[gmax]

http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/01/11/re...ngrad-preview/

In cover behind some steel rails and debris, I check the magazine on my Russian SVT-40 semi-automatic rifle. There’s no on-screen counter for bullets; you hold the R key to swipe the clip from your weapon, and a message reports if the clip feels heavy or light. This might sound like realism for realism’s sake, but in practice, it simply means that reloading is a tactical decision. Gibson chimes in over my shoulder when I ask about the design.

“You never know exactly how much ammo you have in your gun, so you end up having those ‘oh crap’ moments where you run around the corner to shoot at enemies, pull the trigger, and nothing happens. It gives the player a brief moment of panic.”

The mechanic is in place, Gibson says, to generate tension. “Little moments of panic are the why we enjoy being scared by movies or amusement park rides. For too long I feel that multiplayer shooter designers have only been trying to give players joy. Now is the time to stop feeding FPS players only cotton candy, and give them some steak and potatoes along with the sweet stuff.”