"Power" Armor

Nopkar · 2013-04-16T07:58:18.000Z

I put the quotations simply because I find this armor hinders more than helps in any respect really. I am supposing there will be refinements for the future but as it is now I can’t see anyone ever really using this.

don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the idea of finding a RARE suit of this, but as it turns out every military platoon I run across has at least 2 suits and a helmet. only once has this suit saved me and that was from being ambushed on top of a platoon from a dozen Z’s. without any other armor I stripped and plopped on the suit and helmet and just took the beating, coming out ‘relatively’ unscathed.

without being able to have a backpack or anything else on for that matter makes this a paperweight even when powered.

if we could wear a specialty pack, one made only for power armor, i’d love it!

otherwise, sweet addition, I am in no way ‘whining’ merely expressing my dislike of the current iteration of the armor and wondering where it’s going. Thanks!

AerialK7 · 2013-04-16T08:04:45.000Z

I think its meant for if you take a beating like gun turrets, or clearing out a town of z’s. Not just general carry around and use.

TaintedHolyWater · 2013-04-16T09:10:44.000Z

Cant remember what its called but I found something you wear with (and only with) power armor that gives plenty of storage. So it’s out there if you find one… unfortunately I didn’t have power armor when I found it and died before I found some.

Caconym · 2013-04-16T09:26:51.000Z

Power armor hauling frame, it gives storage while wearing power armor.
I tend to not use power armor, chews through batteries and you have to drop pretty much everything to put it on. Much prefer chitinous armor plenty of protection little encumbrance and you can wear backpacks/rucksacks to store whatever you want in.

Nopkar · 2013-04-16T09:43:28.000Z

[quote=“Caconym, post:4, topic:836”]Power armor hauling frame, it gives storage while wearing power armor.
I tend to not use power armor, chews through batteries and you have to drop pretty much everything to put it on. Much prefer chitinous armor plenty of protection little encumbrance and you can wear backpacks/rucksacks to store whatever you want in.[/quote]

I had no idea what that was for!!! oh dear lord! UPDATE THE WIKI! I don’t mean to be a roaming tank, I just know that I can’t get to that gun store without a power suit right this second and without being able to carry anything it’s terribly ineffective. at least a ‘little’ space would work! thanks!

Psiweapon · 2013-04-16T09:59:49.000Z

Not being able to carry a backpack is probably okay, or a fanny pack, but SOME stuff should probably be compatible with power armor, like belt rigs or leg holsters (If a really fat person can use them, so can someone in power armor)

Nopkar · 2013-04-16T10:15:13.000Z

I’ll test the Hauler frame this afternoon. I have a platoon nearby my latest toon and I believe there is a suit with a frame there, could easily find a helm.

wait, DEBUG FTW!

KA101 · 2013-04-16T22:02:52.000Z

Bear in mind that, being a military thing, this was intended to be used by soldiers. How are they supposed to deploy it–quick-strike teams from a Military Truck? infantry with the firepower/resiliency of armor? Long campaigns in hazmat conditions?

Each of those three doctrines implies different gear-carrying needs for the power armor. Would like to hear more about the dev’s thought process.

Williham · 2013-04-16T22:17:50.000Z

An important thing to remember is that the the Power Armor in the game at present is prototype power armor, presented to the US military shortly before the fall.

Its use in the field is part of a last-gasp effort to throw everything at the zombies to see if anything sticks.

Some of its poor usability is due to how armor is handled in cataclysm more generally, but most of it is caused by the fact that we’re dealing with 0th-generation power armor.

However: Likely power armor doctrine: Mechanized infantry with medic and sniper support, leaving little to no need for gear-carrying for the wearers.

KA101 · 2013-04-16T23:05:24.000Z

OK, so not too far from the truck-deployment scenario. Fair enough.

Nopkar · 2013-04-17T04:24:36.000Z

I never got to try the Hauling frame, but I concur with the truck doctrine…wearing the armor simply bring your vehicle, park nearby, rampage around, shed the armor in the trunk and get your cargo gear and all is well.

I don’t know why I never thought of this but oh well, it all works out.

so after the whining fit and figuring some things out, i guess they’re good ^.^

(except for the UPS junk, fission batteries FTW!)

Williham · 2013-04-17T10:30:06.000Z

One thing that is necessary is a wearable power supply of some sort.

Will be looking into that right now, in fact.

The_Darkling_Wolf · 2013-04-17T10:37:59.000Z

A very high density power supply that uses Plutonium Cells would also be nice. Basically a UPS turned up to eleven.

Nopkar · 2013-04-17T10:39:36.000Z

a battery lasting a decade is not needed, but one that lasts maybe twice as long as a ups and a x4 module would be cool. maybe as much as a x5

Williham · 2013-04-17T11:01:44.000Z

The power supply I’ll be adding initially will be a 2xUPS thing, 2000 batteries.

I might add a plutonium-powered one as well, we’ll see.

Nopkar · 2013-04-17T11:09:49.000Z

[quote=“Williham, post:15, topic:836”]The power supply I’ll be adding initially will be a 2xUPS thing, 2000 batteries.

I might add a plutonium-powered one as well, we’ll see.[/quote]

it’s difficult enough to keep it running with a ups as is, not just space but it’s battery eating capacity. maybe a recharge station could be ‘built’, only works outside (sunny), 1000 units per day?

The_Darkling_Wolf · 2013-04-17T11:17:14.000Z

[quote=“Williham, post:15, topic:836”]The power supply I’ll be adding initially will be a 2xUPS thing, 2000 batteries.

I might add a plutonium-powered one as well, we’ll see.[/quote]
Don’t forget we have an item mod that doubles battery capacity now.

Williham · 2013-04-17T11:22:13.000Z

Well, as it turns out, making a wearable power supply isn’t presently practical, because the item code is all fucked up and shit.

So instead, you get a (craftable!) power armor power interface bionic.

Iosyn · 2013-04-17T17:16:50.000Z

Generally you wouldn’t be able to wear much while wearing a suit of PA. I can see you wearing up to about 2 encumberance worth of stuff inside (by really cramming yourself in)

However, there should be more storage built into the actual suit itself without having to wear a hauling frame.
Magazine space and autoloaders for heavy weapons, a water filtration system (recycles your piss), toolkit space (I can easily see each suit of PA coming with a basic set of tools so a soldier could field strip it and perform some basic cleaning and maintenance.) space for the power generator etc.

Labtop_215 · 2013-04-18T04:10:24.000Z

Is it too much trouble for the power armor to be compatible with glasses? I’m sure you could wear a pair of glasses inside your helmet. (Although they may be hard to adjust.)