Weapons.tbl

Made following the older guide (originally written by GE) by Wanderer

Retail FS2 - Weapons Table

Core Table

$Name:

This is the name of the weapon. If it's going to be used by the player, keep it under 12 characters so it doesn't spill over the HUD box. If the weapon has an @ symbol in front of it, it means it's allowed in the demo. It doesn't really do anything in the retail version.
Syntax: Name

+Title:

This is the title of the weapon in the Weapons loadout screen. Only needed for player allowed weapons. Title may be anything.
Syntax: XSTR("Title", -1)

+Description:

This is the description you see in the weapons loadout screen. Again, these aren't based on any hard numbers, just approximations. Only needed for player allowed weapons.

  XSTR(
  "Standard Issue
  Level 3 Hull Damage
  Level 2 Shield Damage", -1)
  $end_multi_text

+Tech Title:

Title of the weapon in the Tech room. Only needed for player allowed weapons.
Syntax: XSTR("Title", -1)

+Tech Anim:

Animation used for the weapon in the Tech room. Only needed for player allowed weapons.
Syntax: Filename
- Example: Tech_Subach_HL-7

+Tech Description:

Descriptive text you see in the tech room. Only needed for player allowed weapons.

  XSTR(
  "The Subach-Innes HL-7...", 3245)
  $end_multi_text

$Model File:

Filename of the model file (.pof) at data/models folder. Additional fields after the $Model file: are not required if model has been defined.
Standard primaries and beam cannons do not use specific models so for those the name is 'none'.
Flak weapons and secondaries use models, though the exact model is not important with the flak weapons.
Syntax: Filename
- Example: none
@Laser Bitmap:
- The graphic file to be used as the weapon effect if no model is defined.
- Syntax: Filename
@Laser Glow:
- The graphic file that determines the glow of the weapon effect if no model is defined
- Syntax: Filename
@Laser Color:
- The color of the weapon effect when you fire it.
- Syntax: "Value, Value, Value (Red, Green, Blue respectively, value from 0 to 255)
  - Example: 250, 0, 0
@Laser Color2:
- The color of the weapon effect at its maximum range.
- Syntax: "Value, Value, Value (Red, Green, Blue respectively, value from 0 to 255)
  - Example: 0, 0, 250
@Laser Length:
- Length of the weapon effect.
- Syntax: Value, (1/10 of a meters)
@Laser Head Radius:
- Width of the head of the weapon effect.
- Syntax: Value, (meters ?)
@Laser Tail Radius:
- Width of the tail of the weapon effect.
- Syntax: Value (meters ?)

$Mass:

How much of a kinetic effect this weapon has on its target. 3+ gives you the Flail effect. Set it to 10 and you can knock cruisers around.
Syntax: Value, (blast effect)

$Velocity:

How fast the weapon travels. Is also used to define the weapon range, $Velocity x $Lifetime = range.
Beams travel instantly so this field has effect only on weapon range and AI beam targetting with certain beam types.
Syntax: Value, (meters per second)

$Fire Wait:

Time in seconds between firings
Syntax: Value, (seconds)

$Damage:

Base damage this weapon does. The actual damage is this number multiplied by the factors below.
Base damage this beam does is continous damage, damage is 5.5 times the damage value per second. The actual damage is this number multiplied by one of the factors below.
Syntax: Value, (damage value)

$Blast Force:

The intensity of the blast effect when ship is within the outer radius of the explosion. Comes in effect only if inner and outer radius are defined.
Syntax: Value, (blast effect)

$Inner Radius:

Radius at which the full explosion damage is done. Marks the line where damage attenuation begins.
Syntax: Value, (meters)

$Outer Radius:

Maximum radius at which any damage is done
Syntax: Value, (meters)

$Shockwave Speed:

Speed shockwave expands at. Zero means no shockwave and that damage is applied immediately
Syntax: Value, (meters per second)

$Armor Factor:

Multiplier for the damage done to armor
Syntax: Value, (damage multiplier)

$Shield Factor:

Multiplier for the damage done to shields
Syntax: Value, (damage multiplier)

$Subsystem Factor:

Multiplier for the damage done to subsystems
Syntax: Value, (damage multiplier)

$Lifetime:

Time before the standard primaries fizzle out and secondaries self destruct. Multiply this by the speed to get the range. If values are too low (below framerate) then the collision detection and graphic effects may suffer.
This field has no effect for the beams apart from weapon range and AI beam targetting with certain beam types
Syntax: Value, (seconds)

$Energy Consumed:

The amount of energy each bolt drains firing ship. Has no effect on turretted weapons.
Syntax: Value

$Cargo Size:

Cargo size, is not used with primaries.
Amount of missiles available = Bank capacity / Cargo Size.
Syntax: Value

$Homing:

Only for secondaries. You can't have homing primaries. If this is set to YES with primaries, then the bolts turn to face their target but keep moving in the same direction. If the field is set to NO then following fields are not required in the table.
Defines if the missiles in question is homing
Syntax: YES or NO
+Type:
- Defines the homing method
- Syntax: ASPECT or HEAT
+Turn Time:
- Defines how well missile manouvers. Number of seconds it takes the missile to do a 360 degree circle
- Syntax: Value, (seconds)
+View Cone:
- Heat-seeking missiles only, this is then number of degrees the missile sees. Value / 2 gives the angle from the missiles centerline.
- Syntax: Value, (degrees)
+Min Lock Time:
- For aspect missiles only, the minimum number of seconds to gain target lock
- Syntax: Value, (seconds)
+Lock Pixels/Sec:
- For aspect missiles only, pixels the aspect triangle moves per second while attempting lock-on
- Syntax: Value, (pixels per second)
+Catch-up Pixels/Sec:
- For aspect missiles only, pixels moved per second while attempting to catch up to the target
- Syntax: Value, (pixels per second)
+Catch-up Penalty:
- For aspect missiles only, extra pixels to move after catching up ????
- Syntax: Value, (pixels)
Syntax: YES or NO, usually NO

$Swarm:

The number of missiles to fire per volley if it's a swarm missile
Can be issued to Standard primaries also. Causes singlepart turrets to malfunction and multipart turrets to fire noly on their barrel line. Can be used for 'burst fire weapons'.
Syntax: Value

$LaunchSnd:

Corresponding sound effect when the weapon is launched.
Syntax: Value, identification number of the sound as defined in sounds.tbl

$ImpactSnd:

Sound the weapon makes when it hits a hull.
Syntax: Value, identification number of the sound as defined in sounds.tbl

$FlyBySnd:

The sound this weapon makes if it narrowly misses you. -1 is no sound.
Syntax: Value, identification number of the sound as defined in sounds.tbl, usually -1

+Weapon Range:

Defines the range to the target where the weapons under AI will start firing.??
Syntax: Value, (meters)

$Flags:

Flags are detailed below.

$Trail:

This is used if you want your weapon to have a trail. Trail is often used only with secondaries though it works with standard primaries as well.
+Start Width:
- How wide the head of the trail is.
- Syntax: Value, (meters)
+End Width:
- How wide the tail of the trail is.
- Syntax: Value, (meters)
+Start Alpha:
- The opacity of the trail head.
- Syntax: Value value between 0 and 1
+End Alpha:
- The opacity of the trail tail.
- Syntax: Value, value between 0 and 1
+Max Life:
- How long the trail lasts.
- Syntax: Value, (seconds)
+Bitmap:
- The graphic file to use for the trail.
- Syntax: Filename

$Icon:

Loadout icon used in the weapons selection screen.
Syntax: Filename

$Anim:

Green grid animation used on the weapons screen.
Syntax: Filename

$Impact Explosion:

Impact explosion used. Must be defined in weapon_expl.tbl,
Syntax: Filename or none

$Impact Explosion Radius:

Radius of the defined impact explosion.
Syntax: Value

Beam Cannons

Special case weapons
REQUIRES: "beam" flag

$BeamInfo:

Location: After $Impact Explosion Radius:
Has special fields for different beam parameters
+Type:
- Defines the type of beam in question. Beam types: 0 is a standard non-slashing type beam. 1 is a slashing type beam. 3 is a beam type that fires pulses in anti-fighter role and acts like type 0 beam in other roles. 4 is a beam that is restricted to what is directly in front of it, along turrets firepoints normal. Nobody knows what Type 2 beams are.
- Syntax: Value, only values from 0 to 4 are legal
+Life:
- How long it lasts once the beam is actually firing.
- Syntax: Value, (seconds)
+Warmup:
- Warmup time
- Syntax: Value, (milliseconds)
+Warmdown:
- Warmdown time
- Syntax: Value, (milliseconds)
+Radius:
- Muzzle glow radius
- Syntax: Value (meters)
+PCount:
- Particles spewed every interval. ??
- Syntax: Value
+PRadius:
- Particle radius
- Syntax: Value, (meters)
+PAngle:
- Defines the random "cone" where the particles are generated
- Syntax: Value, (angle of the cone)
+PAni:
- Animation used to represent the particles
- Syntax: Filename
+Miss Factor:
- The higher the numbers, the more likely that this beam will miss. One value for every difficulty level
- Syntax: Value Value Value Value Value, Very Easy, Easy, Moderate, Hard, Very Hard respectively.
  - Example: 0.5 0.975 1.35 1.875 2.5
+BeamSound:
- Corresponding looping sound effect when the beam is firing.
- Syntax: Value, identification number of the sound as defined in sounds.tbl
+WarmupSound:
- Corresponding sound effect when the beam is beam warmed up.
- Syntax: Value, identification number of the sound as defined in sounds.tbl
+WarmdownSound:
- Corresponding sound effect when the beam is warming down.
- Syntax: Value, identification number of the sound as defined in sounds.tbl
+Muzzleglow:
- Defines the bitmap used t create the muzzle glow
- Syntax: Filename
+Shots:
- Defines into how may invidual shots the type 3 (AAA) beams are divided. Note total firing is the same as the +Life:
- Syntax: Value
+ShrinkFactor:
- What percentage of lifetime where beam starts shrinking (0.1 == 10% life left)
- Syntax: Value
+ShrinkPct:
- What percentage of max width we subtract per second
- Syntax: Value
$Section:
- Beams are made up of up to five sections layered atop one another to create the effect. Each section has its own parameters.
- +Width:
  - Width of the section
  - Syntax: Value (meters)
- +Texture:
  - Texture for the section
  - Syntax: Filename
- +RGBA Inner:
  - Defines the color and transparency of the center of the section
  - Syntax: Value Value Value Value, (Red, Green, Blue, and Alpha respectively, value from 0 to 255)
    - Example: 255 255 255 255
- +RGBA Outer:
  - Defines the color and transparency of the edges of the section
  - Syntax: Value Value Value Value, (Red, Green, Blue, and Alpha respectively, value from 0 to 255)
    - Example: 150 150 150 10
- +Flicker:
  - Defines how much the section flickers
  - Syntax: Value, value from 0 to 1
- +Zadd:
  - Defines the 'thickness' of the section. The higher the Zadd, the closer the section appears to be.
  - Syntax: Value

Flak Cannons

Special case weapons.
REQUIRE: "flak" and "particle spew" flags
Must have inner and outer radius defined to have any effect.
Does not use any model or weapon effect. Rather uses particle spew

$Muzzleflash:

Location: After $Impact Explosion Radius:
Defines the muzzle slash the weapon uses
Syntax: Muzzleflash name, as defined in mflash.tbl

Special Cases

"TAG"

Allowed for secondary weapons
Location: After $Impact Explosion Radius:
Sets this weapon as a TAG missile, level 1, 2, or 3. The second number is the duration in seconds.
Syntax: TAG level Value, (seconds)

"Esuck"

Allowed for primary weapons
Location: After $Impact Explosion Radius:
$Leech Weapon:
- The amount of weapon energy to drain with each hit
- Syntax: Value
$Leech Afterburner:
- The amount of afterburner fuel to drain with each hit
- Syntax: Value

"EMP"

Allowed for secondary weapons
Location: After $Impact Explosion Radius:
$EMP Intensity:
- If it has an EMP effect, how deeply it scrambles your electronics
- Syntax: Value
$EMP Time:
- Duration of the EMP effect
- Syntax: Value, (seconds)

Retail FS2 - Weapon Flags

"in tech database"

Has the weapon in the tech database at the start of the campaign

"player allowed"

Allows this weapon as a player weapon

"stream"

Gives this weapon a streaming effect

"puncture"

Reduces hull damage by 25%

"shudder"

Makes your ship shudder while you're firing it

"esuck"

Drains the target's energy banks

"particle spew"

Makes the weapon projectile spew out particles

"beam"

Makes this weapon a beam cannon

"Big Ship"

These weapons cannot be mounted on small ships like fighters, bombers, sentry guns etc.

"Huge"

Allows this weapon to do the final 10% damage to a ship with the "Big Damage" flag

"Flak"

Makes this weapon a flak gun

"Corkscrew"

Makes this weapon spiral AND swarm 4.

"Lockarm"

Requires a target lock in order to arm its warhead

"Bomber+"

The AI will prefer to use this weapon against bombers.

"Spawn Cluster Baby,15"

Will spawn the specified number of missiles upon detonation.

"Remote Detonate"

Can be triggered remotely via a second press on the trigger

"Bomb"

Makes this weapon targetable with the B key, and the AI prefers to use it against large ships

"No Dumbfire"

Missile will not fire without a lock