Doable? Laser Weapon internal power supply (not clips)

[Incognito]

This was just a random idea that came to me, we all know the issue with balance and laser weapons (infinite ammo mainly) ... and I've seen the idea of 'laser' clips down. But part of me feels this takes something away from the laser's character and what makes it different.

Internal Power Supply
Hows this different from clips? Well I picture it as laser weapons have no clips, but have a preset amount of "power". Shots take up power, simple enough ... since a new clip can't be loaded in these power supplies will regenerate every turn. So say a shot costs 1 power and you regenerate 2 power per turn ... you could get off a couple of snap shots/aimed shots and be fine, but unloading 3 or more or a bunch of autoshots greatly saps your power and can leave you with not enough at a crucial time.

Afraid I'm entirely new to the whole openxcom scene, let alone modding so I'm not sure how doable this is, but thought I'd throw the idea out at least.

[Svanh]

You couldn't do this with ruleset modding. You could have a weapon that is recharged when you return to base but not one which is slightly recharged every turn.

[yrizoud]

If somebody wants to have a try at coding it, be careful that "maintenance" is generally made turn by turn, and there is one player turn and one alien(AI) turn. If you want the weapon to visibly regenerate 1 ammo every player turn, the actual increase must be 0.5 per turn. Ammo is integer-based, so one way to allow fractional increase is :
ammo += (int)((current_turn+1)*regenerating_factor) - (int)((current_turn)*regenerating_factor);

[hszp]

Interesting idea.
It reminds me of the beat-up weapons in Jagged Alliance: the more you used your weapons their condition degraded causing them to become less accurate and reliable.
However I feel that anything like these don't really fit in the imagined worlds in seasoned x-com players' minds. I mean, many of us like laser weapons for the very reason that they have unlimited ammo

[hszp]

One more idea: the damage capacity of a laser gun could decrease from usage. Heating up or whatever.
With each shot, the damage capacity would decrease by say 20%. In a whole turn, you could regain like 30%. So if you keep constantly shooting, you hit 0% quite quickly.
A sniper shooting a single aimed shot should be near its top damage capacity when firing his next shot (so if you need 50% TU for an aimed shot, the weapon would recover 15% during aiming!) I can come up with funky formulas if anyone is interested (like 0%->50% should happen more quickly than 50%->100%)
You get the idea.

[Solarius Scorch]

If you want to factor in weapon maintenance issues (like overheating, jamming etc.), why limit it to laser weapons? Those rifles are way too reliable.

Seriously though, it is interesting in Jagged Alliance games because they simulate a field campaign, where logistics matter. X-Com is a multimillionaire organization, so these issues can be ignored.

You could argue that lasers, as opposed to firearms, are new and prone to technical difficulties, but I think it still doesn't fit the game much.

[yrizoud]

Well, all lasers are already less accurate for aimed shots than the standard rifle and pistols, I've always thought this was to simulate how experienced soldiers are unfamiliar with them.

[Jo5hua]

If you want to factor in weapon maintenance issues (like overheating, jamming etc.), why limit it to laser weapons? Those rifles are way too reliable.

Ughhhhh cringe @ your comment!! You should really have put a caution or warning to your comment

[Jo5hua]

To me laser weapons seem a bit neglected. The only time I use them is when starting a new game and I don't have plasma weapons. Though compared to rifles, they really should have better accuracy. A real life laser weapon should be more accurate than something where a projectile is launched. It's not affected by wind, and the elements as projectiles are. Also they seem like they are under powered. In regards to accuracy of weapon due to troops being unfamiliar with them, XCOM in real life obviously would versly train their soldiers to operate laser weapons Just look at the military today. I do like the idea of limited ammo shots to a laser weapon. Power has to come from somewhere, so it makes sense that power would deplete. Perhaps having "Power cells" which contain like 8 shots or something. And force people to bring a few power cells per person. That would be a lot more realistic to real life laser weapons. Maybe there can be depleting "Power Cells", and then there can ALSO be a Replenishing Cell which would require Elerium? That would make sense within the game.

[Paddywhacker]

Standard power cells don't have enough capacity for high power lasers which are, instead, often pumped by chemical reaction.  I remember one experimental model used hydrogen and fluorine.

What about advanced power packs that recharge automatically by tapping the zero point vacuum energy, a la  Apocalypse?

[Arpia]

Standard power cells don't have enough capacity for high power lasers which are, instead, often pumped by chemical reaction.  I remember one experimental model used hydrogen and fluorine.

What about advanced power packs that recharge automatically by tapping the zero point vacuum energy, a la  Apocalypse?

...because xcom tech obviously thrives on realism?

[Incognito]

I suppose I thought it was just away to keep 'unlimited' ammo while cutting back on the "just shot holes in everything cause we don't have to worry about conserving ammo" thing.

[Solarius Scorch]

Ughhhhh cringe @ your comment!! You should really have put a caution or warning to your comment

Boo!

As for the laser weapons tech, well - it's inevitable they are developed from secret files, most likely based upon alien tech captured before X-Com was fully formed (though it can be Hitler's hidden Wunderwaffe too if you really want).

[tuszek]

One more idea: the damage capacity of a laser gun could decrease from usage. Heating up or whatever.
With each shot, the damage capacity would decrease by say 20%. In a whole turn, you could regain like 30%. So if you keep constantly shooting, you hit 0% quite quickly.
A sniper shooting a single aimed shot should be near its top damage capacity when firing his next shot (so if you need 50% TU for an aimed shot, the weapon would recover 15% during aiming!) I can come up with funky formulas if anyone is interested (like 0%->50% should happen more quickly than 50%->100%)
You get the idea.

Wow, i would definietly like to try this mechanic!