Here are some ideas regarding looting and item progression:
Less variety of firearms that spawn
by this I mean, less of having a pool of rifles to choose from in a military base - IMO the player should be lucky to find a standard issue assault rifle. military bases should be more like locations to find different types of ammunition and crafting materials. If you are really lucky, you will find an assault rifle. This would be more realistic to the apocalyptic feel.
More craftable firearms
I guess Rust is good at this, but instead of being able to craft an MP5 or AK47 the craftable fierarms should look makeshift. With this mechanic I would hope players would rather craft their weapons as it would be easier than finding them. I was thinking like a craftable bolt action rifle, assault rifle, and double barrel shotgun.
by this I mean, less of having a pool of rifles to choose from in a military base - IMO the player should be lucky to find a standard issue assault rifle.
I don’t understand why this is necessary though, since that just makes it ultimately easier to find the same weapon and its magazine, therefore negating that it’s rarer.