Handling Score

Definition

The Handling Score is a synthetic stat in DayZ that measures how easy a weapon is to control when aiming and shooting. It combines recoil control, sway stability, accuracy (dispersion), and rate of fire (RPM) into a single rating. The score is normalized on a 1–100 scale, where higher values mean better stability and easier handling.

Formula

Recoil Score:

\(RecoilScore = Recoil\%\)

Represents how much the weapon’s recoil can be controlled (higher = better).

Sway Score:

\(SwayScore = Sway\%\)

Represents aiming stability (higher = steadier aim).

Dispersion Score (accuracy):

\(DispersionScore = \Bigg(1 - \frac{Dispersion - 0.0003}{0.01 - 0.0003}\Bigg) \times 100\)

Lower dispersion means tighter bullet grouping and higher accuracy. A linear normalization is applied between 0.0003 (best case) and 0.01 (worst case). These bounds are based on typical dispersion values defined in DayZ weapon configs, where precision rifles usually reach ~0.0003 and less accurate firearms can reach up to ~0.01.

RPM Score (rate of fire contribution):

\(RPMScore = \min\!\Big(\frac{RPM}{1000},\ 1\Big) \times 100\)

Although RPM primarily affects ballistic efficiency, it is also included in Handling because faster-firing weapons allow quicker follow-up shots, improving usability in combat.

Final Handling Score:

\(HandlingScore = \frac{RecoilScore + SwayScore + DispersionScore + RPMScore}{4}\)

This averages recoil, sway, accuracy, and rate of fire into a single 1–100 handling score.

Where

• \(Recoil\%\) = normalized recoil control score (1–100)
• \(Sway\%\) = normalized sway control score (1–100)
• \(Dispersion\) = bullet spread (lower values = better accuracy)
• \(RPM\) = rounds per minute (capped at 1000 for normalization)

Explanation

The Handling Score focuses on how stable and usable a weapon feels in combat. It rewards weapons with controllable recoil, steady aim, tight dispersion, and good firing cadence. A weapon with low dispersion, controlled recoil, reduced sway, and a solid rate of fire will score higher, making it easier to stay on target and land multiple hits effectively.

Example

If a weapon has Recoil% = 70, Sway% = 65, Dispersion = 0.001, and RPM = 600:

• \(RecoilScore = 70\)
• \(SwayScore = 65\)
• \(DispersionScore = \Big(1 - \tfrac{0.001 - 0.0003}{0.01 - 0.0003}\Big) \times 100 \approx 93\)
• \(RPMScore = \min(\tfrac{600}{1000},1) \times 100 = 60\)

Final Handling Score = \(\frac{70 + 65 + 93 + 60}{4} \approx 72\)