baseWeapon : ak_weapon

magazineSize : 30

ammoType : Rifle

semiAuto : False

fireRate : 300 X 1 / 60 = 5 -> 1 / 5 = 0.2

weightOneHanded : 30 X 0.100 + 7 = 10 / 10 = 1

weightTwoHanded : 1 / 2 = 0.5

recoilForce : 1299 X 0.100 / 10 = 13

upSpeed : 1300

downSpeed : 9

armForce : ( 1299 X 0.100 / 10 ) / 50 = 0.52

Using the Bullet table

bulletSpread : 0.007

bulletAmount : 1

damage : 110

ragdollDamage : 1.07

bulletSize : 0.6

bulletForce : 1600

upwardsModifier : 0.27

A - Interesting Links :

1 - IRL Weapon List[en.wikipedia.org]

2 - Table of handgun and rifle cartridges[en.wikipedia.org]

3 - the Internet Movie Firearms Database[www.imfdb.org]

4 - Shot Sizes in Shotgun Shells[blog.thegunsandgearstore.com]

5 - Pellets weight and size[en.wikipedia.org]

6 - For shotgun expert[saami.org].

7 - GameSpot Jonathan Ferguson Series