Messages

1

XPiratez / Re: Bugs & Crash Reports

« on: October 03, 2024, 05:23:32 pm »

Ok, it's the first time I've done this. I have uploaded a sav file with my current game. If I've gotten confused, please let me know.

Figured out the problem. You've got the research topic available, but hidden from the normal list.

You need to open the research projects window, and click on the drop-down button in the bottom left that says "Default". That will expand the list and you can select "Hidden" to see all the topics in that list. Blackmailing Dr. X isn't the only topic you've hidden either. Screenshot attached of the hidden list and what you need to click.

2

The X-Com Files / Re: Fireextinguisher

« on: September 27, 2024, 01:55:10 pm »

No.
The fire extinguisher uses the same damage formula that fire uses, which restricts the damage to 5-10. It also has a 0% health damage modifier and a 60% stun damage modifier, which combined with the 4x multiplier for choke damage on humans means they will take 12-24 stun damage from each attack.

Not terrible at stunning, but with how much TU it costs to attack and the limited range you're better off using it for its intended purpose: extinguishing people that are on fire.

3

XPiratez / Re: XPiratez Information Compilation, Starter Guide & Weapon Spreadsheet

« on: September 27, 2024, 10:12:18 am »

Not according to the programming notes literally in the documentation:Higher spread means more pellets hit same target, choke is merely a % modifier to that initial value.

Admittedly, it does sound counterintuitive, but the numbers also match. The Domestic has a 70 (x0.7) choke, the Police has 110 (x1.1), for example. This is then based on the shells having 15-45 base spread in most cases. (with the shells in that previous example we end up with 25 * 0.7 = 18% chance for each pellet to hit on the Domestic, or 25 * 1.1 = 27.5% on the Police).

A low spread, say 15, plus high choke, say 130, in the documents, just means that the atrocious base spread of the shell is mildly mitigated from 15% to 19.5%.

I'll preface by saying that I don't fully understand how shotgun spread actually works, or whether higher or lower spread results in more pellets hitting the target.

I think that lower spread results in more pellets hitting based mostly off of the XPedia entry for .6g Buckshot (https://xpedia.netlify.app/##STR_BUCKSHOT_HV) suggesting it has a tighter grouping (20 shotgunSpread) compared to the standard .8g buckshot (35 shotgunSpread). There's some discussion in other threads on this forum about it, but I still couldn't fully understand how it works.

Other discussion here:
https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=6541.msg102313
and here (I think this is from when the code used in OXCE was being written):
https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,4834.0.html

And I believe this is the section of code in OXCE that handles the spread calculations:
https://github.com/MeridianOXC/OpenXcom/blob/oxce-plus/src/Battlescape/ProjectileFlyBState.cpp#L783

4

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

« on: September 11, 2024, 03:36:06 pm »

But what's the point of the interrogatin menu in the manufacture screen?

And where/how i can get a vibro sword?

The interrogation category in the manufacturing screen is mostly a holdover from previous versions. You used to have to 'break' high-tier enemies like Academy Medics and Espers in the manufacturing screen after researching interrogation techniques in order to get their secrets. The broken enemy would always give the secrets on research. That was changed back in N3 to the current system of locked random reward, so most of the interrogation options were removed as well.

Vibro swords can show up in a few places. The main ways you can find one are: Blood Rituals mission (very small chance of appearing); Siberia Base Investigation (moderate chance of some of the leaders having one); random reward from Iron, Titanium or Tritanium coupons; random reward from mad scribblings; small chance from glamour recruitment; guaranteed from recruiting a damsel of war (she can only show up as a rare random event). There are some other missions they can appear on, but those tend to be in pretty late-game missions and by then you'll probably have the research to make them yourself.

5

XPiratez / Re: A thread for little questions

« on: September 09, 2024, 06:23:24 pm »

1) I just got the Brute armor research, but it will take me some weeks in game to build it. Is it underwater usable like the Harbringer?

2) I checked the research and to get big pew pew lasers I need the Russian files, that from what I searched in forums need a Syberia mission, how do I get this mission?

1. No, the brute armor cannot be used underwater.
2. The Siberia mission is unlocked once you've gotten the GUILD REP'S SECRETS research (https://xpedia.netlify.app/##STR_TRADERS_ARC_KNOWHOW), which is obtained as a random free topic from guild reps after you have already researched Interrogation Techniques.

Hi, got a simple question:
When I research get Interrogation Techniques https://xpedia.netlify.app/##STR_INTERROGATION , and then research captive that has some results locked behind  Interrogation Techniques, will it give that locked result automatically, or is it just added to the pool of dozens of random results that it can give?
FOr example, will Academy engeener https://xpedia.netlify.app/##STR_SECTOID_ENGINEER  give me his Academy engineering right away, or would i have to potentially research them multiple time before RNG gods give me the engeneering?

Researching Interrogation Techniques just unlocks those topics as random rewards from those people. You will have to trust in the RNG to give you the topic you want if there is more than one available from a given person. Most of the random rewards are shared between multiple different enemies, so you can reduce the pool by researching less valuable people and getting their topics out of the way. You can also save just before the research finishes on a new geoscape day (e.g. save at 11:50pm) and reload that save until you get the topic you want, if you're desperate.

6

XPiratez / Re: A thread for little questions

« on: September 07, 2024, 08:34:29 pm »

Where is the excess gear (not equipped) dropped in a Shadowbat? I can't see the pile on the map. Could really use those extra incendiaries I packed as its a sudden zombie mission!

Just checked it, and the pile is in the room on the bottom-left of the ship (one of the two rooms with ladders), next the door to the center room with the stairs. If you're checking from the start of a battle, then press TAB to go to the second soldier in the deployment, and the pile is on the tile next to them.

I've attached a screenshot showing the location. The soldier is standing on the pile.

7

XPiratez / Re: A thread for little questions

« on: August 26, 2024, 05:33:57 am »

ah, but I've been able to do that plenty of times. I haven't been able to get a star gods smuggler yet, but I've come across plenty of solo captains.

no, i was talking about a ground base, like mercenaries or rims

They don't quite have bases like that. If you keep interrogating captured smugglers you'll eventually discover they are connected to the Technocracy in an optronics smuggling scheme (https://xpedia.netlify.app/##STR_SMUGGLED_ELECTRONICS).

After you get some disruptive transmissions later on as part of another storyline, you can start investigating this more deeply, and that will lead to you attacking secret smuggler lairs in city sewer networks. Then you can progress to their full hideouts where you can find the golden statue.

8

XPiratez / Re: A thread for little questions

« on: August 21, 2024, 07:32:44 am »

the Light Force.

so I have to find a Golden Statue i presume

thanks for the tips

If you're looking for rare and exotic items, especially of the gold variety, the smugglers are a good place to start.

They probably have the really good stuff hidden away in their strongholds, and it won't be for sale, but that shouldn't be a problem.

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XPiratez / Re: A thread for little questions

« on: June 19, 2024, 03:09:05 pm »

Is there a way to get wrecked cyberdisc? I got one somehow, but can't get another one, beacons they explode everytime. The only way is to smash it with melee weapon, right?

You need to down them using a damage type that prevents the death explosion. Piratin' Tip #105 has a list of them, you can find it here: https://xpedia.netlify.app/##STR_PINUP_105

The general idea is that most melee weapons work, with the exception of electric damage (e.g. stun rod, prod) and stabbing damage (e.g. rapier). I believe EMP is the only ranged damage type that works on cyberdiscs. I have been caught out before by using a prod to stun a cyberdisc, and the stunned cyberdisc then immediately exploding in my face.

After checking the rulesets a bit, laser stars, throwing hammers and throwing axes will also work as ranged options.

10

XPiratez / Re: A thread for little questions

« on: April 11, 2024, 04:56:40 pm »

I'm playing as dumbass captain and he wants to build luxury spa which is quite a huge building. Do i need to build it on any base or only the main base counts?

Building it anywhere is fine. The check the game does for having a specific building only considers if you have one at all, it doesn't care where the building is located. I would recommend building it somewhere that has decent manufacturing capacity since you can use the luxury spa to upgrade courtesans and gladiatrixes into exotic dancers later on, but it's not necessary.

I am amused by the idea of having all of the CBT training facilities scattered across the world and the captain having to constantly fly between different continents to get all of her training done.

Can someone please tell me what's wrong with my ammo mod?

I think the issue is that you haven't declared that your edit is to the items: category in the rulesets. I've put that in and it now works on my end. I've attached it below.

Also, some advice. It's not good practice to copy over the entire entry for an item into a submod if you're only changing part of it. It adds bloat, hurts compatibility and most importantly, makes it harder to remember what exactly you changed.

11

XPiratez / Re: Bugs & Crash Reports

« on: April 01, 2024, 10:52:06 am »

Hi everyone,

I'm experiencing a crash to desktop while in Geoscape and just passing time. Can't make sense of the message error: " fatal error has occurred: vector::_M_range_check: __n (which is 7) >= this->size() (which is 5)".

Latest save & log file in attachment.

Thanks to all the people involved in the development of this brilliant Mod!

I've had this happen to me once before as well. I don't know why it happened, but I do have a solution:

Open up the save in a text editor and search for "missionSiteZone: 7". There's only one instance of it in this save. Replace it with "missionSiteZone: 4".

That fixed the issue when I tried it on this save and prevented the crash.

12

XPiratez / Re: [MAIN] XPiratez - N7 16-Dec-2023 Flying Tiger, Hidden Tentacle

« on: March 23, 2024, 11:48:25 am »

Ok, I have some more questions:

1. Do Star God Coordinators show up in anything smaller then a Silver Tower too? Because I have shot down every other type of ship and never seen one (admittingly, the same goes for Provosts...)

It's been a while since I looked into this, but from what I recall and some searching now, I think I've got all (or at least most of) the places that Coordinators can show up:
Peacekeeping mission, Battleship at the end;
Sway Local Govt mission, Cruiser at the end and in the alien base that will be established if the mission completes;
Supervision mission variant, Silver Towers (only ship);
Supervision mission, Cruiser at the end (NOTE: there are two races called The Star Gods, both can run this mission but only one has Coordinators).

Alternatively, there is a rare Smuggling mission that has a different type of Smuggler Ship with a special Star God rebel on board who can give you the Cydonia codes. The ship you're looking for has a max speed of 5500, while the regular one has a max speed of 5200. It also has a shield and a weapon range of 50 compared to the normal one's 35 range and no shield.

13

XPiratez / Re: [MAIN] XPiratez - N7 16-Dec-2023 Flying Tiger, Hidden Tentacle

« on: February 24, 2024, 04:56:37 am »

Ok, I give up. Even with the help and deleting the "Thread of Destiny is severed" string again, both 'Wasteland Priestess' and 'Wasteland Sorceress' stay red in the ingame techviewer (as if they were blocked) and I don't get the research when the visit.

Is it possible to manually add that research to my save? And if, how do I do it?

You likely missed changing the researchRuleStatus in the save. When a research topic is disabled, it's marked in that section of the save as STR_X: 2.

So you should be able to fix it by searching for the following in that section of the save:

Code: [Select]

  STR_WASTELAND_PRIESTESS: 2
  STR_WASTELAND_SORCERESS: 2And changing the 2's into 1's. That will re-enable the topics and allow you to actually unlock them.

There's a few ways to manually add research to a save.
The method I would recommend is to add two new research projects (any which don't require/destroy an inventory item) at one of your bases, preferably one that has no other active projects, then saving the game.
Then you can go the that base's entry in the savegame, scroll down to the research: section (underneath the items) and edit the project name of those two new entries to STR_WASTELAND_PRIESTESS and STR_WASTELAND_SORCERESS, and set the cost to 0. Then at the next new day in game, the projects will complete and those subjects should be unlocked and active in-game.

14

XPiratez / Re: A thread for little questions

« on: January 31, 2024, 09:25:25 am »

It's 180*3 =540 bullets were fired during encounter, not a single hit. Can we call it unlucky?

I don't have a complete understanding of the mechanics of craft weapon accuracy vs UFO dodge, but to my knowledge it is entirely possible you had a -% chance to hit the jetbike with a rotogun.
The rotogun has a base 20% chance to hit. This is modified by the craft bonus and whatever the pilot bonus is, let's assume +0. Jetbikes are very small UFOs so that is modified to 20*0.75 = 15%. I don't know exactly how UFO dodge works, if it's a flat reduction to the weapon accuracy or a separate roll, but I think it's a flat reduction to accuracy. Under that assumption, the jetbike's 50 dodge gives you a final accuracy of -35%. I.e. it is impossible for the rotogun to ever hit the jetbike.

I tried to save "over stunned" enemy by standing over him and treating him a drink, but instead Gal downed it herself. I guess enemy units can be saved only by advanced medkit?

The canteens can be used on unconscious enemies, but it might take a few drinks to get them out of overstun, depending on how much health they've lost and how much stun damage they have. I believe medikit targeting priority (which canteens and the like are considered as by the game) is:
1. Valid standing target the user is facing;
2. Valid unconscious target the user is standing on;
3. The user themself.

Thanks, It's worth a try. It just, for example, Spike Rocket has a hit chance of 40% but there are only few of them per weapon slot. Logically speaking Rotogun with almost two hundreds ammo per weapon slot and hitrate 20% had to have better chances to hit a target.

I think that until you can start making/finding higher tech craft weapons, one of your best options for jetbikes are Seagull missiles. They have probably the highest base accuracy (85%) that you'll see for a while, and you can just buy more as needed. They're behind Contacts: Authorized Dealers, of which the main blocker is probably Prize: Bank Favors.

15

XPiratez / Re: A thread for little questions

« on: January 04, 2024, 02:13:36 pm »

How spotting and sniping attributes on enemies work exactly? What is a difference between levels, like basic and advanced?

There's more detailed discussion on this elsewhere in the forum, but this is my understanding of the mechanic:

Sniper/Spotter (not to be confused with SPOT, an element of unit vision that counteracts CAMO and INVIS) is a mechanic that allows enemies to attack your soldiers even without having direct line of sight to those soldiers.

The Spotter attribute means that when an enemy with it sees one of your soldiers or is directly attacked by one of your units (e.g. shot with a gun), that soldier is considered 'spotted' for a number of turns that is represented by the basic, good, expert etc. qualifier. The better the enemy is at spotting, the longer the mark stays active.

The Sniper attribute means that an enemy with it has a percentage chance at the start of its turn to be able to attack any soldier that is actively marked as 'spotted'. The better they are at sniping, the higher the chance. This means that enemies from across the map, that have never had direct vision on a particular soldier, can suddenly start shooting or throwing grenades at them.

I believe this mechanic exists to give the AI a similar ability that the player has, i.e. being able to use a forward scout to locate enemies and then using other soldiers further back that cannot personally see the enemy to shoot from a safe distance without retaliation.