Borderlands has at least three million possible weapon combinations

by David Hinkle { Jul 29th 2009 at 12:30AM }

During a recent event showcasing Borderlands, MTV Multiplayer spotted something pretty interesting. While Gearbox president and founder Randy Pitchford was switching through some debug menus to get to one particular weapon he wanted to show off, the database he was pulling from had well over three million entries.

These entries ranged from sniper rifles to Uzis to rocket launchers, each with their own specific effects. One gun had fire elemental damage attached to it, while another had ice damage, for example. There were a total of 3,166,880 -- an impressive number, to say the least. But with the game still a few months off, there's a real possibility that number could climb even higher. Who does Gearbox think we are, Burt Gummer?

Tags: 2k-games, borderlands, gearbox

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

ArchiGamer [thephilosophyofgames.wordpress.com] @ Jul 29th 2009 12:33AM

HOLY FUCKING ASS CRACKERS!!!!

You can start your own army with that amount of ammunition!!!

Dr.House (GT:DiGiTAL SiN254) @ Jul 29th 2009 12:35AM

"ASS CRACKERS"

My thoughts exactly.

CH3BURASHKA @ Jul 29th 2009 12:49AM

Yeah, you could, granted you had a bunch of loyal servants to carry and use said guns. Unfortunately, there's only 4 people in the team, so it's not as cool.

WINterfang @ Jul 29th 2009 12:33AM

I hope the game got the Shark Launcher from the Xbox game.

Cheesus(Crust) @ Jul 29th 2009 12:34AM

Commenters, What does the MTV Blog say about the Weapon level?

ArchiGamer [thephilosophyofgames.wordpress.com] @ Jul 29th 2009 12:36AM

I don't know, I only read blogs with Sam Raimi in them.

Radical Dylan @ Jul 29th 2009 12:46AM

It's over 9000!!!!

hahahaha!
couldn't help it.

WREturns (www.theseagullweekly.com) @ Jul 29th 2009 12:57AM

Vegeta is gonna kick your ass when he hears about this, Dylan.

Foetoid @ Jul 29th 2009 3:20AM

LOL @ Over 9000! Is it idiotic or ironic that such a basic mistranslation became such a huge phenomenon (the real translation should have said 8000).

amrkvati @ Jul 29th 2009 12:36AM

reminds me of starship troopers.

jak33 @ Jul 29th 2009 12:46AM

reminds me of crackdown

WINterfang @ Jul 29th 2009 12:56AM

Reminds of Starship troopers AND Crackdown.

DeepFriedSushi @ Jul 29th 2009 12:56AM

ya graphics are kinda similar. outline tracing with cartoony body proportions. also both are third person (strange because 2007 footage was a fps)

WiredKnight @ Jul 29th 2009 1:02AM

The Starship Troopers I played was first-person...

Markez @ Jul 29th 2009 12:41AM

Fallout 3 was supposed to have some huge amount of different endings, but the differences amongst them ended up being pretty stupid and miniscule. I expect something similar on a substantially grander and more pathetic scale here.

WREturns (www.theseagullweekly.com) @ Jul 29th 2009 12:42AM

This game sounds better all the time.

Markez @ Jul 29th 2009 12:45AM

Yeah don't get me wrong, it sounds like a fun game. I just don't consider this a compelling selling point, just sounds like trumped up marketing fluff.

WREturns (www.theseagullweekly.com) @ Jul 29th 2009 12:47AM

I don't know why that comment replied to you. I actually think you're right.

Z (uburi) @ Jul 29th 2009 12:51AM

Uzi with +1 Fire Damage
Uzi with +1 Ice Damage
Uzi with +2 Fire Damage
Uzi with +2 Ice Damage
Uzi with +1 Fire +1 Ice Damage
Uzi with +2 Fire +1 Ice Damage

etc. etc.

Brackynews @ Jul 29th 2009 3:54AM

So we now have Frostfire spells in Semi-Automatic Carbine form? I'm giddy.

whylekat @ Jul 29th 2009 11:40AM

I agree with Z

it'll be like 10-15 different guns with countless variations. Too Human did similar and look how that game turned out =P

Radical Dylan @ Jul 29th 2009 12:45AM

Wow!
This game must be huge to have that many weapons...
Way too many weapons for a measly 50 hours of gameplay even.

Longhorn @ Jul 29th 2009 12:49AM

More shooters trying desperately to stand out

WREturns (www.theseagullweekly.com) @ Jul 29th 2009 12:50AM

I think it would be cool if there was a shooter with an obviously gay protagonist. That would make it stand out.

WINterfang @ Jul 29th 2009 12:57AM

What about Duke Nukem?

Longhorn @ Jul 29th 2009 12:58AM

I see.....
Why do they always come out to me??? :'(

ArchiGamer [thephilosophyofgames.wordpress.com] @ Jul 29th 2009 1:00AM

Are you saying Duke Nukem was gay, I mean the women, strippers, the curse words....Oh, clever disguise Duke, clever disguise....

ArchiGamer [thephilosophyofgames.wordpress.com] @ Jul 29th 2009 1:02AM

WREturns, why don't you come out and say it already?

WREturns (www.theseagullweekly.com) @ Jul 29th 2009 1:07AM

What are you guys talking about? I just want to see less gruff space marines and more deliciously handsome, debonair assassin-types that maybe prefer the company of men in video games. What?

ArchiGamer [thephilosophyofgames.wordpress.com] @ Jul 29th 2009 1:10AM

Wow, I actually wouldn't mind that....

Longhorn @ Jul 29th 2009 1:13AM

that because both of you are gay.....not that there is anything wrong with that...

Sly @ Jul 29th 2009 1:18AM

but... but... then teabagging won't be humiliating anymore! NOOOOO!!! it'll be... enjoyable... *shivers*

Benjamin T.E. @ Jul 29th 2009 12:50AM

but every person in the same class will look the same (besides color-swapping), right? this game looks awesome, except for that game-ruining lack of customization :( yes, this is just my opinion, before your face grows too red and veiny

WiredKnight @ Jul 29th 2009 1:05AM

I agree with you. But as long as the vehicles and weapons are nice and customizable, I think I can overlook the things that aren't.

Mr. Joe @ Jul 29th 2009 11:36AM

i was wondering about character skins as well. mostly because i've only heard about a trillion weapons! but no armor? if it was really like diablo, they'd have several types of armor and multiple colors for each. that would be awesome, imo.

CH3BURASHKA @ Jul 29th 2009 12:50AM

I wonder: does the elemental damage come with the gun or the ammo?

Meaning, do all bullets vary with the kind of damage they do? Can you use different bullets or are you constantly interchanging guns?

DeepFriedSushi @ Jul 29th 2009 12:58AM

having to manage all these ammo types would become pretty bothersome so i'd say its attached to the weapon thats if they implemented it intelligently.

WiredKnight @ Jul 29th 2009 1:04AM

@deepfriedsushi

There have been several games in the past that allow you to switch the ammo type you're using (Stalker and Resident Evil come to mind). I for one would like to be able to use my favorite weapon and not be stuck with one type of effect, it makes more sense to be able to switch.

Sly @ Jul 29th 2009 1:11AM

actually sushi, i think the opposite of that. having to keep 20 different guns, each with different attributes, would be much more complicated than having one gun with 20 different ammo types. monster hunter taught me that.

Boff @ Jul 29th 2009 6:04AM

Mass Effect did it quite well too, imo.

alexpastry @ Jul 29th 2009 12:51AM

3 What?? Come on are u sure??

d889 @ Jul 29th 2009 12:59AM

one of my buddies has been game testing this for maybe a month now, he says its looking a lot better.

however they have a deadline set for release, and they are shipping it no matter what bugs or no bugs so i hope that they get it all taken care of.

CaramelZappa @ Jul 29th 2009 1:44AM

Okay, three million weapons, which means none of them are likely to be distinct or special, and none of them are likely to be balanced. More weapons a good game make does not.

WiredKnight @ Jul 29th 2009 2:45AM

You've played Diablo, right? It's not that hard to see how something like this would work. You a bunch of them are identical except for minor changes in their attributes, but then there are going to be those rare/hard to find weapons that are more unique.