HWP options

[clownagent]

Two suggestions regarding HWP's

1. They should have an inventory screen. Of course they should not be able to pick up items, but one can imagine that they have an automatic ammo loading mechanism, which let you choose which ammo to load. For example the rocket HWP could have different kinds of rockets and in the inventory screen you could load the rocket type you want.

2. HWP'S should have a chance to explode when they die, similar to a cyberdisc. But the cyberdisc explosion is too strong and happens always when they die (I know, when you hit them with an HE Weapon, they don't explode, but this I consider a bug, because it makes absolutely no sense at all)
So it would be nice, if one can define an "explosion strength/blastradius" and "explosion chance" for dying vehicles in the ruleset file. 

[clownagent]

3. Another thing I would suggest to change is how the clipsize of HWPs is handled in the ruleset:
- For craft weapons and handheld weapons the clipsize gives the amount of ammo in one ammo-item.
- However, for HWP ammo clipsize gives the amount of ammo-items you can put in your HWP and each ammo-item has by default only one shot.

In my opinion the clipsize for HWPs should be handled like the clipsize for craft weapons. This is much more flexible, in line with the other clipsize tags, and one can design HWP-ammo-items with more than 1 shot. 

EDIT

4. When adding an HWP to the skyranger you can only add them, if it is fully loaded with ammunition. The warning is fine. However, it would be better to optionally allow to take the partially loaded or unloaded HWP with you.
It cann still be very useful for scouting or some shooting.

[Falko]

i have a test cyberdisk tank
i could bring that tank to an explosian "as a tank"
specab: 1 in units and  with      power and blastRadius in the resulting corpse you can fix some of what you want
i cant give you random(chance to) explosion

[Solarius Scorch]

In my opinion the clipsize for HWPs should be handled like the clipsize for craft weapons. This is much more flexible, in line with the other clipsize tags, and one can design HWP-ammo-items with more than 1 shot.

Oh yes, definitely. I lost quite a bit of time on this before I concluded it wasn't possible.

Now I force the people to buy 200 bullets separately for my minigun tank.

[Aldorn]

Oh yes, definitely. I lost quite a bit of time on this before I concluded it wasn't possible.

Now I force the people to buy 200 bullets separately for my minigun tank.

I hope you set bullets size to 0...

[Solarius Scorch]

I hope you set bullets size to 0...

It's 0.001 actually.

[clownagent]

i have a test cyberdisk tank
i could bring that tank to an explosian "as a tank"
specab: 1 in units and  with      power and blastRadius in the resulting corpse you can fix some of what you want
i cant give you random(chance to) explosion

Ah, thanks I didn't know that I can change power and blastradius of the corpse.

With "specab: 1" does the unit follow the buggy "Cyberdisc explosion rules": When it is hit by a HE weapon or "in the air" it will not explode?

[Falko]

there is no "in the air" exception only a "HE"-exception and that still applies to a cyberdisk-tank

[Warboy1982]

the "in the air" exception applies to recovery of a corpse, in that the corpse falls to the level below before the explosion goes off in the air, and it's not a bug that HE/stun damage doesn't set off the self destruct mechanism, that's entirely by design.

[clownagent]

the "in the air" exception applies to recovery of a corpse, in that the corpse falls to the level below before the explosion goes off in the air, and it's not a bug that HE/stun damage doesn't set off the self destruct mechanism, that's entirely by design.

Yes, I know it's vanilla behavior. However, the mechanism is just so implausible that it "feels" like a bug. I can understand that some people want to experience the original behavior, but I would be happy if one can change it in the ruleset to a more reasonable behavior like an "explosion chance" of xx % no matter what the cause of the destruction of the cyberdisc is.

I mean it is really difficult to figure out a reasonable explanation for the original cyberdisc mechanisms:
1.  "the corpse falls to the level below before the explosion goes off in the air". So what does it mean ingame?  The cyberdisc ejects its own self destruction mechanism in the air, and after the corpse hits the ground it goes off?
2. Self destruction mechanism does not work if the cyberdisc is hit by an explosion, but it works perfectly if hit by plasma, laser or any other high energy projectile? Why?

[Warboy1982]

explanation is simple: it's a video game. it doesn't have to make sense.

[yrizoud]

I just realized, the "in the air" feature is not going to happen in OpenXcom when explosion height is > 0 ? Because the blast will hit the level(s) below, and thus destroy the corpse anyway.

[clownagent]

explanation is simple: it's a video game. it doesn't have to make sense.

Ok, now with that you can justify anything.
Personally, i like some kind of in-game logic, but that is of course a matter of taste.

Anyway, I would appreciate it very much, if one can modify the explosion and corpse recovery behavior via the ruleset.

[yrizoud]

If you set armor: (big enough number) for STR_CYBERDISC_CORPSE, the corpse should survive all explosions, including the one that it causes on death.
This way, you will always recover the wreakage. No difference if "in the air", with or without explosion height.

[clownagent]

If you set armor: (big enough number) for STR_CYBERDISC_CORPSE, the corpse should survive all explosions, including the one that it causes on death.
This way, you will always recover the wreakage. No difference if "in the air", with or without explosion height.

That's a very good idea, it might be useful for my mod.