Alien Weapons

[AbonZel]

Something I always wondered... why do the alien weapons just look like a bigger and better Human weapon? Why do the plasma weapons have triggers?

 

I know that they are generically bipedal Humanoids that have arms and fingers and such... but if they are so advanced, why have triggers, firing mechanisms, etc? Why not have a weapon that you place on your arm, perhaps like a gauntlet that shot plasms bolts? Perhaps something like the Zat'ni'katel where you fire the weapon by squeezing the handle?

 

It would be more of a aesthetic thing than a game mechanic as you will need to research it all and the researchers would figure it out eventually, anyway...

 

Sorry if this has already been mentioned...

[Guest KillZone]

Havent seen the Plasmas were using in Xenocide yet? Look nothing like a rifle...

 

Hang on..heres a linkPlasma Gun

 

Pretty freaky that...

Edited July 3, 2004 by KillZone

[AbonZel]

Perhaps... but it still has sights, a definite handle with a trigger, and the butt of the rifle to press against your shoulder to reduce recoil.

 

Definitely looks nice though. I was just mainly talking about alien weapons having features like the ones just mentioned...

 

I do love the work I've seen so far on this game. I loved the original games and hoped that someone would make a new game. Since I currently have no skills beyond beginner programming and writing, I figured ideas were the only real things that I could contribute so I'm trying to throw everything I think of out for people to think about <shrugs>

[fux0r666]

Isn't that an old picture?

 

edit: yeah, the current model has no sites, no handle and no trigger. I would post a picture of it but I don't know our policy on leaking concepts.

Edited July 3, 2004 by fux0r666

[Aleksander Storm]

I'm reminded of the various equipment from UFO: Aftermath.. that stuff was most assuredly alien. In fact, most of them they had to modify them a bit so that humans could actually use them, some moreso than others. They even had Hybrid weapons, built with a Human design, but implementing alien technology.

 

I think Apocalypse was the first of the original X-COM games to actually involve truly alien weapons. They kind of had to be, with where the invasion was coming from..

 

I wonder, however, how many different, logical designs you can really make.. (Still need an efficient method of aiming, an efficient and fairly simple method of triggering the firing, so that the common alien soldier can just click something and fry a human just by reaction.. an efficient method of absorbing recoil, if the weapon has any. If these guys are advanced, they must, of course, understand the need for efficiency, logic, and reason in their designs.. unless they are not more logical, but still more advanced).

 

Well, whatever the case, to adapt to making use of alien tech, either the soldiers need to learn how to use the weapons as they are designed, or the scientists need to devise methods of adapting the weapons to traditional human weapon use, or just the core weapon system into an externally-human-designed weapon (these last two methods are the same ones used in UFO: Aftermath to deal with this situation).

[Paladin]

Yeah, I like the idea of us having to graft triggers and such to make weapons useable... It WOULD hamper picking up weapons on the battlefield, but amno would be easier to get...

 

Truly Hybrid weapons are great, they could even be better than purely alien weapons (in some cases, got to keep balance) and Aftermath's done a great job of it.

 

Oh, and how about a Psi internal trigger?? That would be cool

[Cpl. Facehugger]

Just look around in the workshops for awhile and you'll find the new plasma weapons for 2006. I feel the artists have done a superb job making them look alien, but plausible.

[fux0r666]

I don't think that everyone who is participating in this discussion has access to the workshops.

[Paladin]

Well, most have at least read access, isn't it?

[GDD]

hehe

 

heres a few attempts I've made are plasma guns

 

(cut and paste jobs then again I don't have 3d grraphic kit:P)

 

[Guest alex the greater]

thay look like conventinal firearms

[Paladin]

Yeah, nice job, but the ones on the X-net are far more alien looking, wich is exactly what we want with them IMO...

The heavy plasma was the worst of the bunch in the original XCOM, especially the human-style clip...

I just don't want you to waste your time on the same mistake.

[GDD]

ah but how is it possible for a human to make something "alien"

[The Master Maniac]

So, you're thinking that they should look more "organic," similiar to the alien weapons in Apocalypse? Well, I guess a "half-life" kind of organic look would be okay, but Apoc did go a little overboard. Besides, if I'm not mistaken, the alien race on Cydonia was a very technilogical one which used various types of alloys in the construction of their weapons and such. To that effect, it seems that the Heavy Plasma's design wasn't too far off the mark.

 

And GDD--I think he's right to some extent. Don't want the aliens walking around looking like they get their weapons from Heckler and Koch, do we? (Those are pretty cool cut and paste jobs, I might add) Anyway, you've got the magazine placement right, that's for sure, and the overall design is pretty tight, though we might want to change the appearence a bit. Maybe we could elaborate upon this later? Fun to play around with, but as the Cpl. himself said, I think we've already finalized some of the plasma designs.

Edited August 27, 2004 by The Master Maniac

[Paladin]

All I'm saying is that the aliens should'nt have amno clips that looks like earth weapons (as the horrible Heavy plasma CLIPS, the gun in itself is Ok IMHO)... It ruins the whole feeling of the game...

[Arjuna]

I think the weapons should be developed so that they fit the hands of ALL sentient/tool-wielding alien species. For instance, the old plasma pistol from XCOM 1 likely wouldn't fit the hand of a Muton. The muton's too big and the pistol's trigger guard is too small.

 

However, if the trigger guard extended all the way down the handle, you could fit a muton's gloved hand in it, and smaller aliens would be able to carry it too. Or if it could somehow adjust, that'd be cool too, because it would mean humans could use it much easier.

[sir_schwick]

Human weapons are very efficient for opposable-thumb, bipeds. Obviously some things would be different, such as firing mechanism. But clips make sense as an easy ammo method.

[Snakeman]

My recollection of the orginal plasma rifle is that it didn't appear to have a trigger guard, so something like that seems handy for races that don't have thumbs or whatever. For instance, if they only had a few fingers, I'd imagine that the design of the gun, where the being holds it, would sort of evolve into something that seems worn by the hand/forearm with convienient access to the trigger.

 

If anyone recalls the new line of Star Wars figures just to give an another example here...The Admiral Ackbar figure from a few years back had a redesigned weapon that looked as though that where he would grip it, it formed a kind of socket for his fishy limbed hand. Sure, perhaps the front of the gun may have human seeming design element to it where it fires from, but where the being holds it can make up for that alien-ness it needs

 

Anyway, if something like that needed to be modified for human hands, I suppose its a matter of cutting out the alien handhold part of the weapon or modifying your own so that access to the firing mechanism is achievable.

[I AM ROBOT]

good point Snakman/men, after all they are "Aleins" i think they should have some wierd and wonderfull way to fire?Reload their weapons. like a rifle that absorbs ammo though the barrel or something, like the Callisto in Perfect Dark.

other than that, uh, yer.

Something I always wondered... why do the alien weapons just look like a bigger and better Human weapon? Why do the plasma weapons have triggers?

 

I know that they are generically bipedal Humanoids that have arms and fingers and such... but if they are so advanced, why have triggers, firing mechanisms, etc? Why not have a weapon that you place on your arm, perhaps like a gauntlet that shot plasms bolts? Perhaps something like the Zat'ni'katel where you fire the weapon by squeezing the handle?

 

It would be more of a aesthetic thing than a game mechanic as you will need to research it all and the researchers would figure it out eventually, anyway...

 

Sorry if this has already been mentioned...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[sir_schwick]

Are the plasma bolts bullets, are is it plasma injected into a field or is it a particle beam? If it was the second or last one, then you would not need the clips to feed straight into teh gun. You would really need a transfer hose to some kind of storage unit. THis means the entire length of the barrel could be used and reloading could be as simple as hooking on a charger(ammo clip) that automatically falls off/clips into the armour. It would offer new advantages vs. human tech.

[[Blehm 98]]

It is a piece of matter heated into plasma by a xenium deuterium reaction(or tritium, i forgot which) which is ejected using a magnetic accelerator

[Guest Azrael]

This is the plasma pistol clip text, it uses a mixture. The text is not final, but you can see where it's headed.

 

PLASMA PISTOL CLIP

X-Net://Pegasus.net/Ammo/Plasma Pistol

 

The plasma pistol clip is a relatively simple piece of technology. In both mechanical and electrical terms it is easy to produce and use. However, the chemistry contained within is more complicated. Each Alien weapon fires an optimized type of ammunition, and so the clip relies on a highly balanced set of chemical and physical reactions.

 

Within the clip are two compartments that hold the reacting ingredients. The first tank holds a gel-like mixture containing highly fractured Xenium-122. It also contains iron and uranium, along with traces of several other elements. The other tank contains heavy water. It should be noted that both containers are kept highly isolated to prevent malfunction and the risk to user safety is low.

 

When the two ingredients are mixed, and a high-frequency pulsed EM stimulus applied, the Xenium reacts violently in a manner best described as an explosion. The energy released in the reaction is sufficient to cause fusion of the deuterium atoms in the heavy water; a chain reaction that releases even more energy and superheats the mixture. The result, contained by magnetic fields, is plasma – an ionic, electrically conductive gas. The resulting burst, directed by the weapon, is similar to ball of energy.

 

The mixture for this particular clip seems to emphasize speed of reaction rather than high energy release, since it is designed for use in the relatively small generation chamber of the plasma pistol. It is also engineered so that the amount of plasma present can be very small and still maintain a reaction.

[mikker]

hehe

 

heres a few attempts I've made are plasma guns

 

(cut and paste jobs then again I don't have 3d grraphic kit:P)

 

 

we are currently lacking a laser rifle, these might do äs a start for inspiration

[Adun_Toridas]

Perhaps a ball wich launches plasma... by psi would be nice for them.

[I AM ROBOT]

I dont like the idea of a ball firing psi plasma, its not really fetching, good suggestion mind.

What about energy swords eh? I was never a fan of those vibroblades, damn things.

[Adun_Toridas]

I dont like the idea of a ball firing psi plasma, its not really fetching, good suggestion mind.

What about energy swords eh? I was never a fan of those vibroblades, damn things.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

We talked about energy swords in the topic of martial arts.

[I AM ROBOT]

a topic for everthing eh?

what dont you have!!!