I need this in my life... Basically, a tower-like weapon that shoots lightning, can only go on top of ships, and provides no cover for its crew members. Can hit multiple targets and and uses coal to charge. Very slow fire rate but pretty accurate. Can also overload enemy modules in a EMP-like effect. Will be a locked technology, but can be unlocked using the new lighting charge. (Theoretically)
Keep in mind that EMP technology won't do anything against a coal powered steam engine or any technology in airships for that matter..
You know, except suspendium crystals. That would explode a lift module if hit directly, or if the enemy has metal armour it would be ignored.
Lightning could do the same thing, making it much more interesting than random damage + fire. Also it would be closer to 'realistic' in the game's lore with suspendium and electricity.
A stun effect would actually be great, the small lift chamber could actually have a good use aboard medium ships as a sort of 'parachute' mechanism for when the main chamber gets stunned.
Try making the tesla coil ridiculously strong, since most things rely on armour that should be balanced.
I'm not sure if you can make it chain without special code/not sure if that's possible if your not Zarkonnen, but another way to do the tesla and make it look good would be to extend the clip size and make it fire very fast and erratically like a real tesla coil.
It does fire in bursts of 50 clips, with a range of 180, at 1 shot/50 millisec (with 5 dmg per shot). Then it needs to reload for 6 sec. But i dont have access to the source code, so i cant mod how the bullet behaves i guess.
Hmm, so bouncing projectiles and suspendium stun. Other question is how it would be rendered, surely a "proper" lightning bolt would be needed and not just a shot with some particles, hmm...
I think what it needs is a different shot image, to make it look as if it would bounce. Here, whipped up a sample. It's offset, messy, huge. Quick mock-up; centralized, circular, forward moving - incomplete.
Here's a small less "balled" version, more arcs.
Honestly varies on the trajectory of the shot. ie. If the graphic changes angles with the shot. Bouncy is tricky.
Could just stack a few of these... cover the angles...
That could work... Also, I finally figured out how to paste artwork on the forum, so here's how I imagined what a tesla firing would look like:
!(Tesla)[https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?&id=OIP.M9a9cecf8375b200766236fb3a8076373o0&w=300&h=225&c=0&pid=1.9&rs=0&p=0&r=0]
By the way firebird, how long has it been since you played stormwinds? If you can, I would like a screenshot of the lightning gun firing so that I have a more accurate representation of the way the Tesla would fire to show zark.
(Preferably with more than one enemy on-screen as it would demonstrate how the lightning would hit multiple targets)
I'm all about direct beams of lightning -- but I feel it impedes on the Laser Effect. Bouncing doesn't exist; although based on the image, I'd refer to the Diablo 2 Lightning Sorceress, Chain Lightning.
As for the charge effect on top of the tank; great idea.
I'm sure Zarkonnen could program bouncing pretty easily and make it exist, it would be as simple as having the first projectile produce a second projectile aimed at a nearby ship on impact.
Right, with an increased jitter. That would be tight.
I have a Laser; also have a Tesla Coil; rather the Laser & Tesla Coil/Cannon/Rod (in the air on names still) have different looks & strategy. There is no in-game laser without mods. :D
edit: thinking about it further, a longer faster "line" beam could be designed that might look pretty legit if paced correctly.
You do realize the Tesla would shoot about 1 lightning bolt every 20 seconds or so, right? There wouldn't be a need for a continuous "laser" shot because of its slow fire rate. You did read the part where I said slow fire rate right?
I'm concerned about current ability in appearance. My examples all work in-game now, and in different scenarios revolving around the center-point/angle of the projectile.
That tank image, having played my fair share of C&C, would suggest an almost-instantaneous hit - a "Beam". Laser Beams are tricky to implement in-game appearance-wise.
If the Shot was paced correctly, and spawned appropriately, it might look pretty decent with length; something I didn't consider, but look into eventually. Half my projectiles are in 3D, the other in this 2D/2.5D format presented - effects look better varying the workflow and desired outcome. Much to sample still.
The idea is that it would be such a fast projectile that it would look (almost) as if it hit the target automatically... Or targets... Like a powerful lightning bolt... But whatever works you know?
Firebird, you're the one who was supposed to have played a lot of stormwinds! Please tell me you remember the lightning gun! The tesla's firing would look like that...! Except slightly less devastating... And overpowered...
Just something cool whipped up based on the tank image, 48x16|3x1.
It's not lightning; have a Death Ray, and C&C tends to do this swirly look. Inspired by length and Westwood. Everything in this thread is free game assuming the GIF format didn't mangle it; exported at 100% so not sure. Probably wont use these versions.
A cool idea related to an 'instantaneous hit' is a "Weather Machine". The machine could trigger a lightning bolt to hit the vehicle from near the vehicles proximity (so the graphic would appear, which is the matrix we design in). It would only need 1 bolt, could be fairly attractive in a simple fade.
You're actually most of the way to Air Lord, Firebird11.
I actually wanted to make the death ray in the death ray mod into a continuous beam weapon, but found no satisfactory way of doing it. Adding support for proper beam weapon visuals is one of the items on the "Maybe? Is it worth it?" list. :)
Air Admiral
I need this in my life... Basically, a tower-like weapon that shoots lightning, can only go on top of ships, and provides no cover for its crew members. Can hit multiple targets and and uses coal to charge. Very slow fire rate but pretty accurate. Can also overload enemy modules in a EMP-like effect. Will be a locked technology, but can be unlocked using the new lighting charge. (Theoretically)
Aerial Emperor
NB you need to encase your image link in the right syntax for it to render:
eg:
Air Admiral
Ah. So like this? Tesla rod
Air Admiral
Sigh. Guess not.
Air Lord, Engineering Corps
exclamation markanything but not the link really just put whatever you want here
Air Admiral
Alright then. I'll try it, er, later ;)
Commodore
That's a cool idea!
Air Lord, Engineering Corps
Keep in mind that EMP technology won't do anything against a coal powered steam engine or any technology in airships for that matter..
You know, except suspendium crystals. That would explode a lift module if hit directly, or if the enemy has metal armour it would be ignored.
Lightning could do the same thing, making it much more interesting than random damage + fire. Also it would be closer to 'realistic' in the game's lore with suspendium and electricity.
Air Admiral
I was thinking suspendium crystals would take some sort of stun effect (perhaps) making the ship fall out of the sky.
Air Admiral
I, er, might have unintentionally created a link while trying to simply post the picture, but I guess that works too...
Air Lord, Engineering Corps
A stun effect would actually be great, the small lift chamber could actually have a good use aboard medium ships as a sort of 'parachute' mechanism for when the main chamber gets stunned.
Midshipman
This is about as close as i can get to it. XD.
Midshipman
the tesla is also one of the first things to die.
Air Admiral
Pretty good! Just make the shot bounce in-between different targets and we're set!
Air Lord, Engineering Corps
Try making the tesla coil ridiculously strong, since most things rely on armour that should be balanced.
I'm not sure if you can make it chain without special code/not sure if that's possible if your not Zarkonnen, but another way to do the tesla and make it look good would be to extend the clip size and make it fire very fast and erratically like a real tesla coil.
Midshipman
It does fire in bursts of 50 clips, with a range of 180, at 1 shot/50 millisec (with 5 dmg per shot). Then it needs to reload for 6 sec. But i dont have access to the source code, so i cant mod how the bullet behaves i guess.
Air Lord, Engineering Corps
Since you already got a good model/got it as good as you can get, maybe Zarkkonnen can adopt this into the base game and make those changes.
I think there is a unique role for the tesla coil that could allow it to exist.
Air Admiral
Yes zark, what do you think of it?
Aerial Emperor
Hmm, so bouncing projectiles and suspendium stun. Other question is how it would be rendered, surely a "proper" lightning bolt would be needed and not just a shot with some particles, hmm...
Air Admiral
I'm honestly not sure... You're the one with the source code aren't you? ;)
Commodore
I think what it needs is a different shot image, to make it look as if it would bounce. Here, whipped up a sample. It's offset, messy, huge. Quick mock-up; centralized, circular, forward moving - incomplete.
Here's a small less "balled" version, more arcs.
Honestly varies on the trajectory of the shot. ie. If the graphic changes angles with the shot. Bouncy is tricky.
Could just stack a few of these... cover the angles...
Or do it creatively in Java.
Air Admiral
That could work... Also, I finally figured out how to paste artwork on the forum, so here's how I imagined what a tesla firing would look like: !(Tesla)[https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?&id=OIP.M9a9cecf8375b200766236fb3a8076373o0&w=300&h=225&c=0&pid=1.9&rs=0&p=0&r=0]
Air Admiral
smashes face on keyboard. Of course I didn't learn how to copy and paste a damn picture. Why would I?
Air Lord, Engineering Corps
You did it right, except there is supposed to be no space between the ) and the [ , also you did them backwards.
It should be []-() , not () []
Ignore the -, that was to prevent the forum from thinking I was adding a link.
Air Admiral
By the way firebird, how long has it been since you played stormwinds? If you can, I would like a screenshot of the lightning gun firing so that I have a more accurate representation of the way the Tesla would fire to show zark. (Preferably with more than one enemy on-screen as it would demonstrate how the lightning would hit multiple targets)
Commodore
I'm all about direct beams of lightning -- but I feel it impedes on the Laser Effect. Bouncing doesn't exist; although based on the image, I'd refer to the Diablo 2 Lightning Sorceress, Chain Lightning.
As for the charge effect on top of the tank; great idea.
Air Lord, Engineering Corps
What do you mean by impedes the laser effect?
I'm sure Zarkonnen could program bouncing pretty easily and make it exist, it would be as simple as having the first projectile produce a second projectile aimed at a nearby ship on impact.
Commodore
Right, with an increased jitter. That would be tight.
I have a Laser; also have a Tesla Coil; rather the Laser & Tesla Coil/Cannon/Rod (in the air on names still) have different looks & strategy. There is no in-game laser without mods. :D
edit: thinking about it further, a longer faster "line" beam could be designed that might look pretty legit if paced correctly.
Air Admiral
You do realize the Tesla would shoot about 1 lightning bolt every 20 seconds or so, right? There wouldn't be a need for a continuous "laser" shot because of its slow fire rate. You did read the part where I said slow fire rate right?
Commodore
I'm concerned about current ability in appearance. My examples all work in-game now, and in different scenarios revolving around the center-point/angle of the projectile.
That tank image, having played my fair share of C&C, would suggest an almost-instantaneous hit - a "Beam". Laser Beams are tricky to implement in-game appearance-wise.
If the Shot was paced correctly, and spawned appropriately, it might look pretty decent with length; something I didn't consider, but look into eventually. Half my projectiles are in 3D, the other in this 2D/2.5D format presented - effects look better varying the workflow and desired outcome. Much to sample still.
Air Admiral
The idea is that it would be such a fast projectile that it would look (almost) as if it hit the target automatically... Or targets... Like a powerful lightning bolt... But whatever works you know?
Air Admiral
Also, DarkWyvern, that model is absolutely amazing... It fits so perfectly into the game!
Air Lord, Engineering Corps
Could you get the beam effect by having a neon blue bullet trail with a very fast moving invisible projectile?
It would basically look the same to the viewer, an instantly traveling lightning bolt.
Air Admiral
Firebird, you're the one who was supposed to have played a lot of stormwinds! Please tell me you remember the lightning gun! The tesla's firing would look like that...! Except slightly less devastating... And overpowered...
Air Admiral
Also, I just realized... I'm a commodore! Have I really been on the forum that long...?
Air Lord, Engineering Corps
I don't even know how/when I became an Air Admiral.. I need to replay stormwinds again, the lightning gun was a part of the lost campaigns thing, no?
Air Admiral
Yeah, it was...
Commodore
Just something cool whipped up based on the tank image, 48x16|3x1.
It's not lightning; have a Death Ray, and C&C tends to do this swirly look. Inspired by length and Westwood. Everything in this thread is free game assuming the GIF format didn't mangle it; exported at 100% so not sure. Probably wont use these versions.
Air Admiral
That could work... How would it look in-game?
Commodore
That's a good question. Brighter. Zark has 3 layers of Normal Mapping to scheme the game and I'm lazy. (oh... so lazy... ohhh hohoho...)
I imagine the final being longer and have the Laser effect. Electricity isn't as fast as light & rays. ;)
Commodore
A cool idea related to an 'instantaneous hit' is a "Weather Machine". The machine could trigger a lightning bolt to hit the vehicle from near the vehicles proximity (so the graphic would appear, which is the matrix we design in). It would only need 1 bolt, could be fairly attractive in a simple fade.
Aerial Emperor
You're actually most of the way to Air Lord, Firebird11.
I actually wanted to make the death ray in the death ray mod into a continuous beam weapon, but found no satisfactory way of doing it. Adding support for proper beam weapon visuals is one of the items on the "Maybe? Is it worth it?" list. :)
Captain
There's a death ray mod?
Aerial Emperor
There is! Though it's currently kind of broken, as it conflicts with the mad scientist death ray in-game.
Air Admiral
**, I just realized how similar the concept of the tesla rod and the Mad scientist death are... They even look similar...!
Captain
How does it conflict with the mad scientist death ray?
Air Admiral
Still a weapon I wish was implemented.
Commodore
The Mad Death Ray doesn't bounce
Air Admiral
So was this idea ever even considered? The sprite that DarkWyvern made for it was perfect...
Commodore
Idea? Wasn't it part of your plan... ?
Attack On Titan Mod
You were working on a mod. Pushed this shorty after the Tesla Coil publish on CTF, and tried assembling a team... ? :P
I vote Respawn does it.
Air Admiral
I sorta had to abandon it after my artist was eaten by alligators...
Commodore
Is that a joke or is that real?
Death of an artist contributing to A:CTS is important information to me.
Air Admiral
I was being sarcastic. DarkWyvern left.
Midshipman
Can I have the Death Ray Mod files?
Commodore
Y'all need to read Goliath.