Dated equipments and technologies.

[Wiz33]

It's 2018! Why are my soldiers still using 20 years old equipments. I know that the weapon are not named according the the image asset used but you should at least update the graphical asset for your equipments to current standard. The First Aid kit for one looks like surplus leftover from WW2. Also why are we still using an Aircraft with cannons as it's only armament. Yes, I know that's what R&D are for but I think we're starting out a little too barebone. 

[Max_Caine]

So do you just not like the placeholder graphics then? 

[Wiz33]

I thought it has gone beyond placeholder graphics as the game is using them in the tactical combat. So is the starting research/inventory also just placeholder? I hope you will at least have decent armor and weapon in the base at start.

[Max_Caine]

Not a developer. Some of it is from X1, some of it isn't. I refer you to the April update re. art assets and the tech tree. 

[wulf 21]

Regarding the aircraft just with cannons: They had missiles from the start in previous builds.

However it kind of makes sense that you need to research them first, assuming backgound fiction says that the UFOs cannot be tracked by standard thermal or radar seeking missiles and a new tracking technology specifically for UFOs needs to be developed first. (Or as we have UFO tracking radars from the start, maybe the new technology needs to be miniaturized first to fit in a warhead). As Chris said somewhere - they try out what works and is fun first. And pretty much everything they design into game can be then explained with some detail in the background fiction after that.

Edited April 19, 2019 by wulf 21

[Blade]

8 hours ago, wulf 21 said:

Regarding the aircraft just with cannons: They had missiles from the start in previous builds.

However it kind of makes sense that you need to research them first, assuming backgound fiction says that the UFOs cannot be tracked by standard thermal or radar seeking missiles and a new tracking technology specifically for UFOs needs to be developed first. (Or as we have UFO tracking radars from the start, maybe the new technology needs to be miniaturized first to fit in a warhead). As Chris said somewhere - they try out what works and is fun first. And pretty much everything they design into game can be then explained with some detail in the background fiction after that. 

That is an interesting question - why would an UFO be harder to track than a stealth plane equipped with ECM? Possibly they have a nice good radar signature just like an old IL-2 bomber.

The real limitation I see is speed - missiles have a top speed. If the UFO can fly around that, you will never hit it. Same is true with maximum altitude - if you can fly higher, the missile will lose you. Take the example of SR-71: it was never ever shot down, it was too fast, and the ceiling height was too high for interceptors or SAMs. But of course it is way worse with canons, where the bullets only lose speed after firing, possibly hitting the aircraft firing them at high speeds. Laser is the real solution - it is only the matter of distance you can close in (as energy dissipates in the air), the precision of firing, and the initial energy you can put into the beam (which is limited by the power source, which can be chemical, where ammo can be depleted, or limited by the power output of the reactor, for which you will need to carry a nuclear power plant, or something equivalent...).

It all comes to energy density, and humanity sucks at that at the cold war era, or even today. If this would happen today, you would need to exploit the weaknesses of the UFOs (and alien minds) in flying in our atmosphere before they adapt and make mincemeat of all our military equipment.

[Chris]

With the exception of the first aid kit I'm not sure the basic equipment is overly dated, I think the shotgun is the only one that doesn't have a modernised version of the art since X1 (and it doesn't really seem like shotgun technology has moved on much in the last 40 years).

For the aircraft, you won't be using a F16 as the basic plane in the final version of the game, we'll be replacing it with a F22. But as to the weapon setup, that's a case of the air combat not being overly interesting if it's all about firing missiles from beyond visual range. There's quite a bit of experimentation still to do but I think starting with cannons makes the early research tree more interesting and it's easy enough to handwave given the energy shields on UFOs could be assumed to absorb radar energy and the engines not produce heat, which means most modern missiles probably wouldn't be able to lock on to them.

[Blade]

Oh yeah, the F-22 Raptor, which was so much ahead its time that while it is better than the F-35, it is just not worth the double price so the US has stopped producing it.

Perfect for Xenonauts - just like the H&K G11 assault rifle, which also never got used in large quantities because of the price, and the special ammo needed for it. The G11 is unique in that it can fire a 3-round burst before you can feel the recoil, effectively giving you 3 bullets for the TUs of a single shot. But, it is damn ugly if you ask me! (Interesting fact that it was implemented in JA2, so it is far from being the latest model...)

There are so many interesting weapons on Earth, why everyone is using an AK-47...

[Decius]

On 4/20/2019 at 2:04 AM, Blade said:

 (which is limited by the power source, which can be chemical, where ammo can be depleted, or limited by the power output of the reactor, for which you will need to carry a nuclear power plant, or something equivalent...).

It's roughly impossible to put a nuclear reactor onto something that can fly with the usable power of that reactor. Even if you removed all of the shielding, you still need a big enough heat sink to get work out of a heat source. While flying, you're going to have to sink all of the heat of the reactor to air.

[TrashMan]

18 hours ago, Blade said:

Oh yeah, the F-22 Raptor, which was so much ahead its time that while it is better than the F-35, it is just not worth the double price so the US has stopped producing it.

There are so many interesting weapons on Earth, why everyone is using an AK-47... 

Because it's cheap?

You have plenty of modern guns to choose from. MY personal favorite:

 

And speaking of aircraft, stealth is GREATLY overrated. Most of the modern craft are trash that cannot be flown without computer assist and require three times as much maintanance.

 

The best craft the US ever produces are the F-14, the A-10 and the F-15.

The A-10 is a flying thank with the BRRRRT gun, nuff siad.

The F-15 is a versatile craft with an amazing weight/thrust ratio.

And the F-14 is hands down the best airframe ever designed. For such a big craft it had amazing speed and manouverabiltiy and flexibility. It could carry a huge payload and the B variant upgrade made it a premire ground attack craft of the navy, in addition to being an unparraelled interceptor. Those AIM54 Phoenix missiles have insane range and speed (big boys though). I have not met a navy pilot or carrier officer who didn't lament it's forced retirement (corruption and corporate sabotage saw it grounded before it's time) So Chris, if you have an advanced aircraft, make it F-14 inspired.

The bow at the end kills me.

[Wiz33]

I think we need missiles on the interceptor at start but maybe have a low chance to hit due to UFO being harder to track and have better evasion (that's where the R&D comes in).

Missile certainly fly faster than planes, if you can intercept with the plane you're well within missile range and the next generation of missile will be ramjet powered and should hit Mach 4+. Shotgun have also came a long way, take a look at the AA-12 or the russian Saiga-12 semi-auto. As to why some of the more exotic weapon was not adopted or only produce in small number. It's the result of the peace dividend with the end of the Cold War. The production quantity of the F-22 is a direct result of that as the original requirement was for 750 units. Same thing happen to the H&K G11 K2 assault rifle using Caseless ammo and carries 150 rounds on the rifle. It was already certified for German army service and was ready to go into production when the military budget was cut.

Edited April 23, 2019 by Wiz33