Don't know about your setting. I just throw some ideas around ;)

How does the player equip the avatar with armor? Are already pictures / representations used for this, which may be re-used for above purposes? Is it possible to introduce how hostile armor looks like during, say, a briefing?

Some situation dependent icons (for which also optical variations may exist):

* A helmet for trench warfare,

* a bulletproof vest for street fight,

* a shield for defending a storming,

* a metal plate for ironclad armor,

* a crosshairs for sniping,

* ...

I'm...not sure i see where you are going with this.

Anyway, basically all characters will be cyborgs, carrying large armour plates on their persons. One plate will cover the chest, another will cover abdomen, a large tall piece of armour will be mounted on the shoulder and\or arm, etc.

I'm...not sure i see where you are going with this.

I'm just looking for an alternative way...

The background fact is: The player, using a given weapon, needs N seconds in average to destroy an enemy. Here N depends on the fire rate, momentum, and probability of hitting the (same) target. You don't want to express those values as numbers.

Although two weapons may show the nearly the same value for N, they may be differently effective because of the situation. A distant enemy may be shot with a sniper rifle which has a low fire rate but high precision. Due to the distance the player has enough time, and s/he doesn't waste ammo because the spread is low. So that weapon is fine for the situation of a distant enemy, and hence it may be memorized as such.

The other weapon is a machine gun, showing a much higher fire rate but also a much higher spread. Using it against a distant enemy will kill it also in N seconds (that was our condition), but at the costs of running out of ammo. So it isn't suited for this situation. However, if the situation is that the enemies approach in a throng and are relatively close, then a sniper rifle is too slow, and spreading is an advantage if each damage will slow down the hit enemy.

That said, I'd select the weapon based on the situation. Whether weapon A and weapon B differ just in N and 1.01*N is mostly irrelevant in a game (if it is though, like in a quartet, then perhaps using number is the best choice). So the alternative idea was to let the player test the weapons and classify them suitably for the situations the game may throw them into.

Yes, and then i said it is a good idea but what if you have one automatic gun that will splurge bullets all over an armour plate from 50 meters away, and one that will hit an area of 1/3 of armour plate from the same distance ? It's still not very accurate, so how will you point out the difference with an icon or two (presumably) or an assigned category ? Or what you are suggesting is to just let players textually write their own description for every weapon ?

I don't want to see an animation play ten different armor tests one by one. Can the visual display be combined into one display?

I agree. Just another bit to load and sit through. Give the player the information they need to play. Build some training or tutorial areas if you want them to see the effects.

... what if you have one automatic gun that will splurge bullets all over an armour plate from 50 meters away, and one that will hit an area of 1/3 of armour plate from the same distance ? It's still not very accurate, so how will you point out the difference with an icon or two (presumably) or an assigned category ?

Using icons to express preferences for weapons in situations don't need to be exact. The player checks out available weapons in training, sees the results, and decides to use that or another weapon for a particular situation. BTW: How many weapons is the player allowed to carry at once?

If you want an icon for precision, you may use a target / butt, showing a defined couple of shots from a defined distance. The closer the hits, the more precise the weapon.

I dont particularly want or not want an icon, i was just asking you to elaborate, is all.

player checks out available weapons in training, sees the results, and decides

Sure. But what if he didnt play for a week, and forgets what are the specifics of each weapon ? Would it be acceptable to make him "test it out" all over again ?

How many weapons is the player allowed to carry at once?

Up to four.

Don't make it an explicit and permanent part of the interface, or at the very least bury it under the pause screen somewhere.

The best possible way is to allow the game to demonstrate it to you -- perhaps because the first time you encounter it is in the hands of a friendly character or foe. Or, maybe you infiltrate a laboratory where the weapon is developed and the results of its tests are visible. It could be part of a cutscene, even. Be creative, and keep in mind you don't have to do it with 'standard-fare' weapons -- the machine gun, "bfg-9000", and shotgun/"spreads" are well-worn tropes.

If you are compelled to have a slick animation in game, have it interrupt gameplay with a modal dialog, but only the first time you pick up that weapon -- furthermore, as best you are able to within the confines of your design, try to ensure that this first time the weapon is picked up happens during a lull in the gameplay as to not break up the immediate flow or intense action.

Sure. But what if he didnt play for a week, and forgets what are the specifics of each weapon ? Would it be acceptable to make him "test it out" all over again ?

You have your mind made up, so why bother asking?

You have your mind made up, so why bother asking?

And you have nothing to contribute, so why did you bother replying ?

If you are compelled to have a slick animation

Slick animation is not the point.