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Topics - ibanix

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1
OXCE Support / Endless play / no Cydonia
« on: July 09, 2023, 10:56:29 am »
Hello all,

Sorry if this is in the wrong forum section. Please feel free to move to wherever is more appropriate.

I love Xcom... but I love the battles, interception and base management. The race to get o Cydonia isn't actually all that fun for me. I would like to play more of the former. In other words, I would like some sort of mod where I can play "forever" without the Cydonia mission being the fixed ending point, or some sort of alternative victory condition.

Yes, I'm aware I could simply just not go to Cydonia and keep playing. That isn't what I'm getting at, because the game will just ramp up the spam of UFOs so high that no human player could possibly keep up. The game is designed to try to force the player to finish Cydonia or die.

Is there a middle ground here where there is no Cydonia mission available and alternate victory conditions? Or, some high-but-manageable level of alien activity where the goal can then become "how long can we survive"?

Thanks in advance.

2
Released Mods / [ECONOMICS] Manufacturing for Profit Rebalance
« on: July 08, 2014, 11:53:40 am »
One of the things that always bugged me about the vanilla XCOM experience was the arbitrary profit/loss from manufacturing. Laser Cannons will return you good money, but building and selling Mind Probes, Personal Armor, or Alien Grenades would cause you to lose money.

You'd figure that the black market would be all over Mind Probes (beloved by marketing executives!), and high strength personal armor and explosives is in demand from military everywhere.

So I've attempt to rebalance the entire system. *Everything* that can be made will now make you a profit. However, how much of a profit they make depends on several factors:

* How long does it take to produce an item?
* How much space does it take while producing items?
* Does it take any alien alloys to make the item?
* Does it take any E-115 to make the item?

In general, more complex and larger projects give more profit. Alien alloys raise the final price; E-115 being very hard to obtain, hugely raises the price. HOWEVER, to keep game balance from items obtained from raiding UFOs, prices on recovered items have changed as little as possible. In particular the selling price of plasma weapons (Heavy/Rifle/Pistol) have not changed, and UFO Navigation/Power Source have not greatly changed.

Have a ton of excess alien alloys, a free hangar, and a lot of time to spare? Build an Avenger. It will take you almost a month (at ~50 engineers), but the pay out will be almost $4 million. The Firestorm and Lightning will also make you money - and the resale value will make it worthwhile to produce.

If you have excess E-115 and a need for cash, Hovertank/Plasma will make you almost $600k per unit profit. If you only want to use 5 spare E-115, you can build 5 Plasma Pistol Clips in less time than it takes to build a Medi-Kit, and will net you $90k.

Or you can still build items that don't take AA or E-115... they just won't pay nearly as well, but you'll never worry about running out, either.

INSTALL: Drop into Ruleset folder and enable. You know the drill.


Changes were based on the hugely useful Profitability Analysis spreadsheet developed by Mike Fay. The spreadsheet was originally available from ufopedia.org (https://www.ufopaedia.org/index.php?title=Manufacturing_Profitability). I've included a copy of the spreadsheet, which includes both the old (vanilla XCOM) profit analysis, and my changes. The changes made are highlighted in yellow for easy reference.


Suggestions and comments are greatly appreciated.

-ibanix

3
Work In Progress / Rocket Launcher aliens a no-go
« on: July 06, 2014, 12:08:33 pm »
During a recent terror mission I had the terrifying thought of a rank of alien that used a rocket launcher. I mean, hey, they want to kill EVERYTHING, right? Accept no substitute (before the Blaster Bomb)!

So I wrote the following to make a test "Heavy Gunner" sectoid rank, along with a change to force sectoids on most missions for debug reasons - so I could get one of these guys sooner. The ruleset "works" in that it does not drop any errors when enabling it in OpenXCOM. However, OpenXCOM crashes as soon as I land at a UFO which has my new aliens.

Any ideas? Thanks.

------------------------

# Alien Heavy Gunner aka RocketMan test
alienRaces:
  - id: STR_SECTOID
    members:
      - STR_SECTOID_COMMANDER
      - STR_SECTOID_LEADER
      - STR_SECTOID_ENGINEER
      - STR_SECTOID_MEDIC
      - STR_SECTOID_NAVIGATOR
      - STR_SECTOID_SOLDIER
      - STR_CYBERDISC_TERRORIST
      - STR_CYBERDISC_TERRORIST
      - STR_SECTOID_HEAVY_GUNNER
extraStrings:
  - type: en-US
    strings:
      STR_LIVE_HEAVY_GUNNER: "Heavy Gunner"
      STR_SECTOID_HEAVY_GUNNER: "Sectoid Heavy Gunner"
alienDeployments:
  - type: STR_LARGE_SCOUT
    data:
      - alienRank: 8   # rank starts from 0? using either value 8 or 9 causes crash
        lowQty: 1
        highQty: 1
        dQty: 0
        percentageOutsideUfo: 100
        itemSets:
          -
            - STR_ROCKET_LAUNCHER
            - STR_SMALL_ROCKET
            - STR_SMALL_ROCKET
            - STR_SMALL_ROCKET
          -
            - STR_ROCKET_LAUNCHER
            - STR_INCENDIARY_ROCKET
            - STR_SMALL_ROCKET
            - STR_INCENDIARY_ROCKET
          -
            - STR_ROCKET_LAUNCHER
            - STR_LARGE_ROCKET
            - STR_LARGE_ROCKET
            - STR_LARGE_ROCKET
units:
  - type: STR_SECTOID_HEAVY_GUNNER
    race: STR_SECTOID
    rank: STR_LIVE_HEAVY_GUNNER
    stats:
      tu: 60
      stamina: 90
      health: 30
      bravery: 80
      reactions: 63
      firing: 52
      throwing: 58
      strength: 50
      psiStrength: 40
      psiSkill: 0
      melee: 76
    armor: SECTOID_ARMOR0
    standHeight: 16
    kneelHeight: 12
    value: 10
    deathSound: 10
    intelligence: 4
    aggression: 2
# debugging only
alienMissions:
  - type: STR_ALIEN_RESEARCH
    points: 0
    raceWeights:
      0:
          STR_SECTOID: 100
      1:
          STR_SECTOID: 100
      3:
          STR_SECTOID: 100
      5:
          STR_SECTOID: 100
      7:
          STR_SECTOID: 100
    waves:
      - ufo: STR_SMALL_SCOUT
        count: 1
        trajectory: P0
        timer: 9000
      - ufo: STR_MEDIUM_SCOUT
        count: 1
        trajectory: P2
        timer: 7800
      - ufo: STR_LARGE_SCOUT
        count: 2
        trajectory: P4
        timer: 9000
  - type: STR_ALIEN_HARVEST
    points: 30
    raceWeights:
      0:
          STR_SECTOID: 100       
      1:
          STR_SECTOID: 100
      3:
          STR_SECTOID: 100
      5:
          STR_SECTOID: 100   
      7:
          STR_SECTOID: 100 
    waves:
      - ufo: STR_SMALL_SCOUT
        count: 1
        trajectory: P0
        timer: 7800
      - ufo: STR_SMALL_SCOUT
        count: 1
        trajectory: P2
        timer: 7800
      - ufo: STR_MEDIUM_SCOUT
        count: 1
        trajectory: P2
        timer: 6000
      - ufo: STR_LARGE_SCOUT
        count: 1
        trajectory: P0
        timer: 7800
      - ufo: STR_LARGE_SCOUT
        count: 1
        trajectory: P3
        timer: 9000
      - ufo: STR_HARVESTER
        count: 1
        trajectory: P4
        timer: 3000
      - ufo: STR_HARVESTER
        count: 1
        trajectory: P4
        timer: 750
      - ufo: STR_BATTLESHIP
        count: 1
        trajectory: P2
        timer: 1500
  - type: STR_ALIEN_ABDUCTION
    points: 50
    raceWeights:
      0:
          STR_SECTOID: 100
      1:
          STR_SECTOID: 100
      3:
          STR_SECTOID: 100
      5:
          STR_SECTOID: 100
      7:
          STR_SECTOID: 100
    waves:
      - ufo: STR_SMALL_SCOUT
        count: 1
        trajectory: P0
        timer: 15000
      - ufo: STR_MEDIUM_SCOUT
        count: 1
        trajectory: P1
        timer: 18000
      - ufo: STR_LARGE_SCOUT
        count: 1
        trajectory: P3
        timer: 9000
      - ufo: STR_ABDUCTOR
        count: 1
        trajectory: P3
        timer: 9000
      - ufo: STR_ABDUCTOR
        count: 2
        trajectory: P4
        timer: 60
  - type: STR_ALIEN_INFILTRATION
    points: 0
    raceWeights:
      0:
          STR_SECTOID: 100
      1:
          STR_SECTOID: 100
      3:
          STR_SECTOID: 100
      5:
          STR_SECTOID: 100
      7:
          STR_SECTOID: 100
    waves:
      - ufo: STR_SMALL_SCOUT
        count: 1
        trajectory: P0
        timer: 16500
      - ufo: STR_MEDIUM_SCOUT
        count: 1
        trajectory: P1
        timer: 15000
      - ufo: STR_MEDIUM_SCOUT
        count: 1
        trajectory: P6
        timer: 13800
      - ufo: STR_LARGE_SCOUT
        count: 1
        trajectory: P7
        timer: 9000
      - ufo: STR_LARGE_SCOUT
        count: 1
        trajectory: P7
        timer: 60
      - ufo: STR_TERROR_SHIP
        count: 1
        trajectory: P7
        timer: 60
      - ufo: STR_SUPPLY_SHIP
        count: 1
        trajectory: P7
        timer: 60
      - ufo: STR_BATTLESHIP
        count: 2
        trajectory: P7
        timer: 60
# end
   

4
Work In Progress / alienItemLevels help
« on: July 06, 2014, 09:53:38 am »
Can someone explain how the alienItemLevels work? I can't quite figure it out.

For example, how does:

 - [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 2]

Map to this:

itemSets:
          -
            - STR_PLASMA_PISTOL
            - STR_PLASMA_PISTOL_CLIP
            - STR_PLASMA_PISTOL_CLIP
            - STR_MIND_PROBE
          -
            - STR_PLASMA_RIFLE
            - STR_PLASMA_RIFLE_CLIP
            - STR_PLASMA_RIFLE_CLIP
            - STR_MIND_PROBE
          -
            - STR_HEAVY_PLASMA
            - STR_HEAVY_PLASMA_CLIP
            - STR_MIND_PROBE

5
Anyone able to explain this?


6
Work In Progress / Better MedKit - help needed
« on: July 04, 2014, 12:14:59 pm »
After being annoyed with my wounded Captain taking over a month to recover, I wanted to find a way to speed healing time up. Since that isn't currently exposed to Rulesets, I did the next best thing, and implemented and improved med-kit. It requires researching an alien autopsy first, for the nanotechnology.

The thing is, I can't seem to get this to work. The research topic isn't showing up for me. Can someone have a look and tell me what I did wrong? Thanks!

7
Released Mods / [RULES] Modest Rebalance
« on: July 03, 2014, 12:54:48 pm »
Modest Rebalance

https://www.openxcom.com/mod/modest-rebalance

Modest Rebalance' includes five ruleset changes to rebalance weapons, radar, weights, and funding to make a more interesting and challenging game play. Some or all of the options can be chosen. May conflict with other mods.

INSTALLATION: Copy all .rul files to your OpenXcom/Data/Ruleset folder. Start OpenXCom, choose 'Options', select 'Mods', and enable the rulesets you wish to use.


CHANGES

CRAFT WEAPON REBALANCE

In vanilla XCOM, regular ship cannons were almost useless due to low firepower, inaccuracy, the need to get very close to the target, and the strangely long time to order new rounds (96 hours). This attempts to fix the firepower, reload, and order time. Still is a close-combat weapon for small craft, or suicide runs on larger ones.

Cannon damage: Increased to 20 (default 10)
Cannon accuracy: Increased to 50% (default 25%)
Reload Rate: Increased to 200/hour (default 100/hour)
Starting Base: Increased to 4x50 rounds in storage (default 1x50)
Rounds order time: Decreased to 24 hours (from 96 hours!)

Vanilla XCOM commanders usually ignore the Stingray missile due to lower hitting power, lower range, and lower accuracy compared to the Avalanche missile. The only real advantage in Stingray missiles are the larger carry amount per craft, and smaller storage on base.

In order to find a use for Stingray missiles for small and medium sized UFO interceptions, and to give more use for cannon rounds, the cost of Stingray and Avalanche missiles has been greatly increased. Additionally, the accuracy of Avalanche missiles is decreased, Stingray missile accuracy is increased, reload rate for Stingray missiles is increased, and range for Stingray missiles is slightly increased.


Stingray range: Increased to 35 (from 30)
Stingray accuracy: Increased to 90% (from 70%)
Stingray reload rate: Increased to 2/hr (from 1/hr)
Stingray missile cost: Increased to $27,000 (from $3000)
Starting base Stingray missiles: Decreased to 18 (from 25)

Avalanche accuracy: Decreased to 70% (from 80%)
Avalanche missile cost: Increased to $89,000 (from $9000)
Starting base Avalanche missiles: Decreased to 9 (from 10)

Laser cannons in vanilla XCOM were typically used infrequently due to the same reasons as regular cannons: Short range and poor accuracy. This attempts to make laser cannons into much upgraded regular cannons with better range.

Laser cannon range: Increased to 24 (from 21)
Laser cannon damage: Increased to 90 (from 70)
Laser cannon accuracy: Increased to 55% (from 35%)
Laser cannon rearm rate: Increased to 100/hr (from 50/hr)

Plasma beams are the best overall craft weapons in regular XCOM due to the superior range, firepower, firing speed, and damage. We adjust range down and firepower down in order to make this less of a 'perfect' weapon. The reload rate is fixed to bring it inline with the laser cannon (as an energy weapon 'reload' is a strange concept).


Plasma beam range: Decreased to 42 (from 52)
Plasma beam damage: Decreased to 120 (from 140)
Plasma beam rearm rate: Increased to 100/hr (from 50/hr)

Finally, the Fusion Ball launcher remains the super-powered, long range option for shooting down large/very large UFOs, with highly expensive ammo. The only change we make is to increase clip size.

Fusion ball launcher: Increase clip size to 3 (from 2)


FUNDING REBALANCE

In vanilla XCOM, base location was usually obvious, to cover the best number of funding countries. Some countries had much larger average funding (USA) and many had pitiful funding in relation to their size (Russia) or their population (India). Base funding is adjusted to make selection of bases slightly more compicated and make some countries more attractive. Also, the funding for each country is capped at $2 million. The overall starting funds are unchanged.

USA base funding: Decreased to $400,000 (from $600,000)
Russia base funding: Increased to $280,000 (from $230,000)
Brazil base funding: Increased to $350,000 (from $300,000)
India base funding: Increased to $200,000 (from $150,000)
Nigeria base funding: Increased to $230,000 (from $180,000)

NOTE: In game play, each country can start with anywhere from base funding to 2x base funding; for example, India would start from $200,000 to $400,000.


RADAR REBALANCE

In vanilla XCOM, no one uses Small Radar - or at least, not seriously. Having significantly smaller range and only a modest increase in detection strength, it is built as an after-thought if at all. In order to fix this, we make Small Radar more attractive by increasing the detection strength and mildly decreasing build time. We also rebalance Large Radar by decreasing it's detection strength - but offsetting that by increasing range slightly. Finally, we nerf the Hyperwave Decoder slightly by decreasing range, and making it less than 100% accurate. The monthly cost for Large Radar and HW Decoders is also increased.


Small Radar detection chance (each 30 min): Increased to 30% (from 10%)
Small Radar build time: Decreased to 8 days (from 12 days)

Large Radar detection chance (each 30 min): Decreased to 5% (from 20%)
Large Radar range: Increased to 2500 miles (from 2250 miles)
Large Radar monthly cost: Increased to $35,000 (from $15,000)

Hyper-wave Decoder detection chance (each 30 min): Decreased to 85% (from 100%)
Hyper-wave Decoder range: Decreased to 2250 miles (from 2400 miles)
Hyper-wave Decoder monthly cost: Increased to $80,000 (from $30,000)


WEAPON WEIGHT REBALANCE

Vanilla XCOM has a Plasma Rifle weighing as much as a generic pistol, and a Heavy Plasma as much as a regular rifle. What the hell? Weights for these and a few other weapons are modified to make strength more relevant, and some weapons more useful than before.

Heavy Plasma weight: Increased to 16 (from 8 )
Plasma Rifle weight: Increased to 10 (from 5)
Plasma Pistol clip weight: Decreased to 1 (from 3)
Laser Pistol weight: Decreased to 6 (from 7)
Blaster Launcher weight: Increased to 20 (from 16)
Heavy Laser weight: Decreased to 14 (from 18)


INFANTRY WEAPON REBALANCE

Separate from the weight changes, these changes rebalance the use of infantry weapons. In vanilla XCOM the Heavy Plasma is the only end-game weapon to use due to the superior firepower and excellent accuracy. We rebalance the Heavy Plasma to be a burst weapon and provide a role for the Plasma Rifle as a sniper weapon with superior accuracy. We also modify the starting rifle to be more useful and to be more powerful than the starting pistol, as the pistol was nearly as damaging and could be fired in aimed mode very rapidly.

Rifle clip size: Increased to 30 (from 20)
Rifle damage: Increased to 32 (from 30)
Rifle TUs for aimed shot: Decreased to 60% (from 80%)

Pistol damage: Decreased to 24 (from 26)
Pistol TUs for aimed shot: Increased to 50% (from 30%)

Heavy Plasma TUs for auto fire: Decreased to 32% (from 35%)
Heavy Plasma TUs for snap shot: Decreased to 28% (from 30%)
Heavy Plasma TUs for aimed shot: Increased to 75% (from 60%)
Heavy Plasma aimed shot accuracy: Decreased to 90% (from 110%)


Plasma Rifle aimed shot accuracy: Increased to 120% (from 100%)



 

 

 


8
Released Mods / [CRAFT][WIP] E-3 Sentry AWACS
« on: July 03, 2014, 12:26:50 pm »
I've always liked that XCOM allows you to use aircraft as mobile detection stations. The old trick of using a Skyranger's superior fuel and range to scout for alien bases got me thinking: Why not a dedicated mobile detection craft?

Here then is an implementation of the Boeing E-3 Sentry "AWACS" (Advanced Warning and Control System) plane. It has no weapons and no troop capacity - it is purely a flying radar base. To that end, it has superior radar range (1500 miles), a hefty fuel complement, and speed midway between a Skyranger and an Interceptor. It can be purchased for the low monthly price of $250k! (And resold later for $100k).

This is marked 'WIP' because the only thing I am missing is a sprite for the in-base image. It currently uses the Skyranger graphic. I'm not a graphic designer; anyone willing to make a sprite for the E-3 will have my undying gratitude. The UFOpedia entry is complete, however, and it works in all other senses.

Install: Drop the data folder into your OpenXCOM directory and enable.

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