LightSpeed(laser weapon projectile speed)

[zzz1010]

Another, useless, testing, thing.

Greatly(but I leave it still slightly noticeable) increase of laser weapon projectile speed(only laser and only speed) to be close to instant hit. For try how it will feel.

http://rghost.ru/41765704

These who not play full game too much to take it through researchers, can(If you don't know) use(for testing purposes) Xenonauts _gc_editor.exe and U hotkey to give your soldiers what you want

Edited November 30, 2012 by zzz1010

[a333]

You know what i really like in the new XCOM? Their laser effects. Almost perfect.

And here in xenonauts its the low-speed generic projectiles. Well, i don't complain, it seems the engine probably cant operate beam-like objects, but certain aspects can definitely be improved. So, i don't think it's useless.

The only thing, IMHO you've made the projectiles a little too fast to be reliably spotted, and this kills part of the visual fun (it's almost invisible now, without any kind of shooting effects on weapons and active lighting). For me best speed is somewhere between 5000 and 9000. Also i suggest this slightly longer (and brighter) projectiles. [http://rghost.ru/41763321]

[zzz1010]

You know what i really like in the new XCOM? Their laser effects. Almost perfect.

It's rays - it's already make them to be good, can't say there something perfect in it but I like most of "presentation\decor" solutions of this xcom but dislike almost all "gameplay" solutions

this kills part of the visual fun (it's almost invisible now, without any kind of shooting effects on weapons and active lighting).

Well, this is how laser weapon work, there can't be any muzzle flashes or noticeable lighting and longevity of impulse usually too short to notice it, but I understand what you mean by visual fun, for me personaly it's still feels good - it's become "pew and hit flash in distance" and not feels like i kill something. Edited it to 15000(tried with your sprite). It's better for projectile to be something "blinking" then something "moving" and can't be too noticeable duration before hit, 9k still feels too slow for me. To make sprite longer - agree, thought about it too(but was lazy to actually make it).

Edited November 23, 2012 by zzz1010

[a333]

I'd make it even longer, but the sprites will became too big, particularly diagonal ones.

For the most realistic laser effect, yes, your speed works better, just dont forget than powerful pulse lasers look and feel a little different than those we have now.

Here is a mere 1mW handgun, but it can help imagine how the far more powerful Xenonauts lasers should work.

There should be a muzzle flash from the distorted and overheated air, a very-hot-and-angry ball of quickly expanding plasma in the impact point, which will produce even more sound and light, and then scattered, ricocheting uncontrollably rays will burn out every unprotected eye unlucky to be near. And god forbid you to shoot at something red (assuming that the laser is red-wave).

I've always think of xcom lasers as of some combined technology, able to create, say, some sort of optic conductor in the air, and then shoot through it with the laser pulse. Convenient and effective.

Summing up: I agree with your choice of speed, but it will be nice to have some additional effects.

[zzz1010]

Here is a mere 1mW handgun, but it can help imagine how the far more powerful Xenonauts lasers should work.

If you look it at only "normal time" you will not notice anything at all - no any specal effects - only sudden impact flash

There should be a muzzle flash from the distorted and overheated air, a very-hot-and-angry ball of quickly expanding plasma in the impact point,

In the impact point - yes, plasma , explosive evaporation and other spectacular effects of high energy impact. I'm call "muzzle flash" some special lighting effects at the end of "barrel"(it will be at whole path of ray or will not to be at all ).

To have in video game some shooting effects is always nice. I'm not science guy at all, I just like lasers, I mean fatastic beams, not science ones, and this painful for me to look at this slow flying stick (in old one I can't change this), all other it's just talking, (well, I also have "lasers should not have recoil" point(no matter how it will be in reality), but this is much less important )

Or we allways can call this like something "blaster" or "pulser" and make it as you like

Edited November 24, 2012 by zzz1010

[a333]

and this painful for me to look at this slow flying stick (in old one I can't change this), all other it's just talking, (well, I also have "lasers should not have recoil" point(no matter how it will be in reality), but this is much less important )

Totally agree with this. Sometimes little technical imperfections like the laser projectiles and soun in space are driving me mad, but i have to consider the limits of the countless conditions like development deadlines or engine limitations. Or the gameplay priorities.

Still hope the developers will consider this and make something with projectile effects.

[zzz1010]

I understand this too. I'm not demand to change it. I try to make it more appealing to myself by using what we have

[zzz1010]

Second attempt, same goal - little different approach

It still fast(8k now), but more visible

There also "more shiny" laser impact(just not accurate edit of existed sprite but result is intresting), not sure about it

http://rghost.ru/41921337

Not sure is it will be same at differrent pc(what is this speeds and frametime, is this depend on ms or frames, how it will change with differrent fps) , but i think(hope) it still will be similar.

Edited November 30, 2012 by zzz1010
updated

[a333]

Oh, that's way more cool that it was.

Speed is perfect, particle effect is also great.

Looks like something wrong with the beam graphics in the game (or it was my imagination), but after relaunching the game unit editor hotkey just flew out from my head and i cant find it again. Need some sleep.

It's only east for a while?

[zzz1010]

You usualy can't notice it if distance less then 3 tiles, mostly because of speed

Some times it looks better, sometimes - worse(depending on distance, direction, moon position and background(and this "shadow" thing is added to any weapon projectile and not very fit for that, need to make it defined separatly for every weapon, this also will allow to make bright "shadow" sprite for plasma imitating illumination ) ), it's pain to adjust it because need to restart game and give them weapons after every edit.

I did subtitle edit, for me it looks better little more often now, but mayby it just moon phase affect

It's only east for a while?

It work differently then you(and I) expect -(not sure for what they place other directions, maybe leftovers, but) it use east sprite to all directions by rotating it.

Edited November 30, 2012 by zzz1010

[Gauddlike]

The original system used the other sprites to generate the projectiles.

They were left behind when the current system (the rotation of the east image) was implemented.

[zzz1010]

It don't worth separate thread because it again some "useless testing thing". Consider it like bonus for subj, and weapon_gs with weapon for it is content laser speed edits

It's alien scout drone (the thing in the right top corner). I did it mostly to look how to add things and how to make it.

It has slow analog of human laser pistol but have increased sight range and intended mostly to be a spotter and part of scout crew(at first it didn't has weapons, but it was boring).http://rghost.ru/41950268

Well, that's all

I didn't try to add it to crew of ufo but for test is possible to add it in quick battle setup

String will be like this:

<Alien name="AI 10" race="scoutdrone" rank="scoutdrone" script="defensive" />

Edited December 2, 2012 by zzz1010
fixed foldier stucture

[a333]

moon phase

Web-developer or system administrator? =)

it's pain to adjust it because need to restart game and give them weapons after every edit.

There should be some kind of animation editor/viewer, but i dont expect releasing it.

It work differently then you(and I) expect -(not sure for what they place other directions, maybe leftovers, but) it use east sprite to all directions by rotating it.

Yes, kind of unexpected. But eases modding work a little.

Missed the spectre file, now i see how it pick the sprites.

[Gauddlike]

Could always try adding it to the light scout crew and see how it feels balance wise.

Looks like it should be fairly easy once you have the drone added.

assets/ufocontents/airplane.alien.lightscout/caesan.xml for anyone who wants to have a try.

Something like this?

Underneath:

<Row ss:AutoFitHeight="0" ss:Height="13.5"><Cell><Data ss:Type="String">2-3 Caesan_NonCombatant</Data></Cell>

</Row>

Add:

<Row ss:AutoFitHeight="0" ss:Height="13.5">

<Cell><Data ss:Type="String">1-3 scoutdrone</Data></Cell>

</Row>

[zzz1010]

3-4 will be better(drones can be dispatched from some bay by legend if you one who think there no place to such amount inside ). In my quck battles(I play lot of them every time when testing my things) I usually use 10 aliens. It's early to talk about balance without AI.

Edited December 2, 2012 by zzz1010

[Gauddlike]

I was thinking less about final game balance (as these drones are not an official addition) but about the balance of the drones.

Adding them to missions in game tends to give a better feel for how useful they are and if anything needs changing (for me personally).

[zzz1010]

I was thinking less about final game balance (as these drones are not an official addition) but about the balance of the drones.

Adding them to missions in game tends to give a better feel for how useful they are and if anything needs changing (for me personally).

I'm not about some final balance. But it's impossible to deside is thing usefull if they not use it. Under control of human it can be overpower(in this state as i did it), under contol of mindles ai it's just yet another thing rotating at place at some corner.

[Gauddlike]

True enough, if the sight range is long enough you could rename it a lighthouse drone as it spins round illuminating parts of the level.

[zzz1010]

After test scout I move to something what thought previously, and last days tryed to made it.

Well, it's creeper - like reaper but small and don't turn you to zombie, yea it's something like "aliens" this is obviously. But also little of old chryssalid inspiration.

It's not creeping actually, more like jumping, but I like how it sounds.

Was surprised how reaction fire work with melee units in this game.

Two issues

It moving is funny

I not sure is it play melee animation(it's attack just without animation), not sure what's wrong with it

All other looks working

There regular one and bonus pink one(just photoshop batch recolor. pinky try to paralyse you by his psi force but without success, only make noise, and it is little stronger)

http://rghost.ru/42071730

I hope I didn't forget to put something in archive

If you suddenly want to try it then make it like this

<Alien name="AI 1" race="creeper" rank="creeper" script="offensive" />

<Alien name="AI 2" race="creeper" rank="creeper" script="offensive" isKilled="0"/>

<Alien name="AI 3" race="creeper" rank="creeper" script="offensive" isKilled="0" />

<Alien name="AI 4" race="creeper" rank="creeper" script="offensive" isKilled="0" />

<Alien name="AI 5" race="creeper" rank="creeper" script="offensive" isKilled="0" />

<Alien name="AI 6" race="creeper" rank="creeper" script="offensive" />

<Alien name="AI 7" race="creeper" rank="creeper" script="offensive" />

<Alien name="AI 8" race="creeper" rank="creeper_red" script="offensive" />

<Alien name="AI 9" race="creeper" rank="creeper_red" script="offensive" />

<Alien name="AI 10" race="creeper" rank="creeper" script="offensive" />

<Alien name="AI 11" race="creeper" rank="creeper" script="offensive" />

<Alien name="AI 12" race="creeper" rank="creeper" script="offensive" />

<Alien name="AI 13" race="creeper" rank="creeper" script="offensive" />

<Alien name="AI 14" race="creeper" rank="creeper" script="offensive" />

I mean make a lot of them, to make them run everywhere

Edited December 7, 2012 by zzz1010
updates

[Max_Caine]

zzz, I'm sure this has been asked before, but what tools do you use?

[zzz1010]

Tools ? Photoshop and max(is this what you asking?) Tools not matter, I don't make something very specific or complicated, it's just what I familiar with

Edited December 6, 2012 by zzz1010

[Max_Caine]

Yes.