aircraft mod

[Noordung]

so if i want to make new aircraft what do i have to write about it?
aircraft craft_drop_raptor
{
   param {
      speed      13
      maxspeed   16
      shield      0
      ecm         80
      damage      250
      accuracy   100
      range      220
      antimatter   40
   }
   name      "_Raptor-class Combat Transport"
   defaultname   "_Raptor"
   type      "transporter"
   model      "geoscape/drop_raptor"
   price      30000
   building   building_hangar
   numteam      10
   size      2
   image      "geoscape/air_dropship"

   radar {
      range   10
      trackingrange   14
   }

   slot {
      type      "weapon"
      position   "nose_center"
      size      "light"
   }
   slot {
      type      "weapon"
      position   "wing_left"
      size      "medium"
   }
   slot {
      type      "weapon"
      position   "wing_right"
      size      "medium"
   }
   slot {
      type      "electronics"
      position   "wing_left"
   }
   slot {
      type      "electronics"
      position   "wing_right"
   }
}
i saw this, but where is price for alien materials? or there are other files?

[ShipIt]

alienmaterials are defined in otheritems.ufo
aircraft defs are in components.ufo

You will also need a model to be shown in the ufopaedia and battlescape, another low-poly one for the geoscape. And map tiles.

[Noordung]

thx.

battlescape model? but there are no mission on crashed interceptors? so do i really need battlescape version?

[geever]

I'm afraid that adding a new aircraft is not that easy...

One thing you missed is the tech entry (see research.ufo)

But also I remember some nasty enums in the C code wired-in for aircraft types which makes it impossible to add new planes without changing the sourcecode.

-geever

[Noordung]

i see... so would it be possible to change that code so more aircrafts could be added later?

[geever]

Everything is possible. But of course the reason it is hardcoded is not to make modding impossible, but some issues were "solved" that way. We need to find a better solution for the underlying issue which can take time.

-geever

[Noordung]

i hope you will find good solution as soo as possible. anyway this is how new aircraft is sopose to look like. texures are made in blender and... well not very good. if you like you may put some extra effort to solve this problem

[cevaralien]

Oh you think the same as me jejejeje. i know is a game, but a firebird flying around the planet without refueling... is difficult! I mod my game so the firebird only gives 6000 km. This makes the game very difficult because you need basicaly 8 teams for ground missions.

I was thinking about a modified saracen to transport soldiers faster and longer, at the price of exclude any capacity to load electronics or weapons and a space only for 6 troops. This way is possible to have only one ground team and many radar or airbases.

Because my mod, i rise the price of the ufos, so it could be easier to develop, but i rise the price of fighters too. By this way, if i lose an aircraft, i lose the money found from a recovered ufo.

I prefer a center base for a single ground team, but the idea of a firebird reaching all places of the world is very inaccurate.

[Noordung]

yes reducing firebird range is nice idea.

you have herakles and raptor for faster transport later. besides saracen doesnt have cargo hold. so using as a dropship isnt good idea, becouse in some maps you soliders would start with no cover (maps in wich there is dropship)

[cevaralien]

yes reducing firebird range is nice idea.

you have herakles and raptor for faster transport later. besides saracen doesnt have cargo hold. so using as a dropship isnt good idea, becouse in some maps you soliders would start with no cover (maps in wich there is dropship)

Herakles is not a faster transport, is fast like firebird. Raptor is a faster transport but it´s only for later stages of the game. The "modified" saracen could be a faster transport but unarmed. How? removing all electronics and using the weapons bay for soldier bay. It could be done with 3 back 3 seats that go down when the craft land. Cover? no matter, use smoke grenades. In fact, in 2.5 i begun to use smoke grenades because the aliens begun to use burst fire.

This is the only way to be "realistic" when ground missions is needed. Look at this: your interceptors shoot down an ufo. Your firebird is about 10.000 km from there. At 1.000 km/h, you reach the destiny in 10 hours. In that time, the aliens could be very far from the crash site or can be rescued. I know that the games don´t works in that way, but i think is possible to do more realistic the game without hardcoding.

For that reason, i reduce the firebird range. Now, i must relay on the eight bases with eight teams. What´s the problem? simply, when raptor or herakles begun to be available, i will only need one team. Is for this that i want a saracen dropship.

[Grug]

Oh you think the same as me jejejeje. i know is a game, but a firebird flying around the planet without refueling... is difficult!

Why is it strange to think that in 50 years time a plane couldn't fly all the way around the world in a single trip? Aircraft manufacturers are working on planes like that right now. Doesn't seem even remotely strange to me.

[cevaralien]

Yes, it could be possible with hipersonic aircrafts, not with an Firebird-style craft. Look the craft, it have no space for fuel. But it take off verticaly. Even if you use the lightest material, the most efficient and powerfull fuel (lithium-fluorene, hydrogen...) and pulse detonation engines (with hydrogen), your Firebird will never reach all the globe; simply, it haven´t the aerodynamics needed. But Saracen is another thing; is aerodynamical correct (well, almost *) and it´s relatively big. It´s comparable with SR-71 Blackbird. With Hydrogen, it´s possible to reach 5000 to 7000 km at mach 2.3.

(*) Saracen design is awesome, but the rear is not entirely aerodynamical. The rear side is not sharp, so, this cause drag. Look at the Blackbird:

[cevaralien]

Sorry, but i don´t know how to post the picture smaller.

[pete conway]

I know it's been a while since this topic was posted on but...

Is there a way to use an existing alien ship? the Supply Ship has both range and capacity... on the down side it's slow, weak and unarmed, this means that perhaps escort duty for your fighters might be wise. and it would a usefulness to it other than selling it off as to be honest... it's just a busted shell once you've take it down.


As ever Pete.

[pete conway]

That's a No then!