Messages

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XPZ Strategy/Tactics / Re: Extended Piratez general FAQ/Strategy Guide

« on: February 17, 2022, 05:42:31 pm »

Also don't forget that retreating is a thing. Visiting missions is nearly always beneficial, actually fighting them to the victory - might not always be a good idea, but you'd never know unless you at least try. Specific tactical details might turn even a very hard mission into a possibility, if not for the victory then for some loot.

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OXCE Suggestions Rejected / [Not possible?] Playlist modes for jukebox

« on: February 15, 2022, 02:15:17 am »

Rejection reason: I would like to have e.g. shuffle tracks too, but I don't think the SDL libraries we use in OpenXcom allow this... if I'm missing something, do let me know!


The jukebox feature in OXCE is pretty amazing, and after it was implemented I finally started listening to in-game music tracks rather than external music.

However, it's still rather limited by the fact that you need to change tracks manually, otherwise the current track will be repeated.

Ideally, the jukebox should come with all (3) common playlist modes: 1) repeat track (as it is right now); 2) repeat list - play each track once in order, then repeat; 3) shuffle list - play each track in the list once in random order, then repeat.
For easier implementation, shuffle doesn't have to be persistent or anything, it's quite okay for any current playlist information to be lost on exit or on e.g. globe/mission switch. Also, no need to change anything in the existing behavior of picking a proper track for geoscape/mission/etc, as the only new thing here is about what to do when that properly picked track has played to its end.

PS: I honestly tried poking around the code, but admittedly I'm just not enough of a C++ programmer to make something like that.

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XPiratez / Re: A thread for little questions

« on: February 08, 2022, 08:07:30 pm »

Old Earth Lab to capacity by June ? Do you fund this with plantation bases early or how would one do this ? I find the maintence costs staggering after reaching 8~ Brainers and bad months can easily send the economy straight to hell.

It is fairly important to use your brainers properly: do not research stuff that takes too long but offers no immediate benefits, do research new missions, avoid locking yourself out of a good deal of tech tree by neglecting to research some of the early tech (e.g. our culture -> all 4 aspects).
Tech tree viewer is your best friend here, it's not really possible (not anymore anyway) to navigate through Piratez tech without it.

New missions research is incredibly important, not doing it in a timely manner (e.g. bounty hunting no later than March, etc) will make you lose a lot of potential score points, important loot, and tons of opportunities. Remember that researching a new missions tech in a month X will make those missions appear no sooner than the next month.

Every single research topic awards you with some score, but some (like interrogating people for the first time) award notably more. So paying attention to tech cost (visible in the top left corner of the tech viewer) is important too: researching some too advanced (for your current timeframe) tech will use your brainer-days, but will offer no benefits (as most shiny stuff in Piratez require you to have multiple same-level techs, not just one) and net you very little score.

For the first 6 months or so, brainers easily cover their own expenses due to research score awards, as long as you're not neglecting missions and bringing new stuff and captives for the research.

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OXCE Suggestions Y-script / [Suggestion] Unit sprite overlays

« on: December 01, 2019, 05:45:20 pm »

Preface: I've honestly attempted to make a proof-of-concept PR around this idea, but after a few hours of bumbling around sources, I have to admit defeat: I'm not nearly enough of a C++ programmer to piece all the parts (rules' adjustments, script bindings, logic) together.

The rationale of this idea surfaced in a talk about driveable tanks (tanks as "armor"): one can make a custom damageUnit script for such a tank providing a "meatshield" - extra invisible HP on top of normal HP to simulate a concept of tank's bulk protecting the driver up to a point; but there is no good way to display the inner workings of the script to user and, for example, tell how much of the "meatshield" still remains.

So, I thought that it would be nice to have a way to display some sprites and/or text over the unit, driven by Yankes' script system. It could be something like this:
1) A new field inside armor definition, something like -

Code: [Select]

  overlays:
    - type: SPRITE (or TEXT)
      x: <number>
      y: <number>
      spriteSheet: <spritesheet name, only for SPRITE type>
2) When drawing unit sprite, if unit's armor have any overlays defined, an 'overlaySpriteUnit' or 'overlayTextUnit' script will be called for every overlay, with layer_index as argument (and obviously the script could get all the additional data via tags system as usual). If the script returns any valid sprite index, then a sprite with this index is taken from the spritesheet and drawn over the unit at given x/y offsets relative to unit. If the script returns invalid sprite index (e.g. <0), then nothing is drawn. Default script implementation always returns -1, not drawing anything anywhere.
Drawing text is probably out of question for the moment as Yankes' scripts don't support string type variables; although drawing numbers might be possible, by returning a number from a script. Although I'm totally not sure how to define a "no need to draw anything" return value in this case.

Potential uses:
1) Draw additional icons reflecting inner workings of other scripts/tags: if a unit has a buff or debuff given to it by scripts; if a unit has a shield remaining and approximately how much of it (in, say, XCOM: EU-styled 'pips' display)
2) Draw some flavor graphics over units! Like a "thought bubble" with curses for a unit that was hit by something invisible, or a "rape" "rage" icon for a chryssalid seeing an enemy.
3) (if displaying text) Draw any specific value from tags - exact value of shields remaining, etc. Even Jagged Alliance-style "floating damage numbers" would be possible with enough inter-script work between damageUnit script and overlays (although that would also require a way to change x/y offsets by script).

Anyways, text overlays might be too much at the moment as scripts currently can handle only numbers. But sprite overlays should be very doable.

Also, I'm not a modder and I have absolutely no idea if actual modmakers will find this worthy of use and take their time to write scripts for it (as by design it won't do anything without a custom script). So I'd very much like to hear any feedback from modmakers.

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OXCE Suggestions Archive / Re: [Suggestion] UI improvements

« on: April 23, 2019, 02:53:39 pm »

If I have half a page I think I have too many... 
I think everything is perfect....

Not all people equip the team before taking off, and not all people use different teams for different types of missions (so they can avoid the need of switching gear with that). Not to mention that it's still same micro, just shifted elsewhere - to base management rather than pre-mission management.

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OXCE Suggestions Archive / Re: [Suggestion] UI improvements

« on: April 23, 2019, 12:52:28 pm »

After reading this topic and getting into the game for a bit, I realized that there's one thing that's not mentioned here but is definitely creating a lot of extra clicks for me: it's the fact that ground inventory resets to first page when I switch units.

I think that not resetting it would reduce the amount of clicks you have to make to equip your team - especially if there's a lot of pages.

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XPiratez / Re: [MAIN] XPiratez - 0.99E.3 - 21 Dec - Dead in Space 3

« on: January 06, 2017, 12:01:24 pm »

Cattle prod can reach up to 140 stun damage (vs. plasma resistance) due to 0-200% damage roll on it. Still quite inferior to origami + brute, not to mention being highly inconsistent and costing 20 TUs. But since it's available early, it's actually a very good stunner vs. mid-game armored enemies.

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XPiratez / Re: [MAIN] XPiratez - 0.99E.3 - 21 Dec - Dead in Space 3

« on: January 06, 2017, 02:26:44 am »

I thought the switch to plasma damage for the electrical stunning weapons was to get around that sort of thing, as stun it an actual damage type.  The fact that we can capture those types of creatures at all should indicate that it is in fact possible to stun them, though through less than direct means.

It's vice-versa, it's possible to stun them directly (damage type == stun), and not possible indirectly (damage type == anything else + ToStun). However, in this case stun baton and cattle prod comes to be indirect stunners

Subsequently, if a big unit has 0% stun damage modifier - you can't stun it at all, while if a normal unit has 0% stun damage modifier - you still can stun via ToStun damage dealt through different damage types, such as plasma (stun baton), piercing (manacles), and so on.

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XPiratez / Re: [MAIN] XPiratez - 0.99E.3 - 21 Dec - Dead in Space 3

« on: January 06, 2017, 12:49:27 am »

While I do sympathize, I like to imagine the Gals having the same reaction.
"Why isn't this thing working?!? I'm hitting it, I know I am!" *pulls out a chainsaw*

Eh, it's more of a "it doesn't work because it's a pileup of game mechanic quirks".
It's a quirky interaction between 2x2 units (by default immune to ToStun damage, which is dealt as stun alongside with main damage type) and PirateZ, which, starting at some version, had things like cattle prods doing plasma damage (to work vs. plasma resist) but 0% of it to health. A year or so ago they were simply dealing stun damage (although I don't remember if we had practical uses for stunned big units back then).

Now, unfortunately, it's also a situation where any change will produce a lot of unintended side-effects within the mod. Stun batons were switched to plasma damage type for a reason, and other units' resistances are balanced for it. So changing stun batons is hardly an option. Removing pain immunity from certain big units is more plausible - well, except that big units are still pretty "special", and even if OpenXCOM fixed them burning at x4 power, they are still suffering x4 damage from AoE weapons (1 instance of damage for each tile) - so they'll be getting x4 ToStun damage as well, because, well, most of the weapons, including grenades, deal some ToStun damage. Which could make them too prone to fainting in about any situation - so quite a lot of additional balancing will be needed as to not make such units too easy to stun.

That's why I wrote about "such a quirk should be noted somewhere", it's probably the easiest option to note it to player rather than engage in any kind of rebalancing. I don't particularly care if it's going to be noted or not - I can look at the source code and figure out the damage-dealing mechanics that's currently running in OXCE, but I can imagine that other players might not be doing so. Anyway, if this topic will be raised repeatedly by different players - perhaps something will be done on it; and if not - then it's good as is.

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XPiratez / Re: [MAIN] XPiratez - 0.99E.3 - 21 Dec - Dead in Space 3

« on: January 05, 2017, 09:32:04 pm »

Just_dont, you seem to indicate a problem which I think nobody really understands. At least I don't - I understand you want more information, but not what and how exactly.

Well, I learned about the true cause of the problem (2x2 units immune to extra ToStun damage) only when ohartenstein23 told me about it. So I'm not really sure how it can be improved. At first, I thought it's a problem with a particular unit and damage types. Now I see that it's a game mechanics quirk.

I think it would be enough to just mention it somewhere (so far Dioxine packed A LOT of useful information here and there into bootypedia, for example, the bit about fire damage greatly effecting big units is in there). But I'm not sure where exactly.

It could give a lot more, but it was a conscious decision not to do it... and thus keep at least some of what you are complaining here about.

A comprehensive hit log still wouldn't give an answer to "why it's happening this way?".
Hit log is not the issue here. It's a good tool and it's working as expected.

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XPiratez / Re: [MAIN] XPiratez - 0.99E.3 - 21 Dec - Dead in Space 3

« on: January 05, 2017, 09:15:54 pm »

Why do you need to learn the intricacies?  For example, vanilla XCOM didn't ever tell you that Mutons were resistant to AP until after you killed/stunned one and researched it, or that fire works really well against cyberdisks, and it certainly never explained the damage mechanics.

1) I'm absolutely fine about not knowing unit's specific weaknesses and quirks until it is researched. However, in this particular case, researching it won't help;
2) Regarding cyberdisks, it's pretty obvious (after reading in-game information) that fire WILL work on cyberdisks, the only thing that you're not told - is that it will work to a far greater extent that you'd likely to expect. In other words, an issue with quantities (fire works all too well on 2x2 units) rather than with qualities (2x2 units are immune to extra stun damage, "because they just are").

But most of all, giving examples on vanilla XCOM isn't very convincing - it's not an ideal game, it does have lots of quirks, and a lot of those quirks were categorized as "bugs" by fans and subsequently fixed with fan patches and patch tools.

It's bizarre to expect anything else... except for maybe Tetris, you need to experiment in all games.

Yes, you do. No, experimenting won't take you too far if the game doesn't provide you with enough data to make conclusions. Hit log is pretty great, but it gives only binary "yes/no" answers, nothing else. When I encountered this situation - I went on and wrote a post about special damage, because it's the only available piece of information, that reapers have strong special damage resist, so I concluded that it's the cause.

Given a very extensive experiment outside of normal gameplay (breaking all armor on a reaper then trying to stun it), I'd discover that my previous conclusion was wrong, but then my next conclusion would be "it's a bug" - a behavior that's both not really plausible within game's setting and not documented (as a special case).

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XPiratez / Re: [MAIN] XPiratez - 0.99E.3 - 21 Dec - Dead in Space 3

« on: January 05, 2017, 08:14:19 pm »

Some stuff you just get to learn the hard way

It's pretty bizarre to expect that someone should learn intricacies of OpenXCOM damage-dealing mechanics by... what exactly? Asking on forums or looking at the source code? I see no other possible ways. From within the game at most you can learn that something doesn't work, with no indication why.

Also, no matter how far you stretch it, this is a very special case that needs to be highlighted in some way. For example, you "bashing on the skull" example is completely flawed, because a melee weapon with lethal damage but extra stun will never stun a reaper (e.g. spiked mace), despite totally fitting the "bashing on the skull" idiom.

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XPiratez / Re: [MAIN] XPiratez - 0.99E.3 - 21 Dec - Dead in Space 3

« on: January 05, 2017, 07:48:54 pm »

It's not special damage, it's plasma damage, but working with the toStun modifier.  2x2 units are naturally immune to the toStun modifier.  By the way, what did you think was going to happen trying to use a stun baton on a reaper?  Or a cattle prod for that matter?  A reaper is about the size of some cattle, so you're just making it angry

Well, that's even more quirky then and should be indicated somewhere.
And regarding general believability of it, sorry, it's not very natural when you can easily stun a reaper with a few gunbutt swings, but can't do so with implements specifically designed to stun (that's not even mentioning that cattle prod can, given enough tries, stun people in power armor). But I don't really mind such quirks as long as it's explained to the player.

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XPiratez / Re: [MAIN] XPiratez - 0.99E.3 - 21 Dec - Dead in Space 3

« on: January 05, 2017, 07:38:48 pm »

Can we have some in-game indication (e.g. in bootypedia) that stun baton and cattle prod damage is considered SPECIAL?
I found it out the hard way, trying to stun a reaper with zero effect due to them having 90% special damage resist.

Or it would be even better to somehow rework this, I understand that special damage resist was implemented to make reapers protected from things like Bad Touch and the like. But their immunity to stun baton and cattle prod doesn't make much sense - especially when you can gunbutt but not zap them.

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XPiratez / Re: Reusable (and painful) deep 'surgury' kit RENDers mushroom beer redundant

« on: January 04, 2017, 09:20:08 pm »

Bleh. No. It's not stupid, just such a drastic change would destroy too much work that has already been done - everything would have to be rebalanced again.

I know, just mentioned it as a possible way out. In my personal opinion, though, it's not even a particularly great problem so that it doesn't necessarily need attention. UFO Defense game rules (and subsequently, OpenXCOM's) were always quite prone to all sorts of abuse from a clever player. Patching out the most glaring holes in mechanics is fine, but trying to address all the possible issues likely isn't even possible without rewriting most of the game's rules.

So in this case if there's a loophole caused by a single item, the smallest practical approach, if it is necessary, would be to change that item (and not the rules themselves).