We're eagerly awaiting the rest of this post, trust me

And a screenie might be nice, if it's not too much trouble- I wanna see what a FS2 beam-weapon looks like in FL

Well! D**n it, don't keep us in suspense... No offence intended but we've been offered 'vapour' mods before... Give us proof-of-concept Give us mod :p <dark voice> give me shadow beams

Hehehe... give us something or I shall... have to... uh... make a flying bunny-rabbit-spacecraft to retaliate. Don't make me do it, man... the bunny's a vicious brute, I tells ya... it'll scare yer pants off.

<comes back 4 hours later, notices that the vaporware hasn't bothered to solidify>

Grumble... now I'm going to have to make the bunny-rabbit-spacecraft of Eeeeevil. Darn you vaporware fooz... if there isn't something to this "perfect beam weapon" thing resembling a proof by noon tomorrow my time... well, you've asked for it- it'll be Bunny-Time.

Edited by - Argh on 3/17/2005 9:42:13 PM

"Anyone who loves beams should listen to this."

to what? the silence?
really why would you post "listen to this" and then not post again -
why would you even _write_ "listen to this"?

Edited by - Cold_Void on 3/18/2005 6:57:36 AM

It's almost noon bucko. The Bunny is coming o_0



Edited by - Argh on 3/18/2005 8:27:46 AM

Oh s**t! Anti-bunny torpedos out of stock! Better dig up the beam weapon! Oh, yeah, ahem, it doesn't exist... um...

Ah, but the Bunny does. <drum-roll>...



Edited by - Argh on 3/18/2005 11:12:52 AM

roflmao Argh,that bunny looks pissed. i gotta get this to Thumper - this could be his new flagship hehehe

Edited by - Cold_Void on 3/18/2005 11:01:07 AM

Erm...sorry about the delay. I lost my post when my comp crashed. @.@;;; ANYway...here we go.

First off, before you modify ANYTHING, backup your FL files. To those of us that AREN'T modders or are modding for our first times, copy your DATA folder and paste it in a different location.

Next, open up the weapon_equip.ini and find this piece of code:

<pre><font size=1 face=Courier>
[Munition
nickname = li_gun01_mark01_ammo
hp_type = hp_gun
requires_ammo = false
hit_pts = 2
hull_damage = 5
energy_damage = 2.5
weapon_type = W_Laser01
one_shot_sound = fire_laser1
munition_hit_effect = li_laser_01_impact
const_effect = ly_laser_proj
lifetime = 1
force_gun_ori = false
mass = 1
volume = 0.000100

[Gun
nickname = li_gun01_mark01
ids_name = 263357
ids_info = 264357
DA_archetype = equipment\models\weapons\li_heavy_ion_blaster.cmp
material_library = equipment\models\li_equip.mat
HP_child = HPConnect
hit_pts = 400
explosion_resistance = 1.000000
debris_type = debris_normal
parent_impulse = 20
child_impulse = 80
volume = 0.000000
mass = 10
hp_gun_type = hp_gun_special_1
damage_per_fire = 0
power_usage = 5.090000
refire_delay = 0.0010000
muzzle_velocity = 5000
use_animation = Sc_fire
toughness = 1.300000
flash_particle_name = li_laser_01_flash
flash_radius = 15
light_anim = l_gun01_flash
projectile_archetype = li_gun01_mark01_ammo
separation_explosion = sever_debris
auto_turret = false
turn_rate = 90
lootable = true
LODranges = 0, 20, 40, 80, 100
</font></pre> (Note, this was from a file I'm modding currently)

Make a copy of that and paste it at the end of the file. Next, go to the [Munition section. Rename the nickname line to 'beam_ammo' or something to that equivilent. Make the 'lifetime' 1.00. Next, go to the 'constant_effect' and rename it to 'beam_proj' or something like that and save it.

Next, go to the [Gun section and rename the nickname line to 'beam_gun' or something to that effect. Next, we want our shot to travel its full range instantaneously. So, set the 'muzzle_velocity' to something high, like 10k or so. Don't set it TOO high, or the shots will be moving so fast you can't see the beam! That's all you need to modify for this file, so save and close it.

The delay's OK, if this works better than the current "beams" which I've tested in various mods. I just wanted an excuse to make a "deth bunny"

Thus far, tho... what I'm seeing is a projectile that's going to move really fast, but ... if you make the Beamspear really long:

A. It won't be accurate to the aimpoint. The angle will look rather funky.
B. It won't last on-screen any longer than a regular Beamspear, so it'll kind've be a brief, flashing thing, not a solid energy beam.

The best solution I've found thus far is to use one of the ALE files that looks appropriately "beam-like", and to make the projectile quite long... but have it move rather slowly. This looks like crap, if fighters can equip it, but looks just great with capships...

A new file calls for a new reply. Anyway...open up the beam_effects.ini and search for this entry:

<pre><font size=1 face=Courier>[BeamSpear
nickname = Li_laser_01_beam
tip_length = 5
tail_length = 60
head_width = 2
core_width = 2
tip_color = 0, 0, 0
core_color = 255, 255, 255
outter_color = 200, 200, 255
tail_color = 55, 55, 155
head_brightness = 1
trail_brightness = 1
head_texture = ball
trail_texture = thin
flash_size = 3 </font></pre>

Rename the nickname to "beam_proj" or something like that. Make the tip_length and tail_length about 100000 or so. The head_width and core_width can be what you wish. Save this and close it, we don't need it anymore.

Next, open up the effects.ini and add the following code:
<pre><font size=1 face=Courier>[Effect
nickname = beam_proj
effect_type = EFT_WEAPON_PROJ
vis_beam = beam_proj </font></pre>

Save and close the file.

I tried making something similar. Putting it fast with long trail simply doesnt appear. It shows up as any other beam, as the projectile goes too fast to be seen long.

And trying to make it slower simply makes a huge trail that lasts long, but it's no beam weapon, as it is one projectile...

I still think that a beam weapon should in fact be some spheres or cylinders going at really fast speeds so they merge together, giving this kind of effect.

Finally, a refire rate like this will make this nearly impossible to use by most users, would lag like hell. SP and MP.

i think if you wanted to make a gun whose behaviour is refiring appear as a continuous beam you would nteed to edit the actual effec directing it to extend itself on an opposite vector to its direction of fire - so the projectile would grow as it left the gun and continue growing at least until the next projectile had exited and made contact with its texture.hard to explain even harder to do as there is no way to edit .ale files without the 600 dollar studio package from avid
(i think you can anyway....why do video editing programs have to be so packed with jargon?..its like trying to learn a frikkin foreign language.)

Edited by - Cold_Void on 3/21/2005 10:30:11 AM

@Cold_Void - I think you are barking up the wrong tree with that program. ALE files are just another variation on the UTF format used for .cmp, .3db, .txm, & .utf files in game. I assume it stands for Universal Tree Format or some such. I've started cracking away at the internals (there's a thread from a coupla months back). Fraid i've been busier with sur files, my mod and a rewrite of flmodeltool when near computer.