Zoom decreases the player's field of view to allow for a more precise aim. This is especially useful while attempting to land headshots or while inspecting the surrounding environment. Zoom will significantly increase a weapon's accuracy, and may shrink the spread cone of shotgun-type weapons.
Zoom can be achieved by aiming with primary and secondary weapons, or with Codex and Synthesis Scanners. Aiming can be set to either a held or toggled function through the Settings menu under Controls.
Alternatively, the same effect can be achieved by decreasing the Field of View through the Settings menu under Display.
Aim Glide[]
While Airborne + RMB
While Airborne + R2
Players can aim midair to perform Aim Gliding, this slows player's descent into a controlled gliding while allowing them to aim better even while moving through the air. However, players can only perform this maneuver for a limited time of three seconds – during which if the timer runs out, they will no longer be able to aim until they land. Note that this timer is shared with Wall Latching.
Despite its name, Aim Gliding can also be performed while holding melee weapons by Blocking (RMB / R2 by default) or while casting abilities.
Wall Latch[]
Combo
While Walldashing + Aim
While Walldashing, players can latch onto a wall by aiming. This stops any movements players currently have and will remain stationary on the spot, allowing them to fire at enemies from a high vantage point. However, players can only perform this maneuver for a limited time of five seconds – during which if the timer runs out, they will involuntarily latch off the wall.
It is important to note that this maneuver shares its timer with Aim Gliding.
The only exceptions to the five-second timer (while unmodded) are Loki and Loki Prime, both of which possess the same Passive ability; the duration of their Wall Latch is increased by a factor of 10x, to fifty seconds without any mods.
Mods[]
Mods that increase zoom level will increase the range at which Sentinels can shoot enemies if installed on their respective Sentinel weapons. Dead Aim (an effect on the Lasting Purity mod, not to be confused with the mod named Dead Eye) will add a multiplicative damage bonus while aiming, though it does not affect the amount of zoom itself.
While this is largely under the hood, we want to detail out some changes we made to how Weapons are fired, particularly projectile weapons. We've added some new behavior that makes it easier to hit targets very close to the camera, eliminates strange sideways flying projectile and can be applied to any projectile (projectiles with gravity were previously excluded from the coolness. The basic idea now is: if you're aiming at it, you'll hit it.