[phreak]

Not much to explain here.  I'm starting work on an idea that will incorporate "charging primaries" into the game.  Basically these weapons will charge up as the player holds down the primary fire button/key.  the longer the player holds down the trigger, the damage increases.  Some examples include the MAG Cannon from battlezone, the charging mass driver from WCP, and the Impact Hammer from Unreal Tournament

[Alikchi]

How will the player tell how high the charge is? Are you thinking of adding a "charge bar" or something?

[mikhael]

Originally posted by Alikchi
How will the player tell how high the charge is? Are you thinking of adding a "charge bar" or something?

No need. Freespace provides you with a chargebar already.

Steal from Starlancer: the longer you hold the trigger, the more your primary energy drains. When you finally release the trigger, you fire the weapon and have to wait for the primary weapon power to come back up.

For fun fruitiness, code the weapon so that a table entry could cause the charge to be pulled from Shield energy, afterburner energy or primary energy. (completely silly, but could be interesting for MP stuff)

[phreak]

i was going to add a charge bar next to the primary energy bar.

i'm going to set it up where there is are minimum and maximum damage values, along with a charge time.  if the player holds the trigger down too long, the charge will lose some power but it will be replaced by the incoming power from the primary energy banks.  It all comes down to a timing issue

[Shrike]

Originally posted by PhReAk
if the player holds the trigger down too long, the charge will lose some power but it will be replaced by the incoming power from the primary energy banks.  It all comes down to a timing issue

No, don't do this.  Sometimes you can't get a shot just as you've reached full charge, and having it decrease while you try to reaquire is....... lame.

[diamondgeezer]

Hmm... you could have a system where holding a full charge to long would damage or even destroy the weapon or player's ship (or maybe this could be a special case, like for experimental weapons or something). And you could have really powerful weapons that cause an afterburner-style shake when they're fully charged.

But can the AI be taught to charge a primary?

[Shrike]

Having a full charge damage your ship should happen after like a minute or something.... it should not be immediate.  Too bad there isn't a heat system in FS like IW2, cause then you could have your ship begin to overheat.

[diamondgeezer]

Yeah, that's what I mean. Perhaps when you reach a full charge, a cooling bar would appear, and then when that fills up you begin to take weapon system damage or summat...

[ChronoReverse]

and then using a leech gun can disrupt the process making the leech gun a useful weapon!

And maybe we can have StarFox style charge lasers.. *whaps self*

Sorry, I come back when I learn the code.

[Shrike]

Another Vancouverite.... we're taking over the bloody internet.

[Sesquipedalian]

Mwahaha!

[Fury]

Originally posted by Shrike
Another Vancouverite.... we're taking over the bloody internet.

While we finns will control everything from the shadows...

[Stunaep]

Originally posted by Mr. Fury


While we finns will control everything from the shadows...

and we estonians, though outnumbered just show off.

[Star Dragon]

If you get this to work for version 3.2 and 3.4 let me know. I need something like this for the Star Energizer (My main weapon) also I need to make the fighter glow at the barel like the SDF-1 (but not as big)... I think I figured out how to make the PCX. I found a picture of the discharge and gonna try editing it in photoshop and test in game to see if I need to rotate it or whatever cause it is the shape of the robot but made of energy as it is fired... If you've seen Getter Robo G  or Shin Getter DVD (Star Vengers) you know the weapon I'm talking about!

[terrenblade]

you Vancouverites are welcome to try taking over the Internet, but I warn you not to discount the Mecha of the OTAKU!   Why?  ,becues puny as they look, no mecha has ever lost when it was the underdog.

'sir we have them out numbered.'  

'WHAT! pullback imeditly, we must allow a signifacat numarical advantage to the foe or we are doomed.'


'[the enomy is pulling back all forces except that dumb looking green mecha,  commese the attack.]'

the poor forces, they never new what hit them.

[ChronoReverse]

Too bad Canada already possesses more super giant robot mecha than even the Japanese. XD

[Galemp]

Back on topic...

Charging primaries are an excellent idea. Everyone remembers the Fusion Cannon, right?
zzzZZZ PYEOOOWWWWWW!
Why not have a maximum damage for the weapon--after about five seconds, the damage reaches a plateau, but it still drains weapon energy to maintain the charge. This way if someone keeps the weapon charged at all times, he won't have any power to fire after he lets loose one blast.

[SKYNET-011]

Originally posted by ChronoReverse
Too bad Canada already possesses more super giant robot mecha than even the Japanese. XD

[terrenblade]

Ah yes, but sadly I'm not from there, I'm just a lame mecha building amarican citasian.

dont tell anyone where I hid the mecha pleese.  I need it to save the world In 2014

besides, OTAKU is an anime freek, not a natanality.  anyone with a love for mechanised destruction is welcom to join us.  although if you provide the mecha I'd gladly fight for you.:thepimp:

now where was that beam cannon smilie I had?

[phreak]

i looked at the code after i threw around the idea.. its gonna take a big rewrite to do something like this.