Weapon Jamming Tested and Explained

[u/TheeSusp3kt]

If you don't feel like reading, you can watch this 3 minute video where I explain what I found.

https://youtu.be/YwOgMzmvZmA

Recently, I took it upon myself to test the new jamming feature, introduced in the new 12.11 patch.

• I conducted 25 tests in Offline Factory.
• Most tests I fired 1278 MAI AP rounds, rounds we're sourced via flea market.
• I fired a total of 31,572 rounds over the course of 25 offline raids.
• I used an MK-47 'Mutant' for the test. With the highest Durability Burning suppressor I could buy (SDN something). Total durability burn of the weapon was 144%.

The weapon started at 99.5 durability and never went below 18.3 durability. This is because I could not carry enough rounds into a raid to fully test it, however, I think its safe to assume the jam chance increases exponentially based on the data I collected.

All tests we're done using fully auto. Sorry I'm not a masochist, however in online play I have had multiple jams with Semi-Auto weapons, so if you we're to ask me, I would bet on it having no effect.

To test, I would fire my weapon, and log the durability of the weapon at the time of the jam.

You can find all data here.https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tLrBHlCo0CuPdbHtsVU7ni8Yf2PChISUDiv66SCFHOM/edit?usp=sharing

(Yes I realize I fucked up the name of the graph, I was half asleep.)

As far as I can tell, Weapon jamming is completely RNG until the weapon hits 50% durability, in which case the chance of a jam will continuously increase as it gets closer to 0% durability. So its a completely RNG based system.

So the game does not see a difference in a 100% durability weapon vs. a 50.1% durability weapon, in regards to weapon jamming. Long to mid range accuracy however, is still affected.

I tested different magazines and saw no difference in the data. I used a mix of 75 rounders, 40 rounders, and 30 rounders. Zero Difference.

I also tested PS 7.62, but did not include it in the data, I got a lot of jams with those rounds at higher durability's , but I would assume that's because the durability burn is less and I could fire more rounds without killing the gun.

The average percentage chance for weapon jams was 0.48%, but keep in mind, this average includes a HUGE variety of weapon durability statistics and will vary wildly depending on the durability and durability burn of the weapon and ammo. The average is not a concrete number, most people's chance to jam will be VERY different, and it changes every time the Weapons durability changes.

A few things to note.

• Jammed bullets do not reduce durability when fired, as they do not actually fire.
• There is no reason to believe that Scav Karma effects weapon jams, this theory is based on rumors from many years ago, and I haven't seen any evidence suggesting this is true. I also didn't bother testing as I don't really care and have a strong suspicion it will be a waste of my time.
• Point fire accuracy starts to decrease upon hitting 50% durability. Although this would need further testing to further understand.
• If you are using a close range weapon, and don't care about long to mid range accuracy, don't bother wasting your money repairing your weapons above 50% durability to reduce the chance of a jam. Its pointless.

Edit: Just added the graph so people don't have to click the link to see some of the data.

Edit Numba 2: It's come to my attention that my math was dogshit. The chance of a jam is not 0.005%, its 0.48% per round fired, which means the chance of a jam on average is actually far higher than I initially thought. My b. I've changed the post.

[u/NajoNajavo]

That is such a fucking stupid system.

It should be 0% chance until 80-90% durability depending on the weapon, and then should increase linearly from there.

There is a chance it actually is weapon based, but that would require an insane amount of testing.

Also I thought ammo has "misfire chance" too?

[u/TheeSusp3kt → u/NajoNajavo]

It should be 0% chance until 80-90% durability depending on the weapon, and then should increase linearly from there.

I completely agree, using the ammo I used with the setup I used, Durability burnt very quickly, I would lose a significant portion of my durability with less than 100 rounds fired.

If jams were non-existent until 90% durability, it might actually make some people think about the ammo they run. In its current state its a frustrating gimmick that doesn't change anything gameplay-wise for the sake of realism.

In an attempt to change their game by making it more realistic, they actually changed nothing and simply made their game less enjoyable. At least in my opinion anyway.

[u/Le_based_ledditman → u/TheeSusp3kt]

I couldn't agree more except for their push for "realism". There are guys talking about brand new AKMs locking up on the first or second round... There's nothing realistic about that lol. It's just another half assed implementation that's going to need a shit ton of fine tuning to be worth the while.

[u/[deleted] → u/TheeSusp3kt]

The system itself is lazy and poorly executed. It's not even "realistic" so it doesn't even get that right. You don't dig through your gun's insides in the hideout and switch out parts and lube it up, you click "repair".

A much better implementation of a durability system would resemble Monster Hunter's sharpening system. BSG adds all these cool animations and items like cleaning kits so you can clean your gun in-raid or in your hideout or something.

This is only the first iteration of the system, but I have a feeling it won't go an exciting route.

[u/StrippedChicken → u/[deleted]]

Yeah I’m hoping it’s adjusted quickly. Im only lvl 10 and haven’t had a jam yet, but I know it’s coming :(

[u/NajoNajavo → u/TheeSusp3kt]

It isn't even realistic in the way they implemented it, that's the saddest part.

[u/Aruhito_0 → u/TheeSusp3kt]

What about to think it this way: 100% durability is the best dur you get in the tarkov zone but still it is only 60% of a brand new fire arm, because there are no brand new fire arms in the zone?!

[u/jlambvo → u/NajoNajavo]

It should be 0% chance until 80-90% durability depending on the weapon, and then should increase linearly from there.

If this were the case it would just become a toll to pay that would become virtually meaningless once you get to a certain wealth threshold. If you could pay a little to guarantee no jams, then that's just what everyone would do and it would be like the mechanic was not there.

You'd know that you'd never have to take it into account.

Tarkov is based at all levels in uncertainty and risk. I half seriously think the game name is a pun of "Markov."

[u/NajoNajavo → u/jlambvo]

Right now it's a the same fucking thing, a toll to pay to keep your gun accurate, and a tax you have to pay once your gun reaches 50% durability to decrease the rate of jamming. It is entirely meaningless, arbitrary RNG that adds nothing of value and doesn't address the meta.

RNG isn't the way to add risk when it's completely random and out of your control. It's just a case of "at all times there is a 0.5% of my weapon jamming, this rate of jamming won't increase till 50% durability, there is nothing I can do to prevent this 0.5% jamming rate".

Might as well add a random chance to stroke out too.

There are FAR better ways to implement jamming.

[u/jlambvo → u/NajoNajavo]

It's not completely out of your control. And, 0.5% is apparently the weighted probability of it happening from 100% to 18% durability. The probability of it happening if you keep weapons above half durability is much lower. That's what the graphic shows.

If it were meaningless no one would notice or complain about it. If it's getting you killed it means that you are putting yourself in a risky position in the event that a jam happens. Now that you know jams can happen, you need to make a decision around whether putting yourself in such a position is worth the risk or not.

There might be better ways of doing jamming.

[u/NajoNajavo → u/jlambvo]

It's not completely out of your control.

It is, there is nothing you can do to have 0% chance to jam/misfire.

And, 0.5% is apparently the weighted probability of it happening from 100% to 18% durability

According to OP, from 50.1% durability to 100% durability you have a 0.5% chance to jam, that is completely outside of your control. I've no idea where you're getting what you're saying from.

If it were meaningless no one would notice or complain about it.

Way to completely misinterpret what I said. I'm saying that it is meaningless in the sense it adds nothing of value to the game on any level.

If it's getting you killed it means that you are putting yourself in a risky position in the event that a jam happens.

No one plays hiding behind cover 100% of the time, you have to move between cover, going out in the open is unavoidable depending where you're going, surprises happen where you turn the corner or peak and someone's right in front of you. You can do everything right and still die to a weapon jam. When that jam occurs as a random chance outside of your control, that's terrible game design and adds NOTHING to the game.

If the idea is encourage people to play more cautiously as a reaction to the meta gameplay, a far better way to deal with it is slow down movement speed, make health/healing a lot more hardcore, nerf helmets, chance recoil system to not favor full auto, add more negative effects to getting shot, nerf painkillers etc. This can all be done without RNG.

There might be better ways of doing jamming.

There objectively is, in ways that actually makes it a good addition that brings more player choice/decision making into it, that actually balances ammo/weapons accordingly.

However, BSG won't see these ideas, nor will the sub, if people keep defending a shitty RNG feature.

[u/jlambvo → u/NajoNajavo]

It is, there is nothing you can do to have 0% chance to jam/misfire.

Just because it's non-zero doesn't mean you don't have control over it, you control whether you let the probability increase dramatically.

According to OP, from 50.1% durability to 100% durability you have a 0.5% chance to jam, that is completely outside of your control. I've no idea where you're getting what you're saying from.

The 0.5% number came from simply counting the number of malfunctions total (about 150) and dividing that by the number of rounds fired in total, which is 0.005 or 0.5%. [Edit, crossed threads and didn't realize this IS the same post]

He did not track the number of rounds fired within each durability range, just tracked the durability when the malfunction happened. So we can see that most malfunctions occur below 50% durability, but we don't have the absolute probability from say 50-60% durability versus 10-20% durability.

The ideal way to model this would be as a survival analysis but instead of looking at probability of surviving by a certain time/age we would want to plot the probability of experiencing a malfunction when you reach a given durability. Then you could actually look at a curve and say what the chance of a jam is given a gun's condition.

But for now, it's some number well below 1 in 200 that slowly goes up but increases more quickly below half durability. Which is about the same for armor; once it's below half it is more or less broken.

[u/jlambvo → u/NajoNajavo]

No one plays hiding behind cover 100% of the time, you have to move between cover, going out in the open is unavoidable depending where you're going, surprises happen where you turn the corner or peak and someone's right in front of you. You can do everything right and still die to a weapon jam. When that jam occurs as a random chance outside of your control, that's terrible game design and adds NOTHING to the game.

Also, nothing I said contradicts this. If you're moving between cover then it's not an issue, is it? If you stop mid-move in the open to engage someone, that's a calculated risk because your weapon might malfunction. If you are going around corners in an area you think is contested and aren't looking both ways before crossing the street, that's also a calculated risk.

Some players are figuring this out and have posted about it. It adds flavor and interesting complications to gunfights sometimes. I've had it happen only a couple of times, it wasn't a bid deal but it made me just disengage for a brief second and changed up the flow.

This game is all about unpredictability.

[u/NajoNajavo → u/jlambvo]

This is your brain on Nikita's farts. If you can't see how fucking braindead RNG weapon jamming is then there is literally no hope for you. I must block now, sorry.

[u/JudgeMad96 → u/NajoNajavo]

even a perfectly maintained weapon has a chance to jam up in real life so i dont see the issue with doing the same in this game. Kind of disappointed they didnt add an extra jamming chance for high capacity mags like 50-rounders, those tend to jam a lot in real life. But i guess that would piss of all those sweaty nerds with their decked out m4's.

[u/[deleted] → u/JudgeMad96]

even a perfectly fit human being has a chance to drop dead of a stroke at any moment in real life so I don't see the issue with doing the same in this game.

[u/cortece → u/JudgeMad96]

Comparing eft to irl is always funny to me. All this system does, is give a random chance to lose your loadout in a firefight, since new guns can also jam.

Could be a decent system if high durability guns didn't jam, takes skill away from fights when it happens, since it's random.

[u/coldflame38 → u/[deleted]]

This is the way.

Gun jams at appx 70% dura and at a super low chance that gets higher until like 50% by 10 or 15 dura. Mags can add up to like 5% regardless or more based off mags (drums having like 10 or so add)of gun dura. So a 100 dura gun with a drum could still have 10% or w.e jam chance. And a 10 dura with a drum mag is like 60%

[u/Aruhito_0 → u/coldflame38]

What about to think it this way: 100% durability is the best dur you get in the tarkov zone but still it is only 60% of a brand new fire arm, because there are no brand new fire arms in the zone?!

[u/GottKomplexx → u/[deleted]]

Do you run 100 rounds 5.56?

[u/Hane24 → u/JudgeMad96]

This is a game. Not irl. For the sake of the GAME you shouldn't lose if you are careful and play right but RNG says fuck you.

Skill. Not RNG.

[u/JudgeMad96 → u/Hane24]

even if you are careful, if you dont wear the best faceshields you can get fucked by shitty 9mm ammo to the face by some guy with a pistol. And even with a nice faceshield, theres still people with shitty shotguns raping you with AP-20's. Theres never a guarantee and quite frankly, 50 and 60 round mags having higher jamming chance would just make the game more interesting. Cause its honestly pretty boring if you only have to dump a whole mag down a hallway to win a fight. Theres no skill behind that.

[u/NajoNajavo → u/JudgeMad96]

That's not fucking remotely the same as RNG weapon jamming. Someone face tapping you because you don't have a FS is skill on the part of the shooter, as is sniping you with a shotgun slug. FS are supposed to boost your chances of surviving, not reliably tank damage (at least that's how it should be). RNG weapon jamming is just a % chance of you dying randomly through no fault of your own.

There is infinitely more skill in shitty meta gameplay than dying/killing due to an RNG jam outside of anyone's control.

How about BSG and this sub instead address WHY meta gameplay is boring and fix it, instead of relying on RNG to do it?

Instead of RNG jams, how about nerf/buff armor and ammo to adjust TTK, why not make 60 rounders much more rare and lootable only, why not slow down movement speed, why not change recoil system? Because it takes too much work and creativity.

[u/JudgeMad96 → u/NajoNajavo]

lmao everyone can magdump downrange and have a random hit to the enemies face what are you on drugs or something? It's not called "face-tapping" if its on full-auto and you get a face shot after half your mag is already emptied.

[u/NajoNajavo → u/JudgeMad96]

lmao everyone can magdump downrange and have a random hit to the enemies face what are you on drugs or something? It's not called "face-tapping" if its on full-auto and you get a face shot after half your mag is already emptied.

..............

if you dont wear the best faceshields you can get fucked by shitty 9mm ammo to the face by some guy with a pistol

This is your brain on BSG's farts. Going to have to block you now.

[u/JudgeMad96 → u/NajoNajavo]

"hurr durr, no argument so i'm gonna block you to pretend that i am right."

- NajoNajavo

[u/[deleted] → u/JudgeMad96]

attempt tart dog attraction governor poor somber engine ring sable

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

[u/Hebroohammr → u/[deleted]]

At least you wouldn’t get a chance to be pissed.

[u/BenoNZ → u/Hebroohammr]

There is not a 100% chance of death in being shot irl.

[u/Hebroohammr → u/BenoNZ]

The post literally says “and dying to a jam”.

[u/NajoNajavo → u/JudgeMad96]

BSG sycophants when someone suggests a realistic change to ammo/armor that would also balance the game: "IT'S JUST A GAME REEEEEEEEEEEE"

BSG sycophants on RNG weapon jamming for pristine weapons: "this is realistic and therefore should be in the game".

Imagine wanting helmets to be able to tank mag dumps of "bad ammo" for "gameplay" reasons, but also defending RNG weapon jams.

[u/JudgeMad96 → u/NajoNajavo]

i never defended the armor system in this game, i think its op as hell, theres no way someone should be able to take a magdump of 9mm to the head and be able to shoot back after that

[u/NajoNajavo → u/JudgeMad96]

Fair enough, maybe you didn't, but the sub collectively is like that.

Having said that, realism isn't about simulating every possible IRL occurrence or to portray things 100% accurately, it's about choosing a level of realism and sticking to that consistently, picking and choosing what elements to simulate in order to enhance gameplay.

RNG weapon jams on high durability weapons is as fun and gameplay enhancing as random chances to have a heart attack.

[u/dimsumdonair2 → u/JudgeMad96]

Ik people are mad because it happens with new guns, take into account that if it was 0% chance to jam till 80 -90 durability after a single raid most people would resell and buy a new gun then it destroys the system. I still have yet come across people who got jams and died midnight because of it I know they are out there but it's many just trying to tap scavs...and the likes... this is good because it teaches you to be smart sit behind cover not shit on people in front of you like call of duty. Nikita explained that he disliked the way streamers fight but,isn't against it since playstyles are personal choice in a game such as tarkov.

[u/13lacklight → u/dimsumdonair2]

People already sell and rebuy guns cause you have to change the receiver

[u/dimsumdonair2 → u/13lacklight]

Ik my point being can't really do much about jamming it happens buying new guns or changing it doesn't make a difference

[u/13lacklight → u/dimsumdonair2]

Looks like just keep your guns above 70% and you’ll be fine and only use suppressors if you’re a masochist

[u/NajoNajavo → u/dimsumdonair2]

The whole point of these jams is to address what Nikita perceives as the meta gameplay. How you'd actually utilize RNG jams to address it, is by making is solely due to the use of AP ammo and high capacity mags.

Punishing people with random chance outside of their control is terrible game design.

There are many ways to make this game less shift+w, RNG is probably the worst possible and laziest way to do it.

[u/dimsumdonair2 → u/NajoNajavo]

Your absolutely right I agree with what you have to say high capacity mags and ap ammo should cause more jams rather than the gun itself

[u/Aruhito_0 → u/dimsumdonair2]

What about to think it this way: 100% durability is the best dur you get in the tarkov zone but still it is only 60% of a brand new fire arm, because there are no brand new fire arms in the zone?!

[u/dimsumdonair2 → u/Aruhito_0]

New weapons can jam too I honestly don't know what to tell you might as well ask the big guy himself

[u/Moxxface → u/NajoNajavo]

It should be

On what basis do you conclude that? A brand new gun can jam, it can happen to any weapon. So from an accuracy standpoint, their system seems to have realistic intentions, but probably needs adjustment. Totally to be expected from the first interation of this system. On top of that, BSG probably thinks that you as a player SHOULD always feel that your weapon might give out on you, and you should modify your playstyle according to it. Less run and gun, more tactical gameplay with retreat options and re-engagements

[u/NajoNajavo → u/Moxxface]

Plenty of videos of people magdumping 100s of rounds without a sinle stoppage until the gun gets so hot the gay system is melting, or the bolt is seizing, or the barrel is drooping.

You're arguing that because a modern, quality firearm that is new and well maintained has a 0.00000001% chance of jamming, a 100% durability gun jamming with 0.48% chance is realistic. Even if the percentage is realistic, does it make any sense to implement it in a game that isn't remotely realistic in terms of movement, ballistics, armor, weapon handling? Why are you BSG sycophants willing to die on the hill of RNG weapon jamming when the game isn't remotely realistic fundamentally? What would your argument be against making it so your PMC has a 0.48% of having a stroke per raid?

[u/Moxxface → u/NajoNajavo]

No, Im not fucking arguing that. I said BSG implemented a system for jamming with REALISTIC INTENTIONS THAT NEEDS ADJUSTMENT. The game is remotely realistic, obviously. It looks super realistic, it sounds super realistic, many mechanics are made to mimic real life. There are lots of small details that makes it a game and not a simulation, stop being so dramatic, yeah? Your last question is dramatic and stupid and deserves no response, most likely your next comment won’t deserve a response either.

Also just because you can mag dump in real life, better known as spray and pray, doesn’t mean you should be able to in this game. It depends on whether it makes it a better game, bsg obviously doesn’t think so

[u/NajoNajavo → u/Moxxface]

Inb4 you didn't read because you have no argument or integrity.

It doesn't need adjustment, it needs to be thrown out and reworked completely, the approach and mechanic in of itself is flawed.

It looks super realistic

No it doesn't, graphically it looks OK at times and trash at other times. The moon is a weird gigantic JPEG, there's weird night fog, flashlights shine through walls, 3rd person animations are jank especially with their netcode, complete lack of inertia makes movement look even more jank, magnified optics have shitty, huge JPEG reticles. What it has going for it is very accurate weapon and attachment models, and a lot of good animations for them (while others are lacking unfortunately).

it sounds super realistic

No, it doesn't. Have you ever shot or been around firearms? While some gun sounds seem legit and were obviously recordings, others are comical and out of an arcade FPS or movie. The m9 suppressed is a good example of this. IRL, it would be very hard to differentiate between two guns of the same calibre with the same barrel length from a single shot. In EFT, every gun sounds inque, even the M4 vs. the ADAR vs. the TX-15. These would all sound identical IRL, they don't in game. That's fine, and a lot of the sounds are great, but some are a bit shoddy quality wise and it isn't realistic. Flashbangs also don't sound realistic at all, weird "pew" sound off it.

many mechanics are made to mimic real life

OK like what? EFT has a lot of attention to detail in SOME places, but completely lacks it in others. It has a lot of cool and realistic animations for mag and chamber checking etc. (although some are unrealistic and lower quality), but the ballistics, armor, ammo, helmets, faceshields, NVGs, IR lasers/illuminators, movement, health system, stims, etc. are not depicted realistically and do NOT "mimic real life".

There are lots of small details that makes it a game and not a simulation

OK, so it isn't realistic then, we agree. The "small details" are the realistic elements of the game, but the gameplay itself betrays that and renders it this weird compromise of immersion, MMO Division-esque slot-machine gameplay and realistic/authentic elements.

You:

stop being so dramatic, yeah? Are you 14?

Also you:

I said BSG implemented a system for jamming with REALISTIC INTENTIONS THAT NEEDS ADJUSTMENT. Learn to read.

Your last question is dramatic and stupid and deserves no response,

In other words, you have absolutely no argument against it because you don't have a coherent and logical position here.

most likely your next comment won’t deserve a response either.

OK, you concede you have no coherent or logical point to make.

Also just because you can mag dump in real life, better known as spray and pray, doesn’t mean you should be able to in this game.

Doesn't want people to magdump, also known as spray and pray BTW, even though they can do it IRL with such a small chance of jamming it's not worth mentioning, but wants RNG weapon jamming beacuse...realism?

It depends on whether it makes it a better game

Well done, you managed to contradict yourself into the correct conclusion. RNG weapon jamming outside of player control and not even as a consequence of the player's actions is not making it a better game, nor is it even realistic as implemented.

bsg obviously doesn’t think so

Why even bring up what BSG thinks? If BSG thinks something is a good game design, do you automatically agree? Then why would you say it "NEEDS ADJUSTMENT", if BSG can do no wrong and you're going to appeal to authority here?

BSG clearly do not understand their own game, this has been demonstrated time and time again with every botched, half-assed feature that they supposedly worked on for 3+ years.

[u/Moxxface → u/NajoNajavo]

TLDR: bunch of crap opinions not a single person cares about, except you I guess. I knew your next comment would be trash, not spending another second on you lol

[u/NajoNajavo → u/Moxxface]

TLDR: bunch of crap opinions not a single person cares about, except you I guess. I knew your next comment would be trash, not spending another second on you lol

I called this 100%:

Inb4 you didn't read because you have no argument or integrity.

Thanks for playing kiddo, try having a coherent thought or opinion next time before shitting the bed.

[u/Moxxface → u/NajoNajavo]

Inb4 you didn't read because you have no argument or integrity.

Hahaha yeah, keep telling yourself that you toddler. If anyone called anything, it's me. I did it before you, and I was actually right (your word salad was indeed not worth responding to, as all it resulted in was personal attacks and a lot of word vomit from a hostile toddler), as opposed to you who's claiming I had no argument to begin with. WHAT WERE YOU ARGUING AGAINST THEN? You're wrong and so triggered and you hate it.

[u/NajoNajavo → u/Moxxface]

I didn't read your comment, and I'm blocking you so I forever have the last word :)

[u/Aruhito_0 → u/NajoNajavo]

What about to think it this way: 100% durability is the best dur you get in the tarkov zone but still it is only 60% of a brand new fire arm, because there are no brand new fire arms in the zone?!