Can this script be edited to create a "shotgun" type spread when firing? [Top down shooter]

Question

I have this code and I'd like to add a shotgun to the game by slightly modifying the code. I've looked online for any example but everything I find is for FPS not a TDS.

void Shoot ()
{
    timer = 0f;

    gunAudio.Play ();

    gunLight.enabled = true;

    gunParticles.Stop ();
    gunParticles.Play ();

    gunLine.enabled = true;
    gunLine.SetPosition (0, transform.position);

    shootRay.origin = transform.position;
    shootRay.direction = transform.forward;

    if (Physics.Raycast (shootRay, out shootHit, range, shootableMask))
    {
        EnemyHealth enemyHealth = shootHit.collider.GetComponent <EnemyHealth> ();
        if(enemyHealth != null)
        {
            enemyHealth.TakeDamage (damagePerShot, shootHit.point);
        }
        gunLine.SetPosition (1, shootHit.point);
    }
    else
    {
        gunLine.SetPosition (1, shootRay.origin + shootRay.direction * range);
    }
}

I have a basic understanding of most of this code. I don't quite understand how shootRay.direction understands transform.forward means always the front of player. As DMGregory stated adding a variable of some sort that runs through a for loop firing multiple different angles (or simply different coordinates if making angle rays is over my head) is the route I first thought of but I cannot find a way to implement it. I'm having issues with understanding how to manipulate ray coordinates because they cannot be changed by floats which is the extent of my current knowledge of problem solving.

Answer 1

The "realistic" way to handle this is to just change the shootRay.direction vector.

for (var i = 0; i< pellets; i++){
    var offset = Random.insideUnitSphere * accuracy;
    shootRay.direction = transform.forward + offset;
    //then your raycast
}    

Random.insideUnitSphere will give you a random point inside a unit sphere.

accuracy should be a small float value to lessen the effect of insideUnitSphere

When transform.forward is added to the offset it will change they x, y and z coordinate for the direction

The easiest way is simply to reduce the damage based on the distance away the target is.

edit: Didn't notice what you said about examples for FPS. Why do feel like handling it different than a FPS?

Edit 2: You can set offset.y=0 to make sure there is no spread.