Different armour for different weapons?

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Author Topic:   Different armour for different weapons?

Tweed posted 09-23-99 04:43 AM ET
In the SMAC manual, appendix 2 the weapons are divided in to two different types, projectile and energy. Then on p. 144 the defenses are described as either defending against projectile weapons, energy weapons or both. My question is this: Is this just cosmetics or is it actually implemented in the game? On other words: is it a bad idea to use silksteel armour to defend against chaos guns?
If this is correct, I think it's great, if not I think it's soemthing that should be put into the game (or taken out of the manual...err).
About SMAC and quality:
I think SMAC is one of the best games I have ever played, but I work with programming and design and I know one thing: a bug is a bug is a bug, and it should be fixed. Period.
/T
Velociryx posted 09-23-99 09:33 AM ET
Nope....as far as I have ever heard, it was a feature which was dropped from the game, but they forgot to take the chart out of the rule book....
I think it would have made combat a good deal more interesting, had they left it in tho....::sigh::
-=Vel=-
Schoop posted 09-23-99 10:34 AM ET
Well, if it were there, I think it would appear in that little analysis of strength that appears in the bottom window during a battle.
Personally, I'm glad it's not. SMAC is complex enough as it is without worrying about whether a weapon is projectile/energy/missile and what it means to go up against a Photon-shield armored unit with it.
Raging Mouse posted 09-23-99 05:01 PM ET
Sa far as I've noticed, it's there. You rarely notice, though, 'cause it ends up as only a minor difference. Sure, it CAN be the drop that causes the beaker to overflow, but that happens only rarely.
So keep a look at your combat odds. It should show up.
TNSe posted 09-24-99 08:50 PM ET
hmm..
Found this in the Alpha.txt
; Mode = Armor mode (0=Projectile, 1=Energy, 2=Binary)
and this
; Mode = Offense mode (or noncombat package type)
; Combat modes: 0=Projectile, 1=Energy, 2 = Missile
Notice that ... (Binary = Probe/Psi I guess)
TNSe
Tweed posted 09-28-99 02:28 PM ET
Ah, I think I got it. A bit further down in the alpha.txt file from where TNSe was reading I found this:
; Combat modes
; Projectile weapons receive a bonus against Energy Armor.
; Energy weapons receive a bonus against Projectile Armor.
; No weapon receives a bonus against Binary Armor.
; Missile weapons never receive a bonus.
;
#DEFENSEMODES
Projectile, Proj-, Proj., P
Energy, Energy-, Ener., E
Binary, Binary-, Bin., B
#OFFENSEMODES
Projectile, Proj-, Proj., P
Energy, Energy-, Ener., E
Missile, Missile-, Miss., M
It seems to confirm the manual. But what does the text after #DEFENSEMODES and #OFFENSEMODES mean??
Someone at Firaxis could maybe give us a hint...?
/T
Darkstar posted 09-28-99 02:35 PM ET
We were told that they had planned on it, but decided after serious testing that it only complicated matters without adding to the fun, and as they wanted SMAC enjoyable to a large audience, they dropped it.
It's entries in Alpha.txt are still there. And the decision gate that determines the fighting graphic might still use it.
Firaxis had mentioned that they might make it an optional feature that was able to be turned on for added challenge, but they were unsure...
-Darkstar
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Author	Topic: Different armour for different weapons?
Tweed	posted 09-23-99 04:43 AM ET In the SMAC manual, appendix 2 the weapons are divided in to two different types, projectile and energy. Then on p. 144 the defenses are described as either defending against projectile weapons, energy weapons or both. My question is this: Is this just cosmetics or is it actually implemented in the game? On other words: is it a bad idea to use silksteel armour to defend against chaos guns? If this is correct, I think it's great, if not I think it's soemthing that should be put into the game (or taken out of the manual...err). About SMAC and quality: I think SMAC is one of the best games I have ever played, but I work with programming and design and I know one thing: a bug is a bug is a bug, and it should be fixed. Period. /T
Velociryx	posted 09-23-99 09:33 AM ET Nope....as far as I have ever heard, it was a feature which was dropped from the game, but they forgot to take the chart out of the rule book.... I think it would have made combat a good deal more interesting, had they left it in tho....::sigh:: -=Vel=-
Schoop	posted 09-23-99 10:34 AM ET Well, if it were there, I think it would appear in that little analysis of strength that appears in the bottom window during a battle. Personally, I'm glad it's not. SMAC is complex enough as it is without worrying about whether a weapon is projectile/energy/missile and what it means to go up against a Photon-shield armored unit with it.
Raging Mouse	posted 09-23-99 05:01 PM ET Sa far as I've noticed, it's there. You rarely notice, though, 'cause it ends up as only a minor difference. Sure, it CAN be the drop that causes the beaker to overflow, but that happens only rarely. So keep a look at your combat odds. It should show up.
TNSe	posted 09-24-99 08:50 PM ET hmm.. Found this in the Alpha.txt ; Mode = Armor mode (0=Projectile, 1=Energy, 2=Binary) and this ; Mode = Offense mode (or noncombat package type) ; Combat modes: 0=Projectile, 1=Energy, 2 = Missile Notice that ... (Binary = Probe/Psi I guess) TNSe
Tweed	posted 09-28-99 02:28 PM ET Ah, I think I got it. A bit further down in the alpha.txt file from where TNSe was reading I found this: ; Combat modes ; Projectile weapons receive a bonus against Energy Armor. ; Energy weapons receive a bonus against Projectile Armor. ; No weapon receives a bonus against Binary Armor. ; Missile weapons never receive a bonus. ; #DEFENSEMODES Projectile, Proj-, Proj., P Energy, Energy-, Ener., E Binary, Binary-, Bin., B #OFFENSEMODES Projectile, Proj-, Proj., P Energy, Energy-, Ener., E Missile, Missile-, Miss., M It seems to confirm the manual. But what does the text after #DEFENSEMODES and #OFFENSEMODES mean?? Someone at Firaxis could maybe give us a hint...? /T
Darkstar	posted 09-28-99 02:35 PM ET We were told that they had planned on it, but decided after serious testing that it only complicated matters without adding to the fun, and as they wanted SMAC enjoyable to a large audience, they dropped it. It's entries in Alpha.txt are still there. And the decision gate that determines the fighting graphic might still use it. Firaxis had mentioned that they might make it an optional feature that was able to be turned on for added challenge, but they were unsure... -Darkstar