So far as I am aware (although somebody like Wasabe may know better here) damage is dealt out as a single event- i.e., what you're talking about is impossible.

But you can fake it. Build a missile launcher model with two HpFire locations, one right behind the other one (by maybe 0.10 units), for example, and then it'll seem like that's what happened... the two missiles will tend to "merge" into each other, but really they'll detonate a very short period from each other... which could produce the effect you're seeking. Adding a new HpFire location to a custom weapon model is really trivial- just use a standard weapon model, add the hardpoint with HardCMP, and you're all set... then it's all just down to tweaking the detonation distance, etc., to get a dual-damage missile that's actually two projectiles, but acts like one.

That seems to be a bit beyond me... what is this HardCMP anyway..? It seems like this might cause a problem with the missiles destroying each other. I'm a beginning modder though i've been tinkering for a while. I have been working with using the Paralyzer Missile as sort of a wide area EMP weapon, but I am having issues with a couple things that you might be able to help with:

Weapon sound effects: I set the missile motor to have a slight delay where the missile just coasts. I wanted the launch sound to be the cruise engine charge sound for the rheinland ships. (hence it sounds like the motor is charging prior to leaving) I've placed the file in the correct directory, and ensured the names in the .ini file are correct, but the sound does not play. I origionally though this might be a conflict with the refire rate, but it was not so. Is there a limit on the length of launch sound effects

Projectile Velocity:
When setting the motor accelaration to large numbers (x>400) the game treats it as a negative value (as seen in the infocard), and the missile simply explodes when the motor ignites.

Angular Velocity:
Do higher values lend to greater manuvering or vice versa?

Seeker FOV: Is it possible to set a value greater than 180? (been meaning to try this).

And one more: When I go in-game to test out these changes, the missile frequently explodes immediately after launch, i suspect this has something to do with the motor delay, but i'm not sure.

And one more after that: Detonation distance. Is this the distance from the target that the weapon explodes? If so, why doesn't this apply to tradelanes? Thanks for your help!!!

1. HardCMP is a utility for adding/altering/viewing hardpoints, which are used by the game engine for a huge number of things. Don't worry, it's very easy to use You can download it from this website among other places.

2. The missiles should not destroy each other- so far as I know, you cannot impact a missile that you've launched with another of your missiles (although I might be wrong there, as I haven't tested this thoroughly). At any rate, you'd have one sitting behind the other from start to end of this procedure.

3. What you're talking about is possible- what you'd need to do is make a custom sound loop with a lot of dead air before the sound (you can do this very easily with Windows Sound Recorder, or with more precision with other tools).

4. For a sound to play, it needs to be referenced not only in the weapon's file, but also in the sounds.ini file. And, of course, the names must match up. There is no limitation on the length of sounds, so far as I know.

5. Yes, that's a problem, and no, there isn't a way around it, other than setting the muzzle_velocity and acceleration to numbers that work for the missile in question. The muzzle_velocity is the velocity of the projectile at launch (added to the velocity of the ship, I believe), so set that fairly high if you want a missile that's very fast. Otherwise, you'll have to play with the acceleration and other factors to get it working the way you want it to.

6. Yes, higher values for angular velocity results in better turning behavior.

7. I'm not sure if it's possible to set the FOV greater than 180 with any meaningful effect. Based on my previous observations of other things within the game engine, I'm going to guess not. If I'm wrong, share this experimental result with me

8. It's almost certainly not the motor delay... it's probably one of the duration settings.

9. Detonation distance is the distance between the projectile and an object's SUR file. To affect a Tradelane, you have to attack the Tradelane rings themselves- the Tradelane-interruption effect you see from the AI is a called event not accessible to players' weaponry. That said, somebody built a anti-Tradelane missile a while back, and you should probably find it (I believe the author's handle was Shinobi) and dissect it.

Thanks for your help. I'll try those changes. My idea for the sound was not to have dead space, but to have the sound play while the missile was stationary.

EDIT:
Having set the muzzle velocity and accelaration equal to that of the standard FL Cruise disruptor, I still have the detonation on the ignition of the motor problem, and i keep fragging myself as a result. Here is my .ini entry for the weapon as it. I've been playing around with things but in the end I want a very long range (10km) highly manuverable very fast missile, but the explosion problem still plauges me!

[Motor
nickname = Heavy_EMP_motor
lifetime = 3
accel = 538
delay = 5

[Explosion
nickname = Heavy_EMP_explosion
effect = pi_mine01_blast25
lifetime = 0.000000, 0.000000
process = disappear
strength = 100
radius = 2000
hull_damage = 195.600006
energy_damage = 15000
impulse = 0

[Munition
nickname = Heavy_EMP_ammo
explosion_arch = HEAVY_EMP_explosion
loot_appearance = ammo_crate
units_per_container = 10
hp_type = hp_gun
requires_ammo = true
hit_pts = 2
one_shot_sound = emp
detonation_dist = 100
lifetime = 5
Motor = Heavy_EMP_motor
force_gun_ori = false
const_effect = rh_empmissile_drive
HP_trail_parent = HPExhaust
seeker = LOCK
time_to_lock = 0
seeker_range = 10000
seeker_fov_deg = 160
max_angular_velocity = 20
cruise_disruptor = true
DA_archetype = equipment\models\weapons\li_rad_missile.3db
material_library = equipment\models\li_equip.mat
ids_name = 265160
ids_info = 266160
mass = 1
volume = 0.000000

[Gun
nickname = Heavy_EMP
ids_name = 263160
ids_info = 264160
DA_archetype = equipment\models\weapons\li_rad_launcher.cmp
material_library = equipment\models\li_equip.mat
HP_child = HPConnect
hit_pts = 6752
explosion_resistance = 1.000000
debris_type = debris_normal
parent_impulse = 20
child_impulse = 80
volume = 0.000000
mass = 10
hp_gun_type = hp_torpedo_special_2
damage_per_fire = 0
power_usage = 3000
refire_delay = 6
muzzle_velocity = 250
toughness = 2.000000
projectile_archetype = Heavy_EMP_ammo
dry_fire_sound = fire_dry
separation_explosion = sever_debris
auto_turret = false
turn_rate = 90
lootable = true
LODranges = 0, 20, 60, 100


Edited by - J Dawg on 11/17/2004 9:15:37 PM

Move your energy_damage line into the Munition entry.

Also change the lifetime on the Explosion entry to this:

lifetime = 0.5000000, 1.000000

Edited by - Louva-Deus on 11/18/2004 3:55:04 AM

None of this does me any good unless the darn thing will stop blowing up on me. I think I may need to start over from scratch.

Set the hit_pts value higher on your Munition entry.