Alien Laser-Pistol Bug

[Aralez]

There is a bug in the game (unmodded) that allows the Alien Laser Pistol to shoot even when there is no ammo left in the gun. And the weapon has some problems when you try to reload it. And the shots done with empty cartridge do no damage. Sometimes this bug even crashes the game!

 

I tried to provide a temporary fix in the new ComboMod from BlackAlmaz. The reload- and crashproblem seems to have disappeared but not the "no-Ammo-shots". But if you reload manually now, the problem is gone.

 

This also explains why some users receive no damage when being shot at from reticulans AND it explains why there are LOADS of unused cartridges in the backpack of the Reticulans with Laser-Pistols.

 

Some other weapons could also have this bug, report here if you find one.

[Kret]

I believe I reported this quite some time ago. But I never noticed it crashed the game nor did it do 0 damage.

 

The problem relies on how much power the Alien Laser Pistol uses and how much power the Energy Cell has. Note that this normally can't happen with the Power Cell if you follow the next explanation.

 

An unmodded Energy Cell has 1000 power units, PU from now on and don't make funny comments about it!!

An unmodded Alien Laser Pistol consumes 80 PUs thus following the next formula:

 

1000(PU) / 80(PU/Shot) = 12.5 Shots

 

Here's the problem, the game doesn't seem to handle well that "half shot" nor any other shot fractions.

 

Anyhow, I once decided to unload that almost empty battery of 40 PUs remaining and load it onto a Plasma Turret. That was the end of all opposing forces, since the turret never emptied.

 

However, there's one thing, if you just select one target with that almost empty battery the unit will fire once and then reload, but if you queu up fire orders, even on the same target, the unit will never reload until after the last ordered shot.

 

Essentially this bug can be transferred to other battery weapons, even hybrid ones, but you have to partially empty a battery, pass it to the other weapon and replace.

[Aralez]

What do you think of my "fix": i changed the power usage to 40 so that the gun has 25 shots and there is NO rest in the cartridge. I tried it and it worked, but i had the savegame problem Lurker once had. So i can't tell (atm) if the shooting with empty cartridge is still there.

 

Will try again later that day

[Kret]

More than a fix, it's a workaround, I've done that myself. But in my case it has 50 shots, and the alien energy cells have 1500 PUs, so it's 30 PU/Shot . Unfortunately, the bug still remains and can show up if you scavange for cells. Quite rare tho.

[Aralez]

I think most users will NEVER encounter that bug with that weapon, as the alien laser pistol is hardly used at all. It is weak, has only a low firerate and the range is medium only. I guess i only found the bug as i use the Tough-Alien-Mod and was forced to use those "lowly" weapons as i had nothing else

[Kret]

In my customized version they aren't that weak anymore. They are deadlier than their rifle counterpart at close range, faster, consumes less power per shot wich translane into more ammo per clip. In fact, 50 shots with just an energy cell (100 with a power cell) makes this weapon outlast the rifle even in burst mode (16 and 2/3 shots). If I ever manage to complete this customized mode in such a way that no "fictional" weapon is useless I'll send it over.

[Aralez]

Maybe BA can include your changes in the next ComboMod ? Or if you are finished before he's back, i could update the mod?

[Kret]

Think I'll just send you what I have so you can take a look at what I've change with the weapons and tech tree. Hopefully I'll send it over in a couple of days.