[A14][WIP] Crystalloid ~ Xenohuman Race (Updated 8.21)

[AtomicRavioli]

Download is now available: Version 0.83
~~Download Link~~

Important: Requires CCL


~~
This mod currently adds a race of xenohumans called the Crystalloids, with 2 factions, 3 sets of weapons, a hammer, a building material, a fabric, a helmet, a powered bed, and even a pretty lamp.

Background Lore:
Crystalloids are unique hyper-evolved xenohumans that are thought to of originated from a transcendent world. Their bodies are simplified without any internal organs, save for a hyper-developed brain and nutrient intake system. True to what is known about many other transcendent species, the Crystalloids' minds are connected in a neural network. However, unlike the others, their means of connection lack any mechanical aspect to them at all, and instead utilize only their powerful minds with what observers called "Psionics". Crystalloids and their psionic ability are both currently poorly understood.

About:
Crystalloids in game are functionally similar to humans, they are distinguished by their unique anatomy, psionic ability (in which some are stronger than others, they roll for an aptitude based on 5 ranks), their sensitivity to psychic phenomenon.
 
Crystalloids are divided between two factions in this mod, the loyalists, and the independents.

The loyalists are similar to Mechanoids, they are the Crystalloids who are integrated in the neural network of the planet. Their coordination makes them very industrious and efficient and they are able to produce crystalline constructs that act as conduits for the collective's will. (These constructs are cut resistant, but blunt damage is done in full)

The Independents are Crystalloids who managed to break off the network and became free thinking individuals and formed a community. They behave like an outsider town, just a little less trusting.

Psionics:
Psionics really make the Crystalloids unique. Psionics are rated between stunted (which is under developed) to Class 1 (average ability) then all the numbers to Class 4 (which is really strong). Most Crystalloids end up at Class 1 or 2.

Stunted ability may seem bad since it lowers manipulation by 10%, but it cuts their ability to feel pain by 25%.
Class 1 to 2 offer manipulation and sight boosts, at the cost of pain being 10-20% worse than normal.
Class 3 and 4 offers further bonuses to manipulations and sight, with an additional psionic melee attack. At the cost of pain being problematic at 30-50% worse.
Class 4 also has a small movement boost

These bonuses really do make Crystalloids super strong, but the pain penalty makes them both glass cannons and volatile. You wouldnt want a Class 4 psionic to go berserk, its not pretty.

You also have the option to surgically remove a crystalloid's psionic node and made them mundane. (For an example, to prevent a disaster with a dangerous psionic with negative mood issues)

Weapons:
Three sets of weapons are also in the game, psionic, shard, and amplifier:

Psionic weapons are mostly unobtainable to your colonists (being that they aren't innately psionic and the weapon is attuned to the user). They fire searing bolts of energy, leaving nasty burn wounds.

Shard weapons fire crystalline projectiles and are dropped by Crystalloids, they generally favor high rates of fire at the penalty of low damage and accuracy.

Amplifier weapons are specially crafted weapons that emulate psionic firepower. They make use of charge technology in conjunction to crafted amplifier crystals to fire identical beams to psionic weaponry. They are often expensive to buy and laborious to craft, but their firepower stands above conventional weaponry.

Everything else:
Butchering Crystalloid constructs drops a crystal resource that can be used to in building and crafting. It is weaker than steel, but its quite beautiful. A simple recipe is known at the start for a crystal lamp, a simple light inside a hollowed out crystal, its more expensive but is more beautiful than a plain lamp. Its simplicity allows it to use less electricity, but at the cost of less light.

The origin of Crystalloid's psionics lies in refined crystals called amplifier crystals. They have unique effects on the mind, and while colonists may never discover how to make a perfectly refined amplifier crystal (Exceedingly rare pure amplifier crystals are found in trace amounts in Crystalloid brains), they can make crude copies at an electric smelter (using the crystal resource)

Amplifier crystals have a couple of uses, such as specialized augmentation helmets, which allow a user to have "clarity" in their minds and manipulate objects to a greater degree. They can also be used to make stasis beds, intended as an upgrade to the standard bed, they offer far superior sleep, but they use power and can be a huge resource sink to construct. They also are a key component to a set of weaponry (as described above).

The progression path:
Crystal:
Crystalloid raids -> butcher constructs -> crystal resource
Crystal resource is a basic material (like steel)

Amplifiers:
Crystal resource -> refine at electric smelter -> Amplifier Crystals

Research:
Vitals monitor -> Stasis Beds
Charged shot -> Amplifier Weaponry


Units:


Crystalloid:
The crystalline xenohumans that this mod focuses around. Psionic beings that are linked in a mind collective. Some managed to break off the connection and think independently. These renegades formed their own community.


Prism:
Basic construct with weak innate psionic beam attack, its sturdy and angular shell protects it quite well from a variety of weak attacks. It falls easily however, to blunt damage and armor piercing attacks.


Guardian:
Standard combat construct, carries psionic and shard weapons into battle. About as sturdy as a mechanoid scyther, and boasts a protective armor shell. Weak against blunt damage and piercing attacks, especially to the legs. Watch out for the heavy variant, which carries deadly anti-infantry weaponry.


Volatile Guardian:
Guardian constructs designed for melee combat. It rushes towards colonists, swinging punches that burn with psionic energy. Explodes when it dies, be careful.


Colossus:
Behemoth siege construct. Fires long ranged psionic artillery, which explode in a wide radius with crushing brute force. Melee is not advised, as it can lash out with enough psionic force to easily sever limbs. Extremely tanky, its weak points are its 4 brains. One of the best candidates for a psychic shock lance.

Whats Next:
- New art (Much of it is placeholder and I suck at it, any contribution would be greatly appreciated)
- Psionic implants or psionic gear for humans
- Psionic or crystalline drugs
- Dividing "unrelated" items into optional downloads (I would imagine not everyone is willing to have things like the Lucerne hammer included)

Known Issues:
- Crystalloids who ever lost limbs can't wear clothes

Code Select Expand

Changelog:
V0.83 Pre-Release
-Removed all abstract dependencies (to prevent possible mod conflicts)

-Added Lucerne Hammers (constructs are vulernable to blunt damage, but I really felt the blunt melee options were not very good for Vanilla. This hammer offers the same base stats as a spear except it deals blunt damage)

-The constructs have been fundamentally changed, moving from the mechanoid flesh type to the normal one. They feel pain and bleed, and have minor anatomy changes
-Colossuses have a permanent passive toughness buff that reduces pain by 80% (Which makes sure they don't die to pain from a couple of light hits)
-Constructs no longer require a machining table to butcher (they use the butcher's table now)
-Crystalloids and their constructs have their own blood now

-Crystalloids have their own backstories now, there are different backstories they can have depending on if they are loyalists or renegades.


V0.82 Pre-Release
-NOW REQUIRES CCL

-Added Cycle Cannon, Heavy Guardians can spawn with it (Extremely high fire rate bullet hose, but very low damage)
-Added Psionic Sniper, Unobtainable (Similar to the charge lance, fires 2 bullets at a time)
-Added Amplifier Sniper, craft or purchase only.
-Added Amplifier SMG, craft or purchase only.
-Changed Amplifier Rifle, different recipe, tuned

-Added Crystalloid Specialists, very powerfully geared crystalloids, the only beings who use psionic snipers
-Added Volatile Guardians, these guardians move quickly and engage in melee combat, they also explode when they die (as identically to boomrats, currently)
-Colossus range nerf (it was shooting much further than intended)
-Crystalloids should appear with better apparel now (especially true among the higher ranks)
-Crystalloids are now able to have bionic limbs (Currently bugged somehow, they will be unable to wear clothing after. Exploring solutions)
-Constructs can now be euthanized

-Crystalloids now have blueish skin, and purple/blue hair. (Made possible by Cpt.Ohu's Alien Races framework! Huge thanks)

-Added Crystal Silk, it is very light and defensive, but not good against the elements
-Added Stasis Beds, upgrade to the standard bed. It puts sleepers into a trance, giving them a much better night's sleep. Uses electricty and is much more expensive than a bed
-Added Soothing Emanator, addon to the stasis bed that further enhances sleep quality


V0.81 Pre-Release
-Changed texture for Large Amplifier Crystal
-Added Amplifier Crystal (Smelt Crystal -> Amplifier Crystal)
-Added Amplifier Helmet (Fragile helmet that emulates weak psionic ability, great for sharpshooters)
-Slightly buffed Colossus Cannon fire rate and splash radius
-Slightly nerfed Shard Launcher fire rate and damage
-Resource Crystal Sharp damage multiplier set to 1. (was 0.8)
-Various under the hood changes


V0.8 Pre-Release

Share ideas, I will read them all.

Huge thanks to Cpt.Ohu for making the Alien Races framework!

Download and unzip to rimworld's mod folder, then activate it in the mods menu in game.
Feel free to digest and re-purpose my xml editing to adapt to other projects.

~~~
Originally stemming off from an idea for an enemy type where melee would be preferred. This project has since evolved into what it is now. This is my first project on Rimworld, too.

[Vulcandead789]

Holy muffalo...I strongly support this...But there is a thing I would like to know before I download this mod...Can you play as the Crystalloid ? That would be awesome lol...

[AtomicRavioli]

Holy muffalo...I strongly support this...But there is a thing I would like to know before I download this mod...Can you play as the Crystalloid ? That would be awesome lol...

You can recruit the Crystalloids into your colony (Taking prisoners from the collective will be near impossible to recruit, but prisoners from the independents will be on par with the Outlander townspeople). A more civilized option would be Orion's Hospitality mod. I am also considering a starting embark with them as well.

[Shinzy]

Ooohh shiny!
there's been quite a bit of new race mods this alpha, I love it

[Sarelth]

Would the Body Types mod https://ludeon.com/forums/index.php?topic=24173.0 Help figure out the body art configuration part?

[AtomicRavioli]

Would the Body Types mod https://ludeon.com/forums/index.php?topic=24173.0 Help figure out the body art configuration part?

Probably not, as the mod allows you to shuffle the body types allocated by the backstories, it doesn't change graphical data. I am looking to replace the coloration of the bodies specifically only for Crystalloids. I would assume this could be done by making a new skin color, or (more preferably) physically editing the sprites and have them saved independently from the human bodies. But, I wouldn't know how to pull that off.

[Shinzy]

Mrofa might be able to help, heee's very readily available at the slack if you wanna ask skullywag to invite you to the rimworld modder's slack (or you could pm him, but I feel instant chatting is way more convenient in this)

[robotguy4]

You're going to have to dig pretty deep to change the body art. Definitely will require detours.

It might be easier to just disable the human graphics and implement a new render class.

[AtomicRavioli]

Mrofa might be able to help, heee's very readily available at the slack if you wanna ask skullywag to invite you to the rimworld modder's slack (or you could pm him, but I feel instant chatting is way more convenient in this)

You're going to have to dig pretty deep to change the body art. Definitely will require detours.

It might be easier to just disable the human graphics and implement a new render class.

I appreciate it, yet I can't really bother others to help me write a .dll as my coding experience consists of only Python... 8 years ago.

[123nick]

this mod lets u change body art i think: https://ludeon.com/forums/index.php?topic=24469.0

also,  i LOVE the mod! i just wish the crystalloids appeared different.

[AtomicRavioli]

this mod lets u change body art i think: https://ludeon.com/forums/index.php?topic=24469.0

also,  i LOVE the mod! i just wish the crystalloids appeared different.

The irony that you wrote this up as I was updating the OP and publishing the update with the changes desired :p

[123nick]

this mod lets u change body art i think: https://ludeon.com/forums/index.php?topic=24469.0

also,  i LOVE the mod! i just wish the crystalloids appeared different.

so, judging by the pics the crystalloids seem to have a blu-ish tint?

The irony that you wrote this up as I was updating the OP and publishing the update with the changes desired :p

[AtomicRavioli]

so, judging by the pics the crystalloids seem to have a blu-ish tint?

Currently, they have 2 different shades of blue and one purplish color that they can spawn with. Their hair also have 3 different shades of blue/purple colors to spawn with, as well.

Custom body shapes and heads will probably come somewhere down the line, along with custom backstories for the Crystalloids. But these will probably come after A15 gets pushed to live, and depending on how its release will impact my mod, CCL, and the AlienRaces framework.

If all goes well (And this is by no means a guarantee that these will happen), I expect to push out a set of backstories for the loyalists and a set for the independents, bodies that are mostly similar to Humanoid (Some changes would be a lack of fat or hulk, as Crystalloids do not have fat or muscle in their bodies), and heads that would probably be similar to the Guardian construct heads. No plans on hair changes yet.

Making crystalline drugs is also an interest for A15 (Not gonna be crystal meth )

[AtomicRavioli]

More progress coming along, I managed to fix the issue with the Crystalloids and the clothing. (Which it turns out to be, because I originally based them off the scyther bodies, they didnt have proper groups for the clothing).

On that topic, I am writing up an EPOE patch for this mod. It will be a little more involved for me to write up, as my Crystalloids do not have any body parts in common with Humans (And of course, only applicable parts will be replaceable, no installing anything they didn't have before).

Once I get these changes done, do some balancing tweaks, and squash any other issues that arise... The mod will be ready to move on to a release stage.

No more updates will be posted on this thread, all future updates (Including the next) will instead be posted for download on a release thread.

[123nick]

More progress coming along, I managed to fix the issue with the Crystalloids and the clothing. (Which it turns out to be, because I originally based them off the scyther bodies, they didnt have proper groups for the clothing).

On that topic, I am writing up an EPOE patch for this mod. It will be a little more involved for me to write up, as my Crystalloids do not have any body parts in common with Humans (And of course, only applicable parts will be replaceable, no installing anything they didn't have before).

Once I get these changes done, do some balancing tweaks, and squash any other issues that arise... The mod will be ready to move on to a release stage.

No more updates will be posted on this thread, all future updates (Including the next) will instead be posted for download on a release thread.

so human bionics will not be able to be attached? because that would make more sense IMO.