Elerium Based Laser's V0.94 [WEAPON] - Lanuage Requests Please

[Roxis231]

Recently I've been reading several bits of X-com background fluff (X-com, TFTD, Intercepter, Apocalypse Ect), and discovered that in X-Com Interceptor, you can make more powerful Lasers by using a peace of Elerium-115  as a focusing crystal.

With this in mind, I have designed a Mod that allows you to build more powerful Laser weapons.

These become avalible after you research Laser Weapons, Alien Alloys and Elerium-115

The weapon's have increased power but at the cost of decreased fire speed (ie costs more Tu's) and limited Ammo. ( 18/09/14 - Tanks now have a Auto-Fire mode )

Though this mod is game usable, I'm still tweeking it for Improvements. If there are any major changes I'll note them in the first post.

Warning : Version 0.93 onward now uses a single ruleset - If you have a older version, You will need to delete all the older resoures and rulesets - they are NOT compatable with any newer versions. (V0.93 or newer)

Current Version Now on the Mod Site
Due to the shutdown of the old modsite (Openxcom.com) and other matters, this mod (and All my UFO mods) have been temporarly shifted to Google Drive - Link HERE

Update change log: 13/06/15 V0.94

Changes:
- V0.94 is now compatable with the 7/5/15 nightly or newer

Problems

- Not compatable with any versions before V0.93-3b

Edit 27/07/14 Updated to V0.7
Edit 3/08/14 Updated to V0.8 (Including tanks)
Edit 12/08/14 Added V0.83 beta rulesets for anyone who wishes to test them - feedback will be honestly accepted.
Edit: 26/08/14 Updated to V0.9
EDIT: Damm - Missed problem with E.Laser Cannon Manufacture, Ruleset update 02/09/14 V0.91
Edit: 18/09/14 Update to V0.92
Edit 4/12/14 Update to V0.93-3b
Edit 17/02/15 Update to V0.93-4b (I will leave this up for those who still use OpenXcom 1.0)
Edit 13/06/15 Update to V0.94
Edit 25/08/15 Update to V0.94b

[Roxis231]

Update 29/07/14 V0.7


Changes:
- Made some slight changes to damage level's and text
- Added a Craft version (uses default graphics)
- Fixed transperancy problem - solders now show up

Problems

- Pistol and Rifle HandOb's are still out of allinment.
- Still default graphics for Ship weapons and Ammo clips.

[XCOMFan419]

So when is the HWP coming out so I can put it into the HWP compilation/rebalance that I'm making? 

That aside, what else do have planned for the mod?

[Roxis231]

At this point in time no. posably.

In the base game both the Laser Tank and the Plasma Hovertank have a power rateing of 110 - exactly the same as my L3A3 Heavy Laser Rifle. (and less than a Heavy plasma at 115)

As this is suposed to be at a level between basic lasers and plasma, there would be a problem with it.

The only thing I can think of is if I rebalance the laser tank and plasma tank. but as the power levels of the troop weapons and craft weapons are on diffrent scales, this will take a bit of thought. (and right now I don't exactly have that much free time.)

[XCOMFan419]

At this point in time no. posably.

In the base game both the Laser Tank and the Plasma Hovertank have a power rateing of 110 - exactly the same as my L3A3 Heavy Laser Rifle. (and less than a Heavy plasma at 115)

As this is suposed to be at a level between basic lasers and plasma, there would be a problem with it.

The only thing I can think of is if I rebalance the laser tank and plasma tank. but as the power levels of the troop weapons and craft weapons are on diffrent scales, this will take a bit of thought. (and right now I don't exactly have that much free time.)

Hm. Well that's kinda sucks now doesn't it

I love this mod though. I used it even after I got Heavy Plasmas. The sprites are awesome and the damage is even better. It would be nice to see a different ruleset where the L3A3 Heavy Laser gets autoshot.

Also, word of advice, (realistically speaking) you got the numbers backwards. IRL, the when the military improves a model of tank or a weapon, they use the last number to signify it (Ex. M1 Abrams, M1A1 Abrams, M1A2 Abrams) So realistically speaking, the elerium laser weapons should go L2A1 (since it's the second model, not the improvement), L2A2, L2A3 and L2A4 (Hopefully L2A5 - Elerium Laser Tank)

[Roxis231]

Also, word of advice, (realistically speaking) you got the numbers backwards. IRL, the when the military improves a model of tank or a weapon, they use the last number to signify it (Ex. M1 Abrams, M1A1 Abrams, M1A2 Abrams) So realistically speaking, the elerium laser weapons should go L2A1 (since it's the second model, not the improvement), L2A2, L2A3 and L2A4 (Hopefully L2A5 - Elerium Laser Tank)

Oh - I did not know that is how they made the numbering.

Since I am nether in the Military or from the US, I worked it out as:
First number - ie L1-4 - is weapon type - Laser pistol, Laser Rifle ect, and A3 is the improvement - ie A1 - Prototype, A2 - Laser Pistol, Rifle ect, A-3 - Elerium Laser Pistol, Rifle ect.

[Roxis231]

I've now added a second ruleset that lets you play with a Tank version.  However if you use this ruleset it has to change the power/price of the plasma and Fusion hovertanks to remain consistant.
Still can't figure out how to make a hovertank version though.

Plasma Hovertank - power increased to 133, production cost increased to $1,027,726
Fusion  Hovertank - production cost increased to $996,428
HWP Fusion Rounds - power increased to 155, production cost increased to $16,607

Update 03/08/14 V0.8

Changes:
- Made some slight changes to Ufopedia text.
- Fixed graphics problem - Pistol and Rifle HandOb's now fixed.
- Added extra ruleset to give you Elerium Laser tanks. (see above)
- Replaced Ammo Clip graphics with new ones

Problems

- Still default graphics for Ship weapons.
- Still default graphics for Tanks.

[Arthanor]

Hi! I was just taking a look at your mod. I am going to give it a try for my next playthrough. I think it will be interesting to have an intermediate weapon between the vanilla lasers and plasma.

One thing that I'm not sure of, though, is that the weapons have the same manufacturing cost and time requirements as the normal lasers. As more advanced weapons, wouldn't they have a higher cost?

It would also help to make them into the next step, instead of a replacement for the lasers. If all you have to do to get these is a few more research projects, why not wait until it's done to outfit the squad? If not only do they require research and a piece of Elerium, but also more time and money to produce, they become less tempting immediately, and more of something you do "when you have time", waiting for the plasma weapons (of course this mostly makes sense in games that delay plasma..)

[Roxis231]

One thing that I'm not sure of, though, is that the weapons have the same manufacturing cost and time requirements as the normal lasers. As more advanced weapons, wouldn't they have a higher cost?

It would also help to make them into the next step, instead of a replacement for the lasers. If all you have to do to get these is a few more research projects, why not wait until it's done to outfit the squad? If not only do they require research and a piece of Elerium, but also more time and money to produce, they become less tempting immediately, and more of something you do "when you have time", waiting for the plasma weapons (of course this mostly makes sense in games that delay plasma..)

Oh... I didn't think of this, I thought the cost of the ammo clips would compensate.  I'd have to look at the costs of the laser vs plasma to find a compromise.

[Arthanor]

The alien ammo for clips does make a difference, for sure. Although plasma requires Elerium for clips, which is even more rare.

It was mostly just a thought when looking into the ruleset, I am looking forward to seeing what you make of it.

[Roxis231]

I've been trialing a number of small changes, nothing major just small tweeks to make the weapons mid range compared to laser/plasma weapons.

I'm still on good a graphics so those are still default at the moment. (unless some one gives me a hand - the clips especaly)

Other than that it might be a while before the mod gets updated.

[Arthanor]

Oh, alright. I'll wait for your next update then. Or if you'd like, you can share the rules file and I'll be happy to play test it!

[Roxis231]

Oh, alright. I'll wait for your next update then. Or if you'd like, you can share the rules file and I'll be happy to play test it!

Sure I'll send them to you in a P.M. here it is. (sorry can't send them by P.M.)

Oops - found a major error - now fixed

[Arthanor]

Hi! Sorry for the slow response..

I like what you did with the changes. Less power means it is less of a super efficient plasma replacement. I will be looking at the selling costs soon.

A few things I noticed (and somehow failed to mention before..?):
- When referencing the new sprites, you have some as *.Gif, instead of *.gif. On Windows it doesn't matter, but for a Linux user like me, it makes the mod crash.
- The mod changes the name of regular laser weapons, but misses the heavy laser, since that one is "STR_HEAVY_LASER", not "STR_LASER_HEAVY_RIFLE".
- The ufopaedia article for "Further Elerium-115 research" doesn't require anything, so you can see it at anytime. Also, maybe it would fit better in the "Alien Artefacts" section, right below Elerium-115, than in the weapons section?

Another, not really necessary to change thing:
I use a mod which flips the laser research tree (start by discovering the tank, then heavy laser (optional craft weapon too), then rifle, then pistol (optional sniper rifle and scatter laser). This makes the naming convention pretty awkward, especially with the renaming.

I simply removed the renaming line from your ruleset and changed the new weapons to "Elerium Laser X". I was wondering if you might consider a more "neutral" name series? It would also make it more compatible with optional laser weapons.

Nice work on the multiple lines for the ufopaedia, btw. I didn't know you could do that!

[Roxis231]

- When referencing the new sprites, you have some as *.Gif, instead of *.gif. On Windows it doesn't matter, but for a Linux user like me, it makes the mod crash.

Thanks - I'll change it ASAP

- The ufopaedia article for "Further Elerium-115 research" doesn't require anything, so you can see it at anytime. Also, maybe it would fit better in the "Alien Artefacts" section, right below Elerium-115, than in the weapons section?

Odd - I thought I had fixed that, I'll have to have another look.

Nice work on the multiple lines for the ufopaedia, btw. I didn't know you could do that!

I didn't know that either untill I found it in Aldorn's Modding Ufopaedia ruleset, so all credit goes to him.