Euclid's C-Finder

Euclid's C-Finder is a weapon in Fallout: New Vegas.

Characteristics
The raw power of the sun, contained in an easy-to-carry package! Just point this weapon at the bad guys, and pull the trigger! The Archimedes II orbital laser will strike down at the speed of light and reduce foes to ashes.

The weapon can only be used once each day because of the recharge time of the lasers. To use the C-Finder the player must complete That Lucky Old Sun and choose to direct power to Archimedes II at the end. If the player has already completed that quest without directing the power to Archimedes II, the C-Finder cannot be activated without using a mod or console hack. (The player can choose to arm the Archimedes I defense system even after the quest has completed, but that is a separate system, not controlled with the C-Finder.)

Locations
Found in Freeside, near the east gate. A boy named Max carries it. During the day he can be found running around with the C-Finder chasing a girl named Stacey. The player may either buy it for 1000 caps (or 20 caps with a barter skill of 45), or it can be pickpocketed from Max, or taken from his bedside while he is sleeping (he sleeps at night on the second floor of the building just to the east of Mick & Ralph's). Max can also be convinced to give the player the C-Finder if the player has the Child at Heart perk.

Behind the scenes

 * Euclid was a famous Greek mathematician, known as the originator of many basic geometric and mathematical principles. Euclidean geometry and Euclid's algorithm for calculating the greatest common factor of two integers are both named for him.
 * The name of the C-Finder, and the graphics it shows the player while it is operating, are a reference to using Euclidean geometry to find the third point, C, of a triangle, given points A and B, and distances BC and AC. In this example B is the player's position on the ground, A is the position of the Archimedes II satellite, and C is the position of the target. The satellite gets distance BC from the C-Finder (which is described as a "handheld rangefinder," in the terminal notes at HELIOS One), and knows AC, one assumes, from radar height measurement. In fact in practice the satellite would need significantly more information about, for example, the direction the C-Finder was pointing, and given good direction and range information the handheld device could calculate the target position directly. Perhaps one is to assume that the C-Finder can only measure basic compass heading and range, leaving the satellite to calculate the target's elevation.

Bugs

 * Occasionally, it is possible to get another shot right after the first one is fired. This has been tested by targeting the sky, then targeting a ground target and sometimes another charge will be acquired right after.
 * It is possible to obtain this weapon multiple times from Max.
 * If the player has the perk 'Heave Ho!' firing the C-Finder may freeze the game.
 * Using the console to remove this perk will allow the player to fire the gun without crashing.
 * When trying to fire, the targeting laser may repeatedly play its animation without the laser firing.
 * Solution: Save (with the gun drawn) and quit the game completely back to the desktop/console. Restart, reload, and wait for the firing animation to complete. Make sure to save far enough away from the target to not be hit, but close enough that the animation is still visible and playing.
 * Additional solution, travel to a different area when aiming gun. After, the animation continues. WARNING: Fires as soon as you arrive at the location.
 * Sometimes the gun will not get any ammo after activating Archimedes II. Or it will fire a few times and then not get any more ammo.
 * Save the game and quit the game to the desktop. Reload, and wait some time, you will get your charge.
 * There is an exploitable glitch that allows players to obtain more than one ammo per 24 hours for the C-Finder. See the Fallout: New Vegas exploits page for more.
 * Obtaining the C-Finder before completing or at least initiating I Could Make You Care could bug the quest. See the page for details.
 * Weapon disappeared after being caught looting laser merchants in Freeside, even after killing them.