Messages

1

Released Mods / Re: [COMPILATION] Final Mod Pack (FMP)

« on: April 27, 2016, 01:55:03 pm »

I have an idea. How about a HWP with no weapon, but very well protected (armor 180-200?). It can be used as a moving obstacle to hide behind (+relatively safe scouting).

2

Released Mods / Re: [COMPILATION] Final Mod Pack (FMP)

« on: April 13, 2016, 03:26:17 pm »

More tools are always welcome, though I personally think making Ufopedia articles is so trivial that using an automatic tool is more hassle than doing it by hand

Making Ufopedia articles is trivial? Hmm. There are ca 400 items in FMP, ca 180 manufacturing entries etc. I personally would need a couple of months to do it by hand.
Pros of the tool:
- you can generate a whole Ufopedia with one click
- you can use any mod combination
- you can use multiple template "themes" (tables, articles etc.)
- some data can be calculated automatically (manufacturing profit, weapon effectiveness, psi-defence, average armor strength etc.)
- you can easily compare two or more items (or units, or ...) in the table view (select the rows and click "show only selected rows")
- you don't need to track the changes and modify ufopedia by hand for each change (simply execute the tool)
- ...

If I was to choose a tool to be created, I'd probably stick with an update on Falko's tools: https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,2349.0.html These are immensely useful, but some of them are outdated.

It was intended to be used by gamers (and modders). I play the FMP and i miss the FMP-Ufopedia. In-game Ufopedia has only basic infos (no weapon weights, dropoff, no table view etc.). If i need to find a good item to manufacture for profit, i need to go through all items and compare them. It's annoying.

I have planed a second tool - Ruleset Batch Modifier. You can define the rules to modify the Rule-Files. With this tool you can modify existing mods, e.g.
- increase the armor of the aliens (leave the good armored aliens unchanged and give the weaker aliens better armor (e.g. +50%)).
- replace all weak weapons in deployments with more powerful (this mod can be activated in the late game)
...

As for the sorting stuff, Meridian already did it for OXCE: https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,4187.0.html; you may find it helpful.

I have not found the sortable tables in this thread. Not for FMP anyway. Have i missed them somehow?

3

Released Mods / Re: [COMPILATION] Final Mod Pack (FMP)

« on: April 13, 2016, 12:48:10 pm »

Hi Solarius. I am developing a command line tool that generates Ufopedia from .rul/.yml files (Java).
You can select the mods (comma-separated list) and the tool generates the Ufopedia for this mods (articles + filterable tables).
It was intended mainly for FMP, but can be used with any mod (Openxcom Nightly Ruleset).
Roadmap:
- Table views (filtering, sorting etc.)
- Article views (like https://ufopaedia.org)
- Categories: units, items (weapons, armors etc.), crafts, craft weapons, base facilities, manufacturing (with profit), research, general Ufopedia articles

Low prio TODOs/nice to have:
- Openxcom Extended Ruleset support
- Research tree diagram

Do you have any suggestions? Have i missed something?

4

Released Mods / Re: [COMPILATION] Final Mod Pack (FMP)

« on: April 12, 2016, 11:04:05 pm »

There are two entries for STR_BLASTER_BOMB in manufacture_FMP.rul. A bug perhaps?

5

Released Mods / Re: [COMPILATION] Final Mod Pack (FMP)

« on: April 11, 2016, 09:12:32 pm »

Take these "useless" weapons from me and I'll bite! Shotguns are the best, when use correctly. It's just that not everyone uses compatible tactics. I'm not really heavy on them either, but I know many people consider them too good.

Maybe in early game the shotguns are good, but they are limited. Short range + enemies must have low armor. Sectoids can be easily killed with any weapon, i don't really need the power of the shotgun.

BTW did you know melee attacks don't provoke reaction fire?

But you must come closer to use a knife and the movement provokes reaction fire.

But the cost is rarely above 10 TUs.

My mistake. I have used only the plasma swords (20 TU).

I'm a bit torn here, but at least you can't take many of them (except in base defence) and they prevent you from taking tanks, so there are associated costs.

I would use the tanks, if they costs 200-300k, but 500-1000k (+extra costs) ... Most of the tanks can still be killed with one shot. Sectopods are good (well armored + good damage).

What would you like me to do, put a Battleship-class cannon on every Scout? Some UFOs are dangerous, other not so much.

Many UFOs have the range 42km and plasma beam 45km. Changing the range of the plasma beam to 42km gives the aliens a chance.

6

Released Mods / Re: [COMPILATION] Final Mod Pack (FMP)

« on: April 11, 2016, 03:58:03 pm »

I have completed my first MiB terror mission yesterday and i have some questions/suggestions.
1) I was surprised to see that a heavy trooper carries a simple rifle. It leaves not even a scratch on flying suit. Other MiB soldiers have shotguns and similar weapons. What they are supposed to do with this? Bring my soldiers to laugh?
The same applies to aliens. Plasma Caster, Plasma Pistol, Alien Laser Rifle etc. are useless against good armor. It's ridiculous. The aliens supposed to be dangerous, not laughable. Only weapons with >40 damage can do any harm to flying suit, but only 80+ weapons can be considered as dangerous (weaker weapons need a lot of luck).
2) Perhaps a general Openxcom question. Why the aliens throws no grenades? I have changed turnAIUseGrenade to 0, but this doesn't help. They are ignoring the grenades completely.
3) Shotgun-like weapons are useless. They are short range and are only good against enemies with a low armor (auto-shot is more effective).
4) Laser/Gauss weapons are obsolete, if there are rail/plasma weapons and rail weapons can be researched easily (i have finished the research in august).
5) Melee weapons are almost useless. TU cost ist comparable to normal weapons and a damage is not really better.
6) Dogs are OP. They are very cheap and can do 40 melee damage (only 8 TU = 400 damage/turn). The rifles must have alloy ammo to do the same damage. 20 damage were more realistic and perhaps 12 TU/hit. Price must be 20000-30000. They still remain very useful, because the dogs are very good scouts and they can save the soldiers from be killed.
7) Tanks are almost useless. They are very expensive and are not really better as soldiers with a good armor. Perhaps the X-Com Sectopods can be used, because they are very well armored and can't be destroyed so easy. For the price of one tank i can buy a lot of dogs or rookies to train.
Difficulty. The game is too easy even on superhuman. In other TBS you can lose easily on hardest difficulty levels (e.g. HoMM, Eador, ...), but not in X-Com.
- unlimited money (workers + rail cannon gives me ca. 2M/workshop/month and i have 4-6 workshops/base).
- harmless UFOs (plasma beam and the only threat is a battleship, but a tormentor can shot a battleship easily down with rail cannons). In X-Com 3 even a smallest UFO can do damage.
- ground battles are easy, if you are careful (smoke grenades + dog scouts = win)

7

Released Mods / Re: [COMPILATION] Final Mod Pack (FMP)

« on: April 04, 2016, 01:38:33 pm »

I have a question. In Meridian's Lets Play i have seen many MiB missions, but i get only floaters, snakemans etc. (november), no MiB, no mutons. I rarely see some alien races (chtonites, chryssalids etc.) but very often floaters and snakemans (sometimes sectoids, anthropods, spitters, gazers or hybrids). Have i missed something?

Do you have any docs on what is included in this mod pack? The OP just points to a bunch of threads and then states that they are now defunct, and this is the only valid thread; there was no wiki or other doc link in the OP.

Additionally I would recommend using the Debug Mode (Ctrl-D), that unlocks all articles in the Ufopedia.

[Spoiler]

8

Released Mods / Re: [COMPILATION] Final Mod Pack (FMP)

« on: March 31, 2016, 02:13:51 pm »

- use psi-rods (the soldiers, that are the primary psi attack targets are the ones, who have the lowest psi strength)
- use a lot of smoke grenades (1-2 between your soldiers and aliens to break the line of sight). If they are not seeing you, they can't shoot at you. Smoke is useless if you have not enough of it, it's either 100% effective or 100% useless. You can still shot, if one of your scouts sees the aliens. It's a huge advantage.
- use dogs/scout tanks as scouts (i prefer the dogs, because they are 5x cheaper and can bite the alien ass )
- use rookies with low stats as secondary scouts (cannon fodder).
- don't hurry, let the aliens come to you and spend their TUs (you can stay in the skymarshall for the first turn and use the motion scanner afterwards)
- weapons (example for 12 soldiers): 2 rocket launchers (large rockets), 2 grenade launchers (or auto-cannons), 2 sniper rifles, 1 flamethrower, 5 assault rifles. Magnum is good as secondary weapon.
- use the HE-ammo carefully, because you can destroy the corpses/items that you can sell
- capturing live aliens is very important (commanders, leaders, engineers, navigators, medics). Use stun rods.
- avoid the night fights, if possible (if ufo crash lands, you can wait till morning)
- use electro-flares in the night fights
- use strafe left/right function (ctrl-click). If you trigger the reaction fire, your front armour can save you (front armour is better as left/right armour).
- research alloy ammo and personal armor ASAP
- switch to Skymarshall ASAP
- switch to Raven ASAP
- use avalanche launchers as craft weapons
- manufacture items for profit (motion scanner, then alien laser rifle)
- you will need 100-150 scientists and as much as possible engineers (manufacture for profit). I usually have 150 engineers in the main base and 250 in the secondary bases
- i usually have 3 mind shields per base (only secondary bases)
- use a good base layout (see Ufopedia: Base Layout Strategy)

Spoiler:

- don't sell floater/muton/cyberdisc corpses, you will need them later (you can sell some floaters, if you have too many)
- your primary research targets are:
  * psi lab / psi-amp
  * flying armour
  * Rail Weapons

I would strongly recommend the Let's play from Meridian (Youtube: Let's play OpenXcom FMP HD)

9

Released Mods / Re: [COMPILATION] Final Mod Pack (FMP)

« on: March 29, 2016, 01:38:54 pm »

Alright, so I beat the base assault. Lost 27 out of 36 soldiers. Lost a lot to the psi puppet theatre (featuring today - kill your friends in a orgy of madness, panic and mind control)

I have usually no problem with the base assault. 12-14 soldiers, soldiers with low psi strength have no weapon (only smoke grenades, motion scanner etc.). I use a lot of smoke grenades and dogs as scouts and lost max 2-3 soldiers. Aliens normally attack (psi) the soldiers with the lowest psi strength.

1 - From time to time, at the game start i ran out of research projects.

I have normally far too much research projects to research, never had such a problem.

2 - Weapons. I gained weapons like this and i think its WRONG.

I agree, that Gauss Rifles are better as Laser Rifles. Maybe a little more damage?
I was able to research Rail Weapons right after Gauss/Laser Weapons. Perhaps more dependencies for Rail Weapons in research tree?
Autocannon is good with HE Ammo, but the soldier must be a Schwarzenegger to carry such a weapon.
Flamethrower is well balanced. You can kill a cyberdisc or a reaper with one shot, but Flamethrower is a short range weapon and is not so good against some aliens.
Grenade launcher - very good (low TU cost, area damage, not so heavy as Autocannon).

3 - Crafts and armaments. ... Otherwise the short range weapons feel totally useless. I mean does anyone of you fly with laser or gauss cannon?

I agree, that the craft weapons are a little unbalanced.
Laser/Gauss Cannon - useless (short range, low damage).
Rail Cannon - very good (a way better as Laser/Gauss).
I go usually the way 2x Avalanche -> Avalanche/Rail Cannon -> Plasma Beam/Rail Cannon or Fusion Ball Launcher/Rail Cannon or Fusion Ball Launcher/Plasma Beam

4 - Oh there should TOTALLY be a mention, that IRONFIST is not a GLOBAL craft and it cannot reach the other side of Earth on one tank.

+1
I have already mentioned that Skymarshall is better as IRONFIST. Not only the fuel is the issue, but also the craft design (Skymarshall is a way better if you try to keep your soldiers alive).

10

Released Mods / Re: [COMPILATION] Final Mod Pack (FMP)

« on: March 22, 2016, 12:53:17 pm »

Some balance issues:

1) Psi is totally overpowered. If you have psi amps you need no weapons more, you need not even step out of the transporter. It's a fun killer.
I would suggest to integrate following options from "Customizable Psi/Blaster Balance Mod":
- Psi-Amp Line Of Sight: X-COM must be in line-of-sight to the target to use the Psi-Amp.
- Psi Amp Time Units Cost 45: Using the Psi-Amp costs 45 time units instead of 25.
- Expensive Psi-Amp: The Psi-Amp is more expensive and requires more special materials. This includes 2 mind probes. Manufacturing mind probes are also no longer possible.

I would also decrease Psi Strength/Psi Skill of the X-COM Soldiers, both, starting and max (see "Psi Threat Reduced" option).

2) Skymarshall is better as Ironfist
Ironfist was supposed to be a better craft, but i think, that Skymarshall is a way better.
Pros:
- all doors are closed at the end of turn (soldiers are safe)
- doors are better placed (3 directions, no stairs)
- main door is better defended
- more fuel (unlike Ironfist Skymarshall can reach any point)
Cons:
- less cargo space (IMHO not important, Skymarshall has enough space)
- speed, damage etc. (fuel and craft layout are a way more important for transporter)