Messages

1

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

« on: October 12, 2024, 12:05:35 pm »

I am confused about LASER BEAM (craft weapon).

The Ufopaedia description says "This conventional laser cannon is powered by a specially developed Elerium-based battery"

Yet it doesn't require the Elerium Battery tech, it is purchased, rather than manufactured using Elerium, and it does not consume Elerium to reload.

Well, it still is an Elerium battery, just not the same type as the "Elerium Battery" tech. But it's totally confusing, I agree. Will change the wording a bit.

2

The X-Com Files / Re: The X-Com Files - 3.4: Daggers for Hire

« on: October 12, 2024, 11:35:57 am »

Are there any plans regarding Jarheads? Currently last missions and research are about Jarhead factories, but there are still unanswered questions about who/what was producing Jarheads and for what reason ?

I'd like to expand on that. Jarheads are basically T'leth tech, like Gillmen, except lower tech and outsourced to the surface.

I've been meaning to add more missions and lore here, but had no inspiration. Ideas welcome

3

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

« on: October 10, 2024, 01:16:01 pm »

Actually, there is an inconsistency, and it's not isolated to translation.

It's not easy to decide whether an interrogation should give STR_GILLDOG or STR_GILLDOG_TERRORIST. Creatures are different from "ranked" enemies, and I want to avoid a situation where you already know STR_GILLDOG, but not STR_GILLDOG_TERRORIST, so researching STR_GILLDOG_TERRORIST is possible but gives you nothing.

4

The X-Com Files / Re: AAR - xcom under the ruins of ancient Luxor

« on: October 09, 2024, 02:47:10 pm »

Fun fun ^_^

I particularly liked how the opinion on logistics went from genius to nightmare in 5 days.

5

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

« on: October 07, 2024, 03:53:37 pm »

Are you sure? I'm pretty sure that agents that are out of the base don't even show up in the transformations menu. At least I don't ever recall being able to transform them and I think I would have seen this by now. This would also have impact on the missions if you transform an agent while still enroute to a mission (instead of back from the mission).

Lol, I haven't actually verified this, and you're right... People away from base cannot be bio-enhanced.

6

The X-Com Files / Re: The X-Com Files - 3.4: Daggers for Hire

« on: October 07, 2024, 03:52:00 pm »

But that was not my main point; the main point of my comment was that space 50 requirement seemed inconsistent with the other, even bigger crafts, which require less space.

You're right, I streamlined this aspect. Thanks!

7

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

« on: October 07, 2024, 03:33:03 pm »

It is possible to apply the Bioenhancement (and probably other enhancements) on agents which are out on a vehicle. This will teleport the agent back to the base.
Not sure though if this is a bug of X-Com Files bug or of the OXCE engine.

Definitely an engine issue, but... not sure if it's that very wrong. It's not X-Com Apocalypse level of tracking stuff.

8

The X-Com Files / Re: The X-Com Files - 3.4: Daggers for Hire

« on: October 07, 2024, 02:41:47 pm »

Until and unless a better solution presents itself, I would suggest adding some jarhead pretenders to the Dagon HQ mission. That would ensure that if you complete the Dagon arch, you will get access to EMP stuff (and eventually Kitsune). My current 3.5 snapshot campaign (August 1998) is currently crippled by the fact that Dagons have not spawned any manors and I have not been able to kill them off because otherwise I would not get EMP or Kitsune.

All right, not a problem. I added a few and slightly decreased the number of other Dagon affiliated monsters.

Speaking of which, apparently manufacturing SKYMARSHALL requires 50 space, SKYRANGER 40 and SKYRAIDER 30. Essentially you require two workshops to build one at a reasonable space. The space required by SKYMARSHALL seems excessive and inconsistent with the fact that even bigger, and later game crafts, IRONFIST and AVENGER, only take 45 space.

I don't quite follow; the Skymarshall indeed requires 50 space, and workshop gives 50 space. And you need at least one hangar, which also provides 5 space.

Btw. it also seems inconsistent that you can research and produce SHADOW SUITs which have inbuilt Halo projector without Improved Lab, while researching and building independent halo grenades requires Improved Lab. I'd expect that both or neither require Improved Lab.

I understand why, but I'd like to keep it like this for progress reasons. The hologram itself doesn't require Improved Lab, because using a whole suit to display it is easier than a grenade (and also easier to balance).

9

XPiratez / Re: Stuff I'd love to see in XPiratez!

« on: October 07, 2024, 02:19:59 pm »

Come back after a long break and definitely liked the changes of the early air game, but there is a feeling that lack of hangars doesn't let you breathe. You need too many ship aerbus, v8 for race, expedition for underwater, then you need space for bird craft so on.
 Maybe it makes sense to give the player 3 hangars from the start.

Hopefully this will be addressed in some way after introducing hangar type options in the game code.

10

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

« on: October 07, 2024, 02:15:09 pm »

In the meantime, there is a mission which in my runs spawn quite often, "ratmen cache" but i always skip it because i don't have small units to engage it. Does it provide some important loot so that im suppose to go in?

You can skip it, but I don't see why, it's a fun and profitable mission.

Just get some Lokk'Naars, they're cheap and easily accessible, and don't need to be trained for the Ratmen Cache mission (as opposed to the Old Earth Metro, which is notably harder).

11

The X-Com Files / Re: The X-Com Files - 3.4: Daggers for Hire

« on: October 03, 2024, 02:13:32 pm »

Are you sure this is balanced?

No, I'm not.

How are you supposed to deal with the three syndicate second phase missions (all with 8-16 hour timers) without a fast craft (or at least the secret archives raid)?

So Kitsune is essential for specifically this part? That's an odd statement. I mean, sure it's useful, but certainly not the only way to get there on time. That's how I see it anyway.

Essentially this requires capturing aliens, building up your alloy pool and building a SKY craft. (Which is nice in a sense because currently they're waste of time and alloys. And this also delays the player's access to "camp in the craft" tactics as SKY crafts have open-ended ramp.) But this will also mean dependence on RNG on capturing aliens and alloys. And most importantly, probably multiple months trying to repeat the syndicate phase two missions, because those crafts are only 1/3 or 1/2 the speed of Kitsune and it is unlikely you will reach them in time even with the faster SKY* craft. (And some of those, at least reactor raid, you will definitely want to do at night if you are forced to use an open-ended craft.)

Yeah, but is it really that wrong? In the worst case you won't be able to get to these missions ,it's not like you will lose the campaign because of it.

Further, this creates a dependency on Jarhead missions, which are very RNG-prone (your best bet is letting dagons build a tier 2 manor). If the player doesn't realize this, the player could go most of the game without getting Kitsune.

I'd rather give more solid opportunities to meet Jarheads. I'm open to suggestions.

At the very least, I'd increase the syndicate second phase mission timers significantly, and even then I think this would come to be a major PITA for players who don't know the optimal path to getting jarheads.

No. This sounds like unnecessary panic; swallow the penalty and keep going. Try again next month.

12

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

« on: October 02, 2024, 09:00:25 pm »

A slight map bug, one of the ladders on the industrial map doesn't actually allow you to go up.

Thanks, fixed.

Apparently I missed mentioning the script issue in ALIENBIGBASEGROWN is also present in ALIENBIGBASEGROWNHANGAR. Since they're essentially the same script just with the added map size (from the deployment) and main hangar mapBlock, the script fixes are the same. And because they share the same mapBlocks, the fixes for the particular issues with the connector mapBlocks are already in place.

All right, I'll fix that too. Thanks for the vigilance.

13

The X-Com Files / Re: The X-Com Files - 3.4: Daggers for Hire

« on: October 02, 2024, 08:54:50 pm »

Not a bad idea.  I think I got it kind of early in my game, and it's been a very welcome godsend - but in retrospect maybe a little too much so.

I added an extra requirement: "X-Com History: X-Com Bureau". This moves the Kitsune forward to solid midgame, as it depends on the Syndicate arc.

I didn't get the... [spoilered]...until way too late to be of any use, which was kind of sad.  Don't know if it was another quirk of my particular progression but It'd be cool if that came a little earlier.

I'll think about it, but it's kind of hard to fit it earlier. A fighter plane needs military grade weapons, and these are heavily restricted.

I was sad to see Kukri nerfed in a recent update, but totally understand how it was warranted.

On the other hand, there's a tritanium version now!

I really hate to say it, because it's my absolute favorite "crutch" of a weapon, but I kind of feel like Nitro Express Rifle might be a little overpowered as well (with high-accuracy soldiers).  It's mid-1999 and I'm still having trouble putting them down.  A slight reduction to the Power bonus would encourage the switch to BlackOps [Smart] Rifle and Auto-Sniper Rifle a little earlier.  I'm on the cusp of Laser weapons now, and I didn't really use either of those BlackOps upgrades throughout the game (which I recognize is probably unusual).

I think it's fine, considering how much of a pain it is to use. Also, few players seem to like it. So I'll assume it's a playstyle thing.

Me too!  I was a little uncertain exactly what it meant, and wound up with more F16's than I needed, hanging around burning cash ;-).

I hope to add more flying hostile stuff.

I also want to echo comments from others about how you really nailed the progression of the game.  That must be such a hard factor to keep on track as you tweak the mod, but so far I've found the pacing has provided continuing challenge and interest.  Maybe a few more missions than I'd like (particularly zombie ones) but that's just because I'm taking a 'completionist' approach (I haven't ignored one yet, and really ought to start ignoring those low-impact ones).

Thanks a lot. I'm still not that happy with late game pacing, though...

14

XPiratez / Re: [MAIN] XPiratez - N9.7.7 12-Sep-2024 Second Coming

« on: October 01, 2024, 03:13:48 pm »

Why is the ufo landing option outrigth disable in the latest patch? Seems lile something that should be left to player choice rather than blocking it (so basically making file edit needed to reenable it.)

Because Dioxine decided that this option ruins the player experience, as it disturbs the focus/relax cycle.

15

The X-Com Files / Re: The X-Com Files - 3.4: Daggers for Hire

« on: September 30, 2024, 10:13:56 pm »

I mainly mean second floor of both syndicate and Black Lotus base as first floor is mostly fine although for Black Lotus base I would use more oriental textures - similar to one used in Golden academy missions.

As on second floor you can still find various rooms from TFTD there. Why not replace them with Japanes/Chinese style quarters, various exercise rooms etc....

Maybe I'll do something about that, but it's very time-consuming and I have more pressing matters (like a more distinct EXALT HQ, I don't like the current option much).

And remove Large Sonar as parts of rooms for both Black Lotus and Syndicate as thematically they don´t make much sense in their bases.

Frankly, it makes sense; they have radars and shit.