I happened to visit Game Trailers today and I was greeted by a new Developer Walkthrough on Wanted: Weapons of Fate (which everyone can view here). I though great another game I'm hanging out for as the movie was great and this game looks like it will kick arse! The problem is 30 seconds in the developer is showing his skills at shooting "exploding barrels".... Awesome exploding barrels. Like that has not been done before.
What is it about generic shooters that needs exploding barrels? Does every game that involves shooting need some sort of environmental interaction where the only mean of interaction is from a virtual bullet piercing a tank filled with flammable liquids? God.... Give me something different, give me like Deus Ex environment iteration or Bioshock's. Give me a puzzle that dose not end with barrels exploding. Give me a way to kill my foes without shooting the amazingly well placed hazardous containers. Also while your at it make support for window mode jackasses!
In conclusion exploding barrels are assholes!
The fact is, it is actually pretty unlikely for a full barrel to explode if shot, i mean, to create combustion you need: a combustible substance (in this case fuel) heat and oxygen. So you get your sealed barrel, firstly there is no oxygen if it is full, secondly there is not enough heat in the round itself (however the penetration could cause a spark) Theoretically it is possible, but the chances of shooting every barrel and it exploding is quite far off.
I remember my dad throwing a match into a vat of diesel fuel, and the match went out, i guess the combustibility of the fuel in question is also a major factor.
It is pretty damned cool though ingame, if done in moderation.
The keyword MODERATION! T_T