aliens

Author Topic: Shields  (Read 4959 times)

Offline tkzv

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Shields
« on: July 07, 2017, 03:40:41 am »
Is there any reason for the shields to work the way they are now? Agents have to return to their home base to equip/unequip the shield. There is no way to leave a shield at the van if it proves unnecessary for the mission. There is no way to drop a shield when an agent suddenly needs both hands. Did I miss some part of the story that explains why agents have to be handcuffed to their shields for the duration of the mission? :)

Is it possible to make a shield just another inventory item, which would add points to front armor when in a hand or to rear armor when in the backpack?
« Last Edit: July 09, 2017, 08:47:42 pm by tkzv »

Offline Nord

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Re: Shields
« Reply #1 on: July 07, 2017, 08:04:44 am »
Well, at the moment of their creation it was the only way. But if i remember, now equipment can be used to change armor characteristics.

Offline ohartenstein23

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Re: Shields
« Reply #2 on: July 07, 2017, 03:00:21 pm »
In order to effectively increase the agent's armor value, modify stats (like decreased energy regeneration because heavy shield), and add melee dodge, until a few OXCE versions ago all those things had to be part of the armor definition. The shield sprite was just a visual cue and the built-in item a balance tool for the increased defense.

These things can now be replicated with scripts in OXCE, but they are difficult to write and very few people in this community know how to write them or have the time to learn. I happen to have written scripts to mostly replicate these shields, but not completely, and Solarius Scorch hasn't been interested enough in making the combat shield a separate item for me to develop the script further.

Offline Solarius Scorch

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Re: Shields
« Reply #3 on: July 09, 2017, 03:14:52 pm »
These things can now be replicated with scripts in OXCE, but they are difficult to write and very few people in this community know how to write them or have the time to learn. I happen to have written scripts to mostly replicate these shields, but not completely, and Solarius Scorch hasn't been interested enough in making the combat shield a separate item for me to develop the script further.

Yeah, while I'm all in favour, I never thought it would be a high priority problem. But if it is, I can ask Ohearty to kindly write the script.

Offline tkzv

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Re: Shields
« Reply #4 on: July 09, 2017, 04:57:05 pm »
I'd offer to help, but I know nothing about scripting in OXCE+. If you have something semi-working, I can test it.

Offline Solarius Scorch

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Re: Shields
« Reply #5 on: July 09, 2017, 08:53:46 pm »
I'd offer to help, but I know nothing about scripting in OXCE+. If you have something semi-working, I can test it.

In a way, yes - there are Oharty's scripts for Piratez I haven't seen them yet, but they should be pretty straightforward.

A bigger issue would be a designing one. Right now, we have two shields - standard and plastasteel alien alloy - both applicable to the relevant armour. But if the shield becomes a separate entity, not bound to a particular armour, what should it be like? Do we still keep the two designs, unlocked at the same time as the armours? If not, which one should be kept, and when should it become available? Do we need more shield types?

Offline tkzv

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Re: Shields
« Reply #6 on: July 10, 2017, 12:05:27 am »
In a way, yes - there are Oharty's scripts for Piratez I haven't seen them yet, but they should be pretty straightforward.

A bigger issue would be a designing one. Right now, we have two shields - standard and plastasteel alien alloy - both applicable to the relevant armour. But if the shield becomes a separate entity, not bound to a particular armour, what should it be like? Do we still keep the two designs, unlocked at the same time as the armours? If not, which one should be kept, and when should it become available? Do we need more shield types?
Keep the same parameters and prerequisites as now :) Alloy shield does not reduce TU and is manufactured, the other shield comes with Xenonauts' armored vest and becomes purchaseable much earlier. Why not have both?

In-universe, it makes sense that X-COM should try to gain access to something like police riot shields. That's the one that comes with Xenonauts' armored vest. Personally, I'd prefer to have it as early as possible :) Maybe this set of armour should appear after researching Kiryu-Kai and Xenonauts should give something else. After all, Kiryu-Kai was about applying brute force to the problem.

Alternatively, this shield may come with kevlar vests.

Also it would make sense in-universe that X-COM would try to recreate the armour, shield included, when they learn to process alien alloys.

Since there's a symmetry between the original UFO and TFTD, there can be a shield from aqua plastics. Or an explanation why that won't work :)
« Last Edit: July 10, 2017, 12:24:51 am by tkzv »

Offline Solarius Scorch

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Re: Shields
« Reply #7 on: July 10, 2017, 12:13:36 am »
Aqua-Plastics shield? Yeah, why not; it could even be used by Deep Ones.

Then I guess we will also need a heavy shield meant for powered suits...