aliens

Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - Nilex

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 22
1
XPiratez / Re: [SUB-MOD] Nuclear-Powered AP Lasers
« on: November 18, 2023, 10:52:59 am »
Very nice!
Glad to see there is still a place for them, after XPZ received so many updates it's unrecognizable from when I played.
Especially happy that IDs survived the mayhem. And if I ever get around to do a 2nd playthrough I'll definitely use your sub-sub-mod :)

2
XPiratez / Re: Discord BS
« on: February 07, 2022, 09:24:01 pm »
My appeal got rejected by some Cheddar guy. Not that I was very apologetic for something I didn't do, hehe. Think I only ever made 3 posts on that service, 2 in XPZ channel and 1 begging for a script to alleviate paint in some gutter trash F2P game I fallen into. Anyway if they had indeed reinstated my lurker account I'd simply delete it on principle. I know it sucks for many that were far more involved, I'd be pretty pissed and can only offer sympathy. And maybe advice to more away from Uncle Sam reach because it's getting worse. My PayPal for example got nuked a year ago but unlike Discord they didn't bother with messages.

Going forward I've created an account on alternative service I saw mentioned and awaiting invite link that is said to be coming in few weeks time. I like to follow progress and be witty in reactions as I drink my morning coffee with cookies. Hopefully things in your personal spheres settle down so everyone can continue as they were, with added bonus of learning a valuable lesson relatively cheaply.

For what it's worth, I don't condemn anything of what little I saw. In fact such behavior an essential ingredient which sustains civilization in current development cycle. In other words - normal. Can you remember the last time you saw something normal twisted? Bet you can. Snowflakes will be getting what's coming to them and it's going to be Biblical. That's all I got to say.

3
XPiratez / Re: [SUB-MOD] Nuclear-Powered AP Lasers
« on: November 03, 2021, 08:02:13 pm »
Final compatibility pass. Works with M2 and beyond. No new content or changes, only cleaned up OP from redundant info.
If you already applied previous "OCXE 7.0.12+" archive then you are set. If you are unsure what I'm talking about, simply repeat installation step and overwrite.

PS
Remember to periodically check included README and perform steps to ensure compatibility of deeply-rooted listOrder IDs. Every or every other major content update should suffice. You'll have to do it among yourselves because this will be my last visit in a long while. Ain't nothing too hard and you may learn something.

PPS
So how about them pesky Marsec R2D2s. Destroying them in single auto-slavo feelz good doesn't it? :)

4
XPiratez / Re: [SUB-MOD] Nuclear-Powered AP Lasers
« on: August 30, 2021, 12:01:56 am »
Updated for XPZ M1.x compatibility, including new laser armor damage.

Existing L10 users: continue as you were.
M1.x adopters: download M1.x archive and replace files (only "Piratez" and "Piratez_Globals.rul" were changed).

In the future, when XPZ comes packed with newer OXCE version, use OCXE 7.0.12+ archive (only "Piratez_Globals.rul" is changed).

PS
My lasers are too hi-tech to interact with air molecules thereby leave no vapor trails :P

5
XPiratez / Re: More CTRL-middle-click goodness
« on: July 22, 2021, 07:27:38 am »
It's OXC(E) stuff. I agree with you and even suggested the same thing (along dozen others) but some things that look easy/logical to implement are not quite so. Slippery slope between maintaining OG compatibility, adding new QoL stuff, not exploding OG game engine, or breaking existing stuff.

I can tell you it's gonna bug you all the way until the end, but less and less the more you manage to remember. The list will grow HUGE at one point (scroll slider will visually corrupt) so that will be the time to right-click and hide many garbage items. But don't do it too soon cause you'll just confuse yourself, not knowing what you're gonna need later.
Maybe you get lucky and it gets implemented during your playthrough. I got a few bones thrown my way and didn't even ask for them :)

6
XPiratez / Re: [SUB-MOD] Nuclear-Powered AP Lasers
« on: July 18, 2021, 11:59:18 pm »
Updated for XPZ L10 compatibility. No additions or content changes.

Existing L9 users: continue as you were.
L10 adopters: download L10 archive and replace files (only "Piratez_Globals.rul" was changed).

In the future, when XPZ comes packed with newer OXCE version, use OCXE 7.0.12+ archive (only "Piratez_Globals.rul" is changed).

7
XPiratez / Re: [MAIN] XPiratez - L10 18-Jul-2021 Old Earth Blues
« on: July 18, 2021, 11:23:50 pm »
New kill criteria reqs look very tasty indeed.
Too bad the plebians will never understand :'(

8
XPiratez / Re: A thread for little questions
« on: July 16, 2021, 12:04:19 pm »
It's viable, no question about it. Helps to know so one can plan ahead with base roles. Storage buildings can be written off to free plots for better buildings. Mechanics of it is genius imo. Road is made of cobblestone but there are smooth parts during down-time in gameplay with not much to do. When you are done it becomes autobahn though. Slave AIs are the largest bottleneck and relatively pricey, after those come Taskmasters. But both are very manageable. Even so, storage is solved long before Herders. I only made those to have something to do in GEO while I waited other things, they are not really necessary but I like nice things.

Luxury aren't broken so they won't be fixed. Maybe if more people complain...? You are the only one besides me lol. I've made them provide 50 and whole mid/late-game immediately became "fair and balanced"TM ;)

9
XPiratez / Re: A thread for little questions
« on: July 14, 2021, 09:04:47 pm »
No reason to avoid slavery. No upper limit to how many you can have.
Workers require dollaros for monthly upkeep while slaves do not. Workers become ideal as short term storage resolver as you can purchase them eventually. Slaves vary in usefulness and take awhile to accumulate but quickly overpower workers in every category. They are also used for some advanced storage mechanic much later on so you'll be able to write off all Storage facilities in your Hideouts completely.

10
XPiratez / Re: Bugs & Crash Reports
« on: July 11, 2021, 05:27:08 pm »
No need to recompile, just remove line `    getOneFreeProtected:` from main "Piratez.rul".

11
In vanilla games battles quickly became a tedious burden, especially when novelty of seeing a new mission/map wears off. I understand your concern but can also assure you with certainty such thing cannot happen in X-PirateZ.

Know that my battle count is greatly inflated. Maybe twice that of normal. Because I've done many side goals, like leveling up soldiers, finding every item there is for research, and please don't ask what else. I just like to play that way but it's far from required number to finish the game. More sane number is bellow 800, perhaps others will be willing to share their experience. There is another victory screen posted on this forum not long ago that gives far more realistic outcome.

Battles' duration can range from 10 seconds to 3 hours but I'd agree average is around 10 mins. I can only estimate the whole thing lasted 1400 hours for me. Average player would do it in 500 while experiencing 99% of what I have. Time sink is enormous but this is the best of the best of the best modding scene has ever produced. And it's getting better with each update, which I already said few times I can't believe because it almost unique in gaming. Somehow vast majority of devs manage to fuck more things than they improve with utmost regularity (unless game was a turd to begin with). Dioxine has some rare design philosophies which resist that.

AI is what makes every battle a unique experience, not to mention crazy amount of map graphic and different structures. Only near the end of my journey have I started to recognize certain patterns which kinda started dispersing the magic. Good thing is most missions can and should be skipped. Penalties are far more forgiving than in vanilla or non-existent even, and so is recovery from mistakes. Author took good care not to make you loose your hundred hours progress on a whim.
But the best part of doing missions are the new goodies which unlock progress. You know that feeling of researching new items? It pours like tropic thunder like that in XPZ and seemingly never ends, all backed up with professional level writing. It's the main thing I wanted to experience absolutely everything.

So yeah dive in, you'll see pretty fast if you'll like it or not and retreat if need be. There's plenty of people here and on discord to give advice when you get stuck. Personally I'd give anything to be able to relieve the initial sensation anew. I can only say that for handful of evens in my life.

12
You asserted your own subjective experience over my own and selling it as objective.

I suggested and expected nothing more than for it to be read. That's all. Hopefully for potential future players' benefit. Had I seen someone experiencing the same grief I'd bear it more easily knowing someone else walked the path. As the saying goes, shared misfortune is more bearable, or something along those lines. For the time being Prison is safe, Dio made sure to let me know I'm in the minority long ago.

13
@Izao
You make silly conclusions.

@Psy
You make silly assumptions.

I'll remind you both gameplay style is subjective. I enjoy how I play otherwise I wouldn't. What a dumb thing to waste time arguing. And yes that's means review is also subjective. What a revelation, innit.

14
At the time it looked like getting 300 Deep One corpses for that trophy will he the longest single task in the entire game. It was a nice opportunity and challenge to learn how to edit that stuff while also getting closer to trophy goal. Was one of the more alluring carrots to chase.

That 0 is what kept me going, had I given up I'd lose motivation to push myself and play like everyone else. When that forced -2k negative score mission came up I was strongly considering forfeiting but since I already had recorded negative outcome (in the tenths) I decided keeping my 0 looks better. I used to play 'normally' but gave up long time ago because I found a better way. Single exception in XPZ was scumming Smuggler > Arcane boxes, record is 20 mins to get desired outcome for one f'ing box. I could talk about too many horror stories how the Universe conspired against me by just laying out surreal box outcomes.

Prison Space of 15 is universally insufficient. One cannot not play too well because the combat mechanic is simply not difficult enough (unless beginner or retarded). Which is a good thing. Either camp or scumm, same outcome but former takes ridiculously longer. What was unexpected is that nearly every enemy I shoot kept getting unconscious instead killed. Of to prison they went. Six modded prisons were also insufficient but at least management struck perfect balance between enjoyment/challenge/tedium.

15
Suggestions / My QoL suggestions for OXC/E (vanilla compatible)
« on: July 03, 2021, 08:21:03 pm »
Stuff that came to mind during over 8 months spent with X-PirateZ. All suggestions should be compatible with vanilla games mechanic although main purpose is to reduce workload in huge complex mods.

1) Bindable keys for UfoPedia scrolling, with repeat function. Currently erroneously binded to "Scroll Geoscape" direction and key must be pressed repeatedly to scroll. I'd like to see separate binds (for comfort) and keeping the key pressed would list through ~5-10 entries/sec, after half a sec of initial delay (similarly to writing in Notepad). Clicking with mouse is uber tiresome in huge mod pedias. This ain't no Cookie Clicker. Could be tried to mouse wheel by default with down direction as next entry.

2) [Attachment] Sell screen: Shift+LMB to sell an item would mark for sell every item from the top of list (or to nearest above already marked for selling, to current item) by single quantity increase. Shift+RMB would mark sell all items in entire column between marked and clicked item. Useful in normal gameplay when selling tightly grouped unwanted items but shines when bulk selling unwanted recruits. I'm talking hundreds, all which must be otherwise sold individually, bought for sole purpose to trigger otherwise restricted promotion algorithm.

3) Production screen: CTRL+MMB on item in the list would bring up pedia, same as it does in sell screen. Currently CTRL is unused and behaves same as MMB is clicked, a missed opportunity. While at it, lets have MMB bring up pedia instead and CTRL+MMB bring up tech tree viewer for natural and quicker functionality. Hell, CTRL+MMB isn't even documented properly if at all.

4) Uniform MMB behavior of bringing up pedia entry of clicked item, if researched, wherever applicable. Inside Tech Tree Viewer (TTV), Production, Sell, Transfer, Equip screens, "What to Wear?" armors (in mods), etc. Literally wherever technically doable. And then same with CTRL+MMB to bring up TTV.

5) Interception screens: RMB on minimize one screen would minimize all of them, as it does with approach icons. Restoring a save in such condition would remember if screen were minimized instead of bringing them up on reload.

6) Battlescape minimap: always show map borders? I found out about ALT function whole 3 months into XPZ. FU guys... :)

7) Battlescape Hit-Log simplification: H brings regular, CTRL+H advanced one. In case of conflict with player's custom binds reserve a function key or something. Anything to lessen current finger gymnastics. Could even go away with regular and leave only advanced one. Because reaction fire replaces your shoot damage and then you need to press 3 keys to get that info back.

8) Battlescape save remembers exact screen position instead centering on selected unit. Ideally weapon targeting status too (save scumming par-excellence). Let us live the dream.

9) Meridian's avatar is from "The Whole Nine Yards" movie in case you are wondering. Thought it was "The Jackal"... Btw, someone show him this wall-of-text when he returns from his vacation. Best it catches him at his peak mood.

10) Transfer screen: distribute item across existing bases equally, via some keyboard modifier. Ideally a pop up would let us select which bases exactly but beggars can't be choosers. Very useful for universally needed items in equal quantities: fuel, components, weapons, ammo, etc. After that we could fine tune amounts ourselves but the main work would be effortlessly done.

11) Transfer screen: transfer selected item to current base from all other bases. Possibly in combo with 2) so all selected items are transferred to current base with one action. Useful in more common scenario of having a dedicated production base, where you'd want to scrounge all needed but otherwise scattered materials to. Saves lots of time scrolling through every single base storage for components all the time.

12) Vault screen: mark item (*) to be constantly stockpiled up to a set amount, from purchase if available. Not manufacture as that would entail a whole new complex suggestion. If quantity above set mark nothing would happen. Mark should remain visible in all relevant screens (buy/sell/transfer/manufacture/etc). Say with a prefix/affix * or different colored text or something that makes it stand out in several hundreds long item list. Buying script would run instantly at first and then as often as technically possible (once a day or so). Tally would include items in transfer.

13) Popup message if the player places a new base inside radar coverage range, existing or future maximal. Warding him off potentially regrettable, costly, or simply overlooked mistakes. Also giving subtle reminder that spreading them apart for even global detection is the correct way forward. Message may even be triggered if end result would be significant radar overlap (player could even decide how much via options, in percentage).

14) Option to display only farthest outline radar range circle parts, committing drawing circles inside existing radars. To help de-clutter GEO. When placing a new base ranges would temporary revert to display everything as usual. Could be added as an additional toggle in existing "Toggle Radar Ranges" bind.

15) Battlescape: right-click on End Turn icon applies fastest enemy Fire/AI Movement speeds for that turn. Useful for quicker grinding in low risk missions. Maybe squeeze in Shift+RMB to completely skip showing aliens when player is assured of benign outcome.

16) Battlescape: key combo (ALT+LMB) to force targeting ground square. Atm it's impossible to execute unconscious enemies in squares with a wall next to them using common ranged weapons (from ground level), even if said walls are destroyed, even if only a corner is touched by a wall or a door. Projectile behaves as if you are shooting an invisible standing enemy in such case.

For edge cases where you aren't sure if permanent change is appropriate you could put a toggle option for individual player preferences.

* * *

Huge respect to all those who made OXC/E what it is today, with special thanks to AI coders, and those who uphold stability (didn't get a single crash)!

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 22