So this is what it evolved into, the current roster of available weapons / utilities is a mix of classic stuff that was kept as a necessary root while everything else which was either overpowered or not too original in the combo aspect was left behind.
It evolved so much since the start of px kaos development back in 2011/2012 and underwent hundreds of minor and major changes to become the ultimate edition that enhances the original and is a nice alternative to the ones who demand something more thorough and unique from this scheme.
I will try to explain reasons behind each single change that happened through all these stages of development, but will only analyse the final official version, because the massive re-shape it went through in order to eliminate potential imperfections is probably not that relevant (but obviously not the reasons behind this process).
WEAPONS SECTION
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There are 57 weapons (including 38 PX ones) to be found in crates which leaves us with infinite Bungee, Skip Go and Surrender (logically unavailable in crates) to fill the complete weapon panel of 60 spots.
This allowed to gain 2 more grid-spots (previously 55 spots were available due to Concrete Donkey and Sheep Strike being locked without a possibility to be usable by anything else), an advantage to have 2 more weapons usable I suppose.
Unfortunately there is also a small disadvantage of PX in this context - the transfer of certain grid-spots into caves though, the ones that are occupied by the original strike weapons (open map weapon logic) spots are just lost when entering the cave, so the strikes need to be managed on the open maps otherwise lost.
All of the weapons maintained default power and physics, the 20 original weapons that were kept are:
Cluster Bomb
Battle Axe
Shotgun
Longbow
Dragon Ball
Mole Bomb
Mine Strike
Blow Torch
Pneumatic Drill
Girder
Bungee (infinite)
Parachute
Flame Thrower
MB Bomb
Petrol Bomb
Skunk
Mad Cow
Old Woman
Select Worm
Magic Bullet
Below there is a full changelist to the classic stuff where a PX weapon is introduced.
Most of the changes were made just to imitate the classic weapon with its PX equivalent because it was somewhat more unique.
Obviously not every change was direct, some were hard to replace, but still needed to be removed for mostly tactical reasons (game being too easy etc).
The main goal behind this carefully selected roster was to improve the tactical aspect as well as making the game not too overpowered.
The other aim was to create a selection of weapons perfectly coexisting with each other to allow even more original combo-possibilities unavailable in classic version.
Below the 38 introduced PX weapons are sorted and explained.
Direct replacements
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1) Petrol Rocket replaced Bazooka
One of direct equivalent replacements, just adding some unique similar weapon when it comes to physics. Additionally it creates some flames around the impact point and is wind affected.
2) Multi-Bolt replaced Mortar
This is most similar to the weapon being replaced, except that it's power adjustable and the bomb spread after impact is a bit better.
3) S.M.A.R.T.E.R Bomb replaced Homing Missile
The homing type of weapon which is more interesting than the weapon it replaces, more complexed physics include bombs which activate once the main missile (which is wind affected) hits the landscape and then they follow the target.
4) Super Queen Bee replaces Homing Pigeon
A very unique kind of homing weapon, more control than with Pigeon and it can additionally attack 2 targets as its physics allow two-phase attack (hybrid of Super Sheep and Homing Pigeon physics), the blasts are smaller than those of a Pigeon.
You can choose desired amount of units with numerical buttons.
5) Burning Sheep Launcher replaced Sheep Launcher
A similar replacement, with more complexity to it, a rolling sheep is thrown that bounces twice on a landscape and creates flames around itself.
6) Windy Nade replaced Grenade
Grenade which is additionally affected by wind.
7) Ninja Star replaced Handgun
The little star with similar damage impact as handgun single-shot that can push worms, additionally it can become a part of land as a stair etc.
Eight!) Hotchkiss replaced Minigun
A more interesting gun inflicting less damage and creating different land modification.
9) Fire Jump replaces Fire Punch
This extended firepunch can additionally be used to climb without the need to use mobility or to hide inside terrain even.
10) Mine Launcher replaces Mine
The shootable power-adjustable version of a classic mine that can be shot to desired place with skill or just layed.
11) Battering Ram replaces Sheep
This is similar to sheep animal which can additionally push worms.
12) Super Crazy Chicken replaces Super Sheep / Aqua Sheep
The similar flying animal with a smaller impact-blast that additionally spreads small egg-bombs.
13) Bowling Ball replaces Baseball Bat
This may be a bit far from direct replacement, but the Bowling Ball has similar push feature (provides cool combo possibilities with Electromagnet) and is not as easy to move worms out of the surface on islands as with Baseball Bat which made initial kills so easy.
14) Super Ion Bomb replaces Super Banana
Way less lethal kind of similar physics weapon with a smart bomb spread.
15) Cluster Frag replaced Ming Vase
Another replacement to balance the power of the gameplay, a shootable bomb that releases small shards after impact instead of monster-shards of Vase.
Strikes direct replacements
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16) Splashfire replaces Napalm Strike
The similar flame-rain from little bombs that make small impact-explosion while flames burn a bit less, tricky equivalent.
17) Heavy Hitters replaces Mail Strike
Very similar kind of strike, but a bit more predictable.
18) Gravedigger Strike replaced Carpet Bomb
Similar, but less powered strike replacement, 3 rolling razorblades that bounce on the terrain for a short time, this particular weapon is still considered to be replaced as being a bit overpowered though.
Mobility item direct replacement
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19) Tele Arrow replaces Teleport
The much more challenging equivalent, doesn't ruin fort-mode type of round endings anymore or just good hides, tricky to use kind of teleporting device.
Other replacements
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a) projectile shooting devices
The following are the map objects that fight enemy worms within range in the name of the player whom they belong to:
20) Cluster Turret (shoots clusters as it was an exploding Cluster Bomb)
21) Mine Turret (shoots instant mines)
22) Petrol Turret (shoots Petrol Bombs)
23) Auto-ballista (shoots arrows that don't become map objects when they contact land unlike Longbow ones)
24) Sentry Gun (shoots gunfire that can inflict up to slightly more than 200 damage)
25) Sentry Laser (shoots laser that destroys enemy weapons in range, but also some own device projectiles such as ballista arrows)
b) defensive items
These items do not have attacking physics, but can be used as darkside / defence tools. However first 2 of these have also offensive modes.
26) Electromagnet (repells or attracts any shootable weapon type except of Magic Bullet, vulnerable to electric current of Staff)
27) Health Zone (heals up to 500 points or deducts down to 1 with its damaging mode, it can also revive worms from graves)
28) Spot Hider (black aura of non-transparent circular area that covers some land, useful for darkside tactics. Size of covered area is selectable with numerical buttons up to 3)
c) other original strikes
Some strikes were replaced indirectly, these we thought are somewhat cooler and provide even more interesting interactions.
29) Bowling Ball Strike (Bowling Balls in a strike version, pinball-style craziness from the sky)
30) Magic Slammer Strike (Magic Slammers in a strike version, effective in closed areas, this weapon also exists in a shootable version, but is not included in this scheme)
31) Multi-Bolt Strike (Multi-Bolt in a strike version, this weapon in a shootable version is included in this scheme and introduced above)
d) other mobility item
Since we thought that Ninja Rope made the travelling around the map a bit too easy than it should be there is an alternative mobility that is trickier to use.
32) Hang-Glider (mind some gliding around? oh well this little tool is more like parachute rather than a rope, but still makes it more interesting to travel)
e) remaining original weapons and objects
Few more things to fill up the replacement roster. All of these are like no other things from classic weapons, they add up to the creativity of the scheme.
33) Barrel Launcher (ok, this may be familiar, a shootable oil barrel that contains fire. As an attack it can be used only in combos, but also acts as a map object)
34) Staff (fancy shootable projectile igniting electric current on contact with land or worm that can cause chain reactions, can also push worms at times. Best used in combo with Bowling Balls, also kills Electromagnets)
35) Buffalo of Lies (animal weapon type that blows on contact but continues to walk once hitting 3 times, it has 3 patterns of walk to choose from varying by direction after each hit)
36) Cloud Buster (shootable cloud that unleashes rain after selectable amount of seconds up to 5)
37) Super Gravedigger (shootable razor that digs through land and explodes into smaller ones)
38) Darkside Killer (crazy homing type of weapon that does not reveal invisible worm using it)
The big advantage of PX is the possibility to edit the probabilities to make the gameplay even more balanced.
The probabilities were tweaked in comparison to classic version to make it more balanced.
Magic Bullet has the smallest probability of all weapons as being the biggest weapon kept in the scheme.
Super Gravedigger has greater probability than Magic Bullet, but still half as much as most of the weapons available.
All of the strike weapons have greater probability than super Gravedigger, but still lower than remaining weapons available.
Another big advantage of PX is the possibility to make some weapons appearing in more than 1 units per crate.
This was applied for certain key-weapons for tactical reasons, the list is below:
Spot Hider: 3
Windy Nade: 2
Cluster Bomb: 2
Ninja Star: 2
Mole Bomb: 2
Blow Torch: 2
Pneumatic Drill: 2
Girder: 2
Parachute: 2
Hang Glider: 2
Every other weapon comes in just 1 unit per crate. That includes also some changes prior to the original version, for example Mad Cow was set to 3, which was way too much, but couldn't be tweaked.
The list of weapons that does NOT reveal invisible worms when used:
Cluster Turret
Petrol Turret
Auto-ballista
Hang-Glider
Darkside Killer
Mine Turret
Coming in the next article - the utilities explained.
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Topic: Kaos story - Part 2 (weapon roster evolution) (Read 722 times)