Messages

1

The X-Com Files / Re: Plot cost-benefit ranking (light spoilers)

« on: January 25, 2025, 09:23:50 pm »

I got little but stucked at armors in my playthrough...best I could get was Power armor. If I read wiki correctly, some progress both in Cyberweb and Zombies arc is required for other good armors. Is that correct? I should correct my list a bit regarding that.

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The X-Com Files / Re: Plot cost-benefit ranking (light spoilers)

« on: December 31, 2024, 10:58:53 pm »

a) MIBs can be tough but if you know to deal with them, they give very good loot. You may want to defer researching MIB agent for a while, because if you do and also get info on David Vincent, you may get a one-time mission that can be a bit tough if you are not well prepared (at least Promo III).

Well warning about sectopods would be nice...that thing solo base assault and I have nothing to stop it. Y, I've been lazy with tech switch to lasers, nothing required it until MiB assault my base with all kinds of units I've never seen before...second most deadly trap for newbiew I guess. Maginified greatly to me personally by my "no explosives" policy.

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The X-Com Files / Re: Tower of desolation

« on: December 24, 2024, 05:49:51 pm »

Wow, completely missed that some X units have good thermal vision, that is potentially gamebreaking. My common strat is strong line of snipers firing without LoS...but spotting was always the weak spot. Ofc it won't work against ambushes I ussually get at UFOs.. but will help elsewhere.

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The X-Com Files / Tower of desolation

« on: December 23, 2024, 11:48:09 pm »

Hello, simple question: How are you supposed to do anything at Tower of desolation mission?

Background:
Got that mission for first time ever. Got oblitareted second round. Map is completely flat and enemy spams huge amount of powerful and accurate shots. Also Reptoids seems to ignore smoke to some degree (thermal vision).
So I reloaded, got smart and brought hazmat suits, because enemy attack looked very fire-ish. I was so proud of my cleverness... and got oblitarated first round.
So I got really smart and checked wiki. Enemy attack is plasma, so hazmat does not work. 

My ideas:
1) More smoke, and suicidal spotters.. yeah, bad idea.
2) Transport with doors. Seems like only possible solution to me.

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The X-Com Files / Re: How to fight ghosts

« on: December 22, 2024, 08:47:50 pm »

I've decided to revive this because there is essential tip how to fight ghost in asylum:

MUSIC ON 

No idea about further missions, haven't got there yet. I did it with 15 guys and it was super easy with tasers only... but I am noob playing Experienced difficulty. Forum is full Superhuman Ironman (noone even bothers to mention difficulty, this is standard one ), so they will have completely different experience. I imagine that keeping great number of ghost stunned must be huge pain.

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The X-Com Files / Re: How does one Fight the Flying Avatar Lady?

« on: December 21, 2024, 05:06:31 pm »

My experience is that sometime she is straightforward immortal. Captured her, fought multiple times at bases... but now I am stucked at Root of all evil. Multiple snipers on her, suicided some assaults too, but nothing gets through shield. Reload and bye.

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The X-Com Files / Re: Plot cost-benefit ranking (light spoilers)

« on: December 18, 2024, 10:08:21 pm »

Thanks for replies guys, I rewrote entire list.

No mentions about Ghost and UAC arcs? Strange.

I have faint memory of Asylum from some play years ago... maybe it was one time mission expanded into arc later?

Can you please elaborate on Ghosts? Can it be started immediately, and is there some unusal risk (cost)?

You may want to defer researching MIB agent for a while, because if you do and also get info on David Vincent, you may get a one-time mission that can be a bit tough if you are not well prepared (at least Promo III).

This is Important...does it mean that if you miss that mission, you can never progress arc? Are there are missions like that in any plot? I will definitely add such info to the list.

a) The first branch of syndicate plotline can be unlocked early. There is some OK loot and access to easy research. Advisable.
    b) The second branch of syndicate plotline (data seizure) may need to be deferred a bit until you have craft(s) capable of shooting down their retaliation and a fast enough craft to get into the three second stage missions with 8-16 hour times (e.g. SKYMARSHALL). The second stage is extremely useful. It unlocks KITSUNE, an ultimate fast craft for going to missions.
    c) The third stage of syndicate plotline is the syndicate regional HQ, where you can get Helix Knight transformation, which helps. The final part (Syndicate HQ) gives you the best transformation of the game and is very useful. The mission can be challenging without strong psionics. So progressing hybrid path (or good luck with RNG with hybrid defectors having strong PST) is advisable.

Can you please clarify relationship between branches/stages? Can you finish A without doing B (in case there is some finish), but mainly can you reach C without doing B...etc?

Dagon and Red Dawn can be deadly for various reasons and I usually go there only after I have obtained Promo III and TAC + gas grenades.

Mhm strange. Dagon was a laughing stock to me at Veteran difficulty, used them to get Promo III. I guess it depends how their role fits your playstyle, or I just got lucky. Anyway I removed cult ranking from the list - game is very transparent about cult differences and it is subjective.

8

The X-Com Files / Plot cost-benefit ranking (light spoilers)

« on: December 17, 2024, 09:49:25 pm »

Hello. First of all, this topic should contain some minor spoilers - mainly list of plots with very brief description. But I see no reason to go into any depth - my idea is only to give players guide how to treat plot options (and avoid deadly ones).

After losing my first game mainly thanks to opening some crazy Syndicate subplot, I decided to go more investigation before starting new run. I think that I chased too many things way too early, but issue is that it is really hard for newbie to say what plot priorities are (without extensive wiki study).

My goal is to list all main plots here - I will add new plots and info from discussion. I will also try to keep it ordered, 1 being top priority. I know that priorities might change during progression (e.g. some plot might be very unworthy to chase early, but very worthy to chase after Prom3 or something like that - thanks to cost reduction). Also some plots might have multiple subplots with different priority - I will do my best and maybe change ranking system later when I have more info.

Cost = any expenses caused by plot, most commonly dead/injured agents, extra research. (I hope that no plot requires extra building or expensive gear)

Benefit = tech, loot. Ofc fun and variety is good too, but thats not point of this list.

Thanks all for the help.

Plots

1. Defend Earth

Obviously main one - progress as quickly as needed to be able to fight aliens. Rushing Promotions is top priority always.

2. Deep ones
Great benefit. Can be started immediately. No nasty surprises.

3. Osiron
Good benefit. Can be started immediately. Requires some undercover mission.


4. Syndicate

Good in general, but needs proper timing (see bellow).

Syndicate phases

a) Beginning

Good benefit. Can be started immediately.

b) Data seizure

Huge benefit, but devastating cost when started too early. Should be started only with available fighter craft (better than helicopters) and quick transport craft.

c) HQs

Good benefit, but challenging.

5. Hybrids

Great benefit. Can be started immediatelly.

6. MiB

Good benefit, potential cost. Should be delayed to at least Promo III, but most likely longer (very heavy armor).

7. Ghosts
Good benefit. Cost and timing to be clarified.

8. Cult of Apocalypse
OK benefit. Should be delayed to Promo III.

9. Cyberweb
Little early benefit for some cost. Delay until ready (finish with lasers).

10. UAC
Little to no benefit.

11. Shogg
Little to no benefit.

12. Zombies
No benefit, big cost.

As said at start, I will update this based on discussion. I will try to keep it spoiler friendly as much as possible. In discussion itself, there might be greater spoilers, be aware.

EDIT: I got idea that listing one time events here might be good too, e.g. to not stress too much player about getting his ass kicked or missing out mission (E.g. lobsters are one of these?)

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The X-Com Files / Re: Frustration with Syndicate retaliation

« on: December 16, 2024, 09:21:21 pm »

Thanks for the STR.

I reached Prom3 late - Feb 99. I am finishining my first craft now - RAVEN. I was hoping that shooting down Syndicate craft down would help, but on other hand, radar detection is not 100%. Also making two other crafts (3 bases) takes too much time, so I will use STR.

EDIT: Well I've found that 3 negative score months in row still lead to defeat...time for more educated run I guess

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The X-Com Files / Re: Frustration with Syndicate retaliation

« on: December 16, 2024, 01:15:03 am »

Hi, I am back...
I removed STR_SYNDICATE_PISSED from save, but it keeps getting back. I advanced and improved bases layout, so I can defend without much issue.... but I am just getting tired of having multiple base assaults each month. I am very close to just Debug skip next assaults.

Is there any way how to get rid of that pernamently? Looking into mod data viewer, it should be possible by saving reactor (done that), data reel (have that) and saving council during assasination? I guess thats what I am missing, that missiong is very suicidal. I guess I will edit my save.. (if someone can give me precise string for Council commisioneer research) or try that mission once more with Prom 3 tech.
I am also thinking about removing - STR_SYNDICATE_FLOPPY, could that help? I do not mind getting rid of this Syndicate nonsense completely.. afaik, it gave me nothing but pain.

> can't use, to hard. better lose

I am pretty sure I could benefit from grenades greatly. Issue is that I do not like that mechanic at all in game, it is basically way too OP

11

The X-Com Files / Re: Bugs, crashes, typos & bad taste

« on: December 07, 2024, 06:28:21 pm »

In Syndicate assasination mission, minotaur spawned inside house very near my troops. That should not happen, or..?

Screenshot is from first round after I moved two soldiers... then I gave up and reloaded mission, there is not much I can do there. I have savefile too if needed.

12

The X-Com Files / Re: Frustration with Syndicate retaliation

« on: December 07, 2024, 05:27:16 pm »

I'm rather casual myself, and I feel you. But this isn't an obligatory arc, you can just bail. And learning to bail is essential.

But that is the main issue imo - how am I supposed to know that I can bail this out, without blocking progress to nice necessary technology (unless intensive wiki study)

I got mission with -1k points respawn penalty iirc. So I went there, and did what I ussually do when meeting new stuff in this mod- failed first attempt misserably, so reloaded to try it with some knowledge. Tried usual approach when you face superior enemy - defend spawn point for your life or flee. Thanks to very good snipers, I was able to win mission actualy, since snipers is only Prom2 weapon style which can kick elites Syndicates ass.

Ofc now I know, and I will simply skip it next time - 1k pts is not that much. But when players does not know, he falls into GAME OVER path with very little chance to avoid it. That is not good design imo.
It would be nice to give players some warning in mission description at least - "This secret military knowledge is very valauble to Syndicate - they will pursue it at all cost".

You can change it in the save; just edit "difficulty: 2" to difficulty: 1".
XCF doesn't have any advanced features which depend on difficulty, so it should be fine.

Good, did that, thanks.

13

The X-Com Files / Re: Frustration with Syndicate retaliation

« on: December 07, 2024, 05:01:57 pm »

One of many deadly traps for inexperienced players. This mod has actually more traps than solid ground 

I got floppy disk at middle 98, while being prom 2 only. Syndicate retaliated (straight yolo for base, unstopable by Little bird). Lost many good people - prom 2 gives you nothing to fight syndicate captains/super soldiers  properly in this scenario. That would be fine, issue is that retailiation continued...first Syndicate Dragonflies searched frequently, easy to chase off by Little bird. But then straight yolo happened again, and I had no chance to defend again, base was still crippled from first attack. I had to use Debug to not have to start whole game again.. (btw this is first time ever in my gaming life I use limited savescumming regularly and I do not feel bad about it... this mod pitfalls are just too deadly for new players - even when wiki is used frequently)

I picked wrong difficulty by accident (Veteran instead of planned Experienced), so it might be better for new players with proper difficulty. But still forcing player to fight for life against elite syndicate at PRom 2 seems wrong to me. Single retaliation should be fair enough. But I am casual, it might seem fine to nerds knowing best grenades combo, soldieros compo, mines, weakness of every enemy, etc . E.g. I do not even use grenades, that mechanic seems just to broken to me... unfortunately enemies do not care .

You get STR_SYNDICATE_PISSED either by successfully completing the data seizure mission or at the latest when researching the syndicate floppy disc you get from the mission. The mission won't spawn again if you have researched it (and thus obtained Syndicate Operations). If you don't want to do the mission again and haven't researched the floppy disc yet, I suppose it would be the easiest to remove STR_SYNDICATE_PISSED, and just research the floppy disc when you're ready.

Thanks for the tip, removed it from save. Will put it back at Prom 3.

Btw I plan to change difficulty midgame to desired one .... I hope it does not cripple game, right? Ofc I have too many cult manors at map right now, but that should be only issue I hope.

14

The X-Com Files / Re: Some suggestions

« on: December 03, 2019, 10:27:45 pm »

Is newest version playable? I thought i'm doing well, having Promotion III, 4 bases, UAC rifles, tritanium armors and Ravens at start of invasion...well i've lost game at March. Spammed by unshootable UFOs, aliens and MiB started several bases at January and any "normal missions" like clinic etc. turned into grenades fest, so casualties were very heavy. I could play 0.99e Superhuman easily, but no chance at 1.0x Veteran.  1999 missions are undoable very often.

15

The X-Com Files / Re: Some suggestions

« on: November 25, 2019, 03:56:11 pm »

Y, you are right guys. Payed a more attention to it and some long time bleeding enemies are counted as dead too sometimes. For some reason the last one i shoot is always bleeding too much .
Dunno about auto battle end... without it i tend to just try to hit end turn button after killing supposed last enemy, and sometimes it turns out really badly when there is someone left :/