Mente Materia and Project SPARK updates! · 9:27pm Mar 26th, 2016
Good afternoon, folks! I just wanted to let folks know that I'm making good progress on the next two chapters of Mente Materia. The next chapter is going to be unique: It's going to be a collaboration between myself and all of my editors, and it should be ready by, say... Friday of next week. 
Also, I wanted to let everyone know that I've been making some -very- good progress with the XCOM 2 Mod Project SPARK. Some very talented individuals have been assisting with creation of some Stardust classics like LANC rifles and the Wallflower ability. I'm also doing my part as best I can for creating a small narrative to go with the mod that I hope folks will enjoy too.
However, we find ourselves in need of someone with a very particular talent. And that talent is... art. The main thing we need is someone who can assist with creating icons and other simple UI elements for all of the new things that are being added. Though, I would ideally love if there was some kind and talented soul capable of creating a custom weapon model for the LANC rifles, as we're just going to have to recycle existing assets as it stands right now. Let me know if you have the talent to help!
I'd offer my services for 2D assets and low poly 3D... But my pen tablet has opted out of this cruel world.
I'm not sure when I might be able to come up with the funds for one, but it should be within the next few months, if you'll still haven't found qualified talent by then.
Could you perchance upload a napkin sketch or something of the overall shapes of the weapons you want?
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I'd have to do some digging but I might actually have the sketch you drew for me at bronycon last year. >_>
If I can't find it, then I suppose the next best thing would be something like a Tavor. Where things get interesting is that XCOM 2's weapon modding system changes the weapon model when they're equipped. While some things are relatively simple (adding a scope/laser sight simply adds the requisite hardware to the top rail, adding a Repeater extends the barrel with a blocky silencer-like object), some others are less so. (Hair trigger changes the grip model slightly, stock mods change the stock as well).
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Edit: Of course, there's also the coloring/camo patters that the game lets you apply to the weapons. No idea how complicated that makes things.
Edit 2: Another alternative I've been bouncing around with my modders is kitbashing an existing model. Specifically, modifying the existing Mag Rifle model to move the magazine into a bullpup position while leaving everything else mostly untouched.
I've got the creativity/imagination, but I'm just about the WORST in actual art, sorry. Feel free to bounce stuff off of me if you want to, though. I could at least say what I think up.
I'm just waiting to get xcom 2 until Spark is ready the normal gameplay looks bloody amazing when I tried it out from my friend's computer but....ponies! And LANC! And freakin Psion soldiers who turn mutons into piles!!
Yes please!!!
Though technically with your iteration of magic it seems like thaumaturgy where the power is drawn from the latent leylines of the world in the form of Vis and returns once used.
Would explain why Sombra liked the dark energy as it is corrupted Vis that was released too early or simply dispelled and gets absorbed in crystals.....Arcanite anyone?
I am honestly interested in seeing this project progress. It helps that Firaxis has mod support form the start of it all.
I honestly installed a few before I even started playing...(mostly mods like extra countries/custom countries/groups and a few other things. and lately..that one that shows the soldier skills so I know who I am using)
I'm reasonably busy at the moment but I can probably whip up some icons in a week or so.
I'm struggling to find a description of what the LANC looks like - can you post something, and I'll mock up a few different prototypes for your perusal.
For example, something like:
"Large And Noisy Cannon (LANC) is a sniper rifle that fires elerium-cored rounds. The rounds themselves have a variety of properties depending on the material bound around the elerium, but the main ability is for the shot to 'blink-teleport' short distances, allowing shots to pass through otherwise impervious barriers, such a solid concrete, kinetic shields, small hills, etc.
The actual weapon itself comprises of three main components.
1 - The ammunition bunker.
2 - The core weapon platform (firing mechanism, grip, supports, et al)
3 - Barrel and shell stabilisers.
1: Elerium rounds for use in the LANC are 12mm in circumference and 90mm long. Different shell types will have different heads. Rounds are stored in a standard sickle-shaped magazine curving away from the operator and hold a maximum of six shots.
2: LANC core is 780mm in length. The core is roughly circular, however the top half is hexagonal and the bottom half is a pronounced oblong. The upper and lower structures are separated by a gap of 5mm, allowing the operator access to the barrel for repairs and dismantling of the LANC. The lower core half is made of the standard X-COM wooden compound, while the top half is our metal-plastic compound.
The core is compatible with existing weapon enhancements (eg SCOPE).
3: Barrel length from the end of the core is 400mm and penetrates 600mm into the core, resulting in a total barrel length of 1000mm. Elerium stabilising rings appear every 100mm from the end of the barrel. These provide angular velocity to rounds since it was found traditional rifling of barrels caused shells to fragment within the barrel, reducing their accuracy and damaging the weapon. The barrel is noticeably wider closest to the operator (a maximum of 80mm in diameter), and tapers to a fine point at the furthest point, giving the LANC an appearance of a fine lance, or needle.
The barrel has a thin groove running down its top. This is to allow access to a thin wire that provides signal to the end of the barrel, where a variety of camera attachments can be installed.
The magazine can be loaded on either side of the LANC as suits the left-or-right handedness of the operator. It can be fired in single-shot or semi-automatic (burst of three). Since the weapon is fired using the operators psionic abilities, there is technically no need for a trigger. Tests found that having a placebo trigger improved operators performance with the weapon, so while a trigger does appear to operate on the LANC, it serves no internal purpose.
Elerium shells do not carry gunpowder - they are motivated entirely by the mind of the operator - and thus there is no need for a shell ejection system.
Additional notes:
LANC bears the MENTE MATERIA symbol, clearly distinguishing whom can operate it, found on the upper core above the trigger-and-grip.
LANC supports a rail above the core and in front of the fore hand grip, allowing for additional weapon enhancements.
The camera attachment, at the moment, supports infra-red, thermal, and X-ray imaging, and reports to a monitor that can be attached to the LANC body. While operators do not require line of sight to their target to fire, this additional vision can improve the ability to acquire a target in the first place.
Elerium rounds are not activated by gunpowder, hence LANC is effectively a recoil-less rifle. Main source of sound comes from the shell exiting the barrel. While the shell is slow by most projectile standards (300 metres per second), its ability to 'blink' directly to the target results in extremely high accuracy and little drop due to gravity. As such, there are no need for wind gauge or distance markers, since the weapon is simply 'point and click'. "
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LANC actually stands for 'Light Armor Negating Carbine'. :P
It is also worth noting that the original LANC weapons used in the field did not have a physical projectile. The rifle itself instantly penetrates all intervening objects between itself and a given range, and shunts all of the mass between itself and said max range away at muzzle velocity. The 'line of fire' itself is approximately dime sized in diameter. One of my current modders is getting the weapon to work in terms of gameplay mechanics.
As to the actual physical appearance of a LANC, the closest approximation I can come to with a real life gun would be the Tavor (which I posted above) or a FAMAS with a forward post and the carry handle replaced by a rail.
Edit: I should clarify, eventually I'd love to have a custom weapon model for this, but that's not life or death by any means.
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That's great, I can roll with that. One major thing to resolve though - does the weapon require ammunition? If not, then there's no need for a magazine.
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It doesn't use ammunition, but it does have battery packs for energy (which would take the place of the magazine in the examples listed.)
3833261 I'm about to have a fit in anticipation... So when you say Friday, do you mean before Friday the 1st?
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Oh no. I mean on Friday the first.