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CTD - Plasma Cannon


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The plasma cannon is the ultimate product of all our research into plasma weaponry. Plasma was decided as a weapon of choice because, combining the effects of cannons and missiles, the rounds go into the target as well as spreading damage ½ to 1 meters in all directions.This is because the heat from the plasma and even small amounts of the plasma itself will spread throughout any obstacle, such as UFO wall, instantly melting a hole many times wider than the barrel. Since the damage is primarily caused by heat, it is expected that UFO's will, unfortunately, be less susceptible to such damage due to the high melting temperatures and heat dispersion properties of Alien alloys, which, ironically, is also critical to the plasma cannon itself. (See plasma concept) However, despite these weaknesses, it is still the most powerful cannon to date.

 

The plasma cannon uses Elerium-115 as it's main power source, meaning that elerium has to be supplied in order for it to operate. Pilots can't wait to try the new weapon out. "At first I was skeptical, I mean, How can a 5 cm cannon be powerful enough to destroy a large UFO? After they tested it, the target was gone and part of the back wall had melted away, I never questioned the weapon after that." -(stick name here), a pilot.

 

question 1: Is the run on sentence near the end of the first paragraph ok, or should I find some way to change it?

question 2: Is it ok to write this when the Concept is still in rough draft stages?

question 3: Is it ok to mention the spreading of damage of here, should it be mentioned in the concept, or should it be mentioned at all?

question 4: what do you think of the fluff text, and what should I use for the name of the pilot?

question 5: what do you think of the Ctd as a whole?

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You may want to add some more information about it. Also, does the plasma concept state that plasma expands? A dev history would be nice too.

 

Im not sure we should do the plasma weapon ctds until the art is done. Could be just me though.

 

I don't think the plasma needs to expand at all, but that is just me.

 

The fluff text is nice. For the name in my air equipment (avalanche and stingray) ctds, I use flight officer Andrew Macdow. You could use pilot joe smith or whatever you like.

 

As I said, I like the ctd as a whole, but you really need to add more meat (dev histories, how the weapon works, modifications to make it work on a craft, etc.)

Edited by Cpl. Facehugger
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I'm not sure you can do much of a dev history when the player basically controls that. The plasma concept does not state that the plasma expands, but I assume it would have to, given the amount of heat. I could just say that the heat from the plasma spreads, and not even mention the plasma. The plasma concept currently is currently undergoing revision, but I think it would be worth mentioning that that the plasma spreads, I mean it would have to, given the fact that it is't solid. Also, I would think that the plasma ctd should be finished before the art so the art people know what everyone has agreed to be logical.
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A dev history wouldn't be too hard, I mean, you could just say "once we understood the concept behind plasma weapons, we have gained the capability to create our own designs, instead of simply replicating alien desings."
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"... and then during initial tests Dr Moebius fried himself, when core of prototype device overheat, and explode spreading plasma around." ;)
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How about:

After discovering the basic concept (see plasma concept) behind plasma based weapons, it was possible for researchers to create entirely new plasma weapon designs. After an extremley large amount of research, and mechanical pencil lead, our researchers developed the plasma cannon. "after discovering the way plasma weapons worked, all we had to do was mimick them and improve upon them slightly to create the plasma cannon. Then all we had to to was cut a 2 meter hole in the base captain's wall and he got the word out that we had developed a super weapon. I'd say our bigest challenge was our constant lack of mechanical pencil lead, and getting the engineers to help us make the hole" says Dr. Sklowdowska. "they're the ones responsible for repairing the hole, so they're pretty hesitant. Also, It's rather difficult to make a hole that loooks like it was made by a plasma weapon. Luckily, we only had to cut through 2 walls to get to the captains quarters. The engineers even helped us point the gun towards the captains quarters, and all we had to do was tell them how much he is paid." We are currently looking into Dr. Sklowdowska's mental health record.

 

In case you didn't notice, the fluff text there is a reference to the laser cannon incident, where Dr. Sklowdowska locked herself in the lab and the captain woke up with a one meter hole in the wall. (although if I have to explain it then there's no point putting it in). I think I overkilled it on the fluff text too :explode: .

Edit: I forgot to metion that I'm removing the section about a 1-inch barrel and not mentioning any specific design to give the artists some leeway.

Edited by Ancalagon
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I'm not sure you can do much of a dev history when the player basically controls that. The plasma concept does not state that the plasma expands, but I assume it would have to, given the amount of heat. I could just say that the heat from the plasma spreads, and not even mention the plasma. The plasma concept currently is currently undergoing revision, but I think it would be worth mentioning that that the plasma spreads, I mean it would have to, given the fact that it is't solid. Also, I would think that the plasma ctd should be finished before the art so the art people know what everyone has agreed to be logical.

I was mostly refering to this post. to the best of my knowledge, the plasma concpt is complete.

 

-The Captain

Edited by Cpt. Boxershorts
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The plasma concept is a draft, which presumably means it is still open to change. I could have sworn it was undergoing revision but I guess that was something else. When mentioning the plasma spreading I was trying to think of a reason why plasma would be better than a laser. I mean, it is a gas, and it's normal for superheated gasses to expand, especially when they hit a surface. I'll probably just change it and say the heat from the plasma is what makes the big holes, that way I'm not particularly contradicting the plasma concept ctd. But the plasma weapon can't be any biger than the laser weapon, because they fit in the same space on the aircraft. Remember that a heavy plasma vaporizes fences, and presumably the shot isn't that wide. Edited by Ancalagon
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When mentioning the plasma spreading I was trying to think of a reason why plasma would be better than a laser. I mean, it is a gas, and it's normal for superheated gasses to expand, especially when they hit a surface.

That is not strictly true. Plasma is its own state. There is gas, liquid, solid and plasma. I think they are all the other three put together :D Now, not knowing too much about it I cannot give any specifics, but that is what I have been told :D

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Well, there are several kinds of plasma. (Although they should each get their own name)

 

1: Blood Plasma

2: Superheated Gas Plasma

3: matter state plasma (like what you were saying dippy, liquid, solid, gas, Plasma, although I did think that plasma was energy)

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I think, tho it's been a long time since I did science, that plasma is the next step from gas. Solid is when the atoms are really closely packed together, liquid they are moving around a little and gas they are moving around a lot. I guess plasma moves around a heck of a lot more. Which brings me to a theory: When you cool a gas it eventually turns to a liquid, then to solid and then back to gas so surely if you cool it even further it would turn to plasma? I know that oxygen has been frozen to a liquid and solid and nearly back to a really cold gas, so surely freeze it even more and it will be plasma?
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Well, there are several kinds of plasma. (Although they should each get their own name)

 

1: Blood Plasma

2: Superheated Gas Plasma

3: matter state plasma (like what you were saying dippy, liquid, solid, gas, Plasma, although I did think that plasma was  energy)

Well isn't all matter energy?? Some scientists believe we should all call both mattergy! I kid you not! ^_^

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Hey all!

 

Well, I believe that information wants to be free, so here goes, I'm going to be my usual showoff overinformative self.

 

There are actuall five states of matter, if you count matter as separate from energy. The first and last are actually pretty close to energy themselves.

 

1. singularity - this is basically a black hole. matter compressed so much that the atoms all collapse into a single point.

2. solid - hard things \

3. liquid - wet things >-- these things don't have a cold-medium-hot relationship, they're complicated.

4. gas - poofy things / yes, you can cool down solids to gasses, but only because matter is wierd

5. PLASMA! - this is matter that is so hot (and not sufficiently compressed to keep it in gas phase) that its atoms literally bounce apart. it's often made by superheating gasses, but also exists in the first instant of an atomic blast, in the reactions in a nuclear power plant, and in the collisions of a partical accelerator

 

And then there's blood plasma, which has nothing to do with anything.

 

-Fred the Goat

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cooling solids to turn them into gasses is what freezerburn is. Your icecream is nice and tasty, then all of a sudden (actually, in a few weeks) it's part goo and part ice. The ice was originally mixed in the icecream, but it was cold, and turned into vapor, and then reformed as ice, leaving the icecream without any ice, which makes it...that's right. cream. And pretty nasty cream at that.

 

it doesn't work with plasma, though, plasma has to be hot. Think of those atoms. you're trying to tear the atoms apart. only a lot of heat can do that.

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I don't think plasma has to be hot, although it depends on your definition of the word plasma.

 

If your definition is that it is ionized gas then plasma exists in flourescent lightbulbs, which generral aren't hot enough to put holes in mutons.

 

BTW: I'll have the new ctd ready soon.

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After a few minor improvements:

 

The plasma cannon is the ultimate product of all our research into plasma weaponry. The plasma cannon was decided as the weapon of choice because, combining the effects of cannons and missiles, the rounds go through the target as well as spreading damage ½ to 1 meters in all directions. This is because the heat from the plasma will spread throughout any obstacle, melting a hole wider than the shot itself. Since the damage is primarily caused by heat, it is expected that UFO's will, unfortunately, be less susceptible to such damage due to the high melting temperatures and heat dispersion properties of Alien alloys which, ironically, is also critical to the plasma cannon itself (See plasma concept) However, despite these weaknesses, it is still the most powerful cannon to date. The Plasma cannon also has the advantage of superior range to both missiles and both cannons. "The plasma cannon is an engineering marvel" says an enthusiastic engineer, "even though it wasn't developed by the engineering department".

 

The plasma cannon uses Elerium-115 as it's main power source, meaning that elerium has to be supplied in order for it to operate. Pilots can't wait to try the new weapon out. "At first I was skeptical, I was wondering how it could do all that much damage, it's not like it uses explosives or anything. After they tested it, the target was gone and part of the back wall had melted away, I never questioned the weapon after that." Recalls pilot Jim Lumbeck.

 

After discovering the basic concept (see plasma concept) behind plasma based weapons, it was possible for researchers to create entirely new plasma weapon designs. After an extremely large amount of research, and mechanical pencil lead, our researchers developed the plasma cannon. "after discovering the way plasma weapons worked, all we had to do was mimic them and improve upon them slightly to create the plasma cannon. Then all we had to do was cut a 2 meter hole in the base captain's wall and he got the word out that we had developed a super weapon. I'd say our biggest challenge was getting the engineers to help us make the hole" says Dr. Sklowdowska. "they're the ones responsible for repairing the hole, so they're pretty hesitant."

 

Our Engineering division would like to begin production as soon as possible.

 

Changes:

  • Added and improved fluff text.
  • Added short dev history.
  • Removed references to laser cannon which player may not have discovered
  • Removed plasma spreading and any descriptions which would limit the art department.
  • Fixed one major error that would have confused anyone unfamiliar with UFO defense, or at least plasma weapons, although just about everyone playing the game would be familiar with them by the time they read this. ^_^
  • Added a name for the pilot.
  • Gave the engineering department a quote, since they never seem to get any.
  • Made a few standard english improvements as well.

Please continue to coment on it.

 

EDIT: BTW in answer to your question cpl. It wil be superheated plasma, I was just mentioning that not all plasma is hot.

Edited by Ancalagon
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You should know that a great amount of players aren't all technerds.

I'm one of those. I always loved X-COM's ufopedia descriptions. They have just the right amount for both the technerd and the normal player.

Your description is waaaaaaaay to detailed imo.

 

For me, a valid and informative description would be divided into:

- A short intro;

origins, eyecatching things of the object that will be explained later in the article etc.

- A more detailed description, short, but powerful;

functions of the object, power, technical details etc.

- Conclusion;

leads to new upgrades, avoid alien because he's highly dangerous etc.

 

I think far to detailed descriptions will get annoying and one of those "dull" things of xenocide, but that's my opinion.

Edited by ApOcaLyPSe_1985
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Apoc it was decided a long time ago that we all wanted more detailled information in the x-net. Hence all the 'dull' bits as you put it. The way the x-net text is going to be formatted it will still have the short punchy description in the primary but an interested player will be able to scroll down to get at the extra info they want.

 

One mans poison is another elixir.

 

We have to remember that its not just the hardcore xcom players we're pandering to but a much wider audience as well.

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I agree with Deimos. It was agreed along time ago that they would be more detailed, and we're sticking with that all through the game. I do not think they are too heavy to "non-technerds" to understand, anyway, especially not the first bits.

 

It's looking really good, Ancalagon.

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I wouldn't worry Apoc, all the info you want, as Deimos has just said, will be right at the top. It's not a million miles off what you have said but with one difference. All the "Tek-Head" stuff you mention will be done in detail for the second paragraph to add depth to the world. I'm not far off your opinion but as long as there is always that punchy bit in the top it won't matter and I wouldn't be suprised if some time when you are bored you find yourself reading it :) Has happened to me in other games, since it isn't essential to pick things out of the long bit of text you can just read it for the pleasure of deepening the universe, which some might say is missing from X-Com.
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Personally (although, being a member of the CTD, I may be biased) I feel that long descriptions are good. I like reading them to find out about what im using. What we are currently doing, as jim and Deimos said, is having it like this.

 

Short effectiveness part. EX: "The plasma cannon is extremely effective against all ufos except battleships."

 

After that is a the dev histories and other info (geek stuff.)

Lastly we usually have some quotes.

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I would avoid making qualitative statements or comparisons to other weapons, or talk about weapon preferences because you get the xnet entry as soon as you research it- before you even field the weapon.

 

I would focus on more quantitative facts.. like what it does and how much.

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The next edition will be reformatted to put the basic desription in a paragraph at the top, and I will add a "human ingenuity" blurb. Also, I will change the part that says it's range is longer than both missiles to say almost on par with the avalaunche. I will try to get it on as early as I can.

 

EDIT: As early as I can tommorow, also should I post it as a txt document or just copy it into the forum?

Edited by Ancalagon
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I would avoid making qualitative statements or comparisons to other weapons, or talk about weapon preferences because you get the xnet entry as soon as you research it- before you even field the weapon.

 

I would focus on more quantitative facts.. like what it does and how much.

The exact facts about the power of the weapon will be in an effectiveness blurb, so if people want numbers they can look there. Personally I have absolutley no idea how powerful the thing is or how far it shoots, so it is very difficult for me to list any facts. Also, I would think the scientists would test the weapon before you field it. "well captain, we're not sure it works, but why don't you put it on one of those expensive interceptors and try it out?"

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wow, I posted three times in a row. Here's an updated ctd with a human ingenuity quote (sorry, it's not a blurb, at least, I don't think it is).

 

The plasma cannon is the ultimate product of all our research into plasma weaponry. The plasma cannon was decided as the weapon of choice because, combining the effects of cannons and missiles, the rounds go through the target as well as spreading damage ½ to 1 meters in all directions. This is because the heat from the plasma will spread throughout any obstacle, melting a hole wider than the shot itself. Since the damage is primarily caused by heat, it is expected that UFO's will, unfortunately, be less susceptible to such damage due to the high melting temperatures and heat dispersion properties of Alien alloys which, ironically, is also critical to the plasma cannon itself (See plasma concept) .However, despite these weaknesses, it is still the most powerful cannon to date. The Plasma cannon also has the advantage of superior range to most of our weaponry, including the cannon and the stingray. "The plasma cannon is an engineering marvel" says Gilbert Jones, an enthusiastic engineer , "even though it wasn't developed by the engineering department".

 

"Unlike the other plasma weapons, we couldn't just copy the alien designs, because the alien ship weaponry was all either too large or not powerful enough for our purposes. Our biggest problem was: How do you fit a weapon powerful enough to take down large UFOs onto an aircraft that can never be more than 30 meters long? We also had to make sure they weren't too heavy for the interceptor AND we had to give them their own power source, unlike UFO designs which draw elerium from the main core. We could have given up on our plans, lowered our expectations of this weapon, but instead we chose to work on. We didn't give up, we went on with our plans, and finally, we ended up with the plasma cannon. The aliens may have a cannon as powerful as ours, maybe even one more powerful than ours, but they have none that are as well designed as ours." - Director of science, address to the council of funding nations

 

The plasma cannon uses Elerium-115 as it's main power source, meaning that elerium has to be supplied in order for it to operate. Pilots can't wait to try the new weapon out. "At first I was skeptical, I was wondering how it could do all that much damage, it's not like it uses explosives or anything. After they tested it, the target was gone and part of the back wall had melted away, I never questioned the weapon after that." Recalls pilot Jim Lumbeck.

 

After discovering the basic concept (see plasma concept) behind plasma based weapons, it was possible for researchers to create entirely new plasma weapon designs. After an extremely large amount of research, and mechanical pencil lead, our researchers developed the plasma cannon. "after discovering the way plasma weapons worked, all we had to do was mimic them and improve upon them slightly to create the plasma cannon. Then all we had to do was cut a 2 meter hole in the base captain's wall and he got the word out that we had developed a super weapon. I'd say our biggest challenge was getting the engineers to help us make the hole" says Dr. Sklowdowska. "they're the ones responsible for repairing the hole, so they're pretty hesitant."

 

Our Engineering division would like to begin production as soon as possible.

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  • 1 year later...

[PLASMA CANNON]

X-Net://Pegasus.net/Armament/[Plasma Cannon]

 

The [plasma cannon] is the product of our research into the Aliens' plasma weaponry. The [plasma cannon] is far superior to our old [Cannons] and missiles, combining the effects of both, the rounds inflict great heat damage to the target due to the plasma spread effect, spreading ½ to 1 meters in all directions.

 

The plasma will spread throughout any obstacle, melting a hole wider than that produced by the impact itself. Since the damage is primarily caused by heat, it is expected that UFOs will, unfortunately, be less susceptible to such damage due to the high melting temperatures and heat dispersion properties of Alien Composites which, ironically, are also critical to the [plasma cannon] itself; despite this, it is still significantly more powerful than our conventional armament, being approximately fourteen times more destructive than the [cannon] and twice more than the Sidewinder IIb.

 

The [Plasma cannon] has also the advantage of greater effective range than most of our armament, nearly matching that of the Titan heavy missile.

 

"Unlike other plasma weapons, we couldn't just copy the Alien designs, because the Alien ship weaponry was all either too large or not powerful enough for our purposes. Our biggest problem was: How do you fit a weapon powerful enough to take down large UFOs onto an aircraft that can never be more than 30 meters long? We also had to make sure they weren't too heavy for the interceptor AND we had to give them their own power source, unlike UFO designs which draw Xenium from the main core. We could have given up on our plans, lowered our expectations of this weapon, but instead we chose to work on. We didn't give up, we went on with our plans, and finally, we ended up with the [plasma cannon]. The Aliens may have cannons as powerful as ours, maybe even one more powerful, but they have none that are as well designed."

- Director of Engineering, address to the Council of Funding Nations

 

After discovering the principles behind plasma-based weapons, it was possible for our researchers to create an entirely new plasma weapon design. After both extensive and intensive research, and mechanical pencil lead, our researchers developed the [plasma cannon].

 

"After discovering the way plasma weapons worked, all we had to do was mimic them and improve upon them to create the [plasma cannon]. Then all we had to do was cut a 2 meter hole in the base captain's wall and he got the word out that we had developed a super weapon. I'd say our biggest challenge was getting the engineers to help us make the hole" says Dr. Sklowdowska. "They're the ones responsible for repairing the hole, so they're pretty hesitant."

 

"At first I was skeptical, I was wondering how it could do all that much damage, it's not like it uses explosives or anything. After they tested it, the target was gone and part of the back wall had melted away, I never questioned the weapon after that."

- Pilot Jim Lumbeck.

 

I don't get the previous fluff, I feel like this text relies more on fluffs than in actual explanations.

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Busted to Active, this text after corrected is awfully short and in need of further explanations.

 

[PLASMA CANNON]

X-Net://Pegasus.net/Armament/[Plasma Cannon]

 

The [plasma cannon] is the product of our research into the Aliens' plasma weaponry. The [plasma cannon] is far superior to our old [Cannons] and missiles, combining the effects of both, the rounds inflict great heat damage to the target due to the plasma spread effect, spreading ½ to 1 meters in all directions.

 

The plasma will spread throughout any obstacle, melting a hole wider than that produced by the impact itself. Since the damage is primarily caused by heat, it is expected that UFOs will, unfortunately, be less susceptible to such damage due to the high melting temperatures and heat dispersion properties of Alien Composites which, ironically, are also critical to the [plasma cannon] itself; despite this, it is still significantly more powerful than our conventional armament, being approximately fourteen times more destructive than the [cannon] and twice more than the Sidewinder IIb.

 

The [Plasma cannon] has also the advantage of greater effective range than most of our armament, nearly matching that of the Titan heavy missile.

 

After discovering the principles behind plasma-based weapons, it was possible for our researchers to create an entirely new plasma weapon design. After both extensive and intensive research, and mechanical pencil lead, our researchers developed the [plasma cannon].

 

"At first I was skeptical, I was wondering how it could do all that much damage, it's not like it uses explosives or anything. After they tested it, the target was gone and part of the back wall had melted away, I never questioned the weapon after that."

- Pilot Jim Lumbeck.

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  • 1 month later...

Here's my interpretation - kudos to Ancalgon for doing a good job with how little the plasma weapons were developed when he wrote this. As always - questions, comments, concerns, or troubles?

 

[PLASMA CANNON]

X-Net://Pegasus.net/Armament/[Plasma Cannon]

 

The [plasma cannon] is a product of our research into the Aliens' plasma weaponry. The [plasma cannon] is far superior to the commercially-available [cannon] and [sidewinder]. While it has slightly less range than the [Titan] missile, it outperforms it in every other category - including damage, accuracy, firing speed, and ammunition capacity. The rounds inflict great heat damage to the target due to the plasma spread effect, which spreads ½ to 1 meters in all directions.

 

The plasma generation chamber has been redesigned to be twice the diameter of that of the [heavy plasma rifle]. This results in an eightfold increase in volume. Such a large increase in reaction mass has necessitated the use of eight electrodynamic prongs. X-corps has also developed a specialized plasma mixture to allow such a large quantity to maintain stability. While the firing of this weapon represents a considerable energy expense, much of it is offset by harnessing a fraction of the energy provided by initial explosion.

 

The weapon uses many of the same principles of Alien plasma weapons - including magnetic levitation inside the chamber, thermal isolation, and electrodynamic acceleration. However, X-corps scientists have made improvements in efficiency and muzzle velocity, as well as adding the ability to mix and fire plasma while moving at the incredibly high velocities and accelerations required for use on an aircraft. All this and the weapon is still small enough to mount on an aircraft.

 

By necessity, this weapon's design relies heavily on the gravitic properties of Xenium. With a range over fifty kilometers, without this property the plasma would expand and lose heat long before reaching the target, even with the considerably improved muzzle velocity. Most of the Xenium sits in the center of the burst, and produces a very strong, short-range gravitic field that is too powerful for even the incredible thermal energy of plasma to overcome.

 

The plasma will spread throughout any obstacle, melting a hole wider than that produced by the impact itself. It is expected that UFO's will have some resistance to plasma damage due to the highly heat-tolerant Alien Composites used in their construction, but this weapon produces enough plasma to burn holes in any UFO X-Corps has encountered to date. Even including the heat-conducting properties of UFO construction, the [plasma cannon] is still significantly more powerful than our conventional armament, being approximately fourteen times more destructive than the [cannon] and twice more than the Sidewinder IIb.

 

The advances made in the development of this weapon could be useful in the construction of XCAP-mounted weaponry. However, conventional treaded XCAP's are not mobile enough for the use of such a weapon. Research into the principles of the construction of the UFO's may allow new designs.

 

"At first I was skeptical, I was wondering how it could do all that much damage, it's not like it uses explosives or anything. After they tested it, the target was gone and part of the back wall had melted away, I never questioned the weapon after that."

- Pilot Jim Lumbeck.

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I might add that I sort of freely used some of ancalgon's text during the process...when time comes around to crediting contributions (and I really don't know how that's going to work) he certainly needs to get credit.

 

One possible problem with the text - it mentions the size of the plasma generation chamber of the heavy plasma. That needs to be fixed, but since I don't have a physical size on any of them, I can't just throw down a scale...plus I don't know how big the thing's going to be as far as artwork... Any fixes, please suggest.

 

Also - does anyone know if firing this thing will actually require Xenium from the stockpile...I'm worried b/c I know you don't have to build/buy clips and by the time I hit this point in the original I had a couple hundred Elerium and never kept track... I mean, the ammunition has to be Xenium from a textual standpoint, but do I make it so efficient that the xenium used in the construction will last a lifetime? Or something?

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Astyanax's big bag o' comments:

 

As far as I know, the plasma cannon only needs Xenium to manufacture; it never needs to be reloaded. How that will be addressed, I haven’t the slightest. Maybe make it so Xenium in large quantities behaves as a catalyst (instead of being consumed) in the plasma-production reaction?

 

Maybe mention why recovered UFO plasma weapons are unusable on terrestrial craft- lack of centralized Xenium power source, size constraints, etc.?

 

Regarding the "plasma spread effect, which spreads", maybe "plasma spread effect, which consumes most materials within 1/2-1 meters from the point of contact"?

 

Maybe increase the plasma generation chambers size to 3x-4x the heavy plasma rifle (27x-64x volume) to account for the long ranges of aerial combat? On that note, I think the plasma cannon only needs either plasma pistol & clip, plasma rifle & clip, OR heavy plasma & clip. It might be unsafe to mention heavy plasma rifle here...

 

In the other plasma texts, isn't it "magnetodynamic" instead of "electrodynamic"?

 

The second-to-last sentence in paragraph 2 is confusing: "X-corps developed a specialized plasma mixture to allow such a large quantity to maintain stability." The specialized plasma mixture- are you talking about the ammo?- maybe "reactant" instead of "plasma"? Also, "large quantity" of what? Generated plasma or reactants?

 

Alien Composites may not have been researched yet, so mention of them by name might be problematic? Maybe simply "alloys"?

 

Hm, the gravitic property of Xenium sounds like it dramatically lowers the requirements of magnetic containment within the weapon…

 

On impacts, maybe detail how the Xenium’s gravitic property plays a role, maybe: “upon impact, the gravitic bubble critically destabilizes, sending the superheated plasma in all directions”, or, “the impact causes the gravitic bubble to invert, propelling the hot, destructive plasma deep inside its target”?

 

Does comparison between weapon damage take into account differences in rate of fire?

 

The plasma XCAP is still treaded, and the plasma cannon is a prerequisite of the plasma XCAP on the tech tree.

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Astyanax's big bag o' comments:

 

As far as I know, the plasma cannon only needs Xenium to manufacture; it never needs to be reloaded.  How that will be addressed, I haven’t the slightest.  Maybe make it so Xenium in large quantities behaves as a catalyst (instead of being consumed) in the plasma-production reaction?

*Rubs hands* This ought to be fun
Maybe increase the plasma generation chambers size to 3x-4x the heavy plasma rifle (27x-64x volume) to account for the long ranges of aerial combat?  On that note, I think the plasma cannon only needs either plasma pistol & clip, plasma rifle & clip, OR heavy plasma & clip.  It might be unsafe to mention heavy plasma rifle here...
That was my main concern. I would like to make comparisons, but I can't. Grr. Anyone have other options?
In the other plasma texts, isn't it "magnetodynamic" instead of "electrodynamic"?
Yes, kuh-dur, I'll fix that soon.
Alien Composites may not have been researched yet, so mention of them by name might be problematic?  Maybe simply "alloys"?
The last I've heard on this is that we're allowed to make use of the name, just not mention any properties that do not specifically pertain to the weapon. Point in case - Xenium may not have been researched yet. And since you get the name of "alien composites" and "xenium" right as soon as you first recover them (and also you have to use them to build the stuff) I don't know how we can avoid it without changing the tech tree or weapon requirements (v1+)
Does comparison between weapon damage take into account differences in rate of fire?
No, at this point it is straight-up damage. It blows the heck out of anything but fusion balls, frankly. Faster firing rate than anything but the cannon, and well, I think does enough damage that it still outshines it. I'm going off the entries from the UFOPaedia on Micah's website.
The plasma XCAP is still treaded, and the plasma cannon is a prerequisite of the plasma XCAP on the tech tree.
I'm not convinced this is true. I'm just saying that because in my strategy guide both plasma and fusion ball launcher tanks were hovertanks, and plasma tanks had two pre-reqs - plasma cannon and new fighter craft. I obviously need to look at the new tech tree and nose around a bit, but although I rarely used hovertank/plasmas, they weren't treaded back in the day. I didn't use them (it might be added) because I hoarded Elerium like a packrack and didn't like the fact that they did LESS damage than a heavy plasma...oh, and they don't have auto-shots.

 

Anyway, bedtime. Expect a rewrite in the next few days. You others out there, comments please?

Edited by Kikanaide
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New take on this - a few grammar fixes and changed the basic technology to explain why you don't have to make clips for [plasma cannons] or [XCAP - Hovertank/Plasma]. Let me know what you think, please.

 

Notes: I have resisted stating that this is the "pinnacle" of our research b/c plasma defense is researched later...also I need to know for sure whether we grounded the plasma-based XCAP. If we're aiming for true-to-original, we need to teach it to fly.

 

[PLASMA CANNON]

X-Net://Pegasus.net/Armament/[Plasma Cannon]

 

The [plasma cannon] is a product of X-Corps research into the Aliens' plasma weaponry, and represents an entirely new design philosophy. Unlike other plasma weapons, the [plasma cannon] requires Xenium to produce, but does not require separately manufactured clips. The [plasma cannon], while far superior to the commercially-available [cannon]s and [sidewinder]s, has slightly less range than the [Titan] missile, but it outperforms the [Titan] in every other category - including damage per hit, accuracy, firing speed, and ammunition capacity. The rounds inflict an immense amount of heat damage to the target due to the plasma spread effect, which consumes most materials within ½-1 meters from the point of contact.

 

The [plasma cannon] is very different from observed UFO weaponry. Whereas the Aliens can operate as if they had an infinite supply of Xenium, X-Corps must subsist on whatever quantity can be captured. UFO weaponry appears to require large quantities of Xenium, which is mixed into plasma form and held in the chamber through incredibly inefficient and wasteful means. X-Corps has neither the energy nor the resources to make use of this technology.

 

The redesigned plasma generation chamber, while at first glance similar to that used in the Aliens' handheld plasma technology, operates on several different principles. The gravitic effect of Xenium has been studied and maximized, allowing the requirement of Xenium per shot to be reduced to a nearly negligible amount. Most of the reaction mass is made up of the other standard ingredients - heavy water and a few of the magnetic metals. While aircraft space considerations dictate that only a finite amount of this material can be carried, it is predicted that the ammunition capacity of 99 shots will be sufficient for any possible encounter. Since insufficient Xenium is present in the reaction mass to enable the usual explosion, the ammunition is optically heated to plasma temperatures, using some of the Xenium as a power source. The additional understanding of Xenium's gravitic properties has also considerably lowered the energy requirements of magnetic containment.

 

X-Corps scientists have also made improvements in efficiency and muzzle velocity, as well as adding mechanisms to evenly mix reactants and fire plasma while under at the combat velocities and accelerations of our intercept craft. The result of their arduous labor is this revolutionary weapon design.

 

The resulting burst of plasma is much larger and more damaging than anything seen in handheld weaponry. The device requires the use of eight magnetodynamic prongs and the expanded gravitic properties of Xenium to achieve the range of 52km. The tiny quantity Xenium sits in the center of each burst, and produces an incredibly strong, short-range gravitic field that is too powerful for even the thermal energy of plasma to overcome.

 

Upon striking a target, the gravitic bubble is disrupted, and the contents spread rapidly over the surface struck, melting a hole far larger than that produced by the impact itself. Though it is expected that UFO's will have some resistance to plasma damage due to the highly heat-tolerant Alien Composites used in their construction, this weapon delivers enough plasma to cause considerable damage to any UFO X-Corps has encountered to date. Even considering the heat-resistant properties of UFO construction, each hit from a [plasma cannon] is still more powerful than most conventional armaments, being approximately fourteen times more destructive than the [cannon] and twice more than the [sidewinder IIb]. If rate of fire and accuracy are taken into consideration, the weapon is 65x as effective than a [cannon], 10x as effective as a [sidewinder], and 6.5x as effective as a [Titan]. As previously stated, it also has considerably more ranged than either the [sidewinder] or [cannon], and also has nearly infinite ammunition when compared to missiile-based weaponry.

 

The advances made during the development of this weapon could be useful in the construction of XCAP-mounted weaponry. However, conventional treaded XCAP's are not mobile enough for the use of such a weapon. Research into the principles of the construction of the UFO's may allow new designs.

 

"At first I was skeptical, wondering how it could do all that much damage - it's not like it uses explosives or anything. After they tested it, the target was gone and part of the back wall had melted away. I never questioned the weapon after that."

Edited by Kikanaide
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Well, it's obvious to me that you've clearly put a lot of time and effort into writing this, so kudos, Kikanaide! =b

 

But to be honest, my first impression was that the text seemed more burdened by the (over?) explanations- it doesn't feel as dynamic as the previous one. Um, that's kind of ironic since I previously suggested things to elaborate on, isn't it? :Blush:

 

I don't for a moment think that it's a lost cause, though. Streamlining the text and cutting out excess verbiage will make this CT as smooth as silk. :P

 

For example,

The [plasma cannon] is very different from observed UFO weaponry. Whereas the Aliens can operate as if they had an infinite supply of Xenium, X-Corps must subsist on whatever quantity can be captured. UFO weaponry appears to require large quantities of Xenium, which is mixed into plasma form and held in the chamber through incredibly inefficient and wasteful means. X-Corps has neither the energy nor the resources to make use of this technology.

could be simplified to:

Unlike the Xenium-inefficient plasma weaponry found in Alien UFOs, the [plasma cannon] was designed to deliver an impressive amount of damage while using comparatively minimal amounts of Xenium (to conserve what little we have been able to recover?).

Though the tentative paragraph doesn't go into as much detail, it says the main idea: Alien craft weapons= inefficient, plasma cannon=efficient. The old version felt like it was using several sentences to make the same point. If you still want to go into more detail, maybe you could mention the differences in craft construction... Alien craft weapons draw their power from a centralized xenium power source, while the plasma cannon is self-contained, thus explaining the differences in the amount of Xenium required?

 

Paragraph 3 seems to be rather diffuse; the ideas are too disparate. After reading through the original paragraph closely, originally the plas-gen chamber operates on several different principles, but I was only able to find 2. It also strayed a bit from talking about principles and talked about many other topics- maybe focus on Xenium's gravitic effect? The main ideas that struck me are (paraphrasing): "The redesigned plasma generation chamber takes advantage of Xenium's gravitic effect", "which has been fully realized and reduces Xenium expenditure in each shot", "allowing for 99 shots, more than sufficient for most/several encounters", "In addition, the pre-heating of the reaction mass enhances this gravitic property and reduces the energy required."

 

Maybe append paragraph 4 to the end of paragraph 2, emphasizing the "revolutionariness" of the weapon: Xenium efficiency, increased muzzle velocity, plus enhancements, all within strict space and resource constraints? Also, paragraph 3 transitions better to paragraph 5; 3 talks about plasma generation, 5 talks about plasma.

 

On second thought, focusing on the details of this "revolutionariness" would make the information redundant with parts of paragraph 1; maybe excise pieces of the first paragraph (and adding generalities- e.g. "longer range than most weapons to date") to avoid this?

 

Paragraph 6 is pretty good... maybe cut back on some of the statistics, though. I think damage/second would be an adequate comparison. The last sentence is a little wordy, maybe: "The plasma cannon is incredibly powerful; it is x times stronger than xx, y times over yy, and z times over zz, and that's before taking into account its (increased) range and ammunition capacity."

 

Paragraph 7, maybe sentences 2 and 3 can be combined? "However, preliminary research indicates that the conventional treaded XCAP chassis may not be able to support a scaled-down plasma cannon design; more research is necessary"?

 

Be careful when you say, "Surely some of you folks have comments"... You should know by now that I'm a chatterbox! :D

 

...but I do hope that you haven't succumbed to the "shock and awe" that some of my posts generate. :fingerscrossed:

Edited by Astyanax
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Take a look at this, tell me what you think. Incorporated most of Asty's suggestions, and actually spent time proofreading the thing for myself. I feel like it is much better now...but feel free to make your own opinions known...if anyone besides Asty is reading this now... edit: No shock and awe problems, Asty ol' friend...just a healthy dose of weekend-away-from-computer, with a shot of forgetfulness added in.

 

[PLASMA CANNON]

X-Net://Pegasus.net/Armament/[Plasma Cannon]

 

The [plasma cannon] is a product of X-Corps research into the Aliens' plasma weaponry, and represents an entirely new design philosophy. Unlike other plasma weapons, the [plasma cannon] requires Xenium to produce, but does not require separately manufactured clips. The [plasma cannon] easily outperforms all conventional craft weaponry in damage per second, though it does have slightly less range than a [Titan] missile.

 

Unlike the Xenium-inefficient plasma weaponry found in Alien UFOs, the [plasma cannon] was designed to deliver an impressive amount of damage while using minimal amounts of Xenium. X-Corps scientists have also made improvements in efficiency and muzzle velocity, as well as adding mechanisms to evenly mix reactants and fire plasma under the combat velocities and accelerations of our intercept craft. The result of their arduous labor is this revolutionary weapon design.

 

Through the study and maximization of the gravitic effect of Xenium, the Xenium requirement per shot has been reduced to a negligible amount. Nearly all of the reaction mass is made up of the other standard ingredients - heavy water and a few of the magnetic metals. While aircraft space limitations dictate that only a finite amount of these other materials can be carried, the 99 shot capacity should be sufficient for any possible encounter.

 

Since insufficient Xenium is present in the reaction mass to enable the usual explosive reaction, the ammunition is optically heated to plasma temperatures, using some of the Xenium as a power source. The optimization of Xenium's gravitic properties has also considerably lowered the energy requirements of magnetic containment.

 

The resulting burst of plasma is much larger and more damaging than anything seen in handheld weaponry. The device requires the use of eight magnetodynamic prongs and the expanded gravitic properties of Xenium to achieve the range of 52km. The tiny quantity of Xenium sits in the center of each burst, and produces an incredibly strong, short-range gravity field that is too powerful for even the thermal energy of plasma to overcome.

 

Upon striking a target, the gravitic bubble is disrupted, and the contents spread rapidly over the surface struck, melting a hole far larger than that produced by the impact itself. Unfortunately, it is expected that UFO's will have some resistance to plasma damage due to the highly heat-tolerant Alien Composites used in their construction. However, even considering these heat-resistant properties, each hit from a [plasma cannon] is still more powerful than most conventional armaments. The [plasma cannon] is 65x as effective as a [cannon], 10x as effective as a [sidewinder], and 6.5x as effective as a [Titan], without taking into effect range or ammunition capacity.

 

The advances made during the development of this weapon could be useful in the construction of XCAP-mounted weaponry. However, preliminary research indicates that conventional treaded XCAP's are not mobile enough for the use of such a weapon. Research into the principles of the construction of UFO's may allow new designs.

 

"At first I was skeptical, wondering how it could do all that much damage - it's not like it uses explosives or anything. After they tested it, the target was gone and part of the back wall had melted away. I never questioned the weapon after that."

Edited by Kikanaide
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Much improved, Kikanaide! I much prefer this version to the previous ones. Well, ol' pal, it's good to know that my countenance hasn't driven you off. ;) And without further ado, shall I commence?

 

[PLASMA CANNON]

X-Net://Pegasus.net/Armament/[Plasma Cannon]

 

The [plasma cannon] is a product of X-Corps research into the Aliens' plasma weaponry, and represents an entirely new design philosophy. Unlike other plasma weapons, the [plasma cannon] requires Xenium to produce, but does not require separately manufactured clips. The [plasma cannon] easily outperforms all conventional craft weaponry in damage per second, though it does have slightly less range than a [Titan] missile.

Did the plasma pistol/plasma rifle/heavy plasma require Elerium to manufacture? I can't remember. If they did, then the "unlike other plasma weapons" phrase is no longer true. If they didn't, just ignore this. ^_^ In the last sentence, I suggest changing "though it does have slightly less range than a [Titan] missile" to something more positive to match the "outperforms" in the first half of the sentence, maybe (with a few embellishments): "The plasma cannon easily outperforms every conventional weapon system in terms of damage output, and outranges them all save for the Titan missile"?

 

Unlike the Xenium-inefficient plasma weaponry found in Alien UFOs, the [plasma cannon] was designed to deliver an impressive amount of damage while using minimal amounts of Xenium.  X-Corps scientists have also made improvements in efficiency and muzzle velocity, as well as adding mechanisms to evenly mix reactants and fire plasma under the combat velocities and accelerations of our intercept craft. The result of their arduous labor is this revolutionary weapon design.
Consider exchanging "using" in the first sentence to "expending"; "using" also applies to the manufacturing process (and the PC does require a fair amount to manufacture), while "expending" seems to only apply to the weapon firing. The second sentence has a verb tense mismatch; change "adding" to "added" and it'll be better. It sounds a bit weird, though; maybe also change "as well as" to just "and"?

 

Through the study and maximization of the gravitic effect of Xenium, the Xenium requirement per shot has been reduced to a negligible amount. Nearly all of the reaction mass is made up of the other standard ingredients - heavy water and a few of the magnetic metals. While aircraft space limitations dictate that only a finite amount of these other materials can be carried, the 99 shot capacity should be sufficient for any possible encounter.
Maybe add something explaining that "maximization of the gravitic effect of Xenium" can only apply to large weapons (so players won't wonder why heavy plasmas haven't been redesigned to eliminate then need for the clips, for instance). Hrm, consider changing "the Xenium requirement per shot" to "the amount of Xenium consumed during each firing cycle"-- though there's no real need to change it other than "I just think it sounds cooler". ^_^

 

The second sentence doesn't tie in very well with the first one; maybe change "nearly all of the reaction mass is made up of..." (it's pretty independent of Xenium) to "the remaining reaction mass is comprised of..." (implies "everything else except for the Xenium"). Hm, maybe change "reaction mass" to "ammunition components" --> "the remaining ammunition components" to more clearly define what is being used as ammunition and address a point I made in the next paragraph.

 

Also, "other standard ingredients" sounds a little weird; standard to whom, and from what viewpoint? Unless I'm mistaken, isn't heavy water somewhat rare but easily extracted from seawater? Perhaps use "relatively common reactants such as..." instead? I don't really understand the third sentence's "a finite amount of these other materials can be carried" comment. Exactly what materials are being limited- heavy water and magnetic metals? Maybe be more specific: "While our aircrafts' finite weight allowances limit the ammunition capacity of the plasma cannon..."

 

Since insufficient Xenium is present in the reaction mass to enable the usual explosive reaction, the ammunition is optically heated to plasma temperatures, using some of the Xenium as a power source. The optimization of Xenium's gravitic properties has also considerably lowered the energy requirements of magnetic containment.
Maybe use "catalyze" to refer to the non-expenditure of Xenium (and find a way to change one of the "reaction"s): "Although the insufficient Xenium in the reaction mass normally inhibits the explosive chain reaction, optically heating the ammunition through Xenium catalysis provides a way to circumvent this issue"? Ugh, that's pretty verbose... You might just want to ignore this comment. :P

 

The resulting burst of plasma is much larger and more damaging than anything seen in handheld weaponry. The device requires the use of eight magnetodynamic prongs and the expanded gravitic properties of Xenium to achieve the range of 52km. The tiny quantity of Xenium sits in the center of each burst, and produces an incredibly strong, short-range gravity field that is too powerful for even the thermal energy of plasma to overcome.
Perhaps change "damaging" in the first sentence to "destructive", and "device" to "plasma cannon" and "expanded" to "fully-realized" in the second sentence? In the third sentence, consider simplifying: "The miniscule quantity of Xenium contained/enclosed/encased within each burst produces an incredibly strong..."?

 

Upon striking a target, the gravitic bubble is disrupted, and the contents spread rapidly over the surface struck, melting a hole far larger than that produced by the impact itself. Unfortunately, it is expected that UFO's will have some resistance to plasma damage due to the highly heat-tolerant Alien Composites used in their construction. However, even considering these heat-resistant properties, each hit from a [plasma cannon] is still more powerful than most conventional armaments.  The [plasma cannon] is 65x as effective as a [cannon], 10x as effective as a [sidewinder], and 6.5x as effective as a [Titan], without taking into effect range or ammunition capacity.
In the first sentence, perhaps, "This gravitic 'bubble' is disrupted upon striking the target, sending the superheated contents rapidly over nearby surfaces..."? Maybe merge the 2nd and 3rd sentences: "Although UFOs are expected to possess some level of plasma-resistance due to the nature of the Alien Composites used in their construction, the incredible damage output of the plasma cannon all but guarantees that an impressive amount of damage will be inflicted."

 

The advances made during the development of this weapon could be useful in the construction of XCAP-mounted weaponry. However, preliminary research indicates that conventional treaded XCAP's are not mobile enough for the use of such a weapon. Research into the principles of the construction of UFO's may allow new designs.

 

"At first I was skeptical, wondering how it could do all that much damage - it's not like it uses explosives or anything. After they tested it, the target was gone and part of the back wall had melted away. I never questioned the weapon after that."

I amazingly have no comments at this time for the rest of the text. :P

 

Though it looks like I've written a great deal (and I have), most of it pertains to simple word substitutions and such, so don't let that distract from the overall high quality of the text. It's looking very good. :)

 

-Asty

Edited by Astyanax
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Did the plasma pistol/plasma rifle/heavy plasma require Elerium to manufacture?  I can't remember.  If they did, then the "unlike other plasma weapons" phrase is no longer true.  If they didn't, just ignore this. ^_^  In the last sentence, I suggest changing "though it does have slightly less range than a [Titan] missile" to something more positive to match the "outperforms" in the first half of the sentence, maybe (with a few embellishments): "The plasma cannon easily outperforms every conventional weapon system in terms of damage output, and outranges them all save for the Titan missile"?
Sounds better, yes. And no, no Xenium to manufacture hand-held weapons. I had to learn this because I wrote the original plasma rifle (and possibly pistol) entries with the idea that they did, and had to fight through the original proofreading system to try to get it change...after all, it was a factual error and I don't like those.

 

Maybe add something explaining that "maximization of the gravitic effect of Xenium" can only apply to large weapons (so players won't wonder why heavy plasmas haven't been redesigned to eliminate then need for the clips, for instance). 
I like this...I'll try.

 

Also, "other standard ingredients" sounds a little weird; standard to whom, and from what viewpoint?  Unless I'm mistaken, isn't heavy water somewhat rare but easily extracted from seawater?  Perhaps use "relatively common reactants such as..." instead? 
So I sort of assumed that the player would have read one of the plasma clip entries, and know that the "standard" ingredients were defined as heavy water, a few magnetic metals (IIRC iron and cobalt, maybe a couple more), and Xenium...but then, standard has a lot of meanings...I guess I was using it to refer to "standard" plasma weaponry. I'll have to think about this one.

 

I don't really understand the third sentence's "a finite amount of these other materials can be carried" comment.  Exactly what materials are being limited- heavy water and magnetic metals?  Maybe be more specific: "While our aircrafts' finite weight allowances limit the ammunition capacity of the plasma cannon..."
Oh, yes, the limitation is on everything but Xenium (I mean, it's on Xenium too, but we've said we basically don't even shoot Xenium out...maybe a few particles but Avogadro's number says that you'll never know), since there is a finite ammunition capacity I tried to explain it by saying you can only sit so many jugs of water and metal in an interceptor cockpit (that was a joke, but I imagine you'll catch the meaning).

 

I originally planned to comment on all of your other suggestions, but I ran out of ways to say "good catch." So instead, I'll just say that most if not all will be in the next rewrite - say either today or tomorrow. I've got family coming into town, so I'm not sure what the schedule is going to be.

 

Thanks again, Asty. The "old friend" line seems a little odd now that I think about it... certainly the "old" part can't really apply since we've known each other for a couple months at best... Anyway, I've enjoyed working with you.

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