Fixing Cybran T2 beam weapons

[Mycen]

Now that there is (apparently?) a fix to make beam weapons hit properly, I thought this might be a good time to revisit the effects for the Cerberus's and Rhino's laser weapons.

I remember that the current versions of these weapons were implemented because the game engine could not properly aim weapons that hit instantly. I am curious if anything that has been done so far which would change this situation. Alternatively, could the weapons be remade into beam weapons that use the original effects? The way they handled and looked was pretty close to continuous beam weapons already anyway.

Just something to think about, as the original effects were cool, and the current effects are.. not. If we can find a way to get them back at some point, that would be awesome.

[ZeRen]

Now that there is (apparently?) a fix to make beam weapons hit properly, I thought this might be a good time to revisit the effects for the Cerberus's and Rhino's laser weapons.

I remember that the current versions of these weapons were implemented because the game engine could not properly aim weapons that hit instantly. I am curious if anything that has been done so far which would change this situation. Alternatively, could the weapons be remade into beam weapons that use the original effects? The way they handled and looked was pretty close to continuous beam weapons already anyway.

Just something to think about, as the original effects were cool, and the current effects are.. not. If we can find a way to get them back at some point, that would be awesome.

well, I all so like original effect

[gnatinator]

Agreed, the original effects were awesome.

[RK4000]

Well, if it means anything, I'm planning on improving some weapon effects in V8 of my mod, including this one, since Nombringer has shown me how bad this effect really is in his feedback post.

[The Mak]

I believe the targeting issue was one concern, but the main concern was that you could not see the effect hitting your units. Your units would take damage and you would not see the beam effects unless you had visual sight of the enemy's PD. Since the firing effect is a long continuous graphic effect that comes from a PD that you have no visual on, the game engine would not render it for you (it cannot do partial effects). This is why when you get line of sight from large units, like experimentals, they would pop into view once the visual range ring goes more than half way through the unit. You do not see partial parts of these units.

Since the new beam effect is more like rapid burst of smaller individual beams, the graphic effect can now be seen completely by all visual ranges and will appear to strike the target.

[IceDreamer]

The beam aim 'Fixes' are a workaround. Since I can't affect the way the engine actually aims (yet) I've done what I can on the opposite side of the coin. That is, making sure hitboxes and target bones are properly constructed and optimised for those units which give beam weapons the most trouble.

The problem with Cybran's T2 pulse beam weapons was twofold, with aim being the lesser problem and the intel bug mentioned by The Mak the greater. That, too, may be resolved at some point, but not this patch. Sheeo or Eximius, or someone else of that programming skill of course, will have to find a way of finding out the position where the aim beam intersects with fog of war, and then display only half the visual effect... or something. They told me a while back that it can be done, but not easily.

[Vee]

Well, by that logic we should also give the GC and monkeylord a pulse laser?

[zeroAPM]

The beam aim 'Fixes' are a workaround. Since I can't affect the way the engine actually aims (yet) I've done what I can on the opposite side of the coin. That is, making sure hitboxes and target bones are properly constructed and optimised for those units which give beam weapons the most trouble.

The problem with Cybran's T2 pulse beam weapons was twofold, with aim being the lesser problem and the intel bug mentioned by The Mak the greater. That, too, may be resolved at some point, but not this patch. Sheeo or Eximius, or someone else of that programming skill of course, will have to find a way of finding out the position where the aim beam intersects with fog of war, and then display only half the visual effect... or something. They told me a while back that it can be done, but not easily.

What about a dummy weapon (same as the current one) with FXs and no damage?

[IceDreamer]

The beam aim 'Fixes' are a workaround. Since I can't affect the way the engine actually aims (yet) I've done what I can on the opposite side of the coin. That is, making sure hitboxes and target bones are properly constructed and optimised for those units which give beam weapons the most trouble.

The problem with Cybran's T2 pulse beam weapons was twofold, with aim being the lesser problem and the intel bug mentioned by The Mak the greater. That, too, may be resolved at some point, but not this patch. Sheeo or Eximius, or someone else of that programming skill of course, will have to find a way of finding out the position where the aim beam intersects with fog of war, and then display only half the visual effect... or something. They told me a while back that it can be done, but not easily.

What about a dummy weapon (same as the current one) with FXs and no damage?

Won't work. This isn't an easy thing to fix 100% !

[Mycen]

Well, by that logic we should also give the GC and monkeylord a pulse laser?

A good question.

If the intel was the primary reason for the change, okay, but I remember a lot of discussion about how the Cerberus's DPS had been changed radically changed to compensate for its inability to hit moving targets. Given all of the other beam weapons that have the same intel problem that nothing has been done about (Sera Destroyer and PD, Battlecruiser, etc.) I have a hard time understanding why the Cerberus and Rhino would need a change based on that alone.

may be resolved at some point ...

... but not this patch.