I had a dream recently where I was in UT2004 and as dreams like to do they conjur some interesting ideas.

I was firing the shock rifle but it launched darts that stuck into walls. I fired the shock secondary and a link beam came out. I aimed the link beam at the darts and they released a psionic storm (Starcraft reference) that zapped everything within a radius.

So now you know where this idea came from:

NOTE: questions you may ask are in bold so to reduce the number you may have.

[size=14px]Name: [/size]
The "VoltWall" electrical barrier generator

Thats a dumb name, can I come up with a better one? Yes you may so long as it fits the theme

[size=14px]History: [/size]
The Voltwall was invented accidentally by researchers on the fallen colony world Deimeius which had been almost entirely infested by Krao invaders. From the safety of the command ship Yokellion Omega those researchers were working on technology that can stop oncoming hordes in their tracks, namely an electrical device that emits a large barrier of electricity using HCV technology. The rod shaped device was capable of recieving incoming electrical signals and amplifying it over a wide area, although the team was stumped at how to add a powerful enough battery without making the device a large machine.

The unexpected twist came when a massive volume of winged Krao landed on the unarmed science vessel and used their claws to breach the hull, the researchers who thought they were safe had little time to react. As Krao reached every nook and cranny of the ship; 14 Xenobiologists were already dead in 1 minute. One scientist who was currently experimenting with a photon-electrical beam was now regretting using the prototype weapon for his greatest experiment. Looking for something else he found a crossbow as a weapon but it ony fired tranquizer darts. As a Krao descended upon him he knew he needed something bigger and quick.
He spotted the rod sitting on a desk and jammed it into the crossbow. Taking aim he fired the 40cm long rod into the creatures neck.

The Krao choked and stumbled for a while but that was not going to kill the creature. The scientist prepared to run until he noticed the monster getting much too close to the working beam in the photonic experiment.

The photon-electrical beam touched the rod jutting from the Krao's body and the rod transformed the beam into a brilliant electrical storm that fried the creature to a crisp.

The wave of electricity continued to whip and arc in every direction including the doorway the Krao were entering.
No Krao could pass the storm and the scientist survived the Krao onslaught until rescue teams arrived.

Envarion was impressed by this news and hired the scientist to develop a new weapon for them: a speargun that is to be named the "VoltWall" for defense against Krao assault.

[size=14px]Basic Description: [/size]
A speargun that fires special rods, these rods that can generate electrical storms using the secondary fire beam

[size=14px]Primary fire: [/size]
As a speargun you can expect a large bolt to come flying out and stab things. The key differences is that the bolt fired by this speargun is not your typical speared arrowhead;

rather it is a Multi-Gigawatt Photon-Electrical Discharge Amplifier.

What the hell is that? Think of a lightning rod, but it isnt active when you fire it. You will learn more as you keep reading.

Does it contain a solenoid? The rod technology is very advanced and is based on that used in the HCV. A rod contains everything it needs to generate mass electrical output. What is does not have is ammo, you provide this for it.

The large rod shaped PEDA not only does considerable damage to anyone it hits, it is designed to embed itself into the surface it contacts so if the rod does not kill you it still jams itself into you and activates. The rod also lodges itself into any wall except those hits at obtuse angles

When activated the rod emits a light so you know where it is.

Why would we need to know where it is? Keep reading.

[size=14px]Alternate fire (or special function): [/size]
The weapons next feature is a low powered beam, think of the link beam except it is white and smaller.

Can it link? We could make it that way. It is looking to be a great possiblity to enhance the weapons flexibility but if it proves to be too much bonus I will take it out.

The beam is not as deadly as the primary fire bolts but the damage the beam does is not your real concern...

[size=14px]The Rod combo:[/size]
What I call the Rod combo occurs when you swing the alt-fire beam over an active bolt that is stuck into a wall or a person.

When this happens, the rod absorbs the beam and amplifies the energy, turning it into a wild electrical explosion around the rod and sending massive arcs of electricity rampaging within a certain radius. The storm is about as deadly as the lightning gun and does not miss anyone in it.

If you attach the rod to a person, that person will be burnt to bacon crisps alot quicker provided you can aim the beam at him.

How long does the storm last? The blast continues raging on and on and on for as long as you hold the beam over the rod OR if the rod runs out of power. If you take the beam off the rod or you run out of ammo the explosion abruptly stops.

Should the storms pick you up and throw you, so it is more like a "wall"?
Yes the VoltWall does do this. It does not immediatly toss you away, expect to be fried for a bit. But it can toss you outside the blast radius. Dont rely on this to save you as you can be tossed at another rod. Dont worry there are three countermeasures:

1. Go around the rods

2. Nudge the person linking them (no aim, no storm)

3. Press USE to collect the rods before anyone can fire at them

How big is the explosion? Initially the explosion has a 256uu diameter, linking makes it bigger. 3 people linking will provide the size of 1024uu in diameter.
NOTE: uu's = Unreal Units, 256 is about the size of your average hallway. 1024 is a small room.

Wait does this mean is has two types of ammo? Yes both rods to fire and a battery for the beam. It will work like the assault rifle with its two ammo types.

If that is not enough, check out what happens when you fire multiple active rods next to eachother:
When one rod is detonated it will also zap and detonate other rods nearby allowing you to create a long chain of electrical storms.

With this you can literally fill an entire hallway with deadly electricity, the cost is that for each rod you ignite you use up more ammunition.

Do the rods have a lifespan? Yes they do, lets say the rod has a battery.

When activated the rod has 100% power but then starts losing 2% power each second (50 second life span)

When you fire at the rod you drain that power much faster by 5% each second. This does not affect the rods deadliness, just it life span.

What if you can link with the gun? Well if it does have a linking ability I would say that the more people linked to you then the greater the blast radius of the rods. Also it would mean you can keep the blast lasting much longer with the shared ammo.

It does NOT increase the damage of the beam for balance reason.

[size=14px]Special ability: [/size]
The special ability is a stapler mode. Walk up next to a wall and hold down the button to "staple" rods into walls rather than fire the rods at them. The upside is that you can attach rods much faster, allowing a quicker setup of traps. (Stapler mode has twice the normal fire rate)

When I say you dont actualy shoot, yes it is a meelee attack. As long as you have at least 1 rod you can staple your enemies to death without consuming any ammo.

What about a scope? Maybe, but it isnt a long range weapon.

[size=14px]Zeus mode: [/size]
Zeus mode is a team strategy where you attach rods to a teammate and ignite him. WARNING: This only works with team damage off!

The result is one team member will have the touch of death! Anyone he walks near will be zapped. Unfortunately the rods attached to a player only attack the player it is attached to so Zeus mode is a close range attack only, even with plenty of people linking him. Zeus mode should only be attempted to seriously humiliate the enemy but is not recommeded as a battle tactic.

I can think of a way to improve on this idea, may I offer a suggestion? Yes please do! I am not done with this idea and I want to expand on it but I am having diffuculty doing so. Your ideas are welcome

Are there any questions I didnt address?

Man, by "Lightning Rod", I thought you mean you stick the rod in your opponent... wait a few seconds... and then sit back and watch as a Lightning Bolt crashes from the sky and fries your opponent real crispy...

... though that would GREATLY limit your weapon to outdoor maps only, it would've still been really cool.

So, from your own description of the weapon, it functions very similarly to a Tesla Coil, only without a discernible solenoid (although one MIGHT think that the Rod is so hi-tech, that it has a micro solenoid inside).

I love the sound of this. May I suggest something though?

You call it VoltWall, so maybe the electrical storms should send nearby victims flying, so as to make it function a bit like a wall?

If someone is shocked by high voltage they generally go flying (though I think iot probably has something to do with volts and amperage, I just don't know electricity much), and that might make it a nice touch.

Plus it kind balances it too, they won't remain stuck near the explosion and keep getting fried, though they do get sent flying (which does present other problems in and of itself ). Anyone unfortunate enough to be near the center of the electric storm would be toast though.

Actualy Xavious when you enter the blast radius it does pick you up and toss you around. It can toss you outside the blast radius too. Unless it tosses you at another rod.

As far as balanced is concerned, note that if you stay well away from the rods you can avoid the explosion
(the diameter is about 256 units, enough to block a hallway but not enough to fill a room, Linking can bring that to a deadly 1024 units but it needs teamwork)

Also the person igniting the rods can make himself vulnerable if he is not careful (remember he has to stand there linking them this is NOT a fire & forget weapon). I think that balances it well. You can also press use to pick the rods up and disable them (free ammo)

to DK: they are not literally lightning rods but if you attach one to someone you definetely can fry them nice & crispy

Extra thoughts:

1. I realised theres a good cheese tactic you can use in a team game.

Stab yor teammate with lots of rods and sent him charging into battle.

Follow behind your teammate and ignite the rods in him, he will become Zeus. Have more teammates linking to him to make him a walking teslacoil that throws everything out of his way

That sounds like a hilarious way to assault the enemy team base. Although you must have good aim to keep the beam on him.

2. The special function could be taking the rods by hand and jamming them into things yourself, although it is meelee, you can setup rods much faster (twice the fire rate of the speargun). This would be an easier way to make traps along a wall and also serves as a meelee attack. However the rods are not as lethal when you just stab with them rather than shoot.

3. If you get picked up by a rod, an interesting feature would be if it slams you into a wall and welds you to it.

Im not sure if the unreal engine can do this but just emagine blackened corpses fried to walls and ceilings.

This sounds really cool. I love it.

And a melee attack is a must.

I love the idea of the... ahem... "team" play.

Some might think that as something unholy upon all things unholy... unbalanced!

Quick fix: Turn on team damage.

That was a preemptive strike by the way.

We could have all electricity directly attack the teammates it is attached too, reducing the diameter by about 80%.

Makes sence because he is the closest positively charged object at all times. But lets allow him to touch enemy players and kill them this way, why? Because it just sounds so funny. And as a meelee attack it would be even more humiliating.

Also you just need to offset the linkers aim and the guy wont be Zeus anymore.

Eh, guess that works too.

It's the horrific offspring of the HL2 xbow and the RS lightning gun! Awesome!

Weapon destription updated!

Now has a background history and a revised special ability.

Check out the meelee Stapler mode and a new chapter on Zeus mode.

I think the story to it could use some work.

The link gun is from the Unreal universe, and the Archon universe is in no way affiliated with it. So that part could use a bit of tweaking. I'd say maybe it was a tool used to maybe transfer energy or something similar instead.

But actually, I imagined seeing some Skrith jam a couple of these into some huge Cryon berserkers, turning them into raging, electricity spewing monstrosities.

It'd still kill them, but if engineered half right they'd last longer than humans.

On that note, if it's skrith tech, the origin could be somewhere along the lines of maybe a skrith field tech that's left with only few warriors, with the rest of his comrads being slaughtered by overwhelming numbers of Curse warriors (this is during first Skrith war). He had an ammo transferring tool, and a couple of damaged skrith rifles and a bunch of charged batteries that can't be used safely with the damaged rifles. He shoved the rifles, bayonet first, into a choke point and left the transfer tool charging one of the skrith rifles. The result was a crude, short lived electrical storm originating from the battery packs.

The skrith died quickly afterwards, but their actions were observed by skrith high command. Research was made on improving this unusual tactic, upgrading the rather humble tech tool into a fearsome weapon with many uses for a field tech.

This is just an idea for your consideration.

But to me, it just seems like being only able to really use the Zues mode with team damage off seems a bit off. Maybe somehow the person stuck with rod can last about 5-10 seconds with it in him, though lower amounts of team damage increases time and no team damage lets it last until the rod discharges.

Zeus mode is not done yet, I have yet to think of ways to make it seem less of an unintended feature. Sadly I am not sure how it can work with team damage on, you just dont survive that. But I'll think of something.

I spend to much time mixing the unreal weapons with ballistic weapons. That's where the link reference came from, but the VoltWalls secondary fire is not literally a link beam so I could just change the name to some experimental plasma prototype.

But your idea is pretty cool too. Interesting example of skrith ingenuity. I wonder if I can fit that in somewhere, after all the Skrith control the Krao dont they? The Krao attack on the science vessel is most likely influenced by Skrith

Yeah, that could work.