Author Topic: (Equipment) Breaching Charge UPDATED 1.2  (Read 9673 times)

Offline new_civilian

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(Equipment) Breaching Charge UPDATED 1.2
« on: October 11, 2014, 11:10:42 am »
Updated

Breaching Charge mod v.1.2 for OpenXcom (now with french in-game translation) tanks to infini from the OpenXcom Forums.

--updated after valid and good user proposals--
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This mod adds 2 small pieces of equipment to OpenXcom that can break through UFO (and sometimes even XCom Craft) hulls: The Breaching Charge and the Improved Charge.
The later one can be researched after Elerium-115 and Alien Alloys have been investigated.

To use them you have to stand DIRECTLY at the wall and shoot the charge(s) at it. Done.

As the damage of the charges is very high (it has to be to break through UFO hulls) I applied several hard limitations to keep people from exploiting them as weapons:

For the Standard Breaching Charge:
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- You will need 100% (yes, 100%, not 1 TU missing) of your TU to use it, that means you have to set up and plan your moves carefully over several turns
- It is heavy: 18 weight-units are more than a plasma-rifle with some ammo-clips
- You can use it only one time
- It has a maximum range of 1 field
-You need to have both hands free, otherwise you will MAYBE miss and all the effort was wasted

For the Improved Charge:
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-You will need 90% of your TUs, this gives you enough time to move ~one field aside, hopefully keeping you out of sight after opening the hull
-It is lighter than the Standard Charge, but still weights 12 weight-units
-It has two shots, BUT as they are fired at once it still means ONE usage only
-Maximum range is still 1 field only
-You can use it with one hand now. This makes it somewhat more reliable, easier AND safer during the approach phase. This is only a marginal benefit, so don't get careless

Tips:
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-Some mod UFOs have double hulls and need two standard Breaching Charges. And if you are really unlucky a piece of UFO equipment is behind these two walls. The Improved Charge takes care of the double hulls, but still there is a risk of a piece of UFO equipment being behind those walls. Luckily that UFO equipment usually is easily destroyable by many weapons without problems.
-If you use the charge on a hull piece directly next to a door you can widen the door for HWPs to drive through.
-Use the Forced-Fire (CTRL+Left-Click) option for easier targeting. Make sure you enable it in the Game Options.
-Due to game mechanics/limitations the weapon is still able to miss, even though it will not happen often.
-If you are unlucky you open the hull and face several angry enemy guns. Make sure your hull-opening soldier has the best armor available. It also might help a TINY bit to make them kneel if they are using the Standard Charge, it makes you a smaller target... If you are using the Improved Charge you can move >~one field aside WHEN STANDING. Do NOT kneel as getting up takes 8 TimeUnits, which leaves you with nothing AND now you are a better target as well.
-Provide fire support for your brave hull-opening soldier, preferably with weapons that do not harm him/her if accidentally hit.
-There is no need to equip every soldier with those heavy charges, one or maybe 2 charges per team should be perfectly enough.
-Both weapons have a chance of breaking through XCom Craft hulls (50:50), not sure if anyone will use them for that, though.

Installation:
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To install the mod simply drop the data folder from the zip in your Openxcom folder, then enable the WeaponBreachingCharge mod in the game options. Buy the Breaching Charge and use it. Done.
To get the Improved Charge, you will have to wait until you have researched Elerium-115 and Alien Alloys, then you will be able to research the Improved Charge. After a short research period you can manufacture them at the cost of $9,000 and 2 slices of Alien Alloy per piece.

Notes:
--------------------

I made this mod as I started to no longer like the old XComUtil option anymore that changed the HE-Pack to a damage of 250 (needed to breach UFO-Hulls), because it made the HE-Pack way too strong. A starting-weapon that can take out EVERYTHING in the game? No way. So I came up with this.

However, after the release of version 1.0 several people proposed that the charge should need a research in Alien Alloys, which admittedly makes perfect sense. Still, I did not want to limit the weapon even more than it already is, so I went for a different and (hopefully) perfect compromise: I added a second, better and researchable charge which needs Alien Alloys and Elerium 115 to be researched. I also eliminated the chance of glancing shots now, for this the weapon damage had to be doubled, Do not worry about that, as this is not a weapon it is irrelevant.

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Made by civilian (aka new_civilian) in October 2014. Feel free to use and modify these files for any purpose you see fit. Credits would be nice. And thanks again to infini (aka 5thAvenue) for the translation and input!


The Mod website seems to have problems (again) so I'll post it here for the time being.
« Last Edit: November 01, 2014, 02:27:56 pm by new_civilian »

Offline ivandogovich

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Re: (Equipment) Breaching Charge
« Reply #1 on: October 13, 2014, 02:44:17 pm »
Nice breaching charge.  Love the limitations.   

I guess, I would still want this limited by research. i.e. not available at the start. 

Maybe require Alien Alloys (to simulate gaining an understanding of alien metallurgy vulnerabilities) and you could also make 5 HE packs the ingredients necessary for the manufacture of these item. 

But personally, I do like these better than the fusion torch. :)

Cheers,  Ivan :D

Offline Infini

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Re: (Equipment) Breaching Charge
« Reply #2 on: October 13, 2014, 04:13:45 pm »
Quote
Maybe require Alien Alloys (to simulate gaining an understanding of alien metallurgy vulnerabilities)

Like Spock said: Logical.

 ;D

Offline BlackLibrary

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Re: (Equipment) Breaching Charge
« Reply #3 on: October 14, 2014, 05:56:16 am »
How did you change the font?  Thats awesome!

Offline new_civilian

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Re: (Equipment) Breaching Charge
« Reply #4 on: October 14, 2014, 04:39:14 pm »
Black Library: That's one of the ingame filters iirc it was the SABR one.

Hmmm, I will consider the research idea. But unless using the EXTENDED-Mod exe, one would have to manufacture them then. And I wanted them to be buyable, especially as they are REALLY difficult to apply already.

Will play-test this a bit more and then make a decision.  :)


Offline ivandogovich

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Re: (Equipment) Breaching Charge
« Reply #5 on: October 14, 2014, 06:02:45 pm »
As far as Buying vs Manufacturing goes, you could cut the manufacture time down to almost nothing. Something like 1 hour.  And by setting a required number of buyable ingredients (i.e. 5/10/etc HE Packs) you could set a "price."  Just food for thought.

Cheers, Ivan :D

Offline new_civilian

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Re: (Equipment) Breaching Charge
« Reply #6 on: October 15, 2014, 04:06:05 pm »
Ok I followed all you guys' advices and updated the mod. I will update the first post accordingly and once the mod-website is online again I will update there, too.

Many thanks infini and ivandogovich!  :)
« Last Edit: October 15, 2014, 04:09:10 pm by new_civilian »

Offline Infini

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Re: (Equipment) Breaching Charge UPDATED 1.1
« Reply #7 on: October 26, 2014, 03:30:44 pm »
Quote
To get the Improved Charge, you will have to wait until you have researched Elerium-115 and Alien Alloys, then you will be able to research the Improved Charge. After a short research period you can manufacture them at the cost of $9,000 and 2 slices of Alien Alloy per piece.

Why do we need to research Elerium if it's not needed in the manufacturing process?
I'm confused.  ???

For the improved charge, I prefer 2 Alloys + 1 Elerium, no?

...

Edit: French Translation added

Code: [Select]
  - type: fr
    strings:
      STR_BREACHING_CHARGE: Perforateur
      STR_BREACHING_CHARGE_UFOPEDIA: Conçu pour créer une brèche dans les murs épais ou la coque d'un OVNI, le Perforateur, aussi surnommé l'Ouvre-Boîte, libère à très haute vitesse un flux de métal en fusion. Nécessite l'usage des deux mains pour être utlisé de façon optimale.
      STR_BREACHING_CHARGE_2: Perforateur Surpuissant
      STR_BREACHING_CHARGE_2_UFOPEDIA: Nos recherches sur les alliages extraterrestres et l'Elerium-115 permettent de perfectionner le Perforateur standard. Hormis le fait qu'il est plus léger, cette nouvelle version tire deux projectiles successivement, perçant la plus épaisse coque d'un OVNI. Utilisable d'une seule main.
« Last Edit: October 26, 2014, 04:53:23 pm by Infini »

Offline new_civilian

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Re: (Equipment) Breaching Charge UPDATED 1.1
« Reply #8 on: October 27, 2014, 03:33:08 pm »
The thought was that Elerium research helped indirectly in the improvement of the explosives. That and I wanted the original Cgarge to be of use longer than one mission only (you usually get alien alloys on the first mission, remember?  :)

And thanks for the translation. Sadly I can not update the mod as the mod-site is down, but leaving it here is good enough I guess! Many thanks infini.

Offline Infini

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Re: (Equipment) Breaching Charge UPDATED 1.1
« Reply #9 on: October 27, 2014, 04:20:39 pm »
Quote
The thought was that Elerium research helped indirectly in the improvement of the explosives.

Possible in fact.
Thank you for your explanations.

Offline new_civilian

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Re: (Equipment) Breaching Charge UPDATED 1.2
« Reply #10 on: November 01, 2014, 02:29:07 pm »
Added your translation and gave you credits, infini (or 5thAvenue)