GunFu

GunFu, a so small collection creation (see collection details at the end)

Starfield´s combat lacks active defensive options. There´s no effective dodging and the cover system is hit and miss at best. GunFu changes this big time - by incentivizing good aim, movement and skillfull weaving of ranged and melee attacks:

Well placed hits against human enemies can cause - NEW in v1.2: with a configurabale chance, default: 33% - a short lived slow time effect for everybody but the player character (aka bullet time), like the Phased Time starborn power does but to a much lesser degree (with default GunFu settings: down to 30% of normal time speed instead of down to 10% with Phased Time). Compared to Phased Time, you stay more vulnerable during GunFu´s bullet time and have to actively move to avoid aim/fire which makes it much more interesting/engaging than Phased Time. Also, of course, its activation is highly skill based.

As of v1.1 and v1.2 you can configure the chance for bullet time to actviate on a correct hit, which hits qualify for the chance to activate bullet time (eg ranged headshot) and when it will break (eg another ranged attack during bullet time) for each of the groups/factions Starborn, CrimsonFleet, Ecliptic, Spacers, Varuun and all "other human enemies" individually, via gameplay menu. Activation/break forms to choose from are:

1. "Tiger" (Ranged can trigger, Ranged will break; ie shoot, then melee)
2. "Bear" (Melee can trigger, Ranged will break; ie all out melee)
3. "Cobra" (Melee can trigger, melee can break; ie open with melee, then shoot)
4. "Eagle" (Ranged can trigger, melee will break; ie keep on shooting)
5. "Pariah" (no way to trigger, melee or ranged will break; ie do non-attack action instead of attacking these in bullet time)
6. "Ghost" (Ranged can trigger, melee or ranged will break; ie aimed shot, then reposition/hide/other action)
7. "Shadow" (Melee can trigger, melee or ranged will break; ie aimed shot, then reposition/hide/other action)
8. "Generall settings": have this enemy type use your four generall settings for triggers and breaks instead
9. "Off": attacks against this enemy neither trigger nor break bullet time

This way the enemy factions will grant you a much more varied gameplay which will - hopefully - enrich your play experience and give each faction a more specific character and recognizability.

After bullet time has expired (new default since v1.2: 15 seconds) - or was prematurely ended by using a break action like eg a ranged attck against an enemy with Bear form - it can be re-entered by shooting even the same enemy, but into a different body part this time. The order of body parts on the very same enemy is: head, left arm, left leg, right arm, right leg. On other enemies it starts with the head anew. Find a flow of precise, rotating attacks as demanded by the form of the enemy, like in a Karate Kata.

There are also general settings, allowing for sixteen combinations, which are applied for all enemy groups where you have chosen "use general settings":

• Melee triggers bullet time (yes/no)
• Ranged triggers bullet time (yes/no)
• Melee breaks bullet time (yes/no)
• Ranged breaks bullet time (yes/no)

Furthermore, you can configure duration and strength of time dilation:

• Duration of bullet time (from 1 to 30 seconds)
• Amount of time dilation (from 50% of normal time speed to up to 10% of normal time speed)

Finally, as of v1.1 the following new options were added for balance and challenge purposes:

• Starborn Powers: Optionally tie duration to the number of starborn powers increased in current universe (each power increase makes bullet time last 0.5 seconds longer; ranges from -5 seconds with no powers increased to + 7 seconds with 24 powers increased; resets with each NG+)

• Level difference: Optionally factor in level difference between player and target - for each level the target is higher than the player character time dilation is reduced by 1%; enemies more than 40 levels higher than the player character are completely immune

Last and indeed rather least the time dilation granted by the Boost Assault Training perk is reduced by 20% to bring it in line with Aurora/Blend (fine as is), Phased Time (I recommend my Starpowers creation here to balance this one) and GunFu.

A few important notes:

• only works on human enemies and as of v.1.1 Starborn (not on robots, not on fauna, not on normal human civilians with a few exceptions); this is by purpose in order to make figths against different enemy types like critters or robots actually feel different
• sometimes it takes more than one shot to a body part to cripple it and therewith activate bullet time
• hitboxes in games can be misleading/overlapping at times, dont blame GunFu for this
• breaking of bullet time can be delayed by a second or two, depending on CPU usage / action on screen
• the cutter cannnot trigger bullet time and will always break it
• as GunFu is heavily scripted there can be heavy load situation where GunFu fails to register a triggering hit, strike again!
• after you hit head, arms, and legs to trigger bullet time on the same enemy you cannot trigger bullet time on this one anymore
• save and reload on first usage to have GunFu kick in
• might not work on enemies already spawned when activating GunFu

Alright, any more questions, dear disciples of the GunFu? Yes, please:

1. Can I shoot Sarah in the head to trigger bullet time to fight e.g. our Starborn enemies? Sarah disliked that.

2. It´s cool that I can throw mines in bullet time... - wait argh, I killed myself again! Yes.

3. Why is it GunFu in one word and not two words? That´s a profane question, filter activated!

-- Contact, bug reporting and feedback -- I will create a thread on NoSodiumStarfield reddit after release (search for "GunFu" creation and my name there: yourfellowglitch) for feedback, bug hunting, updates and general chat with a good Terrabrew in hand.

-- so small collection -- This mod is part of the "so small collection" of mods. These mods dont require each other and can be played stand alone, even balancewise. They form a greater whole though - the more of them you combine, the more you see this final shape. The overarching idea is to create a gameworld that feels immensely vast, begs for thorough exploration, is full of mysteries, plays truely challenging and lasts very, very long. In other words the goal of the mods is to make the player feel: so small.

Here's the so small collection's homepage for further info: https://youngneil1.github.io/so-small-collection/

And an overview video on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKrZ3oP20aA

Finally a list of the Creations in the so small collection in case this idea resonates with you:

Dynamic Universe: A universe that dynamically scales up with your character level - be it star systems or individual enemies. No more outleveling of content, no more overleveled starts of NG+.

Gear Progression: Gear Progression adds levels to all weapons, suits, helmets and backpacks. Your character level must match these in order to equip the gear. Each NG+ these levels raise further.

Economy: Economy shifts income generation away from tiresome loot hauling. Ship building becomes the long term goal it's meant to be. As credits get more scarce, rewards remain meaningful.

Explorer: An immersive overhaul of the resources - crafting - exploration loop. Get out there into the Starfield and explore - the rewards are much bigger now, but so is the need to do it.

Linearity (alternatively have a look for "Death" or "Ruin" mods): A new gameplay mode where reloading is your last resort. Live and embrace your adventure as it unfolds, imperfect as it may be. You can always save to quit and continue later.

Slow Travel: Slow Travel makes your journey through Starfield much more tactile and immersive by grav jump costs, less map markers, no move on overencumberance and restricted fast travel.

Star Powers: Live as a Spellblade in the Settled Systems. Powers are rebalanced so that eg crowd control, slowed time and near invisibiilty become interesting instead of game balance breaking.

The Isotopes: A compelling reason to explore POI in all Star Systems. Loot the 75 new Isotopes, each specific to a singular Star System. They are needed for rank 4 skills and gear mod crafting.

High Level Weapons: Continue to find better weapons, all the way up to level 300. 7+ new revisions/tiers for each of 50 weapon types. Uniquely named, legendary, each hidden in a specific star system.

High Level Armors: Continue to find better armors up to lvl 255. All HLA share about the same power level - mix and match for the looks you like. Starborn armors improve in quality and variety, too.

Counterfire: Starting with level 85 the player gets 1% more ground combat damage for each level. Idealy used in combination with the "High Level Weapons" mod.

Terra Incognita: All ground surface maps disabled. No markers, no topography, no top down small buildings, no white dots - nothing. Welcome to Terra Incognita - the universe is yours to discover.

Helium-4: Gravjumping requires a pilot to inhale new Helium-4. Not storable and non-tradable - lasts 2 jumps. Explore those moons to get it. Can you chart a course across the Blackest Sea?

Dusty: The new stat Suit Energy depletes rapidly on airless worlds. Mine minerals or take shelter to survive. Five very hidden grains of Elder Dust reward the true Dusties out there.

Further entries: Less XP The Waiting Game Enter Unity POI Rotation Rarity Health Journey Waylayer Time PPOI Deserted UC Listening Post Level Scaled Quest XP