Alternate Laser Tech

[BBHood217]

Of all the XcomUtil mods that OpenXcom came with, Alternate Laser Tech doesn't seem to be among them.  I remember playing with that option once.  It was a new challenge, what with the inability to make plasma guns (and the craft plasma cannon taking much longer to make) and stuff.

I'd have thought someone would've recreated such a mod by now, but alas.

[Gifty]

I actually had been thinking of making a little mod binding Lasers to some elerium/alloy dependency just as a way to prolong the currently pitiful lifespan of ballistic weapons; I had no idea there was already an XcomUtil feature that did a similar thing. Maybe I should put my money where my mouth is and do it, then?

[yrizoud]

MKSheppard left out this option when he converted XComutil patches into openxcom ruleset, he intended to convert it into a proper mod.

the big change -- "improved laser tech tree" I'm going to work on in a separate mod, since with Open XCOM we can do much better than simple hex editing back in the day.

https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=1667.msg15452#msg15452

[BBHood217]

I noticed that post was made in October of last year.  Months later, there's still no Alternate Laser Tech

How hard could it be to mod it in, anyway?  Just add elerium and alloy requirements to the lasers, disallow plasma gun manufacture (have them not show up in the manufacture list or inflate their workspace requirements to impossible numbers), and change the sell value and manufacture time of craft laser and plasma cannons.

...y'know what?  I think that'll be my very first mod.

[yrizoud]

Don't hesitate to have a go at it... You have played the original, so you know better than most what this option changes.
Note that the data is present in xcomutil.cfg under "https:// Patches for Alternate Laser/Plasma Technology", I repeat it here for easier reference :

The translation strings can be taken "as is", though I can say the french is horrible, I'll provide a fixed version.

Code: [Select]

:NLsrText

    9:This weapon is a larger version of the heavy laser, designed to replace the standard cannon mounted on our interceptors.
   10:Although this weapon is extremely difficult to build, its range and power makes our interceptors more than a match for all but the largest alien ship.
  528:Hovertank/Laser Cannon
  668:The laser pistol is faster and more accurate than a pistol, but lacks the power source needed to become a truly effective weapon.
  669:Using Elerium-115 as a power source, the laser rifle is a more powerful and accurate version of the earlier pistol design. However, stronger materials are needed to contain the laser pulse as it builds to full power.
  670:Using alien alloys for added strength, the heavy laser finally demonstrates the full potential of laser technology.
  681:Plasma pistols are a lethal alien weapon based on accelerating particles from within a minute anti-gravity field. Although we are able to use the weapons that we capture, our engineers are unable to reproduce them.
  682:This is a devastatingly powerful weapon based on accelerating particles from within a minute anti-gravity field. Although we are able to use the weapons that we capture, our engineers are unable to reproduce them.
  824:Alien technology has given the HWP a new lease on life. The added manoeuvrability of air travel and the power of the laser cannon is a lethal combination.

:NLsrTxDe

; Translation by Thomas A Schieder, thomas.schieder@tbkummer.com
; Special characters: á = ß = ss,  = ü = ue, „ = ä = ae, ” = ö = oe

    9:Diese Waffe ist eine gr”áere Version des schweren Lasers, gebaut um die Standardgeschtze auf unseren Abfangj„gern zu ersetzen.
   10:Auch wenn diese Waffe sehr schwer zu bauen ist, sie macht unsere Abfangj„ger auch den m„chtigsten Alienschiffen nahezu ebenbürtig.
  528:Luftkissenpanzer/Lasergeschtz
  668:Die Laserpistole ist schneller und genauer als die Standardpistole, kann aber aus Mangel an einer kr„fitgen Energiequelle keine wirklich effektive Waffe sein.
  669:Mit Elerium-115 als Energiequelle konnten wir eine Waffe entwickeln, die wesentlich st„rker und genauer ist als das frherer Pistolendesign. Allerdings werden st„rkere Materialien ben”tigt um den Laserstrahl w„hrend des aufladens einzud„mmen.
  670:Mit Auáerirdischen Legierungen zum verst„rken zeigt der Schwere Laser endlich das ganze Potential der Laserwaffen.
  681:Plasma Pistolen sind eine erschreckende Alienwaffe die auf der Beschleunigung von Partikeln in einem Antigravitationsfeld basieren. Unsere Techniker k”nnen diese Waffe nicht reproduzieren, obwohl wir sie benutzen k”nnen.
  682:Diese zerst”rerisch m„chtige Waffe basiert auf der Beschleunigung von Partikeln in einem Antigravitationsfeld. Unsere Techniker k”nnen diese Waffe nicht reproduzieren, obwohl wir sie benutzen k”nnen.
  824:Auáerirdische Technologie hat den Panzern die Rckkehr auf das Schlachtfeld erlaubt. Die m”glichkeit des Flugpanzers und die Durchschlagskraft des Lasergeschtzes sind eine vernichtende Kombination.

:NLsrTxFr

; Translation by Phil Redman, J.P.Redman@btinternet.com
; Special characters: ' = ’

    9:Cette arme est une version plus grande du laser lourd, concue pour remplacer les canons standards qui equipent nos chasseurs.
   10:Quoique cette arme est tres difficile a construire, sa portee et sa puissance changent nos chasseurs en adversaires capables contre touts les vaisseaux spatiales etrangers, a l'exception des plus puissants.
  528:Hovertank/Canon Laser
  668:Le pistolet laser est plus rapide et plus precis qu'un pistolet, mais il manque la source d'energie necessaire pour devenir une arme efficace.
  669:Se servant d'Elerium-115 comme source d'energie, le fusil laser est une version plus puissante et plus precise du dessin ancien pistolet. On aura besoin des materiaux plus forts, pourtant, pour contenir l'impulsion du laser comme elle s'accumule jusqu'a pleine puissance.
  670:Utilisant les alliages etrangers pour solidite supplementaire, le laser lourd demontre enfin le potentiel plein de la technologie lasere.
  681:Le pistolet plasma est un arme etrangere mortelle basee sur les particules accelerantes dans un champ minuscule antigravite. Quioque on peut se servir des armes capturees, nos ingenieurs ne peuvent pas les reproduire.
  682:Celle-ci est un arme devastatrice et puissante, basee sur les particules accelerantes dans un champ minuscule antigravite. Quioque on peut se servir d'armes capturees, nos ingenieurs ne peuvent pas la reproduire.
  824:La technologie alienne a fait revivre les PAL. La maniabilit‚ du voyage a‚rien et la puissance des canon laser est une combinaison mortelle.

:NLsrTxSp

; Translation by José Ignacio Rodríguez

    9:Este arma es una version mas grande del Laser Pesado, disenado para reemplazar el canon estandar de nuestros interceptores.
   10:Aunque este arma es extremadamente dificil de construir, su rango y poder hace de nuestros interceptores algo mas que peligrosos para todas las naves espaciales, excepto las mas grandes.
  528:Hovertank/Canon Laser
  668:La pistola laser es mas rapida y precisa que una pistola, pero falla en energia para poder ser un arma verdaderamente efectiva.
  669:Usando Elerium-115 como energia, el rifle laser es un arma mas poderosa y precisa que su diseno en pistola. No obstante, materiales mas resistentes son necesitados para contener el laser con toda su fuerza.
  670:Usando Aloys Alien para agregar fuerza, el laser pesado finalmente demuestra todo el potencial de la tecnologia laser.
  681:Las pistolas de plasma son armas alienigenas letales basadas en la aceleracion de particulas en un campo de anti-gravedad. Aunque podemos usar estas armas, nuestros ingenieros son incapaces de reproducirlas.
  682:Esto es un arma devastadora basada en la aceleracion de particulas en un campo anti-gravedad. Aunque podemos usar estas armas, nuestros ingenieros son incapaces de reproducirlas.
  824:La tecnologia alien ha otorgado una nueva vida al HWP. La manioabrilidad aerea anadida y el poder del canon laser es una letal combinacion.

The binary changes (in OBDATA.DAT) are described in a binary format that doesn't look as simple as "address - value".

Code: [Select]

:NewLaser

FF 0B  50 B1 03 00 90 01 06 00 FF 58 FF
9A 05  3C 58 FF 05 0A
89 09  88 13 50 00 3C 58 FF 0F 1E
9F 05  3C 58 FF 05 0A
91 01  0F
C3 04  3C FF FF 01
8E 05  3C 58 FF 02 04
C1 02  D0 07
A2 02  D0 07
A2 02  D0 07

[BBHood217]

Actually it's been a long time since I played with XcomUtil, much less its alt laser tech option.  Heck, I think this is the first time I've seen that Hovertank/Laser.  Or maybe I just forgot about it

Anyway, I need a little help.  I'm trying to find a list of changes that the Alternate Laser Tech option makes, but I'm unable to find any online.  I also can't check the game itself because the option doesn't seem to work with XcomUtil 9.7; the UFOpaedia entries are changed, but the weapon themselves are still the same (i.e., no materials needed to make lasers, plasmas can be manufactured just fine).  And I certainly can't read those hexadecimals.

If we know what exactly got changed, then I or anyone else here can make the mod.

[Gifty]

All I can find is this Ufopaedia blurb:

Lasers now require Elerium to be built (and Alloys for Heavy Lasers), plus it is not possible to build Plasma beam weapons (with the exception of the aircraft Plasma Cannon, which takes much longer to build, and clips for hand weapons). This alters Manufacturing Profitability significantly - Laser Cannon and Plasma Cannon are no longer a cash cow to be milked. This makes the strategic and economic game much more challenging.

[BBHood217]

I've decided that I'll just make up my own numbers, using my own best judgement.  That, and I'm also thinking of extending the craft laser cannon's range and removing auto fire from the heavy plasma.  And maybe even something else...

...yeah, I guess this is no longer an accurate conversion of XcomUtil's Alternate Laser Tech.  So I should come up with a different name for my mod

[doctor medic]

I've decided that I'll just make up my own numbers, using my own best judgement.  That, and I'm also thinking of extending the craft laser cannon's range and removing auto fire from the heavy plasma.  And maybe even something else...

...yeah, I guess this is no longer an accurate conversion of XcomUtil's Alternate Laser Tech.  So I should come up with a different name for my mod

If you're going to make the heavy plasma like the heavy lazer then be carefull on how you are going to balance it.It may be even more obsolete than the H lazer as it atleast wrecked sectopods.

[Arthanor]

On a slightly related note, there is this series of mods that try to address the early availability of laser weapons but flipping the research around. https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=2678.0

I also changed the laser weapons pre-requisites in the XCom Armoury Expanded, to give more room to conventional, and then alloy ammo weapons.