Hm, trying to get me to add a new mechanic by flattering my item naming, are we?!
I do try to make it both reasonable/fitting and also cool as a secondary consideration.
Anyway, this would be something suitable for the patron mechanic voting (though I imagine people will generally want something more wild? not sure, either way this could potentially be a more common mechanic), voting which will come before too long here, actually.
Certainly possible, either way, although I'm not currently in favor of adding yet more utilities that augment weapons, increasing the value of utility slots over weapon slots.
Not trying to flatter, just submit an idea. I thought the Ideas forum was the place to do so.
Upsides are it could be cool, playing into the tactical aspects of combat and reinforcing the utility of visual processors. You could add a similar defensive utility that reduces the distance at which enemies can hit you with energy weapons too.
Downsides are it might make what is arguably already the most powerful weapon type even better and make a complicated combat system even more complicated. Maybe the idea of manipulating the range of attacks is better suited for another game that doesn't already have so many complicated systems.
Re: patron voting, it seems that you're more focused on reaching 1.0 and limiting the addition of new mechanics at this point than previously, which is fair enough. I offer suggestions as just that, because they're ideas that sound cool to me but maybe have troublesome implications as a game designer (and the need to make a living, which I am amazed you are able to do based on your description of Cogmind's budget). I think I've said this before but I've certainly got my money's worth from Cogmind in enjoyment and time spent. So, thank you.