Cliffski,
What is the feasibility of creating new weapons and weapon effects without actually getting into the pre-compiled code? I’d like to be able to create neat effects, sort of like the multi-stage missiles already in the game.
All of the variables exposed in the ini files can be tweaked, but visually, you are restricted somewhat. There is nothing stopping you changing existing graphics though, although for speed, a lot of the games graphics are combined into texture pages.
Theres quite a lot of data in the various weapon files though, you can certainly devise an expensive, deadly, heavy, slow, inaccurate death-star mega-gun, although it would look quite similar to a beam laser
beam lasers do use unique textures though, so you could redo its effect from scratch.
Can we scale effects up and down? Even ‘normal’ beam lasers will look very different as a tiny pencil beam, or a huge, screen filling deathray.
yup, width is scalable for beams, there are quite a few option in there. Hopefully I’ll get around to adding more later. I really want to add a converging beams effect, like the death-star laser.
Now that would be awesome! Is there any possibility of adding an easter egg somewhere so you can battle a fleet of deathstars? lol.
not if he wants to sell the game commercially, haha
A fleet of deathspheres perhaps.
yes, yes, that would work. 
I hear a rhombic triacontahedron is the new sphere.
What I’d think would be interesting is a ‘laser missile’ that fires in a straight line to, through, and beyond its target firing fighter-sized lasers at random targets along its flight path… could be difficult to code, though.
Also a very short duration ‘pop’ gunshot report for autocannons with insanely high rates of fire but low per-shot damage.
Interestingly enough I played around with this very concept today. I found that the “particle_cannon.ogg” weapon sound fits quite well for a high-speed mass driver/kinetic energy weapon provided it uses a rather high fire rate.
Here’s a proof of concept if you’re interested:
[i]data\modules\cruiser_light_massdriver.txt[/]
[code][config]
unlockcost = 0
lockable = 0
armour_penetration = 20
blasttexture = “turret_blast_yellow.dds”
category = “WEAPONS”
classname = “SIM_BulletWeaponModule”
color = 1
cost = 90
crew_required = 4
damage = 0.2
description = "A fast firing weapon for dealing with pesky fighters or just filling the battlespace with
tracers."
fire_interval = 50
guiname = “Cruiser Light Massdriver”
height = 8.3
hitpoints = 100
icon = turret
min_range = 50
max_range = 400
name = “cruiser_light_massdriver”
optimum_range = 350
powerconsumed = 4
shield_penetration = 15
size = “CRUISER”
sound = data/sounds/particle_canon.ogg
soundvolume = 0.75
speed = 20
tracking_speed = 2.75
turret_sprite = “turret_las_v5”
turretsize = 12.0
weight = 135
width = 2.2
slot_type = TURRET
uisortpos = 1080
[dataitems]
0 = cost,DECIMAL
1 = weight,DECIMAL
2 = hitpoints,DECIMAL
3 = powerconsumed,DECIMAL
4 = max_range,DECIMAL
5 = damage,DECIMAL
6 = fire_interval,INTEGER
7 = tracking_speed,DECIMAL
8 = shield_penetration,DECIMAL
9 = armour_penetration,DECIMAL
10 = crew_required,INTEGER
11 = optimum_range,DECIMAL
12 = min_range,DECIMAL
[/code]
fusion_torpedo2.ogg is one I’d also use for a heavier kinetic weapon.