Messages

1

Hardmode Expansion / Re: [EXPANSION]Hardmode Expansion -- General Feedback Thread

« on: July 03, 2020, 11:03:39 am »

There is something else giving me a bad feeling: almost every month the aliens will send a large group of UFO trying to build a base. Even if I attack and destroy every landed UFO, the base is still built and a local country infiltrated. And even if I destroy the base before the end of the month (and my area/country score is much higher than the aliens) the country is still lost. I understand you want to make the game hard, but I feel this is somewhat incoherent with the outcome of the events (aliens were totally defeated).
Anyway, after discovering lasers (april/may) I start to build laser cannon factories everywhere and stop concerning about money. So losing countries is not really affecting the game, but still leaving a bitter taste in the mouth since you are punished even if you didn't do anything wrong.

2

Hardmode Expansion / Re: [EXPANSION]Hardmode Expansion -- General Feedback Thread

« on: June 29, 2020, 02:14:45 am »

Would you mind sharing the changed ruleset? Maybe your changes are more reasonable and realistic, a look can't hurt

Sorry, after reaching lasers I didn't care alloy ammo anymore, so I didn't save my modified ruleset when updating to your new version. Now I'm December, fighting all the big bad guys with high tech weapons.
Anyway I still have my costs analysis sheet (see attach), so is possible to recreate it.
For "overpriced" I mean total production costs are too high compared to the normal ammo, and giving a low benefit (+10 damage) it would push the player to skip them (specially because you need them only in the early game, when your cash is short).
To fit them into the game I tried to lower their production costs, but balancing production of single clips was impossible due to the high labour/workshop cost, so I created batches of clips.
This way alloy ammo will cost about ten times the normal one for rifles, and some more for the cannons.
As I said, I didn't study the whole economy of the game nor a perfect new balance of ammo costs, just did a quick and dirty fix for something I felt wrong.

3

Hardmode Expansion / Alien base bug?

« on: May 25, 2020, 03:22:38 pm »

Sorry, don't know where to post this, hope is ok.
In Alien Base there is one room with a 3x3 lift showing only 2x2 platform on ground floor.
I'm playing Hardmode by Hellrazor, but not sure the map is mod related or not.

4

Hardmode Expansion / Re: Hardmode Expansion - Bugreports

« on: April 23, 2020, 12:50:40 am »

This is my redraw of your tree. Feel free to use it if you like. Otherwise nevermind.

5

Hardmode Expansion / Re: [EXPANSION]Hardmode Expansion -- General Feedback Thread

« on: April 23, 2020, 12:38:12 am »

Ehi, no need to be upset.
This thread is called feedback, so I provided a feedback.

I did some January/April run tests, and peeked manufacture and research rules.
Funds are scarce and you need loot to pay upkeeps, so I found more appropriate to invest in radar outposts and weapon research (scanner, drones, explosive, containment -> slate -> laser = good weapons and good money).
The base mission is doable in February with drones and conventional weapons + explosive (vs. Floaters, Reapers). I really like drones!
The only unfair missions are terror missions, where all civilians are dead after 2/3 turns and you often face 4+ Cyberdisk just in front of your Skyranger door. Only wise choice is abort, but even when you win you collect a big negative score due to civilian casualties.
But before lasers, the only life saving strategy is to smoke, scout, snipe/rocket. It gets repetitive. Differently from vanilla, AI tends to send all aliens out of the ufo (why?), and I can wait and snipe/blow them on the door. I almost never entered large ufos (I would like to, but aliens keep coming out and I never have a safe approach chance).
I tried alloy ammo, and I found it more enjoyable because they allow little bit more aggressive and less tedious strategy.
But I really felt they are too far overpriced (see the numbers) and was curious to understand the reason, if any (did I miss something? no debate over it in the forum?), so I asked. I also did my personal rebalance in the rules, felt it more fun and realistic (in game terms) and shared my mind. That's all.

I would also change the alloy weapons tree a little bit:
(melee): alien alloy -> alloy knife -> alloy sword (no dependence from ammo and personal armor)
(fire): alien alloy -> alloy ammo -> alloy cannon (cannot operate a cannon before ammo)

I never used melee until now, it just makes more sense to me like this.
I really could not find any debate on alloy weapons in the forum, so was thinking they are overlooked and not properly balanced.
But they are just suggestions, you can discard them without being harsh.
Peace!

6

Hardmode Expansion / Re: [EXPANSION]Hardmode Expansion -- General Feedback Thread

« on: April 21, 2020, 05:08:14 pm »

Is the alloy ammo cost really intended?
I like the idea of alloy ammo to improve early game conventional weapons, but manufacturing cost and time are so high that are pushing them out of the game (specially in early game, when you need them).
From a fast calculation, supposing 40 engineers working for 730 hours per month and computing base maintenance costs, this is a compare table with conventional ammo costs (per single unit buyed/produced):
(sorry for the terrible formatting, I'm new here)

pistol clip: 70 - alloy: 1774 (more than 25 times over)
rifle clip: 200 - alloy: 3180 (~16 times)
shotgun clip: 200 - alloy: 7401 (~37 times)
sniper clip: 500 - alloy: 8401 (~17 times)
HC AP: 300 - alloy: 12184 (~40 times)
AA AP: 500 - alloy: 12184 (~24 times)

and for a complete comparison:

knife: 100 - alloy: 18236 (~182 times!)
rocket: 900 - elerium: 33733 (~37 times)
vest: 20000 - alloy: 75438 (~3.77 times)

For a mere +10 damage, seems skipping them and investing the money in laser research is a much better investment.
I did not study the whole game economy, but I think alloy items cost ratio should be more like the alloy vest, or something between 5-10 times conventional costs. This could be easily achieved raising by ten times the number of clips produced (and the required alloy) in a single production cycle, but keeping current project time and space. It would also be logical that ammo clips are produced in batches and you can't start a project for a single one. I think the real challenge with these items should be the alloy management, not the cash. I could post more specific numbers if requested.

7

Hardmode Expansion / Re: Hardmode Expansion - Bugreports

« on: April 21, 2020, 03:42:24 pm »

I found a bug in manufacture rules file, line 201: upgrading a scout drone to taser drone will produce a scanner drone.
I also did small fixing to the research tree diagram, but seems I'm not able to post anything here. 
I added an alloy weapon tree, and slightly modified the explosives tree adding explosive ammo and stun/fire grenade.

Maybe wrong place to ask, but is the alloy ammo cost really intended?
I like the idea of alloy ammo to improve conventional weapons, but manufacturing cost and time are so high that are pushing them out of the game (specially early game). Maybe I should start a new thread with more detailed analysis elsewhere.