Unvanquished Forum

The Lucifer Cannon is to us what the BFG was for Quake or Doom. It's a heavy weapon that can be charged to fire a slow but devasting energy projectile that will blast most aliens to bits and can tear down whole bases. It's so powerful that it can currently only fire eight fully powered shots (or up to eighty small ones). Being a sci fi energy weapon there aren't many requirements to be fulfilled: It should obviously be two-handed and it shouldn't have a scope. All it needs is a trigger and an area (visible or not) where the charge is prepared. Note that the charge's size should match the amount of damage, so the minimum inner diameter for a potential barrel would be that of a golf ball.

Lovely name <3

thumbnail time! Let me know what you think.

(I) Doesn't look bad at all but seems a bit too light for the luci. Except for the head this reminds me more of the pulse rifle.

(II) Is my favorite, the protective material shielding the solid barrel looks decent. Trigger will be easy to grab, barrel has a suiting handle below and the buttstock is adjustable for easier animation. Simple and elegant. Also definitely heavy enough.

(III) Is a bit noisy compared with (II). I also prefer the heavy barrel of the latter. Glowing elements are generally fine but I think they shouldn't be the eyecatcher themselves but rather hint at the defining elements of the gun, i.e. the barrel.

(IV) Plays a similiar role as (I) but I prefer the latter since on this variant the head is too filigree and the angles on buttstock, trigger and carry handle don't quite help the handling.

(V) Looks like an alternative painsaw to me. Interesting but not really a blaster.

(VI) Has too many filigree parts and isn't bulky enough. Looks a bit like an improvised heavy machine gun.

(VII) and (VIII) look good but compared with (II) they are rather inflexible with regards to animation. The hands might not fit on the handles and the fixed and heavy buttstock could cause issues, too. I prefer (VII) for the simpler barrel end.

I will also send chris a mail, he wanted to do the luci next and asked for a concept in the first place, he might want to give you some feedback, too. (Chris did the reactor and turret and is currently working on the Lasgun. He's very good.)

Agreed that #2 is the best. I wonder if you could do some cool "charge" animation at the front of the gun... Some sort of arcs of energy running up and down the gun or an array of focused lasers that build up a plasma charge. Magnets and coils might also work.

I guess building up a particle effect in front of the gun while it's being charged would work.

Are we doin' okay so far?

I say yes. Trigger handle could be a tiny bit bigger, it looks like it could break away under the weight of the gun. The buttstock might need to extend some more. In case the latter makes the weapon look too long you could reduce the barrel length a tad.

Excuse the lack of update! Here is one now.

That's one big fucking gun! I'm impressed. Don't have much to add either. Going to send chris another mail and ask if he has any further ideas, otherwise I'm looking forward to seeing him turn it into a model.