It might be cool to have sonic weaponry to accompany laser directed energy weapons.
A sonic weapon would be, by nature, area of effect, and very short ranged.
At lower power levels, it is likely to cause disorientation or cause the enemies to stumble (slow effect).
At higher power levels, it would cause generalised damage; something similar to being on fire.
I would imagine something shorter range than the vanilla gun turret, but perhaps a 45 degree cone of fire.
Sonic weaponry?
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Deadlock989
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Re: Sonic weaponry?
I'm interested, but in terms of available arsenal, it overlaps with an electric beam turret I already made, so I don't have a strong "need" for a sonic weapon. This "lightning turret" has very low damage but slows enemies to 25%, both effects in a small-ish area centered on the target. It currently has the same range as a laser turret so actually longer range than a gun turret, I should probably bring that down.
The original idea here was that it was a "stun / EMP turret", but there is no native stun effect in Factorio (or any UPS-friendly way I know of to do the "disorientation" effect you mention). Landmines claim to "stun" but they simply apply a movement speed modifier of 0% - it's not really a stun effect because affected entities (including players) can still target things in any direction, shoot projectiles, manipulate their inventory etc., they just can't move. So I switched it to slowing instead.
There is also no non-scripted way of doing an "arc" area effect that I know of. It's either a single target, 2D line, full circular AOE, or "cluster". Visually, though, you could probably use the "muzzle flash" mechanic to simulate a spreading cone effect.
You can add new damage types (sonic, cold etc.) but then any other mod would likely be unaware of them, so balancing would be tough.
So there are ... issues.
The original idea here was that it was a "stun / EMP turret", but there is no native stun effect in Factorio (or any UPS-friendly way I know of to do the "disorientation" effect you mention). Landmines claim to "stun" but they simply apply a movement speed modifier of 0% - it's not really a stun effect because affected entities (including players) can still target things in any direction, shoot projectiles, manipulate their inventory etc., they just can't move. So I switched it to slowing instead.
There is also no non-scripted way of doing an "arc" area effect that I know of. It's either a single target, 2D line, full circular AOE, or "cluster". Visually, though, you could probably use the "muzzle flash" mechanic to simulate a spreading cone effect.
You can add new damage types (sonic, cold etc.) but then any other mod would likely be unaware of them, so balancing would be tough.
So there are ... issues.
Re: Sonic weaponry?
I mostly suggested sonic weaponry, as it's one of the few forms of directed energy weapons that we can actually build right now (perhaps not at the requisite power levels, yet) but isn't represented in the game. I don't think that there's a gap that needs filling, more that there's a variety of fun weapon that doesn't exist yet.
I think it might work to have the turret deal no direct damage itself, but rather place down bands of different kinds of 'fire' that apply the effect, the effect wearing off at a rate that the turret has to fire continuously to keep the field up. Also perhaps a projectile that does nothing but play an animation to show that the turret is doing something.
From what little I've read about sonic weapons, damage would fall off with range quite sharply. Past the range that damage is done, perhaps a slow and/or random shove, to represent the effect of being disoriented.
I haven't looked to see how it was done in https://mods.factorio.com/mod/supportive-weapons, but that seems to cover many effects that are in the right theme; of course, it could also be that the reason it has not been updated to the latest version is that you can't describe those effects anymore.
Another thought for sonic 'weaponry'; I wonder if it's feasible to make a lure, so that the enemy gets pulled towards your guns, rather than walking past them.
I think it might work to have the turret deal no direct damage itself, but rather place down bands of different kinds of 'fire' that apply the effect, the effect wearing off at a rate that the turret has to fire continuously to keep the field up. Also perhaps a projectile that does nothing but play an animation to show that the turret is doing something.
From what little I've read about sonic weapons, damage would fall off with range quite sharply. Past the range that damage is done, perhaps a slow and/or random shove, to represent the effect of being disoriented.
I haven't looked to see how it was done in https://mods.factorio.com/mod/supportive-weapons, but that seems to cover many effects that are in the right theme; of course, it could also be that the reason it has not been updated to the latest version is that you can't describe those effects anymore.
Another thought for sonic 'weaponry'; I wonder if it's feasible to make a lure, so that the enemy gets pulled towards your guns, rather than walking past them.