Messages

46

Suggestions / Re: Abstracted Manufacture?

« on: June 26, 2014, 09:46:19 pm »

Yup, secrecy. The question is, was reasoning behind of it any good? Its easier to pretend research lab or workshop standing in plain sigh in middle of mid-western US city doing something else than it actually does, than hiding entire underground base - for one thing, people (and aliens) would notice truck or helicopters going in or out. People wouldn't question soldiers being cut off from contact for a long time, (they're uhh... in UN peacekeeping mission in Ruritania! Yup. Totally), but why high-tech engineers and scientists?

You just place those labs and workshops out there in plain sight in middle of city, and just pretend they're are military contractors, and thats why they cannot reveal more if someone asked. X-COM is a drop in sea of Earths military-industrial complex, pure numbers would shield them from prying eyes.

47

Suggestions / Abstracted Manufacture?

« on: June 26, 2014, 07:10:17 pm »

I've been thinking: Whose bright idea (in-universe) it was to place engineers, scientist, and soldiers in same underground base? Why not do research and development in laboratories scattered around the world? I mean, they've had internet in 1999, no need to do everything in one place. Why manufacture items and crafts in combat bases, rather than place workshops near industrial centres, where supplying them with raw resources, vast amounts of metal and electrical energy would be less suspicious? Or just use trusted independent contractors? (as bonus, game would not be so hilariously easy money-wise once you discover Laser Cannon)
Offmap research would be harder to do (need to do some mechanism where scientist are paid per project only while they work, and not hired permanently), but to abstract offmap manufacture, all you'd have to be able to do, would be allowing to: make items available to be bought only once certain tech is discovered (and not just "everything from start"), make Elerium part of price (Allen Alloys costs can be included in price), and to specify how long it takes for bought items to arrive separately from between-bases transfer (isn't last thing already in?).

48

Suggestions / Re: TFTD and Depth

« on: June 22, 2014, 08:52:11 pm »

What else Depth has to affect other that lighting, IMHO? Throwing Distance - the only thing more ridiculous in TFTD than its Aliens (still loved the game).
The deeper, the smaller maximum thrown distance (perhaps also increases TU cost of throwing), even at compete shallow no more than half of that onland, and in total depths nothing more than throwing on tiles directly surrounding aquanaut. Sonic Grenades could be complete exception to this rule, because they...? "Oscillate water molecules?" or other technobabble?
Perhaps decrease damage from Sonic Weapons in shallow waters/onland (sound travels better through water), while increase damage from speargun weapons (less friction). That would also make early terror missions and base defense less onesided (really? no lasers xcom?)