Messages

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XPiratez / Re: [MAIN] XPiratez - L7 04-Mar-2021 Lucky Seven

« on: March 06, 2021, 10:03:19 am »

Pardon the OT but title immediately reminded me of an old~ish and overlooked Bruce Willis movie "Lucky Number Slevin". Everyone should watch it. Intriguing and intelligent script, great thriller plot, lots of cameos. Even tho McLane ain't the star of the show he left his mark. It's basically the last movie in which he acts like he gives a damn.

You forgot the absolute banger of a track. Kansas city shuffle is a hell of a trick.

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The X-Com Files / Re: The X-Com Files - 1.7: Market Corrections

« on: March 02, 2021, 11:14:42 pm »

To be honest, I am perfectly content with the numbers of enemies in the missions, even in small maps like those Cult of Apocalypse gatherings. At first I also got frustrated and ranted about how unfair and untactical it is, but really it is still tactical, you just need different tactics. Now you have to prioritize dangerous enemies, like those rocket launcher or chaingun guys, bring more medkits because you surely will get hit, use more flashbangs, etc.

If the maps were bigger then it would require again different tactics. I am content with whatever comes, as long as it is possible.

Gatherings are not the issue. The town cleansing or whatever is. There are too many units on too large map, rewards for victory are garbage, since there are no useful prisoners or equipment, and score is, well, let's just say that 2 civvies spawn it the same room as the shotgun guy, and cult usually kills at least 10 people in the first turn. But the worst part is how long Cult+Cleaners turns last. I have Ryzen 3600 and I still need to wait at least about 2-5 minutes. Naturally, cows are only useful ally in the game. I honestly think it's worth it to shoot the cleaners yourself, so you feel like you did a good deed, and the turns go faster. You ain't gonna get any score out of the mission anyway.

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The X-Com Files / Re: The X-Com Files - 1.7: Market Corrections

« on: March 01, 2021, 11:43:17 pm »

I think larger maps can work in certain situations -- the cult of apocalypse missions can have tons of enemies. Bigger maps could mean that you don't immediately get jumped by tons of enemies. I think in general, a bit more separation between your landing site and the main force of enemies could be nice. Still have some enemies next to the landing, but opening the door and immediately seeing 10+ enemies is off-putting.

Just make the missions have less enemies, problem solved. No need for bigger maps and larger transports for even more soldiers.

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The X-Com Files / Re: The X-Com Files - 1.7: Market Corrections

« on: March 01, 2021, 09:03:07 pm »

much larger maps

No, please, anything but that.

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The X-Com Files / Re: The X-Com Files - 1.7: Market Corrections

« on: February 27, 2021, 10:08:23 pm »

XCOM is indeed a bad tactical game for a tons of reasons, most of them being problems of the old XCOM on its own rather than the mod.

Sniper and spotter mechanics is extremely situational, only on very open maps you can have a situation where one guy can see an enemy and his partner cannot. Usually, Humans will spot anyone at very long range unless they have stealth like Muton Shades or Ninja's. And most of the line of sight things boils down to stealth or if there is something in the way. Cultist mopping missions during day are giant battlefields the moment you step out of the craft as you snipe someone standing on the other side of the map because you have no problem seeing him in the first place.

But another mechanic kinda hurts it, in AI's favour during night missions, since even if one of your agents get spotted (And rest of your team wont) then everyone with a line of sight will take potshots at the poor dude, so like 12 enemies will pepper one guy and even if they are firing with a major aim penalty, does that matter if they fire 50 rounds and 4 of them hits ? Your guy is dead anyway unless he has really good armour.

Grenades will be good no matter what, three things benefit them.
A) They use bottom armour to calculate damage, the lowest one on armour so they will deal damage.
B) They have no accuracy range penalty, whenever you throw them at someone standing 5m or 15m, as long as its in the range it will land.
C) They can have nasty payload, Tritanium Grenade for example not only cuts, but also ignite.

Enemies do panic, but you need to really dominate them so panicking, so only when you are doing too well. But incendiary weapons can panic people anyway.

Early game weapons seem fine, although i would welcome if actually old weapons were accessible even before fighting against cults and maybe some early game grenades too like home made nailbombs or molotovs. And yes its true, there is a massive gear tech rush as you usually get to access Blackops weapons by that point and those weapons are almost always just plain out better with few exceptions here and there.

Alot of the early game armour arent even to stop wounds, just to lessen the impact. Kevlar vest is prime example, its better than nothing and it changes that your soldier can survive 4-5 hits instead of 2-3.
But the armour after that, the armoured vest pushes the "lessen the impact" to "If RNG god smiles upon thee, you shall not take any damage", the shielded armoured vest pushes it to "Small arms will almost always do no damage" and then the tactical suit which goes "Most firearms wont even dent you". And the Tritanium versions pushes it to the max for a long time.

Hell, the vanilla armour XCOM got turned in to impact softening armour against Plasma, it wont stop damage in the first place, but will stop a one shot from a plasma weapon.

I agree with everything except more grenades, but I have never tried Tactical armour. Penalties seemed scary.

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The X-Com Files / Re: The X-Com Files - 1.7: Market Corrections

« on: February 27, 2021, 05:35:07 pm »

X-com is not a good tactical game, since mechanics are garbage (not being able to shoot through the windows or around the corner, but your enemy can shoot at you, enemies always ambushing LZ, while your 100 agents get out in Kongo line, grenades can kill entire squad with almost no influence from RNG, while the enemies can, and will use more than one per turn, even on turn one, when you can't even leave the craft, etc.), but, what X-Com Files did right is a good story game. I am always happy to learn new tid-bit of lore, defeat one of the hostile organizations, and move past my old tech (Tritanium vest and BlackOps for almost whole game), and I do like that side a lot.

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IDT Modding Hub / Re: [OXCE][WIP] United Nations Extraterrestrial Combat Command | v0.7.9 released now

« on: February 24, 2021, 08:14:05 am »

If I have one to name one thing that does not fit, I'd say the tanks. Laser weapons and Aircraft are all unique to USSR, USA and NATO, only tank stays the same. It kinda bothers me lore-wise, AND, well, T-62 with Lazer sounds better.

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The X-Com Files / Re: The X-Com Files - 1.7: Market Corrections

« on: February 22, 2021, 12:14:18 pm »

It will kill with overstun.

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The X-Com Files / Re: The X-Com Files - 1.7: Market Corrections

« on: February 20, 2021, 07:52:47 pm »

How does trading with UAC and BlackOps work, lorewise? They are owned by Syndicate or Orision or whatever.

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The X-Com Files / Re: The X-Com Files - 1.7: Market Corrections

« on: February 18, 2021, 12:21:32 pm »

Here you go, choke point on one side, hangars and Acces Lift isolated, and dronebay is there to split the enemies up, and soke up some damage, and living quarters blocking the chokepoint.

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The X-Com Files / Re: The X-Com Files - 1.7: Market Corrections

« on: February 16, 2021, 08:22:12 pm »

Poor drones appreciate your support... They keep getting told that they're useless!

They are useful for ambush and delaying the enemy. They are not supposed to win all by themselves. Every shot the drone takes in a shot someone important could. And doubly so for grenades and flak/pellet.

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The X-Com Files / Re: The X-Com Files - 1.7: Market Corrections

« on: February 16, 2021, 02:01:18 pm »

Still, I personally wouldn't like to use this layout... One path of assault is not enough for me.

Just slap the drone bay next to the warehouse.

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The X-Com Files / Re: The X-Com Files - 1.7: Market Corrections

« on: February 13, 2021, 07:22:07 pm »

My base is is Albania, so kinda there. I think you think I am inexperienced, and that is why I don't want challenge, but I finished TFTD when I was a kid and did not speak english, alnong with every clone I got my hands on, so I know how to play it, I just don't find combat fun anymore. What I do like is a story, cool gadgets, enemy factions, mission types, etc. of THIS mod. In short, i love this mod DESPITE the game.
Anyhow, starting over isn't really on the table, as I spent considerable time on this, and replaying it would just be wasting it. I might cheat and remove the warning once. I have 2 more bases in construction anyway, so maybe it is salvageable.
I threw in a save if someone needs it, for some reason, not sure.

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The X-Com Files / Re: The X-Com Files - 1.7: Market Corrections

« on: February 13, 2021, 09:14:26 am »

The UFOs will not necessarily keep showing at the same frequency, often enough things slow down but it seems you are behind schedule in research. December 1998 is normal time for what is happening. You are kinda racing against time in the mod, while you do not absolutely have to it is best that you have at least promotion II and a 8 crew plane by that time, and ideally promotion III and fighter jets. You will definitely get better with replays and knowing what you should do.

I have the Ospey, but it's range sucks. To use it, I would need multiple bases with multiple attack squads. No, thanks, too much effort. I do not want to work even harder, I want to enjoy the game (well, the mod, really).
To get Promotion III, I need to take the HQ of the faction. Without Tritanium, that I just starter researching, it's just gonna turn into endless savescuming session.

Again, Solarius, this is not an insult aimed at you, I really like your work, I'm just tired of the same combat. It's not as fun as it was 15 years ago.

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The X-Com Files / Re: The X-Com Files - 1.7: Market Corrections

« on: February 12, 2021, 06:09:10 pm »

Well, hell broke loose in December of 1998. I had like 20 UFOs in one month. January spawned several -400+ missions at the same time.
Yes, I did trigger UFOs by capturing bunch of aliens and equipment in the special mission Alien Ambush, or something, the one you get from Dossier, or something.
This is second playthrough I had with this mod, kidna fitting it's cult of apocalypse that made me quit gaming for a while again.