SHIVs for early game - unlocking the Foundry

[johnnylump]

Good points, all. Will do.

 

Say, what does the SHIV_Sentry entry in DGC.ini refer to?

[Yzaxtol]

Yet another obsolete piece of code?

[Amineri]

Apparently there at some point a 4th weapon option. I've tried turning it on, but it didn't work. The damage for the sentry gun was 10 (the same as SHIV plasma). Not entirely sure what it was supposed to be.

[dubiousintent]

Apparently there at some point a 4th weapon option. I've tried turning it on, but it didn't work. The damage for the sentry gun was 10 (the same as SHIV plasma). Not entirely sure what it was supposed to be.

Never mind. Half-baked thought, discarded.

 

-Dubious-

Edited March 16, 2013 by dubiousintent

[Argyuile]

I agree it would be more fun to get it sooner especially since we have robots that we currently use for war IRL. In any case I know that there are issues sticking normal soldier guns on shiv's but that would be the better solution than modding the minigun IMO. So you start with being able to buy a shiv right out of the gate (like a medpack except with construction time) but you can only use Assault Rife, LMG, Shotgun or something on it. Then you have to research and build it a minigun at some point (around the time you currently get it in game) perhaps the first model also has reduced health.

 

Late game it would still be useful if it got a free slot (I.E. you could make it your 7th squad member somehow).

 

-I am a banana

[Amineri]

I do have regular guns on SHIVs almost working, but that last bit may be beyond my ability to fix. I can equip any other rifle onto a SHIV (have tested with assault rifle, laser rifle and LMG), and it rotate-animates properly in the Barracks view. I've even taken an LMG-equipped SHIV onto a mission.

 

If I don't ever move the SHIV, then everything works fine. I can shoot and overwatch, and everything is fine. (I was on a small mission map, so luring enemies close to my deployment zone was possible) Moving the SHIV causes a glitch which freezes the game, however. I've tried to poke around for the code that causes the special weapon "tuck-in" animation when SHIVs move (which I suspect as the culprit), but haven't found anything.

 

It is also possible to make the minigun a buildable item that has to be researched to be built. I would personally favor the SHIV Suppression foundry project as a prereq.

 

There are also only three sets of SHIV armor, corresponding to three sets of SHIVs. I think it would be possible to give the base armor look a health upgrade. Perhaps move the Alloy SHIV upgrade to require Titan Armor research done, with a smaller health upgrade when Carapace Armor research is done. In both cases it would require Foundry tech SHIV research + relevant Armor research to unlock. However, the Carapace Armor-based health upgrade (since it is based on the same armor/item-type) would have to be a retroactive upgrade, and would apply to all existing and future built base chassis.

 

Finally, I've been looking and looking but can't figure out how the SHIV Suppression ability gets applied. There must be some link between completing the Foundry project SHIV Suppression and giving SHIV-type units Suppression, but I can't for the life of me figure it out. Any help here would be much appreciated.

[Amineri]

Update on the Sentry Gun. There was no BuildItem(114, ...) entry for it in XcomStrategyGame.upk, which would explain why it was impossible to create. Was able to clear enough space to create an entry for it and add it into the game.

 

I haven't found an eImage file for it, there is currently no model for it in the Barracks view, and in tactical battles it displays as a Minigun, but with the damage (and other stats) defined in the "ini file" for the Sentry Gun.

 

This is where we really need the modders who create new 3D objects and animations, plus the ability to actually add new 3D objects into the game ... sigh.