Cyclops X-Gene

Cyclops X-Gene

Listen up, recruits. I’m Scott Summers, AKA Cyclops. This X-Gene package grants a pawn access to my full concussive optic arsenal, from precise controlled blasts to the kind of overwhelming force you use when subtlety has officially failed. Install it, train your squad, and try not to level anything you intended to keep.

What This Mod Does

Cyclops Gene Injector

A single-use injector that rewrites a pawn’s DNA, opening their eyes onto a source of immense concussive force. It works on humans and animals. Yes, that means you can create red-eyed war muffalos. No, I am not accepting responsibility for what happens afterward.

Four Optic Attacks

The Cyclops X-Gene now provides humanlike carriers with a complete optic arsenal.

• Optic Blast A fast, precise pulse of concussive force. Reliable, controlled, and always available, even without the visor.
• Optic Volley Fires four rapid optic pulses in succession. Useful for suppressing enemies or making absolutely certain they stay down.
• Focused Optic Beam A sustained, long-range beam that repeatedly strikes the first target or solid obstruction in its path.
• Full-Aperture Blast Release every restraint and flood a massive cone with overwhelming concussive force. This attack damages enemies, allies, buildings, plants, items, and anything else unfortunate enough to be standing in front of you.

Check your firing lane before using it. Then check it again.

Shared Optic Strain

Every optic attack draws from the same 100-point strain meter. Small attacks generate manageable strain. Stronger attacks consume significantly more, with the full-aperture blast using most of a fresh meter by itself. Strain gradually recovers over time. An attack becomes unavailable if using it would push the carrier beyond their strain limit. Power is useful. Control is what keeps everyone else alive.

Ruby-Quartz Control Visor

The ruby-quartz control visor is available as optional equipment. By default, every optic attack works without it. Enable Require the visor for advanced attacks in the mod settings, and humanlike gene carriers must wear the visor to use:

• Optic Volley
• Focused Optic Beam
• Full-Aperture Blast

The basic optic blast remains available without the visor. When the visor requirement is enabled, humanlike carriers receive one visor. If it conflicts with existing apparel, it will be placed in their inventory or dropped nearby. Replacement visors can be crafted at a Fabrication Bench after completing Fabrication research. Visor Recipe

• 20 Plasteel
• 10 Gold
• 1 Advanced Component
• Crafting skill 8

Command Presence

Cyclops isn’t only an artillery platform. He’s a field commander. While awake and mobile, a humanlike Cyclops gene carrier projects a command-presence aura that grants nearby allied humanlikes:

• +5% Global Work Speed
• -5% Aiming Delay

The aura can be disabled, and its radius can be adjusted through the mod settings.

Concussive Force

Optic attacks deal blunt concussive damage rather than heat or laser damage. They do not ignite targets or start fires. They may still send someone through a wall, but at least the wall probably won’t be burning.

Crafting the Injector

The Cyclops Gene Injector can be produced at a Drug Lab after completing:

• Fabrication
• Medicine Production

The recipe requires spacer components, plasteel, gold, neutroamine, glitterworld medicine, and a crafter with Crafting skill 12. Precision is important. Trust me.

Applying the Gene

The injector can be used directly or administered through surgery. Surgical installation requires:

• Anesthesia
• Medicine skill 6
• A doctor whose hands are preferably not shaking

The genetic change is permanent. There are no take-backs, although there may be several newly created firing lanes.

Animals

Animals can receive the Cyclops X-Gene and use the basic optic blast. Advanced optic modes, the ruby-quartz visor, and command presence are reserved for humanlike carriers. Your war bears still get eye beams. Try not to sound disappointed.

Extensive Mod Settings

Nearly every part of the optic arsenal can be adjusted.

Basic Optic Blast

• Damage
• Warmup
• Cooldown
• Range

Optic Volley

• Damage per pulse
• Number of pulses
• Warmup
• Cooldown
• Range

Focused Optic Beam

• Damage per pulse
• Beam duration
• Warmup
• Cooldown
• Range

Full-Aperture Blast

• Maximum damage
• Warmup
• Cooldown
• Range
• Cone angle

Additional Settings

• Optic strain recovery
• Command-presence toggle
• Command-presence radius
• Optional visor requirement

The upper limits are intentionally generous. You can maintain disciplined tactical defaults, or turn a colonist into a walking geological event. Reset everything to the recommended defaults at any time.

How to Deploy

1. Research and Craft Complete Fabrication and Medicine Production, then produce a Cyclops Gene Injector at a Drug Lab.
2. Apply the Gene Perform the surgical operation or allow the chosen pawn to self-inject.
3. Equip the Visor Only required if the optional advanced-attack visor dependency is enabled.
4. Configure Open Mod Settings and adjust the attacks, strain recovery, leadership aura, and visor rules to fit your colony.
5. Command and Control Use controlled blasts for routine engagements, focused beams for hardened targets, and the full-aperture blast when the tactical plan has deteriorated beyond recognition.

Maintain line of sight. Watch your strain. And, for the last time, check what is standing behind the target.

Final Notes

Stay sharp. Control the battlefield. Keep your visor down, assuming your colony rules require one. Summers out.

Special Thanks

Special thanks to 恰似宛然一笑生花 for the Chinese translation. Chinese Translation