Better Thunderbolt

Author: Marius
Source: https://www.insideqc.com/qctut/qctut-64.shtml

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This tutorial is simple and will two two things to the lightning gun: (1) Make it last longer/use less cells (2) Make it a little weaker. It is a much improved Lightning Gun which I like a lot myself.

Step 1

Open up Defs.qc and scroll to the very bottom. Then add the following varible:

//Thunderbolt
.float temp_cells;

The above does not need to be at the bottom but it is easy and will not interfere with anything that might cause errors.

Step 2

Ok open up Weapons.qc and scroll to the W_FireLightning function. Once there replace it with the following code:

void() W_FireLightning =
{
        local   vector org;
        local   float   cells;

        if (self.ammo_cells < 1)
        {
                self.weapon = W_BestWeapon ();
                W_SetCurrentAmmo ();
                return;
        }

// explode if under water
        if (self.waterlevel > 1)
        {
                cells = self.ammo_cells;
                self.ammo_cells = 0;
                W_SetCurrentAmmo ();
                T_RadiusDamage (self, self, 35*cells, world);
                return;
        }

        if (self.t_width < time)
        {
                sound (self, CHAN_WEAPON, "weapons/lhit.wav", 1, ATTN_NORM);
                self.t_width = time + 0.6;
        }
        self.punchangle_x = -2;

        //This is Added
        self.temp_cells = self.temp_cells + 1;
        if (self.temp_cells == 3)
        {
                self.currentammo = self.ammo_cells = self.ammo_cells - 1;
                self.temp_cells = 0;
        }

        org = self.origin + '0 0 16';

        traceline (org, org + v_forward*600, TRUE, self);

        WriteByte (MSG_BROADCAST, SVC_TEMPENTITY);
        WriteByte (MSG_BROADCAST, TE_LIGHTNING2);
        WriteEntity (MSG_BROADCAST, self);
        WriteCoord (MSG_BROADCAST, org_x);
        WriteCoord (MSG_BROADCAST, org_y);
        WriteCoord (MSG_BROADCAST, org_z);
        WriteCoord (MSG_BROADCAST, trace_endpos_x);
        WriteCoord (MSG_BROADCAST, trace_endpos_y);
        WriteCoord (MSG_BROADCAST, trace_endpos_z);

        //This is changed from 30 to 10. Mainly Because you will fire it 3 times at 10 for
        //a cell rather than once per cell at 30 dmg
        LightningDamage (self.origin, trace_endpos + v_forward*4, self, 10);
};

Step 3

Save and Compile. Propably my simplest tutorial yet. Other energy weapons may be done like this for example a laser or plasma gun. Credit should also be give to Iikka Ker,nen for the temp_cells idea from his plasma gun. Marius

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Tags: tutorial, quakec, qc, insideqc, weapon