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[v1.07 & X:CE v24] Asymmetric Weapons Tech & Plausible Advanced Ballistics (v0.4)


catmorbid

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AWTPAB.jpg

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Version 0.4 *New Release!*

Version 0.3

About the mod

AWTPAB is an overhaul mod focused on rebalancing the different weapon technologies, so they feel like more than just a simple +1 upgrade to the previous tier. My goal is to have each tech provide some sort of purpose and allow various tactical considerations. The idea is that you would mix and match different weapons of different techs based on your playstyle. Aliens and their weapons are also rebalanced to better match the new weapon rebalance, with armour playing key role now. As a bonus I've also included an expanded array of ballistic weapons.

My overall focus is on the feel of the weapons, not on how "balanced" they are. Keeping gameplay challenging if of course an ongoing goal. All this is work-in-progress, but feedback is always welcome!

Summary of features:

- 15 new Plausible Advanced Ballistic weapons and 5 new research projects:

Advanced Ballistics:

  • Battle Rifle (AK variant, unused xenonauts assets)
  • Flamethrower! (unused xenonauts assets)
  • Grenade Launcher (M79)

Advanced Sidearms:

  • Heavy Pistol (Desert Eagle Mk 1 .44 Magnum)
  • Marksman Pistol (Magnum .44 Scoped)
  • Compact Grenade Launcher (Sawed off M79)

Advanced Assault Weapons:

  • Personal Defence Weapon (MAC-10)
  • Assault Shotgun (Atchinson Assault Shotgun AA-12)
  • Advanced Assault Rifle (H&K G11)

Advanced Heavy Weapons:

  • Advanced Battle Rifle (imaginary .308 Magnum Bullpup Kalashnikov)
  • Anti-Tank Rifle (Barret M82)
  • Assault Grenadier (Hawk MM-1 automatic grenade launcher)

Ultra Heavy Weapons

  • Minigun (XM214 microgun)
  • Heavy Machinegun (.50 calibre Browning M2)
  • Ultra Heavy Rifle (Solothurn S-18/1000 20mm anti-tank rifle)

- 37 new weapon sound effects!

- Rebalanced all weapon tiers

  • BALLISTIC Focus: Practical, cheap. Real shotguns, all ammo has small stun damage and small mitigation, most weapons are a bit faster, realistic ammo capacity
  • LASER Focus: Finesse. Integrated TRUE LASER mod, Accurate, moderate damage, high rate of fire, no mitigation, no recoil, fast
  • PLASMA Focus: Power. focus on high damage single shots, ballistic level accuracy, slow to fire, rare burst, sniper and plasmacaster have AOE
  • MAG Focus: Chaos. Very high damage potential: high penetration + low damage + insane rate of fire, but unpredictable and chaotic.

- Rebalanced Aliens and Alien weapons!

Aliens wear armour, but generally have less health. The heaviest alien armour is nigh impenetrable, meaning the new high-power weapons should be useful! Alien weapons are more powerful and fearsome.

Installation & Compatibility

Copy all files from Core Package folder to xenonauts root folder, replacing everything as prompted. You can also install any of the optional mods in from their corresponding folder. See the readme inside the zip for more info.

The mod modifies many of the .xml files in the assets/ folder, so any mod that modifies those are likely to break the mod. Check the assets folder for more details.

Known problems

Grenade Launchers don't work as intended. This might change in the future, so I'm still keeping the weapons in the mod as placeholders, so I don't have to start a new game if this gets fixed at some point.

Alien rebalance nearly completely untested. The only way to fully test this is literally play to the (near) end, so I'm still working on it :)

Weapon rebalance nearly completely untested with new alien rebalance.

Credits

- Goldhawk for creating Xenonauts

- Xenonauts community

- Community Coders for Xenonauts: Community Edition

http://www.goldhawkinteractive.com/forums/showthread.php/10797-Xenonauts-Community-Edition-0-24

- Freesound.org for a great library of Creative Commons licenced sounds

- XNT - Into Darkness team for developing their mod. Their efforts helped me understand lot of the modding process and especially replace the unit animations

Mod Forum Thread:

http://www.goldhawkinteractive.com/forums/showthread.php/10934-V1-07-XNT-Into-Darkness-V5-2-PlatinumDragon-%28New-Game-Universe-Mod%29

- Mikhail Ragulin for developing Magnum-nauts and Magnum Force, for ideas and inspiration

Mod Forum Thread:

http://www.goldhawkinteractive.com/forums/showthread.php/11189-v1-07-Magnum-nauts

- LtParsons for TRUE LASER mod

Mod Forum Thread:

http://www.goldhawkinteractive.com/forums/showthread.php/4798-Mod-True-laser-beam

AWTPAB.jpg

AWTPAB.jpg.baeba37d0e4956c9eaac4bef88704

Edited by catmorbid
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is there a way to get weapons only from your mod? ive tried it and i absolutely love the weapons,however if i try to run it with xnt- into darkness,it gets overwritten and im left with vanilla with asymetric weapons mod

i know i could run into darkness with xenophobia mod,but i tried that and the amount of micromanagment was insane

basicaly im looking for into darkness with asymetric weap. mod and corp weapons mod all together for great gun options + enhanced gameplay

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Comments on v.04

All weapons unlock after researching far too early in the game for how cheap and powerful they are. They should be moved to unlock just before laser weapons (and the heavier weapons after laser weapons).

G11's 3-shot burst is CRAZY accurate from 15+ tiles away.

I've just completed merging v04 into my Xenophobia pack for my next update. I've gone ahead and adjusted a few of the things I felt were a little "too good". HEH.

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Comments on v.04

All weapons unlock after researching far too early in the game for how cheap and powerful they are. They should be moved to unlock just before laser weapons (and the heavier weapons after laser weapons).

I originally had the first weapon tech unlocked at the same time as laser weapons, but decided to change that so they unlock earlier. It would be very simple to make it so the further research is unlocked later.

I'm currently thinking about something like this:

Advanced Ballistics (the first new research) would remain unchanged and is unlocked after researching Alien Invasion. After that, Advanced Sidearms and Advanced Assault Weapons would be unlocked (At the same time) together with Laser Weapons. This means the game before lasers would be almost the same as vanilla, but at that point you'd simply have more choice. It feels a bit artificial, and there's no real grounds except a lore-related one, but could be better gamewise.

G11's 3-shot burst is CRAZY accurate from 15+ tiles away.

I've just completed merging v04 into my Xenophobia pack for my next update. I've gone ahead and adjusted a few of the things I felt were a little "too good". HEH.

I'd.. like to say because the G11 is crazy accurate, but this is a game.

What he said :) According to my research it should be actually a pretty accurate portrayal of the weapon. The low damage and armoured aliens should however make it pretty balanced, although it still kicks caesan ass :P

Anyway, the lasers are even more accurate, although effective in completely different way...

The MAC-10 is a PDW..? Also is this compatible with 1.07?

Well, technically I don't think it is, but for some reason I felt the description of the role fit in with the weapon's function pretty well. The alternatives were Machine Pistol or Submachine Guns. I guess I was thinking about the handedness of the weapon, as submachine guns are usually intended and most effective as two-handed weapons.

And yes, it's compatible with 1.07.

Edited by catmorbid
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For future reference a PDW is basically an SMG that fires rifle rounds. IE: P90, which fires 5.7mm. Basically it tries to make SMG's have longer range, accuracy and able to break through things more. Also the Mac-10 can relatively easily be handled with one hand.

Edited by mvm900
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At least you're not dealing with Carbines and all that jazz that's relatively undefined. Either way, looks good and the only real problems look to be purely aesthetic, IE M82 as anti tank. And I forgot to ask, this is compatible with XNT as well, yes?

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Great job on the mod so far. It's bloody great. I was just wondering if you have any tips for dealing with Androns? At the moment I'm up to plasma tech, and most of the time they just resist that, as well as my laser weapons. The best way for me to kill them is with the ultra heavy rifle and heavy machinegun. Does anyone know a better way?

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Thanks! :)

Rockets should be useful against androns and multiple Electroshocks should also do the trick - though you probably don't want to get too close to them... But yes, the Ultra Heavy Rifle and Heavy Machinegun are designed to counter androns. You could also use the minigun, laser rifle or other rapid fire weapons to eat up their armor then plasmas to deliver killing blows. MAG weapons, if they don't penetrate, are excellent at eating armour, so you might want to research them asap. Have you encountered Heavy Drones yet?

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Hey there, I d/l'd and started playing your mod last night, so far I'm liking it very much. The expanded arsenal is a real treat to play with. I have encountered a bug, which may or may not be related. Basically after the first mission I had 4 injured squadmates and over a month in they have not healed even a single % point. Since then, several other squaddies have been injured and healed. I think the first bugged group got back to base before the hospital was finished building, could this be the cause? I've never experienced this in vanilla.

edit- oh and when will I be able to research ultra-heavy weapons? :D

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I've never experienced that kind of bug either, and I've started a new game with this mod dozens of times while testing things out. I don't think its related to the mod... Do you have any other mods installed?

In 0.4 Ultra Heavies unlock after you've researched all previous Advanced Ballistics and Alien Alloy Fabrication.

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I've never experienced that kind of bug either, and I've started a new game with this mod dozens of times while testing things out. I don't think its related to the mod... Do you have any other mods installed?

In 0.4 Ultra Heavies unlock after you've researched all previous Advanced Ballistics and Alien Alloy Fabrication.

Just a map pack and another aesthetic mod. It's no matter, I dismissed the bugged troops and it hasn't happened again. Strange though.

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Comments on v.04

G11's 3-shot burst is CRAZY accurate from 15+ tiles away.

That is how the real G11 fired. The 3 round burst has less accuracy effecting recoil than two SINGLE SHOTS before the last bullet leaves the barrel. It's 3 shot burst Cyclic ROF is over 2000 rounds a minute. Compare that to say a M-16A2 or later at a measly ~680 Cyclic ROF.

The G11 however is LESS accurate in FULL AUTO than any other mode (as it should be.)

Check out this article on HK pro if you want the a quick synopsis of the details.

http://www.hkpro.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23:the-g11-caseless-military-rifle&catid=11:rare-prototypes&Itemid=5

I should mention that one of the G-11 Prototypes made it into the Movie "Demolition Man" as the Ack-Mag (unsure of the movie scripts spelling) A MAGNETIC rail gun that had a ROF of 1/Minute.

Edited by Pappystein
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That is how the real G11 fired. The 3 round burst has less accuracy effecting recoil than two SINGLE SHOTS before the last bullet leaves the barrel. It's 3 shot burst Cyclic ROF is over 2000 rounds a minute. Compare that to say a M-16A2 or later at a measly ~680 Cyclic ROF.

The G11 however is LESS accurate in FULL AUTO than any other mode (as it should be.)

Check out this article on HK pro if you want the a quick synopsis of the details.

http://www.hkpro.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23:the-g11-caseless-military-rifle&catid=11:rare-prototypes&Itemid=5

I should mention that one of the G-11 Prototypes made it into the Movie "Demolition Man" as the Ack-Mag (unsure of the movie scripts spelling) A MAGNETIC rail gun that had a ROF of 1/Minute.

But uh.. no.. RoF amazingly isn't that important. Also the really only way ahead of its time thing was the caseless ammunition. Some would say it was too ahead of it's time.

Anyway I must say.. You get these weapons /WAY/ too early. It doesn't even feel like an accomplishment getting or using them since you can get them that simply. Although it is slightly mitigated by having to make them using the workshop. Also just aesthetic problems, IE why is the kalashnikov a battle rifle? :I And why is the magazine it uses so large?

Edited by mvm900
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Yeah, that's a really good article on the G11. Here's the critical part:

On burst fire the G11 was able to have three rounds out of the gun in about 60 milliseconds, compared to 130 milliseconds between only the first and second shots on full automatic. This meant that before the recoil would cause the rounds to fly off target, (due to the mechanics of recoil on the relationship between the rifle and shoulder of the firer), the three round burst would be on its way, resulting in rather impressive hit probability at even 100m. With any other conventional automatic arm, this was impossible due to the physics involved.

Anyway, the ACC and AP of the burst mode is based on the normal shot AP and ACC, to emphasize that the 3 round burst is designed to be the main mode of operation.

Anyway, I realized as well that the new weapons are unlocked too quickly, so I've been testing new research balance. So far It's seemed really well. Basically how it goes is this:

- Advanced Ballistics Research unlocked after Alien Invasion research, as it is in 0.4

- Advanced Sidearms and Assault Weapon research is unlocked after encountering Sebillians

- Advanced Heavy Ballistics is unlocked after encounter Andron + researching sidearms and assault weapons

- Ultra Heavy Ballistics is unlocked after encountering either a Heavy Drone or one of the tougher Androns.

I won't release until I can test it thoroughly, but so far that's the plan. I might add more unlock conditions to Ultra Heavies, but the idea is they would be available somewhere around plasmas, making them an alternative to researching and using plasmas, while lasers should be unlocked before adv. heavy ballistics. All this of course depends on if you choose to focus on the advanced ballistics or not. I've not in fact tested the mod without researching them at all, but the idea is the game should still be playable - although much harder.

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Okay, I just actually played a game with them.. Holy crap.. Just.. Jesus. The Sniper rifle should get nerfed to some degree, maybe just getting 5 rounds per mag and needing some requirement to be fired, like crouching or something. That much damage it just.. Godlike. Also the burst action on the auto shotgun suppressed things far away. The G11 was performing ok. The battle rifles just plain sucked. Didn't use the GL yet, either of them. As for the heavy weapons.. Jesus. I've yet to use them primarily because I have one soldier qualified to even hold it, probably not even accurately shoot it. I mean a real 20mm, like the Anzio, can weigh over 100 pounds. Some smaller ones like the Croatian RT-20 is like 40. Using these rifles in game is really really difficult due to the weight requirements. :I

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Using these rifles in game is really really difficult due to the weight requirements. :I

That's precisely the intention. They become the awesomest thing in the universe once you unlock Predator Armour pretty late in the game, but before that you're severely limited on how you can use them.

Also, the basic battle rifle is intended to be just an alternative to the assault rifle, i.e. very early game weapon. I find them useful against androns and sebs before having more powerful equipment available. The Advanced Battle Rifle is more like a crossover between a sniper and an assault rifle. I'm still working on the damage balance there.

Also, the grenade launchers don't work properly yet, I believe I mentioned it in their description, so just consider those as placeholders :)

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