[Help] Special Pulse Weapon

[kjc733]

What I'm trying to do is straightforward (or so I thought). I want to make a pulse weapon thats researchable but that fires without any player interaction. For example imagine the following scenario:

Ship has torpedoes and researchable pulse weapon.
Before research, selecting a target the ship will only engage with torpedoes.
After research, selecting a target the ship will engage with torpedoes and pulse weapons.

The problem is, I can't find a way to do it that doesn't involve having to press a button and select a target. I just want the ship to engage as normal but with the newly available weapons. It surely can't be that difficult (i.e. I'm doing something daft). Anybody have any suggestions?

 

[CptBenSisko]

make it a special but have all the other options remarked out

//Name of the ODF file for the ordinance for this weapon
ordName = "fbphasox4"

//Location of the button in the speed panel
//buttonSlot = 1<--- have this line remarked out with '//'

// location of the button in the popup palette
//popupSlot = 1 <--- have this line remarked out with '//'

// Priority of button in the speed panel, this is only
// used if it is non-zero.
//buttonPriority = 1 <--- have this line remarked out with '//'

//Type of border to use for this button.
//0 = No border.
//1 = Offensive border.
//2 = Defensive border.
//buttonBorder = 1<-- have this line remarked out with '//'

// Mark this as a special weapon.
special = 1 <-- leave this as is...

This will enable to be a researchable weapon but be a passive weapon that fires at will

 

[kjc733]

That was the first thing I tried, it came up with a button that didn't do anything and the weapon refusing to fire. Will try it again in case I did a type or something. Thanks.

 

[Dominus_Noctis]

buttonSlot should be set to 0, as the default is 1 (so when you comment it out, it just sets buttonSlot to 1 ).

popupSlot isn't a command in A2, buttonBorder doesn't exist in A1 or A2, and buttonPriority is only applicable when buttonSlot is non zero as I recall

 

[kjc733]

Thanks for the input. No button this time - but still no weapons fire.
I know the weapon itself works because it's a modified pulse weapon which I tested before trying to make it a special.

 

[Dominus_Noctis]

And you set the ship to use high special weapons autonomy presumably?

 

[CptBenSisko]

make sure specials weapons aren't set to manual in the game options in quickbattle...

 

[Starfox1701]

Did you try just setting it up in the tech tree files?

 

[kjc733]

The weapon is in the techtree and set to 0 requirements.
It is set to specials on auto in the settings.
I had forgotten about the specials autonomy and that may scupper me anyway (may as well have a button if we have to change the ship settings).

When the ships engage the special energy decreases as if the weapon is being fired, they just don't actually shoot the target (or anything, no discharge visable).

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

Heres the weps code:

#include "pulse.odf"

//Name of the ODF file for the ordinance for this weapon
ordName = "AsgardWepo"

//Display name for this weapon
wpnName = "Pulse"

//Time Delay between shots
shotDelay = 8

// Range within which the weapon will fire.
range = 400.0f

//Sound which is played when the weapon fires
fireSound = "accelCannon.wav"

// Mark this as a special weapon.
special = 1

buttonSlot = 0

// Burst fire settings
saveFire = 0
maxShots = 1
minimumShotInterval = 0.2f

and the ordinance file:

#include "pulseo.odf"

//The number of units which are subtracted from the Special Energy Reserve
specialEnergyCost = 250

//The base amount of damage which the ordinance does with each hit
damageBase = 1000.0

//ignoreShield = 1

// Percent chance of hitting the target.
//Can be applied to specific ships in format default "shipname.odf" 0.9 (this is a percentage)
hitChance = 0.75

//The sprite which is used for this ordinance
Sprite = "AsgrdWep"

//Phaser specific: this modifies the color of the phaser
shotColor = 227

// Time to play through the animation for the sprite in seconds
spriteDuration = 5.0

// Length of the beam.
Length = 150.0

//Phaser specific: this is the thickness of the beam
Radius = 6.0

//How fast the shot moves
shotSpeed = 230

// Burst fire settings
saveFire = 0
maxShots = 1
minimumShotInterval = 0.2f

 

[Dominus_Noctis]

Remember that needTarget has to be specified (needTarget = 1)

 

[Starfox1701]

The weapon is in the techtree and set to 0 requirements.
It is set to specials on auto in the settings.
Thanks for the suggestions guys.

Theres part of your problem. Inorder to be reseachable the file needs research dependencies. It doesn't need to be a special inorder to be research I think. It also sounds like your sprite setings are off'.

 

[Dominus_Noctis]

I believe he was doing no research requirements just for testing to make sure it worked in game . Special must equal 1 for it to be considered by the techtree I'm afraid

 

[kjc733]

bang on, its in the tech tree as a 0 because I dont want to waste time building stuff for test. That element of it works fine.

The sprite also works fine - it works as a normal weapon (very well in fact - I did all that before trying to make it a special).

Will try the NeedTarget at the next opportunity.