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Author Topic: Making slashing beams... I'm stumped!  (Read 7069 times)

EnderNerdcore

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Making slashing beams... I'm stumped!
« on: August 19, 2012, 09:13:38 PM »

I'm starting to wonder if this isn't possible (yet?) in Starfarer. I'm attempting to make slashing beams for my FS2 mod. For those not familiar, these are beam weapons that aren't aimed--instead, they slash across where you've targeted. The idea is that they are high damage-per-second but because they are difficult to aim it balances them out.

I've tried making beam weapons with variations of values for min-spread, max-spread, etc. Looks like it isn't possible for beam weapons though. Am I missing something, or is this really not possible?
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FlashFrozen

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Re: Making slashing beams... I'm stumped!
« Reply #1 on: August 19, 2012, 09:31:43 PM »

I don't think beams are allowed to miss  :P

I wish that we coulda been allowed to have inaccuracy/spread in beams so then I too could make some more different... things.. hehe

unfortunately isn't happening anytime soon :/ you can try and post it up as a suggestion but IIRC inaccurate beams are illogical in the lore world so that's why there aren't really included.

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EnderNerdcore

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Re: Making slashing beams... I'm stumped!
« Reply #2 on: August 19, 2012, 09:44:48 PM »

Doh. :(

Ok, I've created a topic for it:  http://fractalsoftworks.com/forum/index.php?topic=4021.0

It wouldn't affect stock beam weapons at all since it would only do the effect if min-spread and/or max-spread were non-zero. :)
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DJ Die

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Re: Making slashing beams... I'm stumped!
« Reply #3 on: August 19, 2012, 10:48:28 PM »

I don't think beams are allowed to miss  :P

I wish that we coulda been allowed to have inaccuracy/spread in beams so then I too could make some more different... things.. hehe

unfortunately isn't happening anytime soon :/ you can try and post it up as a suggestion but IIRC inaccurate beams are illogical in the lore world so that's why there aren't really included.
actually in the FS2 they never missed....they were implemented in an interesting way: they selected random octant of then ship(1/8th of the ship) and then slash through it which could make the beam slash across the edge of the ship(depending on design and size of ship in question) and then fire the rest of the beam into space or into w/e is there(i got "slashed" by such a beam once when flying a fighter....it wasnt very pleasant)
these beams have much higher dmg per pulse because theres the waste 10,000dmg into space ability but they more than make up for this because they usually disable lots of weapons on target and often even subsystem or two

dont know how to implement this into the game though
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Gabriel_Braun

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Re: Making slashing beams... I'm stumped!
« Reply #4 on: August 20, 2012, 10:17:59 AM »

Haven't had a look at the code yet as not at home but the lightning gun system fires it seems to choose random areas of a random target in range, is there a coded call somewhere that determines the pattern that can be used?
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fromancer

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Re: Making slashing beams... I'm stumped!
« Reply #5 on: August 20, 2012, 10:56:16 AM »

to bad there isnt turn accel for weapons
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misterjscape

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Re: Making slashing beams... I'm stumped!
« Reply #6 on: August 20, 2012, 12:34:04 PM »

Can you add recoil to energy weapons like the pulse laser?
If so, you could try making a weapon like the pulse laser with slightly less flux and faster firing rate.
I know it's not what you want but I might as well throw my idea out there.
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FlashFrozen

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Re: Making slashing beams... I'm stumped!
« Reply #7 on: August 20, 2012, 12:38:21 PM »

yes it's possible for pulse laser like weapons,

not 100% on beam weapons

for an example of recoil with an energy weapon, look towards the Nomad, Maser Pulse Beam as a starting example of a Energy wepaon that has recoil for the barrel, and an animation for the weapon (non barrel).
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Gabriel_Braun

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Re: Making slashing beams... I'm stumped!
« Reply #8 on: August 20, 2012, 06:57:05 PM »

Bah, had a look at the lightning system used in U'sC but it seems that it's actually an AOE that has an animation to dictate where it hits...   Still, it may be possible to use as a basis for an arcing beam animation and associated damage if you can limit the firing arc to an emitter or turreted firing angle?
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CrashToDesktop

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Re: Making slashing beams... I'm stumped!
« Reply #9 on: August 20, 2012, 07:06:36 PM »

Beam weapons cannot have "inaccuracy."  Plain and simple like that.  Take it from a weapons pro. ;)
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EnderNerdcore

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Re: Making slashing beams... I'm stumped!
« Reply #10 on: August 20, 2012, 08:16:39 PM »

Beam weapons cannot have "inaccuracy."  Plain and simple like that.  Take it from a weapons pro. ;)
I really don't think you understand what I'm asking here.

I'm asking for the ability to make a beam weapon that (beyond player control) sweeps an arc defined using the same parameters that we use for inaccuracy for projectile weapons.


vvvvv third post in this thread, dude  vvvvv
« Last Edit: August 20, 2012, 08:34:12 PM by EnderNerdcore »
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Avan

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Re: Making slashing beams... I'm stumped!
« Reply #11 on: August 20, 2012, 08:19:33 PM »

This isnt really possible at the moment (there are some things that result in similar looking effects due to happenstance, but aren't the same thing at all). I recommend that you request it as a modding feature in the 'suggestions' forum.

MesoTroniK

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Re: Making slashing beams... I'm stumped!
« Reply #12 on: August 20, 2012, 09:36:41 PM »

Ahh FreeSpace 2 a relic of another age, and it is still the king...
 
Slash Beams, among other weapons demonstration.   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jE35kE1DSd0&hd=1