I have been playing around with a bunch of armour over the past couple of months (when I have the time) and I have created some items that might be of interest to those out there. I really like adding items to the game so I was hoping to post this so others can share some of their really cool ideas as well.

I am in the process of adding these items to the TeamUnleashed mod so hopefully we can get that out someday.

The coolest piece of equipment that I have come up with is Power Armour. I created this by adding the following code to a set of regular light armour. At the bottom of the code there is a section for MODE, which looks like:

Mode
Modes RECORD
ListOfMode ARRAY 1
SubMode RECORD
index INT 0 ;"None"
isammo STR "No"
;melee
PTR 0
;vehicle
PTR 0
;guided
PTR 0
;influencer
PTR 0
END_OF_SubMode
END_OF_ListOfMode
END_OF_Modes

To create a set of power armour, you just have to add a new SubMode RECORD that enhances Strength, like so:

Mode
Modes RECORD
ListOfMode ARRAY 1
SubMode RECORD
index INT 0 ;"None"
isammo STR "No"
;melee
PTR 0
;vehicle
PTR 0
;guided
PTR 0
;influencer
PTR 1
Influencer Influencer RECORD
auto BOOL T
area STR "Owner"
damage STR "Friend"
effect INT 12
time FLT 0
strength FLT 2
radius FLT 0
pellets INT 0
skill STR "Strength"
detection STR "<blank>"
rounds INT 0
noise FLT 0
light FLT 0
infra FLT 0
stance STR "All"
animation STR "None"
class STR "Undefined"
isdamage STR "Yes"
use_particle STR "tactical/particles/na-use.pgrp"
aim_particle STR "tactical/particles/na-use.pgrp"
impact_particle STR "tactical/particles/na-use.pgrp"
use_sound STR "share/sound/wavs/equip/use/empty.wav"
sound_volume INT 0
volume_dev INT 0
END_OF_Influencer
END_OF_SubMode
END_OF_ListOfMode
END_OF_Modes

You can see by the BOLD text that I am modifying Strength by 2 in this example. Here is a picture showing the difference. You can see that Power Armour adds to the users Speed and Capacity skills along with the close combat skill.


Now, you can get even crazier and create a suit of Powered Scout Armour that along with being a suit of powered armour, it comes with a built in Personal Cloak and Sound Absorber. This is accomplished by changing the ListOfMode ARRAY 1 to ListOfMode ARRAY 3 and adding the SubMode for the Personal Cloak and Sound Absorber. Here is a picture of the armour with the Cloaks applied. Notice the two different MODES under the armour name.


I have played around with a bunch of the other skills and I have created several new helmets as well. These include the Scout Helmet (add to Observation), the Rifleman's Helmet (add to Rifle skill), the Sniper Helmet (add to Long Range skill) and the Commander's Helmet (add to INT).



Another idea that I made was an Armour-Add-on chip that converts a regular suit of armour into power armour. This is accomplished the same way by adding in the SubMode record that increases Strength. So now Psychophat's awesome Falklands armour can become a suit of POWER ARMOUR....

Just a couple of notes of things that I have tried and failed at. I could not add Perception or Stealth to any of the armours or helmets. I am not sure why they do not work. But most of the other skills can all be modified through this method.

I have created the Powered Scout Armour (light), Powered Combat Armour (light), Powered Assault Armour (Medium) and the Powered Predator Heavy Armour for the mod that I play (when I play, which is not often). I have added the bonuses of +2 for light armour, +3 to medium and +4 to heavy. I am not sure if these are too much and I would like to hear your thoughts on it. I think they are fair modifications.

Let me know what you think.

Good idea. But everything is based on existing armour models (only new skins). I still have hope that someone will make importer/exporter for 3DS Max or tool which can convert uber binary files into readable text (something similar to UFObintxt for AM).

Looks a very intresting new idea! having to choose between the differnt skin suits while in the game and the power armour! much impressed keep going!

One suggestion. I think that Heavy Armour must have negative effect on perception (if that's possible). Heavy Helmet reduces field of vision.

... unless the helmet has vision-enhancing optoelectronics. (Check out the specifications for Star Wars Stormtrooper helmets.) Just because armor looks cumbersome or restrictive from the perspective of an outside observer doesn't mean it actually is to the person wearing it.

Ah yes - "futuristic" armours and weapons, so maybe it's a bad idea.

Can you add multiple stats to one peice of armor? Like strength, intelligence, etc at the same time? If so, which lines need to be duplicated, or which need to be added to where? Also, do negative numbers work? (-2 to str, for example)

No.


I don't know. Probably not, given how many other things the developers never thought to allow.

ShadoWarrior is correct, I have tried this and I have not gotten it to work. I tried several different ways and I got nothing working.

The one thing that did work is creating Power Armor that increased the user's STR and then I created an Armour Add-on that increased the DEX and then another Add-on that increased AGIL.

I then bundled all together into one suit. So I know that can work.

One of the coolest armour add-on that I have made was an add-on called the "Advanced Power Shield". It increased the Armour's protection levels against attacks by adding the Armours RECORD

Armour
Armours RECORD
-
-
-
END_OF_Armours

and then I added the MODE that increased the wearer's STR.

Very much looking forward the the mod! Im quickly unfortuntualy getting tiresum of UFO:AS need new mod to bring back the freshness.
-keep goin'.

It's possible to add Heavy Helmet (separated from Heavy Armour), but model is "designed" only for males

Sorry for the wait; but I am so close now.

Where is the best place to put a zip file (mod) for people to download? I think I have seen some reference to FilePlanet (but I am just guessing).

Here is a little sneak peak



This is an armour based on the US digital desert camo



This camo pattern is based on the Russian Partizan pattern


I am in the final stages of getting a mod together. I am play testing as we speak.

Please use Savefile.com for posting files. It's fast, easy, and free. (And much better than any of the other free hosting sites I've tried, especially Rapidshare or Filefront.) You can also submit it to StrategyCore.

Thanks ShadoWarrior, I will look into it. I hope to have something either tonight or tomorrow night.

I could think of lots mods. For example I thought of a new weapon. I was inspired by the movie Mystery Men, where Doctor Heller the weapons designer was strictly non-lethal.

The Snot-Gun. Its a gun that has a large tank that fits on your back and you shot one big green liquid burst at the enemy like a shot gun, but the tank contains two chemicals. When shot it mixes then solidifies within seconds. This renders then enemy unable to move, perfect for interrogation. Its 100% effective at 10 metres. Advanced Snot Labs would yield 100% accuracy at 25 metres! Good idea right?

Sorry guys, I ran out of time tonight (I have a trip out of town this weekend). So I will not be getting anything out until next week. I rather have something that I know is good and fully play tested than putting something out that has problems.

I will leave you with this until next week.

Mark-II Powered Combat Armour


See you all next week.

drake88