Messages

31

Tools / Re: Coincident Balancing Tool - Shared Google Sheets

« on: January 09, 2016, 12:50:50 pm »

It accounts everything, including armor degeneration due to being hit.

Cool, you've made a full kill model then
I guess we have both calculated the same info.

32

Tools / Re: Pro-Balancing Tool - Shared Google Sheets

« on: January 08, 2016, 07:45:13 pm »

For weapon balancing I think https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,4194.0.html UFOEnemy.py that EditorRUS has made is better, since you get a very good view of how many shots it'll take before someone croaks.

Otherwise very good stuff m8.

Thank you 

Yes, I have seen that thread. Not sure if that script takes resistances into account though.
Anyway, the information is the same, but presented in different ways. You can find that in the Battlescape > KillModel sheet. The 2nd and 3rd tables are "Immunity" (=invincible) and "Hits to Kill".

[Spoiler]

33

Tools / Coincident Balancing Tool - Shared Google Sheets

« on: January 08, 2016, 05:44:41 pm »

Have you ever asked yourself these questions:

What is the damage per turn (DPT) of each weapon?
At short range, is the Rifle auto-shot more deadly than the Heavy Cannon snap-shot?
At long range, is the Laser Rifle more deadly than the Plasma Rifle?
What is the chance of killing a Sectopod with a direct Blaster Bomb hit? What about a Heavy Laser?
A mind-controlled soldier fires a Laser Pistol at a Power-Armored Captain. What is the chance of dealing no damage at all?

Why is the Laser Cannon so useless? Why is the Plasma Beam so overpowered?
How many Fusion Missile Launchers are needed to be more effective against a Battleship than an equivalent number of Plasma Beams?
At the beginning of the game, what is the best weapon layout for 2 interceptors? Cannon + 2Stingray + Avalanche, or Cannon + Stingray + 2Avalanche?
If 3 interceptors with 6 Stingrays engage a Supply Ship, on average, how much damage will the fleet sustain?

How many Fusion Defenses are needed to have a 90% chance of destroying a Battleship? What about 99.9%?
Does the Missile Defenses' low maintenance make them more cost-effective than the Fusion Defenses in comparison to their effective power?
What is the most profitable item to manufacture?

I have the mathematically correct answers for all of these questions and many, many more.




I have seen dozens of balance mods, and I believe that 90% of them have been subject to poor choices:
How many balance mods increase the ammo of the Fusion Missile Launcher?
Many.

How many of them have answered the previous question?
"How many Fusion Missile Launchers are needed to be more effective against a Battleship than an equivalent number of Plasma Beams?"
None.

I want to give everyone the correct information, so that hardcore-players can make the best in-game decision to win, and hardcore-mod-makers can make the best game-making decisions for their mods. 




For the last few months I've been working on several Google Sheets with formulas and google scripts to calculate lots of metadata about the original game.
These sheets answer all of the above questions, calculate, and compare all the content in the game.
They are separated in 4 files:

Battlescape - Calculations for every soldier, alien, armor, weapon, ammo, grenade, and equipment. DPT (Damage per turn) for every weapon and each fire mode in the game (assumes the player is using X-COM Extender Accuracy). Kill models for each damage type VS each unit.

SpoilerMore details:

DMG sheet - Regular weapons: DPT calculations. Score of each weapon = DPT + Bonus for TUs left.
For example, if you compare the aimed shot of the Laser Rifle against the Plasma Rifle, the Laser has higher DPT (120 vs 114), but the Plasma has higher Score (102 vs 120). This is because the 2 aimed shots of the Laser leave the soldier with 0% TUs (cannot even turn to face the enemy!), so the Laser gets a Score penalty. However, the Plasma Rifle aimed shot + snap shot leave the soldier with 10% TUs left to move for a line of fire, turn if necessary, or even kneel; so the Plasma gets a Score bonus.

HE sheet - DPT and score calculations for all High Explosive weapons and grenades.
Grenades have a different calculation method: RadDmg = Radial damage = power * radius / weight.
Grenades with higher power or radius have higher scores.
Grenades with more weight will be harder to throw, and have lower scores.

INC sheet - DPT and score calculations for all Incendiary weapons.

STUN sheet - DPT and score calculations for all Stun weapons and smoke grenades.

Other sheet - Comparison of clip sizes and weight of all weapons, grenades and equipment.

HWP sheet - DPT and score calculations for all tank weapons.

Armor sheet - Comparison of all armor values and resistances for X-COM armors, tanks, and aliens.

Soldiers sheet - Comparison of all soldier stats.

Aliens sheet - DPT and score calculations for all terrorist alien weapons. Comparison of all alien stats.

KillModel sheet - Kill models for each damage type VS each unit.

Interception - All X-COM crafts, weapons and UFOs, DPS for all weapons. UFO destroy chances. Full interception simulation models for all weapons VS UFOs, including double and triple interception scenarios. Takes into account craft approach and projectile travel times. Easier to read summary sheets that allow the player to know, for each technology level, what layout of weapons is most effective for 1, 2, and 3 crafts (up to 6 weapon combinations).

SpoilerMore details:

Crafts sheet - Comparison of all X-COM Crafts and UFO stats.

Weapons sheet - Stat comparison and DPS calculations for all X-COM Craft Weapons and UFO weapons.

Weapons VS UFOs sheet - Chance of destroying each UFO with each weapon. Simple Interception Model of 1 Weapon vs 1 UFO. For each scenario: average damage taken and summary of interception outcome.

Interception Simulation x2 sheet - Full Interception Model (scripted) of 2 Weapon combinations vs each UFO. For each scenario: average damage taken and summary of interception outcome.

Interception Simulation x3 sheet - Full Interception Model (scripted) of 3 Weapon combinations vs each UFO. For each scenario: average damage taken and summary of interception outcome.

Interception Simulation x4 sheet - Full Interception Model (scripted) of 4 Weapon combinations vs each UFO. For each scenario: average damage taken and summary of interception outcome.

Interception Simulation x5 sheet - Full Interception Model (scripted) of 5 Weapon combinations vs each UFO. For each scenario: average damage taken and summary of interception outcome.

Interception Simulation x6 sheet - Full Interception Model (scripted) of 6 Weapon combinations vs each UFO. For each scenario: average damage taken and summary of interception outcome.

Early Game sheet - Easy to read summary sheet! "Hey, I just started the game. What weapons should I equip my fleet with?"

After Laser sheet - Easy to read summary sheet! "Hey, I just researched the Laser Cannon. What weapons should I equip my fleet with?"

After Plasma sheet - Easy to read summary sheet! "Hey, I just researched the Plasma Beam. What weapons should I equip my fleet with?"

After Firestorm sheet - Easy to read summary sheet! "Hey, I just manufactured a few Firestorms. What weapons should I equip my fleet with?"

After Fusion sheet - Easy to read summary sheet! "Hey, I just researched the Fusion Missile. What weapons should I equip my fleet with?"

After Avenger sheet - Easy to read summary sheet! "Hey, I just manufactured a few Avengers. What weapons should I equip my fleet with?"

Facilities + Prices + Manufacture - Effectiveness calculations for base defenses. 90%, 99%, and 99.9% chances of defending against invading Battleships. Prices, rents, storage sizes and transfer times. Manufacturing costs, and all profitability calculations

SpoilerMore details:

Facilities sheet - Comparison of all facilities stats. Defensive probabilities calculation for each Base Defenses.

Prices sheet - Comparison of the prices of all items that can be bought or sold.

Manufacture sheet - Comparison of the basic manufacture info of all manufacturing projects.

Profitability sheet - Calculation of profitability for all manufacturing projects, based on the number of Workshops available - takes into account Workshop space and maintenance, Living Quarters maintenance and Engineer salaries.

Scoring + Research - Comparison of all scores that can be obtained from Battlescape and Geoscape, including alien activity. Research times for all research, compared to scores of each research completion. Total research time for the entire game, depending on the number of labs.

SpoilerMore details:

Geoscape sheet - Comparison of scores that can be obtained in the Geoscape (interception results + alien activities)

Battlescape sheet - Comparison of scores that can be obtained in the Battlescape (items, casualties, and mission objectives)

Research sheet - Comparison of research times and scores for all research subjects. Calculation of total months required for all the game's research, depending on the number of labs.

The goals of this project are twofold:
1 - Provide calculated info for vanilla XCOM1 - all the player might ever need decision making in-game. I plan to add much of this information to https://ufopaedia.org
2 - Provide a template that can be copied, and fully re-written for new mod-makers that want to properly balance their game, without having to make / change any complicated formulas - just filling in the basic numbers, and copy-pasting.

SpoilerFuture Plans:

- Adding some graphics to the most important comparison tables (i.e. DPT comparison for all weapons)
- Adding more notes / comments to make the more complicated sheets easier to understand.
- Adding a quick how-to tutorial on how to copy and change the sheets for new mods, without breaking any formulas / scripts.
- Create a script to upload ruleset files, which automatically fills-in all the base info to the sheets.
- Create a generic formula to calculate the number of damage actions of each weapon (still calculated by hand atm).
- Create a generic formula for the chance to destroy UFOs (still calculated by hand atm).
- Create a copy of the sheets for TFTD.

If you have any doubts, if you feel that there is missing information, or if you believe that are any errors, please message me or post in this thread. 

34

Troubleshooting / Re: Sound distortion after interception

« on: January 08, 2016, 02:47:00 pm »

Music format should work despite showing Adlib.

I'm sorry, but it doesn't. I have literally tried every music format option, and every option sounds exactly the same (and has the mentioned distortion problem).
I've really run out of ideas on how to fix this. 

35

Troubleshooting / Re: Sound distortion after interception

« on: January 08, 2016, 01:50:56 pm »

I'm sorry to bump this thread.

Does anyone have any idea on how to fix this problem, or why I cannot change music format? (it always defaults back to Adlib)

36

Troubleshooting / Re: Sound distortion after interception

« on: December 07, 2015, 09:20:06 pm »

Are you using native AdLib version?
Can you try MP3 / OGG format from mods?

(Sorry for the late reply, I was expecting to get reply notifications automatically for starting a thread...)

I was using WAV in options, but below there's a text saying "Current: Adlib"
I tried changing to MP3 and to OGG, but the text below still says "Current: Adlib"



PS - I edited the first post - the pitch of sound is not distorted, there are just many sounds missing and I can hear loud cracks very often after the bug happens.

37

Troubleshooting / Sound distortion after interception

« on: December 02, 2015, 09:50:49 pm »

Hello everyone.

I've been getting an extremely annoying problem with the game sound. After an interception ends, all the game sounds and music get extreme distortion (I can hear loud cracks on every single sound, including music). It is extremely disturbing to the ear and makes the game unplayable. The only way to fix the problem is by saving the game, closing OpenXcom, and lauching again - which I have done over a hundred times... (without exaggeration)

I've searched the forums and the bug-tracker and found nothing of the kind - which is strange because it is a very obvious problem that happens in 90% of all interceptions. That makes me think that it might not be a bug, but rather some problem on my machine.

Has anyone else ever experienced anything similar? Any ideas on how I can fix this?

PS - I'm using windows 7, and I've tried several versions of OpenXcom (1.0 and several nightlies), and they all yield the same problem. In the sound options menu everything is at default, I did not change any settings (should I?).

PS2 - I'm currently using a Creative X-Fi Titanium sound card that can emulate binaural sound environments and 7 channel surround sound through headphones. However, I have every feature turned off while I play OpenXcom (with simple 2 channel audio). I think I'll start by trying the on-board sound card to see if the problem still happens.

Thank you in advance for any insight.

38

Released Mods / Re: [GRAPHICS] Improved Hand Objects (complete)

« on: November 14, 2015, 10:59:51 pm »

You mean that different mods can use the same numbers for the same PCK without colliding with each other?
(It makes perfect sense, but I didn't expect that to be supported...)
I have been moving a lot of files on my mods lately, so I must have done something wrong on my machine.

I'm sorry! Forgive the newbieness; I still have much to learn.
I regret my previous post  (except the PS part)

39

Released Mods / Re: [GRAPHICS] Improved Hand Objects (complete)

« on: November 14, 2015, 10:43:37 pm »

Sorry to bring this thread back from the grave, but I just wanted to report a small mod-incompatibilty issue:

You're using the index 200 for the elerium floor sprite:

200: Resources/ImprovedHandObs/FloorOb_Elerium.gif

But the Terrain Pack mod uses indexes 200 through 207 for a dead civilian corpses.

200: Resources/Units/FLOOROB_MALE_CIVILIAN2_CORPSE.gif

Result: People who use both mods either get UFO Power Sources with dead civilians inside, or a dream-world terror mission with free elerium on the ground 

This can be easily fixed by changing the index for the elerium floorOb to 208, for example.
I know - then you'd have to consider what other random mod would use 208...
Anyway, it seems that the terrain pack is quite widely used so I thought I'd post the "fix" here.

PS - Don't take this the wrong way - I really like this mod, and I consider you did an excellent job; I'm just trying to help 

40

Troubleshooting / Re: Possible bug in projectile collision detection

« on: November 14, 2015, 02:21:10 pm »

I've opened a bug issue with this, so it doesn't get forgotten.

https://openxcom.org/bugs/openxcom/issues/1116

41

Open Feedback / Re: Ruleset Editing Questions (& Some mOrz Qestions)

« on: November 14, 2015, 12:17:24 am »

Totally agree, that's exactly the situation. However, I'm focused on some other more severe bugs to report this issue atm.

Either:

(a) corpses should be "unlinked" from being erroneously triggered for research by the research topic under which they are listed as dependencies, or

(b) autopsies should correctly trigger the "we can now research" message for whatever research topic they are unlocking.

Or both 

42

Troubleshooting / Possible bug in projectile collision detection

« on: November 11, 2015, 08:03:09 pm »

I think I might have found a bug.
I've read about the bug-tracker, but I'm new around here and I'm not sure if this behaviour is intended () or has been reported before (couldn't find anything after searching).
Can someone confirm that this is indeed a bug so I can create an issue on the bug-tracker?


I got save-game where you can reproduce the bug twice in a row (check attachment).

How to reproduce the bug:

 1) Go to options and reduce the bullet speed to the minimum
 2) Still in the options: make sure you save-scumming turned off to use the same random seed as the save-game
 3) Load the save-game
 4) The selected soldier has a rifle.
 5) There is a Snakeman at the top-left side of the screen.
 6) Choose snap-shot, target the Snakeman, and fire.
 7) Repeat step 6: take a second snap-shot.

Both shots will very clearly go through the belly of the snakeman, and hit the ground behind him, making no damage.
It only happens sometimes, and in different maps / weapons / aliens, I'm not sure what are the exact circumstances that cause this.
I think it might have to do with shooting next to that side of the wall. It also happens when shooting next to sides of UFO hulls, and also happens to the aliens when shooting at my soldiers, next to a side wall.
Anyway, it is simultaneously frustrating and strange... 



PS - I'm using the latest nightly build. No mods are needed to load the game and reproduce the bug.
PS2 - This happens both with or without the UFO Extended Accuracy.

43

Open Feedback / Re: Ruleset Editing Questions (& Some mOrz Qestions)

« on: November 11, 2015, 06:35:54 pm »

I'm pretty sure live aliens are exempt from normal research limitations. You can always interrogate them.

Ok, I understand. Thanks for the info.

[Spoiler]

44

Open Feedback / Re: Ruleset Editing Questions (& Some mOrz Qestions)

« on: November 11, 2015, 02:03:20 pm »

Hello again.

I wanted to try and make any alien interrogation research depend on the respective alien corpse research.
However, this does not seem to work: as soon as I capture any live alien I can immediately research it, regardless of what the research depends on.

I tried making the STR_SNAKEMAN_ENGINEER research depend on STR_SNAKEMAN_CORPSE, STR_SNAKEMAN_AUTOPSY, and even STR_ALIEN_SURGERY (I have not researched any of these 3).
Still, the Snakemen Engineer research is always available.

SpoilerRuleset:

  - name: STR_SNAKEMAN_ENGINEER
    cost: 210
    points: 42
    dependencies:
      - STR_SNAKEMAN_AUTOPSY

Any ideas?
Am I doing something wrong? Or perhaps is this just not supported yet?

45

Open Feedback / Re: Understanding Game Mechanics

« on: November 08, 2015, 12:49:08 pm »

You want to check DebriefingState.cpp for the code, in the Battlescape folder.

Thanks Arthanor. That was exactly what I was looking for.

But I'm pretty sure there is no way to link rank with points or the other things.

According to ufopaedia, the original X-COM has the player loose more points for getting higher-ranked soldiers killed. This must have been implemented in OpenXCom for sure. Maybe it's not in the debriefing calculation stuff, but it's associated to the actual unit.


Anyway, I'm going to look around and try to answer my owns questions here, in case someone sees this thread in the future:

- Reduce Alien Alloys recovery points to less than 1 (not sure how to do this though, does the recoveryPoints ruleset var accept decimals?)

The recoveryPoints ruleset is an int - no decimals are accepted.
https://github.com/SupSuper/OpenXcom/blob/master/src/Mod/RuleItem.cpp#L600

- Change Elerium 115 recovery points (the ruleset item has no recoveryPoints set... how does it currently work?)

Recovering an elerium item (=50 units) is a special case, and always gives 5 points. This is hard-coded and unfortunately cannot be changed with rulesets.
https://github.com/SupSuper/OpenXcom/blob/master/src/Battlescape/DebriefingState.cpp#L1119

- See / Change points lost for X-COM soldiers killed, depending on rank (can't find any rule for this)

The value of an X-COM soldier is hard-coded to 20 + Num of missions the soldier has been to + rankBonus.
Where rankBonus = 1 for sergeant, 3 for captain, 6 for colonel, 10 for commander.
This cannot be changed with rulesets.
https://github.com/SupSuper/OpenXcom/blob/master/src/Savegame/BattleUnit.cpp#L116

- Change  points lost for X-COM soldier MIA (can't find any rule for this)

Soldiers MIA make you lose the same amount of points as if they were killed, this cannot be changed with rulesets.
https://github.com/SupSuper/OpenXcom/blob/master/src/Battlescape/DebriefingState.cpp#L750

- Change the points for successfully destroying an Alien Base (can't find any rule for this)

Points for destroying an Alien Base can be easily changed in the deployment ruleset (objectiveComplete)
https://github.com/SupSuper/OpenXcom/blob/master/src/Battlescape/DebriefingState.cpp#L396

This also works for custom mission deployments.
https://github.com/SupSuper/OpenXcom/blob/master/src/Battlescape/DebriefingState.cpp#L847

- Lose points for leaving abandoning a terror site with live aliens (probably not supported)
 - Lose points for losing an X-COM base after an alien retaliation (probably not supported)

Points for losing a certain mission can be easily changed in the deployment ruleset (objectiveFailed)
However, this only works for terror / custom mission. Losing an X-COM base does not go through that code.
https://github.com/SupSuper/OpenXcom/blob/master/src/Battlescape/DebriefingState.cpp#L904


Extra findings:

Score lost for Civilians killed by X-COM is calculated by adding 2 thirds to the value of the civilian unit, this cannot be changed with rulesets.
https://github.com/SupSuper/OpenXcom/blob/master/src/Battlescape/DebriefingState.cpp#L692