[WEAPON] Gauss Weapons 1.9

[Solarius Scorch]

Nice mod, thank you

I have found a problem into the main campain, I have an engine crash when the "gauss cannon" reseach is complete.  I have no problems with the pistol, rifle, heavy and sniper research.

PS im playing with "openxcom_git_master_2014_04_30_0545"

Thanks.

OK, I'll test it later tonight. Are you using any other mods?

[Argo]

Yes , i have some mods, but i have disabled all for now (only exception for gauss mod) and i still have the game crash after the "gauss cannon" research is complete.

[Solarius Scorch]

Yeah, I found the bug; sorry about that. Uploading a fixed version straight away.

[Argo]

Thx for your fast fix, now all works well. 

[civilian]

Solarius Scorch, try the freeware program BFXR, maybe it helps you with making new sound-fx 

[Solarius Scorch]

Solarius Scorch, try the freeware program BFXR, maybe it helps you with making new sound-fx 

Thanks for the tip, I'll remember it... Though normally I just steal sounds from other games and such.

[Aldorn]

French Translation (from 1.0.1)

Code: [Select]

  - type: fr
    strings:
      STR_GAUSS_CANNON_UC: CANON GAUSS
      STR_GAUSS_CANNON: Canon Gauss
      STR_HOVERTANK_GAUSS: Blindé Anti-G Gauss
      STR_HOVERTANK_GAUSS_UFOPEDIA: "Cet 'aérochar' est équipé d'un Canon Gauss léger en mesure de percer instantanément la plupart des armures."
      STR_HWP_GAUSS_SHELLS: Obus PAL Gauss
      STR_GAUSS_CANNON_ROUNDS_X60: Munitions de Canon Gauss (x60)
      STR_GAUSS_CANNON_UFOPEDIA: "LE CANON GAUSS REPRÉSENTE L'APOGÉE DE LA TECHNOLOGIE GAUSS.  PAR UN TIR À HAUTE FRÉQUENCE D'OBUS DE TAILLE RELATIVEMENT PETITE, IL PEUT PÉNÉTRER N'IMPORTE QUEL TYPE DE BLINDAGE.  SA PORTÉE LIMITÉE S'EXPLIQUE DU FAIT DE LA DÉSINTÉGRATION PROGRESSIVE DE SES PROJECTILES FACE À LA RÉSISTANCE ATMOSPHÉRIQUE."
      STR_GAUSS_WEAPONS: Armes Gauss
      STR_GAUSS_PISTOL: Pistolet Gauss
      STR_GAUSS_PISTOL_UFOPEDIA: "Le Pistolet Gauss est une arme de poing efficace, tirant de petits projectiles ferriques propulsés par un champ électromagnétique très puissant.  La vitesse extrême de ses projectiles engendre des dommages de haute intensité, et le rend capable de percer aisément l'armure de n'importe quel véhicule blindé, tout en conservant une précision diabolique."
      STR_GAUSS_PISTOL_CLIP: Chargeur de Pistolet Gauss
      STR_GAUSS_RIFLE: Fusil Gauss
      STR_GAUSS_RIFLE_UFOPEDIA: "A l'instar du Pistolet Gauss, le Fusil Gauss allie précision et puissance.  De plus, la petite taille des munitions permet de proposer des chargeurs très fournis.  Malheureusement, cette technologie se heurte à des limites thermiques inhérentes, rendant impossible le développement d'un mode de tir automatique."
      STR_GAUSS_RIFLE_CLIP: Chargeur de Fusil Gauss
      STR_GAUSS_SNIPER_RIFLE: Fusil de Précision Gauss
      STR_GAUSS_SNIPER_RIFLE_UFOPEDIA: "Le Fusil de Précision Gauss résulte de l'exploitation exclusive des points forts de la technologie.  Plus puissant et plus précis, ce fusil longue portée, en de bonnes mains, devient dévastateur sur le champ de bataille."
      STR_GAUSS_SNIPER_RIFLE_CLIP: Chargeur de Fusil de Précision Gauss
      STR_HEAVY_GAUSS: Canon Lourd Gauss
      STR_HEAVY_GAUSS_UFOPEDIA: "Bien que moins précis que les armes de catégorie inférieure, son potentiel destructeur le définit comme l'arme antichar par excellence.  Un nouveau succès technologique au service de nos troupes qui sera apprécié à sa juste valeur sur le champ de bataille, dans cette guerre toujours plus intense que nous devons livrer face à la menace extraterrestre."
      STR_HEAVY_GAUSS_CLIP: Chargeur Canon Lourd Gauss


[Human Ktulu]

And here new sfx for gauss weapons.

[Solarius Scorch]

And here new sfx for gauss weapons.

You're both extremely helpful. The community shall thank you

[Aldorn]

1) Trying to merge your material (1.0.1) with other mods, I have a new question about referencing sprite and co...

Having a look at your ruleset file, if I check Big Sprites

Code: [Select]

...
  - type: BIGOBS.PCK
    files:
      60: Resources/GaussWeaponry/GaussSniper.gif
...

60 is effectively used as bigSprite reference for Gauss Sniper Rifle

Code: [Select]

...
  - type: STR_GAUSS_SNIPER_RIFLE
    requires:
      - STR_GAUSS_SNIPER_RIFLE
    size: 0.2
    costSell: 37000
    weight: 13
    bigSprite: 60
...

Nice.

But regarding BaseBits and IntIcon, 59 and 16 below are not pointed anywhere else in your ruleset file

Code: [Select]

  - type: BASEBITS.PCK
    files:
      59: Resources/GaussWeaponry/Basebits/gausscraft.gif
  - type: INTICON.PCK
    files:
      16: Resources/GaussWeaponry/Inticon/gausscraft.gif

How is it ?

2) Gauss effects

Referring to fire or laser resistances specific to some of the aliens,  did you have some reflection about specific Gauss effects against ennemy ?

[Solarius Scorch]

Aldorn,

Regarding the sprites: I am not completely sure, I as copied solutions from other mods, but my guess is that BASEBITS.PCK and INTICON.PCK are divided into subsections, just like for example tank turrets (of which each number has 8 separate files), and that these numbers correspond to the numbers under the STR_GAUSS_CANNON_UC. Perhaps more info can be found here and here.

Regarding the damage types: Gauss weapons shoot solid bullets (which are mostly liquid by the time they reach their target, but whatever), so it's not too much of a stretch. And new types of damage can't be defined yet anyway.

[Dioxine]

@Aldorn:
This corresponds with the "sprite" entry from the GAUSS_CANNON_UC. Sprite 11, but counting from 49-th entry in the https://www.ufopaedia.org/index.php?title=BASEBITS.PCK ; as "weapon sprite 0" is 49th entry, omitting all the non-weapon entries. So, 48+11 is 59. Similar situation with https://www.ufopaedia.org/index.php?title=INTICON.PCK , only the offset is different (+5 this time).
Care is needed as various assets (weapons, ships, facilities) adress the same spritesheet using various indexes.

[Aldorn]

@Aldorn:
This corresponds with the "sprite" entry from the GAUSS_CANNON_UC. Sprite 11, but counting from 49-th entry in the https://www.ufopaedia.org/index.php?title=BASEBITS.PCK ; as "weapon sprite 0" is 49th entry, omitting all the non-weapon entries. So, 48+11 is 59. Similar situation with https://www.ufopaedia.org/index.php?title=INTICON.PCK , only the offset is different (+5 this time).
Care is needed as various assets (weapons, ships, facilities) adress the same spritesheet using various indexes.

Ok this time it is clear : they are effectively pointed out, but with an offset !

"- sprite: 11" is converted (by algorythm reading ruleset file) to :
   59 as BaseBit (because of offset of 48 => 11+48 = 59)
   16 as IntIcon (because of offset of 5 => 11+5 = 16)

(Regarding bigSprite, floorSprite and handSprite, there is just no offset)

Thank you for explanation


EDIT :
In other words :
- regarding BaseBit and IntIcon sprite numbers, it is like a function : y = x + b (b is offset resp. of 48 and 5)
- regarding bigSprite, floorSprite and handSprite, it is like a function : y = x
- in some other cases, as bulletSprite, it is like a function : y = ax (cf. https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=2147.msg21233#msg21233)

[AzureSkye]

1) The models are a bit on the bright side. They look like they are brand new, never used RichBoy toys. Maybe dim them a bit? Add some yellow to that white tone?

2) What exactly is the difference with Lasers? You don't really specific in your description. I thought I remembered these having higher AP values?

[Solarius Scorch]

Hello!

1) The models are a bit on the bright side. They look like they are brand new, never used RichBoy toys. Maybe dim them a bit? Add some yellow to that white tone?

I see your point. Well, the sprites are stolen directly from TFTD... OK, not exactly, I made them a little better. I'll try experimenting with this maybe, but what you're talking about is hard and difficult bitmap drawing, so I'll get to it when I have the time.

2) What exactly is the difference with Lasers? You don't really specific in your description. I thought I remembered these having higher AP values?

There's nothing like an "AP value" in the game. Gauss weapons simply use AP damage type, just like normal human rifles and pistols. Gausses are generally stronger than lasers in terms of damage values, but AP damage type is usually not as good as laser damage type, because aliens tend to be more resistant to it. (Also Gauss weapons don't have auto fire mode, since it would melt their barrels.) I hope I made them roughly comparable.