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Subject: Theory of Halo Weapon Mechanics

Disclaimer: I know that Plasma Weapons don't actually use plasma, but this is pure speculation on if they did.


Covenant Weaponry:

Plasma Pistol: Has a Ionized gas containment unit onboard in one or both of the prongs. Has electric current at the front to convert the gas to plasma. Uses magnetic fields to propel the ionized gas into the electricity

Plasma Rifle: Similar to Plasma Pistol, but automatic fire rate suggests fire control software

Plasma Repeater: Again, similar to PP, but has a rotating barrel. My theory is, that it stores the magnents inside this compartment to increase accuracy by concentrating the ionized gas

Beam Rifle: Uses a system of magnets to accelerate a "beam" of electrons up to firing velocity.

Fuel Rod Gun: Fires rods of ballistic gel that explodes on contact. May or may not be radioactive

Needler: Fires Crystal based projectiles. Uses onboard electronics suite to track most likely.

Focus Rifle: Shoots beam of concentrated heat and light. Would burn through almost anything

Plasma Launcher: Uses tracking system similar to the needler, but firing mechanism similar to the plasma pistol.

Concussion Rifle: Shoots grenades out of a conventional barrel

Needle Rifle: Shoots longer version of the Needler projectile, but sacrifices the tracking capabilities.

Human Weaponry coming SOON!

[Edited on 01.09.2011 11:50 AM PST]

  • 01.09.2011 10:59 AM PDT

Have you seen my mind anywhere? I seem to have lost it...

0x0 x0x 0x0 000 000 x0x 000
x0x 0x0 0x0 0xx 000 0x0 000
x0x x0x x00 0xx 0x0 x0x 0x0

I have seen you future

Not bad, just a couple things:

The plasma repeater seems to be an older design, this is speculation based on the fact that is doesn't cool down on its own like the plasma rifle and pistol. It also seems to be significantly less accurate than the rifle and pistol. The rotating barrel probably functions like a conventional gatling gun to increase rate of fire.

The beam rifle is directed energy based (ionized particles, not projectiles)

The fuel rods are radioactive.

It is unlikely that the needler, or other covenant weapons that track use electronics on the weapon to track because the projectiles continue to track regardless of the state of the weapon, for example if the user is killed, or the weapon is thrown over the edge of a map.

It seems like the plasma launcher fires plasma grenade like projectiles. They also fall over time indicating that they have some mass that can be affected by gravity, unlike directed energy weapons.

Human weapons shouldn't be too difficult, since they operate very similarly to conventional ballistic weapons, with the exception of the EMP found in the grenade launcher.

  • 01.09.2011 11:19 AM PDT


Posted by: CTN 0452 9
Not bad, just a couple things:

The plasma repeater seems to be an older design, this is speculation based on the fact that is doesn't cool down on its own like the plasma rifle and pistol. It also seems to be significantly less accurate than the rifle and pistol. The rotating barrel probably functions like a conventional gatling gun to increase rate of fire.
Very good assumption. The only problem I see is that it doesn't have multiple exit ports for the ions
The beam rifle is directed energy based (ionized particles, not projectiles)
Thanks, I wasn't sure about its mechanism

The fuel rods are radioactive.

It is unlikely that the needler, or other covenant weapons that track use electronics on the weapon to track because the projectiles continue to track regardless of the state of the weapon, for example if the user is killed, or the weapon is thrown over the edge of a map.
I'm guessing thats just for gameplay
It seems like the plasma launcher fires plasma grenade like projectiles. They also fall over time indicating that they have some mass that can be affected by gravity, unlike directed energy weapons.
True, but if it used grenade type projectiles, why would it need to charge?
Human weapons shouldn't be too difficult, since they operate very similarly to conventional ballistic weapons, with the exception of the EMP found in the grenade launcher.


And the MAC gun. But I'm guessing it is essentially a larger scale Railgun. I have to do some math to prove that though

  • 01.09.2011 11:28 AM PDT

Have you seen my mind anywhere? I seem to have lost it...

0x0 x0x 0x0 000 000 x0x 000
x0x 0x0 0x0 0xx 000 0x0 000
x0x x0x x00 0xx 0x0 x0x 0x0

I have seen you future

Posted by: zak2014
And the MAC gun. But I'm guessing it is essentially a larger scale Railgun. I have to do some math to prove that though

A MAC operates similarly to a railgun in that they both fire a projectile using magnetism, but there are differences.

A railgun uses a magnetic field between two rails to fire the projectile. The Navy has already built a railgun. (Link)

A MAC uses several electromagnets arranged along the barrel to fire the projectile. There have been small MACs built, but nothing large enough for the same type of usage the railgun or the MACs in Halo. (Link)

  • 01.09.2011 11:36 AM PDT


Posted by: CTN 0452 9
Posted by: zak2014
And the MAC gun. But I'm guessing it is essentially a larger scale Railgun. I have to do some math to prove that though

A MAC operates similarly to a railgun in that they both fire a projectile using magnetism, but there are differences.

A railgun uses a magnetic field between two rails to fire the projectile. The Navy has already built a railgun. (Link)

A MAC uses several electromagnets arranged along the barrel to fire the projectile. There have been small MACs built, but nothing large enough for the same type of usage the railgun or the MACs in Halo. (Link)


Do you know the projectile size differences? Or power? I know the Navy's had 32MJ for 7.2 kilos. I don't know it's voltage though

[Edited on 01.09.2011 11:46 AM PST]

  • 01.09.2011 11:41 AM PDT

The full name of the beam rifle is the particle beam rifle. Here is wikipedia's explanation.

[Edited on 01.09.2011 11:46 AM PST]

  • 01.09.2011 11:46 AM PDT


Posted by: the n00b pwner
The full name of the beam rifle is the particle beam rifle. Here is wikipedia's explanation.


Thanks. gotta update the OP now.

  • 01.09.2011 11:49 AM PDT

On hiding dead bodies:
Posted by: Psuedo
Posted by: teh Chaz
Inside another dead body. It's the last place they'll look
A corpse within a corpse.
CORPSEPTION.
Win.

The focus and beam rifles have a hollow cylindrical arrangement near the grips of the weapons - those look like cyclotron particle accelerators to me. You were pretty much right with magnets, but it doesn't hurt to be specific :P

[Edited on 01.09.2011 12:57 PM PST]

  • 01.09.2011 12:28 PM PDT
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Teh Sn1per.


Posted by: zak2014

Posted by: CTN 0452 9
Not bad, just a couple things:

The plasma repeater seems to be an older design, this is speculation based on the fact that is doesn't cool down on its own like the plasma rifle and pistol. It also seems to be significantly less accurate than the rifle and pistol. The rotating barrel probably functions like a conventional gatling gun to increase rate of fire.
Very good assumption. The only problem I see is that it doesn't have multiple exit ports for the ions
The beam rifle is directed energy based (ionized particles, not projectiles)
Thanks, I wasn't sure about its mechanism

The fuel rods are radioactive.

It is unlikely that the needler, or other covenant weapons that track use electronics on the weapon to track because the projectiles continue to track regardless of the state of the weapon, for example if the user is killed, or the weapon is thrown over the edge of a map.
I'm guessing thats just for gameplay
It seems like the plasma launcher fires plasma grenade like projectiles. They also fall over time indicating that they have some mass that can be affected by gravity, unlike directed energy weapons.
True, but if it used grenade type projectiles, why would it need to charge?
Human weapons shouldn't be too difficult, since they operate very similarly to conventional ballistic weapons, with the exception of the EMP found in the grenade launcher.


And the MAC gun. But I'm guessing it is essentially a larger scale Railgun. I have to do some math to prove that though
MAC Gun shouldnt be hard. It simply uses a linear induction moter and electromagnets to launch a progectile at speeds up to mach 40.

  • 01.09.2011 12:53 PM PDT

@LLOOOOL: I was planning on explaining the linear induction motor, and show some math to see how powerful it would actually be.

  • 01.09.2011 12:59 PM PDT

Posted by:ScubaToaster
Posted by: HipiO7
This man, this man right here put it so eloquently that I actually cancelled my own 2000+ word long post.
/slow clap for respect


:)
The person who said participating is important, not winning, obviously never won anything.

But dosent arent the Fuel Rod rounds always radioactive? Same as the Carbine's?

  • 01.09.2011 1:19 PM PDT

On hiding dead bodies:
Posted by: Psuedo
Posted by: teh Chaz
Inside another dead body. It's the last place they'll look
A corpse within a corpse.
CORPSEPTION.
Win.

Not sure who it was directed at, so not sure who to quote.

The Needler always being able to track is canon, since there is apparently no discernible method for this tracking to occur by, nor for the trigger to actually fire the weapon. There are apparently no mechanical, radiative or signal components that could allow the round to track, or the weapon to fire.

Plasma Launcher - one reason it could charge is because of the scale of having to charge. A plasma bolt is made of gas, and thus very light - it doesn't take much of a charge to create a large enough magnetic field to repel the bolt away from the weapon.
A plasma grenade (assuming for the moment it is an actual plasma grenade) is likely several dozen/hundred times heavier than a gaseous plasma bolt. Thus it will take a much larger charge to repel the magnetically-directed plasma charge away from the weapon.

  • 01.09.2011 2:18 PM PDT

On hiding dead bodies:
Posted by: Psuedo
Posted by: teh Chaz
Inside another dead body. It's the last place they'll look
A corpse within a corpse.
CORPSEPTION.
Win.

Posted by: HipiO7
But dosent arent the Fuel Rod rounds always radioactive? Same as the Carbine's?
Yes they are. After firing several FRG rounds during First Strike, a SPARTAN (Grace?) states that the "radiation counter's too high. This [weapon's] too hot to handle anymore."
Also, the Carbine fires caseless radioactive slugs.

  • 01.09.2011 2:20 PM PDT

Posted by: JDYeash937 MkII
The focus and beam rifles have a hollow cylindrical arrangement near the grips of the weapons - those look like cyclotron particle accelerators to me. You were pretty much right with magnets, but it doesn't hurt to be specific :P


The beam rifle needs an accelerator to work, but I just assumed the focus rifle was some sort of laser, now it seems it works on the same principle of particle acceleration.

  • 01.09.2011 2:39 PM PDT

On hiding dead bodies:
Posted by: Psuedo
Posted by: teh Chaz
Inside another dead body. It's the last place they'll look
A corpse within a corpse.
CORPSEPTION.
Win.

Posted by: the n00b pwner
Posted by: JDYeash937 MkII
The focus and beam rifles have a hollow cylindrical arrangement near the grips of the weapons - those look like cyclotron particle accelerators to me. You were pretty much right with magnets, but it doesn't hurt to be specific :P


The beam rifle needs an accelerator to work, but I just assumed the focus rifle was some sort of laser, now it seems it works on the same principle of particle acceleration.
They both appear to operate on the same principle (particle acceleration), just that a Beam Rifle 'fires' its cyclotron in a super-powerful pulse, whereas the Focus Rifle spins its own cyclotron in a continuous low-power cycle.

  • 01.09.2011 2:44 PM PDT

Posted by: JDYeash937 MkII
Posted by: the n00b pwner
Posted by: JDYeash937 MkII
The focus and beam rifles have a hollow cylindrical arrangement near the grips of the weapons - those look like cyclotron particle accelerators to me. You were pretty much right with magnets, but it doesn't hurt to be specific :P


The beam rifle needs an accelerator to work, but I just assumed the focus rifle was some sort of laser, now it seems it works on the same principle of particle acceleration.
They both appear to operate on the same principle (particle acceleration), just that a Beam Rifle 'fires' its cyclotron in a super-powerful pulse, whereas the Focus Rifle spins its own cyclotron in a continuous low-power cycle.


Agreed, but what about the brute spiker?

  • 01.09.2011 2:50 PM PDT

On hiding dead bodies:
Posted by: Psuedo
Posted by: teh Chaz
Inside another dead body. It's the last place they'll look
A corpse within a corpse.
CORPSEPTION.
Win.

Posted by: the n00b pwner
Posted by: JDYeash937 MkII
Posted by: the n00b pwner
Posted by: JDYeash937 MkII
The focus and beam rifles have a hollow cylindrical arrangement near the grips of the weapons - those look like cyclotron particle accelerators to me. You were pretty much right with magnets, but it doesn't hurt to be specific :P


The beam rifle needs an accelerator to work, but I just assumed the focus rifle was some sort of laser, now it seems it works on the same principle of particle acceleration.
They both appear to operate on the same principle (particle acceleration), just that a Beam Rifle 'fires' its cyclotron in a super-powerful pulse, whereas the Focus Rifle spins its own cyclotron in a continuous low-power cycle.


Agreed, but what about the brute spiker?
Since the Brutes are crude like that, I imagine that the spikes are metallic and are blasted out of the barrel by pushing a massive current through the projectiles with a magnetic field present - creating a crude railgun.

  • 01.09.2011 3:04 PM PDT

Posted by: JDYeash937 MkII
Posted by: the n00b pwner
Posted by: JDYeash937 MkII
Posted by: the n00b pwner
Posted by: JDYeash937 MkII
The focus and beam rifles have a hollow cylindrical arrangement near the grips of the weapons - those look like cyclotron particle accelerators to me. You were pretty much right with magnets, but it doesn't hurt to be specific :P


The beam rifle needs an accelerator to work, but I just assumed the focus rifle was some sort of laser, now it seems it works on the same principle of particle acceleration.
They both appear to operate on the same principle (particle acceleration), just that a Beam Rifle 'fires' its cyclotron in a super-powerful pulse, whereas the Focus Rifle spins its own cyclotron in a continuous low-power cycle.


Agreed, but what about the brute spiker?
Since the Brutes are crude like that, I imagine that the spikes are metallic and are blasted out of the barrel by pushing a massive current through the projectiles with a magnetic field present - creating a crude railgun.


Railgun was my guess too, but how do they superheat the rounds? I doubt it is only friction considering that the spikes fly relatively slowly.

  • 01.09.2011 3:13 PM PDT
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"The enemy came. He was beaten. I am tired. Goodnight."

"I think Reach is a pretty cool guy. eh drives froklifts and doesn't afraid of anything."

The human assault rifles seem to have fairly realistic qualities, except for the fact that they can be reloaded while the clip isn't empty yet. It's very close to the real-life FN F2000 Belgian assault rifle.

  • 01.09.2011 3:20 PM PDT

On hiding dead bodies:
Posted by: Psuedo
Posted by: teh Chaz
Inside another dead body. It's the last place they'll look
A corpse within a corpse.
CORPSEPTION.
Win.

Posted by: the n00b pwner
Railgun was my guess too, but how do they superheat the rounds? I doubt it is only friction considering that the spikes fly relatively slowly.
Railgun wasn't my first thought when I came up with that. I figured the sheer electrical resistance when enough current was pushed through the round would simply force it out the barrel. Then I realised it would need a magnetic field to use the FRH rule, which would make it a railgun.

I assume that either the aforementioned resistance to electrical flow causes the round to heat up (resistors in circuits can get very hot), or there is a heating mechanism built in. Who knows, it could be a side-effect of the electrical generator, accidentally heating the rounds in the gun.

  • 01.09.2011 3:25 PM PDT

On hiding dead bodies:
Posted by: Psuedo
Posted by: teh Chaz
Inside another dead body. It's the last place they'll look
A corpse within a corpse.
CORPSEPTION.
Win.

Posted by: gravy666
The human assault rifles seem to have fairly realistic qualities, except for the fact that they can be reloaded while the clip isn't empty yet. It's very close to the real-life FN F2000 Belgian assault rifle.
I'm not sure what you mean. All weapons are capable of being 'hot reloaded' with rounds still in the clip. Pretty much all weapons are fitted with a release switch for the clip, in order to reload whether empty or part-filled.

  • 01.09.2011 3:28 PM PDT
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Gamertag: J7XD
New BNET: J7XD

There is a page in Dr. Halsey's journal about covenant weaponry. Something about the how the firing mechanism doesn't connect(idk nsomething loike this) to the trigger. Just a small contribution.

  • 01.09.2011 4:51 PM PDT

If you read Dr. Halsey's journal given out with the limited edition of Reach, it explains that the workings of the Covenant needler is completely unknown. The internals do not make any sense. It is as if the user pulls the trigger and somehow the projectiles 'magically' fire. There are no physical, electrical or radiative connections between the trigger and the firing mechanism.

I suspect that Bungie just couldn't be bothered explaining it.

  • 01.09.2011 5:34 PM PDT


Posted by: IconicSociopath
If you read Dr. Halsey's journal given out with the limited edition of Reach, it explains that the workings of the Covenant needler is completely unknown. The internals do not make any sense. It is as if the user pulls the trigger and somehow the projectiles 'magically' fire. There are no physical, electrical or radiative connections between the trigger and the firing mechanism.

I suspect that Bungie just couldn't be bothered explaining it.


Really? I didn't get limited edition so I never would have known that

  • 01.09.2011 6:23 PM PDT

"Find The Bomb?!
Find The Bomb?!
I'm Looking For The Flag!
What The Heck Is Assualt!?"


Posted by: IconicSociopath
If you read Dr. Halsey's journal given out with the limited edition of Reach, it explains that the workings of the Covenant needler is completely unknown. The internals do not make any sense. It is as if the user pulls the trigger and somehow the projectiles 'magically' fire. There are no physical, electrical or radiative connections between the trigger and the firing mechanism.

I suspect that Bungie just couldn't be bothered explaining it.


You stick the needler big crystals in, as seen in Halo CE and...

Stuff happens.

  • 01.09.2011 7:03 PM PDT

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