Unvanquished Forum

Today, let's look at some work we're doing on the painsaw.

The cheapest weapon upgrade for the human team, the painsaw stands apart from the other human weapons with ranged capability traded in for brutal damage up close. As the sole melee weapon utilized by the human team, the painsaw often sees usage in taking down undefended alien bases, taking advantage of its ability to shred through stationary structures with ease. In addition, the painsaw is useful in vents and other tight spots, where the lack of mobility for the alien opponent allows for an easier time in taking them down.

Concept work on the weapon has been done by the fantastic Alex B. O'Dowd, an artist on our team and the creator of many other concepts for us over the last few months. Initially, our idea was to have the weapon emit a small stream of superheated plasma, much like a modern plasma torch, but ultimately evolved into the design you see today with the vertical, rotating saw blade giving off a powerful discharge around it as it spins. Presently, the weapon is being modeled by the great Alex “Osiris” Jerome, whom you may recognize from his work on the marauder and the creep texture, as well as the upcoming dragoon model and the overmind. As the model approaches completion, expect more updates on it.

In the future we may rename the weapon, as we're interested in providing new names to things. One proposed name has been the plasma cutter, although there may be other applicable suggestions as well. What do you think?

Click here to read this article on the main site!

I like this progress, a great painsaw upgrade, do you have a replacement sound figured out as well?
Plasma-cutter or plasma splitter, cool names for sure.

Hi,the weapon looks awesome. i like the forward handle ( if that is the thing that sticks out on top )...The question immediately arises to me while looking at that handle is about another old trem artefact weapon: the minigun. any progress there as well? The name plasma-cutter is well choosen, i would stick to it. great work!DwarfVader

DwarfVader wrote:

the minigun. any progress there as well

Yes. A little bird told me someone might write something on that matter soon…

I like the idea of ​​a plasma torch as a successor to the painsaw. Does the rotating saw blade is used to generate the electricity that transforms a stream of gas in plasma?

The rotating saw blade can be impressive with good lighting effects and a terrifying sound—grangers already hate the painsaw's sound .

As for its name, plasma cutter, plasma torch or plasmasaw (to make a wink at its predecessor ) are good choices.

Viech wrote:

DwarfVader wrote:

the minigun. any progress there as well

Yes. A little bird told me someone might write something on that matter soon…

Can't wait!

Plascutter?

Iirc, I mentioned half a month ago that the 'new' painsaw looked like a pizza cutter. Still does.
I liked the old electro-arc-beam design better

The actual energy effect could sort of resemble the old one. We haven't actually made the particle system in that screenshot, it's just a mockup.

It looks like a small wheel on the end of a long stick...

i think what stalkermit is trying to say is:

it looks like a common tool probably found in space colonies to cut very robust metal alloys and is therefore best suited as a low level melee weapon for the human team because of its proven reliability and low cost.

Am i right?