Aliens Inventory

[luke83]

In the original game , was it possible to mind probe a alien and open the inventory screen?

[Volutar]

Only when mind controlling, and not directly. It was possible only by bug, when choosing your unit inventory and getting swtched to MC alien. The thing is they are using "pseudo" inventory with placing all items (except for those which are held in hands) in one slot #2. So they didn't bother with nice placing in inventory. So if you manage to open inventory via mind probe, you'll see a bunch of unrecognizable graphics in one place.

[luke83]

Is there a background image showing the alien ?

[kkmic]

Is there a background image showing the alien ?

Now that's a good question...

During my UFO time I was not able to access the alien inventory. Maybe I did not knew back then about this exploit... or maybe the game was patched not to allow it...

[Daiky]

There is no background image for aliens, because they did not want you to access alien inventory in the first place.
I think they did it mostly because there is so many things you can mess up when accessing alien inventory, they went for the easy solution.

[luke83]

Will you be taking the easy solution?

[Daiky]

In the first place, yes :p
But for the AI no, I'll try to make the AI pick up weapons first. Then you can go ahead MC-ing aliens and disarm them :p (I noticed from let's play videos this is a common tactic and a bit unfair, knowing that in the original game AI has problems/fails to pick up weapons)

[luke83]

Thats good news , my intention was not the disarming trick , i was actually planning out what will be possible for Civilians long term, i have already gave them the images to hold guns , i still need to get them a inventory image, just wondering if i needed alien ones also.

[kkmic]

Even if when 1.0 will be out you won't be able to check out an alien's pockets, I don't think it would be long until you will be able to.

So if you can make alien inventory sprites, I'd say you should go ahead and make them. Sooner or later they will make an appearance in-game.

(from my point of view, since controlling an aliens means total access, not being able to access the alien inventory in the original game is more like a bug than a "feature")

Edit: typo

[Daiky]

Note that we'll have to make AI do the same thing when they mind control you.
Because in original game AI will not take the gun out of your backpack that you put away for safety. Or the grenades on your belt.

[luke83]

I have tried my hand at doing these myself and to be honest they where crap. I am now looking for a pixelartist to help me out

I have no artistic talent at all, but i really enjoy see a finished product so i am looking for tutorials now online to help me progress 

[SupSuper]

You could do like UFO2000 which just adapted the UFOpaedia alien pictures.

[luke83]

Yes that i could easily do , the civilians and special units ( army soldier and sailor) i would like nice pictures

[Volutar]

Alien backpacks with different race pictures were done in TTS. They have taken pictures from ufopaedia and adopted them to inventory view.

[luke83]

ok , isent a email to the website for TTS asking about there images,  i got no response. To save there being any issues with using someone elses art ( other than the original game art) i think i  will do the alien ones myself, it  wont take to long as i have good background images for them . I will also do the same thing for TFTD images as i cant be the only person who wants to bring the aquatoids into UFO

 Doing the civilian ones i want is a little harder. First i tried drawing them from scratch and realised i dont have the talent , so plan B was to scale there battle sprite , touch it up use that.

Last night i did a quick test, now i have a general shape and colour i may be able to add some nice details without having to draw from scratch. I have been looking for a pixel artist to help from opengameart.org  but so far no one has volunteered ;(
Basically i will use these in my games ( one day) as place holders until someone more talent shows up to support the site.