Messages

31

IDT Modding Hub / Re: Reaver's Harmony Megamod - A Massive X-Com Expansion

« on: August 10, 2021, 07:58:50 am »

I think something went wrong when I installed this mod. I think I have a debug enabled version, since I start with an excessive full base, equipment that isn't unlocked yet, a bunch of aircraft, and also the UFOPEdia for weapons seems to have {0} in place of number of shots.
Not sure what I did wrong.

32

The X-Com Files / Re: Clarification questions

« on: September 11, 2020, 05:05:18 am »

Remaining Questions
Handcuffs. How do these work, do they cause stun to increase, or just slow decrease, or what. How does stacking them help. Do strong enemies actually prevent you from using them, or just animalistic enemies? Why don't you get them back after usage?

Electroflares. When you activate them, they do not give off light, until thrown. If you don't activate them, they don't give off light. This is weird. Mechanical issue, or intentional?

Fire Damage. Do you get set on fire for walking through fire, for standing in fire at the end of your turn, or only from being hit by a fire-generating weapon? How much damage do you take when standing in fire, or while on fire, do they stack, is there degrees of "on Fire", how long/what are the chances of stopping being on fire. Does unit size change fire damage. Does fire actually burn down terrain, like bushes or hedges or trees? Because It seems to do it sometimes, but not always, so it is hard to tell.

Projectile speed. Is there a way to enhance this further, at least for rapidfire weapons, such that weapons with 5-10 rounds don't take so long? I have bullet speed maxed already.

Melee Dodge. I can calculate the value, but I don't know how it is applied. I assume there is a randomized contest between the attackers melee dodge, adjusted by Close quarters combat accuracy in some way for ranged weapons, or weapon accuracy for melee weapons, as well as facing. Attacks from behind get a 50% penalty, and presumably from the sides are 62.5%, 75%, 87.5%, and 100% for the front. Anti-terrain heavy weapons like Pickaxes or Crowbars are probably considered ranged weapons for this purpose. But what is the actual equation?
Edit: Description, after rereading it, says I was hilariously wrong. it has no effect on melee weapons, but probably still has an effect on the pseudo-ranged Pickaxe and similar. There are two factors, melee dodge on both and CQCA for the weapon. But, again, still don't actually know how it works.

Crop Circle Time Limit. Why is this here, and why do your agents die? Seems kinda weird, and there isn't a justification given in the mission description.

New Question.

Black Lotus Witch's description suggests they should have a forcefield. They don't have that in their stats, in the wiki OR ingame, and also lack any special resistances like 50% kinetic or w.e.
What was intended here? Bug, bad description, or misunderstanding?

33

The X-Com Files / Re: Clarification questions

« on: September 10, 2020, 03:57:58 pm »

That helps. No reason to fight black lotus during the day then.

Ford Day and Dark mean that flares make it use day camo values?

I use doggos because of the motion scanner. You can then hold Alt to reveal them, and apply napalm, or rather incendiary grenades. They see through walls, and at an extended range. But yes, if I had motion scanners, I would use armored rookies instead.
I suppose I might look into rats.

What is the basic vision range? given values of 15, 30, and 40, I highly doubt 20 is still default, unless longer vision range is a thing elsewhere.

34

The X-Com Files / Re: Clarification questions

« on: September 10, 2020, 12:42:05 am »

Still a number of unanswered questions.

Handcuffs. how long do they take to wear off, what causes them to fail, and do stunned, but not bleeding enemies eventually have a heart attack normally, or only with handcuffs, and why cant they be reused?


How does stealth, vision, etc work? This has half the answeres, assuming it is the method used.
https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=4822.0

Ninjas have +4 Camouflage at night and day.
ThIs means, day or night, you can only see them within 4 tiles?
Or is it you can see them 4 tiles less than normal? does day value get used if illuminated, and if so, just the edge, or does it need a certain brightness?
Given their speed, reflexes, even doggos aren't able to bark before being cut in half. Only doggo tracking or blundering into one lets me catch them. If my doggo goes down, I scrub the mission, it is that bad.

Jumpsuit has a -2 and 28 For night and day.
Doggo Has 15 visibility at night, and 40 at day when wearing armor. What is the default?
Base los range is 20 in vanilla, but I think it might be longer here? I know I read it somewhere, but can't find it.
Thermal vision. This is purely antismoke? How many tiles does 1 smoke count as visionwise anyway? Wiki isnt that clear.

Scout drone has 5 anticamo. How does that effect flat and negative stealth? Extra x distance up to max in each case?

melee dodge. how does this work, exactly? i can calculate the base value, and get melee coef for weapons, but that is the extent. Do both units use their melee dodge in a contest?

Overkill coef. What is this. Everything has it set to 1.5.

35

The X-Com Files / Re: Clarification questions

« on: August 21, 2020, 12:40:50 am »

Oh, that makes more sense. I should have remembered that.


Ok, on regen stats, I think I mostly understand.

Freshness is sanity.
normalized is fraction of current out of total of that attribute. 1 for full 100%, .5 for 50%, etc.
current is current amount, and the attribute on its own is the max.

Quesyion is what *100 means, and wheter stun is negative, positive, and what it uses as maximum (Probably health)

So two things I see. 1, unless randomized, you start losing health at 10x max health taken in stun damage. If rounded, 5x, which matches documentation.

Stun regens at 8x sanity fraction, with adjustments for health, max health, and current stun. Higher health characters recover from stun slower, slower still at low hp. Higher stun either recovers faster or slower, depending on whether stun is negative or positive. Eg starts at max hp and drops negative, or starts at zero and increases til passing current hp.

Also, heart attacks shouldn't happen based on furrent health, but rather max health.


Probably...

Given stun recovery estimates, smoke dealing 1-3 at 400% choke modifier per turn means 4 to 12 damage. Sanity counters that with 8 regen, with some extra modifiers, so there is around 50% chance that smoke is lesser than regen, and 50% that it is higher. With some extra factors thrown in I was struggling with.

Edit: Stun has to start from zero, and it's max(Which it can exceed) is current health. That all works out.
Still curious what the *100 means though.


---

I just extracted spider web from a giant spider. Also, durathread yses an unidentified organic compound that I haven't researched yet. This has horrible implications....

---
What is up with the 10 turn limit on crop circle missions? what is the justification?

36

The X-Com Files / Re: Clarification questions

« on: August 20, 2020, 09:08:06 pm »

Yes, although it's not really noticeable unless your stun levels are already high. It's more obvious on monsters and other things that have a vulnerability to it, although even then there are much more effective ways of causing choke damage. Don't know about the falloff though.

Its more that, 60 Choke damage, with 400% vulnerability, and 100% Stun, 0% damage. That heavily implies 240 stun damage on impact. This is both rediculous, and doesn't happen. What exactly does 60 choke damage indicate there? Number of smoke clouds?
As for passive smoke damage, I would observe that standing in smoke, my agents do not seem to gain any stun damage. Admittedly, thinking on it, since stun damage dissipates naturally, it might just be sufficient to keep up with it as it is generated.

Finally got armored vests. Also grenades, and other explosives. Things are heating up.
I have to say, I LOVE the shield addon for the armored vest. Only heavy weapons, or explosives effect you, and while being limited to 1 hand hurts, it seems to work great with a Magnum heavy pistol. Its not quite invulnerability, but it is quite an improvement.

I was kinda disappointed that Zombies didn't just walk through fire.

 Also, met my first ninja squad. Sadly was unable to capture any of them alive. Downed one, but lost two of my agents before medical aid became feasible, and had to let them bleed out because priorities. That fire glove looks nifty though.

37

The X-Com Files / Re: Clarification questions

« on: August 20, 2020, 07:13:18 pm »

Does smoke still do Stun damage? because I haven't seen any effect from sitting in smoke clouds.
Additionally, Smoke Grenades have "Choke" damage, but don't appear to inflict their 60*4 stun damage. Presumably there is falloff of some kind?

38

The X-Com Files / Re: Clarification questions

« on: August 19, 2020, 07:33:03 pm »

Understood. Makes sense, given how the other undercover missions work.

"Verdammit! Fakking SPIDERZ! Eef I evar meet da FAKKER hwo made zem... SPIDERZ ARE NEVAR A GUTT IDEA!"

https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/shanxi-in-which-turians-learn-to-fear-science-mass-effect-girl-genius.617517/page-12#post-44483572
Ok, I understand having to travel underground to find the spider queen and burn out the infestation. But how did these IDIOTS manage to get split up?

At least I brought incendiaries....

39

The X-Com Files / Re: Clarification questions

« on: August 19, 2020, 05:58:50 pm »

Yea, It turns out I was incorrect in an assumption. The description you can get from in the battlescape, and right before deployment is NOT the one you get before setting out. The first lacks the info. The latter has it. I thought it was the same description, because why would you need two mission briefings? But there are several reasons, and that was my screwup. Sorry.

---
Unanswered questions from earlier.

Energy    Freshness normalized : 20
Health current : 0.25
Health    Stun normalized : -0.1
Morale    *100 : -0.1
Freshness normalized : 14
Stun    Health current : 0.06
Health : -0.09
Stun current : 0.036
Freshness normalized : 8
Time    TU : 0.5
Freshness normalized : 125

Regeneration mechanics. Armor has various statistics, which probably govern them, and those look like equations. But I would like an explaination regardless.

Handcuffs. Is there a guide as to how much strength resists outright, or requires multiple pairs?

Electroflares. Is there a technical reason as to why Electroflares don't turn on after throwing? And is there a reason it takes more than 2 TU to arm them, like flashlights? Also, why don't they stack when armed, is that a grenade behavior and unchangable? Or allow you to arm them as a group, or at least not show up the grenade armed indicator..... They are a mild hassle, but not a huge deal now that I have gotten used to them.

Selling Captures. Any official/better idea who we sell to?

Reaction melee with both hands full. Possible or disabled?

Fire Damage. Already know it ignores armor now, but the rest?

Oh, and Fire damage, according the UFOPEDIA ignores armor (though presumably not damage coefficients) But, I have no idea how much damage it actually does past that. Aside from 10 damage per round, maybe. Does it stack? If something is on fire, can it be MORE on fire? IF it is standing in fire, does it catch on fire, or only if it is hit by something that sets fire? If standing in fire, does it take damage from both? Does it actually ignore armor? If not, which armor does it effect? Do 2x2 enemies still take quadruple damage, and is that the case for being on fire, or only ground fire? And in the case of ground fire, is it always 4x, or only if all 4 tiles are on fire?

Faster bullets. I already maxed speed.

Armor/Vehicles for Cover missions. I know that vehicles error out if you use a forbidden vehicle. If a specific outfit is required, it replaces your selected outfit. What if you have Suit + leather Coat as option, What happens?

Gym. Is there exact mechanics here? Like is it +1 of every stat per day, +1 of each stat per day at % chance based on difference between zero and max, and up to rookie cap? Also, I think throwing accuracy is different than what the openxcom wiki says.
Do gyms take into account stat bonuses from awards, and do they preserve ANY of the original randomness of a soldier?
What is the meaning of stat changes when you hit the big Plus Button in the top right corner? Stats usually go up by 1 when pressed, so I guess that is the predicted improvement, but sometimes it goes up more, or not at all. I think.

40

The X-Com Files / Re: Clarification questions

« on: August 18, 2020, 11:01:14 pm »

No, the blackops Pistol. the First pistol unlocked from Blackops. I guess you get a better version later?

Flares and flashlights. If I turn one on (Arm it, it is apparently a grenade according to the loadout screen) it gives off light in the ground or in someone's hand. If I throw it, it ends up on the ground. If I drop an inactive one, it remains off. If I throw an inactive one, it remains off. So, I have to pick it up, arm it, and throw it.

Labor info. Hmm. Maybe there is a different mission briefing on the map vs before the mission. I'll have to check that.
At least it blocks forbidden craft. That is nice at least.

41

The X-Com Files / Re: Clarification questions

« on: August 18, 2020, 10:09:21 pm »

Understood. The stats for nerds extension doesn't appear to work for Armor or Vehicles, just equipment. Even opening all four subtabs doesn't show it.

Yea, I saw the reaction fire later, and that helps a lot more.
Past that, Dog bark managed to get a farmer to surrender without me having to stun him. Presumably morale based.

42

The X-Com Files / Re: Clarification questions

« on: August 18, 2020, 09:00:52 pm »

It might not be a bug, technically, but in no part of the description does it say "Labor gear only"
And yes, I know how to filter for Labor gear, Concealable, Sporting gear, etc. I just have no way of knowing it happens to be a labor gear mission unless there is even a tiny indicator somewhere telling me so. I haven't progressed far enough in the game to gain psionic powers, so I can't read the developers mind. Ergo, this is an obvious bug, missing critical mission briefing information.

Helicopter is viable? Good to know, and better than a van if I can use it.
Do vehicles have this data anywhere? because only the Humvee thus far tells you it won't work for undercover. So, presumably, you can totally use a Mudranger, ridiculous as that seems. (Not really, I imagine it wouldn't work, but still, no description info, and common sense only gets you so far)

Maybe the Labor research tech had this info? Yep. It did. But, after several missions said, explicitly, that they were undercover missions requiring concealable equipment, common sense dictates that any mission with such restrictions had said information.

So, is there any hints for concealed missions, or Sportsman cover missions? I am guessing it will imply infiltrating a country in the description for the latter.

Anyway. New question. Does this mission have any restrictions?

Cult Outpost
We have located an outpost of EXALT, which they are using for cooridination of their agents and for storing supplies. We must subdue all residents, preferably keeping them alive for questioning.

43

The X-Com Files / Re: Clarification questions

« on: August 18, 2020, 08:34:37 pm »

Ctrl + ALt + B in mission brings up the mission briefing, which is nice.

Industrial Investigation.
Public/Van
An illegal organization built a sleeping cell to lay low in this industrial complex. We must take down these cultists and possibly arrest their leader. To abort the mission return X-Com operatives to the exit area nad click on the 'Abort Mission' icon.

I have Medkits, Flashlights, and flares. No Taser, which are concealable, and I always bring. No Knives, or batons. No guns of any type, even concealable pistols.

Maybe it has to do with how I have kevlar vests for everyone? But there is no data on that in the ufopedia either.

Past that, What vehicles are acceptable for undercover of various types, because extended info doesn't include that. Nor does it for armor, and I assume there are limits there as well.

I need clarification, because these missions appear bugged.

44

The X-Com Files / Re: Clarification questions

« on: August 18, 2020, 08:20:22 pm »

Vampire Knight. Dang. Well, I suppose that I will try and keep one on fire as long as possible, and bring extra flare ammo for future heavy zombie missions. It caused it to panic, and if it ignores armor, that should take one down eventually.

Undercover missions. I have had quite a few missions where people arrive with nothing on them, except for, I think, concealable stuff. This makes sense for actual undercover missions, but It keeps happening for missions without any undercover data in the description. Did I miss something, or is it implied that any safehouse raid mission is considered a concealment only mission? Because some missions have that in their description already, but safehouse missions don't, and I double check every Cult-type mission description, just to be safe.

45

The X-Com Files / Re: Clarification questions

« on: August 18, 2020, 07:40:31 pm »

Sale. Coverup fee? I suppose that makes sense. I am honestly just letting them pile up in storage, probably until I actually need the room, or cash stops being tight. So yes, I have a corpse pile. As for selling Cultists and Aliens, Still curious for other opinions.


Electroflares. They do not appear to light up after being thrown. Does it only happen after the end of your turn, is that a bug, or are you expected to turn them on?
As a side note, I have often thrown flashlights as light sources, because of their larger radius. They are easily able to be thrown into the darkness, after all, even with higher weight.

Unarmed Attacks. Does the reaction attack use the Unarmed "Special" attack, even if your hands are full? And yea, I understand reducing option overload.
Does unarmed reaction require you to have a hand free, or as a special, is it always there? Or, in english, should I drop one of my weapons if I expect to need to retaliate?

Alien Stats. I was kinda hoping that after an autopsie/combat report, or even a capture and interrogation, that we could get a rough idea of how much Health, and how fast they are, even if it is just the range. Knowing a zombie has 5 armor is one thing. Knowing it has around 80-100 health, meaning it takes 5-7 bullets from a Glock to take one down is another. I would like less lazy scientists please. My agents consider this Vital information for their safety.

Stun Damage, Stun Damage, and Daze Damage. Could we get... One of the stun damage types renamed to daze, then?

Shooting the ground. huh. That actually works. I seem to remember it not working. Shame I can't stab them though. I understand there used to be a way, but it couldn't filter between cut immune enemies, and enemies you could presumably cut the neck or spine of.

Dog Barking
I had a pair of dogs barking viciously at a giant beetle. I think 6 or so attacks hit, not sure exactly, but I kinda thought that 100+ TU damage and Morale damage would have immobilized it, or caused it to panic. However, it clearly didn't give a damn, and walked up and bit one of them in half. Maybe it beserked? Or it is deaf?

Vampire Knight. Reacted to a Police VS Zombie battle. Aside from the awesome of seeing frikkin TANKS driving around with machine guns equipped, there was a Vampire Knight. I was somewhat concerned when I saw a zombie with a Cape. When he was also wearing a sword, which sliced a solider in half, I was worried. When Armor piercing shotgun shells, flare guns, and ~4 turns worth of fire from Blackops SMG, Hunter rifles, AP Shotgun shells, and Blackops Pistols only managed to piss him off, I had to retreat. Mainly because he charged and sliced two agents in half, despite being on fire. I am either behind, missed a low-hanging fruit of a high-damage option, or this is one of those "Ran into something horrific early, retreat, and prepare next time" situations I expected, like early UFOS. I plan to try and get explosives next time, and more fire, because at the very least, that panicked him.

Oh, and Fire damage, according the UFOPEDIA ignores armor (though presumably not damage coefficients) But, I have no idea how much damage it actually does past that. Aside from 10 damage per round, maybe. Does it stack? If something is on fire, can it be MORE on fire? IF it is standing in fire, does it catch on fire, or only if it is hit by something that sets fire? If standing in fire, does it take damage from both? Does it actually ignore armor? If not, which armor does it effect? Do 2x2 enemies still take quadruple damage, and is that the case for being on fire, or only ground fire? And in the case of ground fire, is it always 4x, or only if all 4 tiles are on fire?

Faster Bullets. Is there a way to make Rapid Fire guns execute even faster? Or a reason they don't use Shotgun Mechanics? I don't exactly need to see that many bullets. And yes, I have maxed out bullet speed already in the options.