Reaction fire Modifier

[aajs]

I was reading the quick start guide with regards to how reaction fire works.

My big question is how does the calculation work if holding two weapons one in each hand.

Say I had a 1.5 reaction fire weapon and a 1.7 reaction fire weapon in the other hand what would happen.

Would one be calculated or both added together and calculated.

The reason I was asking was that I was thinking about making a motion detector item, something like the gadget in the film aliens. I was going to make it as a weapon that technically could not fire anything but give it a high reaction rating. I was hoping if this was equipped in one hand it would allow you a high reaction chance with a pistol in the other.

Does anybody know if this could work. Or has anybody tried anything similar.

[Max_Caine]

I'm guessing that the game would calculate it from the highest reaction fire modifier. I say "guess" as all other one-handed items don't have a reaction fire modifier. It might be worthwhile giving shields a reaction fire modifier and seeing what happens.

[kabill]

I'm fairly sure Chris wrote at one point about setting the reaction modifier to the lowest of all items held. Don't know if that actually happened, though.

As an aside, I like the idea. Having more reasons to use a pistol as a primary weapon can only be a good thing.

[Chefsbrian]

Well, you could make a two handed pistol variety as "Pistol with handheld scanner" and then give it the big reaction modifier.

[MortuusSum]

Well, you could make a two handed pistol variety as "Pistol with handheld scanner" and then give it the big reaction modifier.

Honestly, that sounds like the best solution, especially if what kabill said above is true.

[kabill]

There is a slight problem with that, in that you can't unequip the scanner without also unequiping the gun. It's not a big deal, but it makes it slightly less flexible than a pistol in terms of swapping in grenades/medikits/whatever.

[aajs]

Is there any way I can test it is making a difference when equipped. Is there some log files or any debugging mode that will show whats happening when its being used?

[kabill]

I just did a test.

Set the regular pistol to modifier x10, set the laser pistol to x1.

Ran up to a Caesan and danced around with just the regular pistol. No reaction fire.

Did the same with just the laser pistol (as a control). Reaction fire, shot dead.

Paired the weapons together and did the dance. No reaction fire.

So it's drawing from the highest of the two modifiers, which pretty much green-lights the idea!

[Max_Caine]

Go to it, aajs!

[kabill]

Have you thought about where in the tech-tree you might put the scanner?

It's just a thought, but you could possibly tie it to something like xenobiology or alien interrogation, the lore being that the device tracks alien life signatures or (better, in my opinion) the psionic communication between aliens. Going for the plot-related techs is always very under-incentivised, but this item might be worth diverting research time in that direction.

[aajs]

Wow thanks for the help. Looks like its a goer, I think I will put it with xenobiology and put something in the description to show that it can somehow distinguish aliens from humans on the scanner. blah de blahh...

I have so many items and weapons to put in its crazy... Thats kind of the idea of my Mod I am making.

I am going to call it "Xenonauts choices" and just bombard the player with tech tree choices. That will be the challenge, do you work the tech tree broadly or pick a technology and research a path to the end. My theory is that having too much choice will actually make the game harder as players try to stretch themselves to thin researching everything. I was also trying to create a little spin of mini distraction through manufacturing for profit. However certain limitations to what can be accomplished has forced me to tone down the idea.

[Max_Caine]

Having had some experience writing Xenopedia articles remember that almost every article is written from the point of view of the Chief Scientist. You don't have to write like the Chief Scientist to write your article, but if you want your Xenopedia entry to be written from another viewpoint (a junior researcher perhaps, or an engineer), you'll have to make it very clear from the first sentence and throughout the entry that this is not the Chief Scientist talking.

[Gauddlike]

I don't know if the debugger shows the reaction fire chances but you could always try it.

It would give you a better idea of how the system works if it does show the numbers for you.

http://www.goldhawkinteractive.com/forums/showthread.php/9292-Debugging-Xenonauts-Tips-and-Tricks

[Theon Greyjoy]

Really nice idea aajs. Now you can choose between offense (scanner) and defense (shield). Plus, even if the pistol guy loses his shield on turn 2 of combat he will be able to pull out the scanner... Those pistol guys who lost their shields early on, always seemed handicapped to me.