16
Work In Progress / Re: [SUGGESTION] Terminator series
« on: August 12, 2017, 07:09:34 pm »
Some more
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email? April 20, 2024, 02:43:29 pm
Did you miss your activation email? April 20, 2024, 02:43:29 pm
News: If you can't login, please contact us with your username and e-mail so we can fix it.
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.
17
Work In Progress / Re: [SUGGESTION] Terminator series
« on: August 12, 2017, 06:55:04 pm »
Some Artwork for the UFOPedia, screens etc.
Original Images + UFOPedia Paletted PNG files.
Original Images + UFOPedia Paletted PNG files.
18
Work In Progress / Re: [SUGGESTION] Terminator series
« on: August 12, 2017, 06:17:43 pm »
Some more thoughts:
The Purchase/Sell dynamic of the game would be a LOT different.
There might be something called "RU" representing generic resources (Resource Units) consumed by TECH-COM, because the idea of "Salary" is a bit obsolete in the world of 2026-2029.
The Purchase/Sell dynamic of the game would be a LOT different.
There might be something called "RU" representing generic resources (Resource Units) consumed by TECH-COM, because the idea of "Salary" is a bit obsolete in the world of 2026-2029.
19
Work In Progress / Re: [SUGGESTION] Terminator series
« on: August 12, 2017, 01:36:27 am »Since we are talking about terminators, will there be heroic troopers or some terminator rouges to fight alongside humanity?
Well, we know that Terminators can be reprogrammed per T2 Canon:
Quote
John Connor: Yeah? Who sent you?
The Terminator: You did. Thirty-five years from now, you reprogrammed me to be your protector here, in this time.
What you could do is re-purpose the "Alien Containment" into "Cybernetic Containment" and have it consist of an EXTREMELY strong, airlocked faraday cage, to prevent any transmissions from getting into the room (or out), so that Skynet machines can be experimented on while active.
Before you have the Cybernetic Containment, they're too dangerous to keep around active, so they're burned out before entry to your base, lest they have a secret homing beacon to lead Skynet to you...
20
Work In Progress / Re: [SUGGESTION] Terminator series
« on: August 10, 2017, 04:41:14 am »
One of the reasons TFTD was so good, even though it was a thin reskin of UFO was because it was so atmospheric -- the atmosphere alone sold the game.
A Terminator mod needs to be atmospheric.
Some thoughts:
Wilderness areas need to have subdued colors. No neon greens or browns or bright yellows; in fitting with the judgement day universe's grimness.
Also, the subdued vegetation colors may be because of Skynet's use of large scale chemical defoliants to remove cover for human survivors in the jungles and forests, plus to starve them out.
Urban landscapes need to be blasted grey ruins, with more available underground (sewers and basements) than above ground.
Skynet bases can be divided between newer and older bases. The newer bases can be built in total darkness with nothing but the glow of computer monitors or indicator lights in the background as Skynet and it's minions need no visual light; but the older bases (such as the core or whatever) actually have visible light, because they're pre-war or very early war, back when Skynet was young.
A Terminator mod needs to be atmospheric.
Some thoughts:
Wilderness areas need to have subdued colors. No neon greens or browns or bright yellows; in fitting with the judgement day universe's grimness.
Also, the subdued vegetation colors may be because of Skynet's use of large scale chemical defoliants to remove cover for human survivors in the jungles and forests, plus to starve them out.
Urban landscapes need to be blasted grey ruins, with more available underground (sewers and basements) than above ground.
Skynet bases can be divided between newer and older bases. The newer bases can be built in total darkness with nothing but the glow of computer monitors or indicator lights in the background as Skynet and it's minions need no visual light; but the older bases (such as the core or whatever) actually have visible light, because they're pre-war or very early war, back when Skynet was young.
21
Work In Progress / Re: [SUGGESTION] Terminator series
« on: August 07, 2017, 02:56:23 am »
Skynet Units could be:
Might also be worth looking into the old Bethesda Terminator 2029 game for "inspiration".
Link to gameplay video
- Recolored Sectopods
- Recolored HWPs
- Recolored UAV from XenoOps
- Recolored Scout Drone
Might also be worth looking into the old Bethesda Terminator 2029 game for "inspiration".
Link to gameplay video
22
Work In Progress / Re: [SUGGESTION] Terminator series
« on: August 06, 2017, 11:30:59 pm »
And the Xeno Ops Armor in Grey (or black) would be perfect for TECH-COM starting armor; based on the colors of the uniforms in the first two movies for Future War.
23
Work In Progress / Re: [SUGGESTION] Terminator series
« on: August 06, 2017, 05:38:03 pm »
Is it possible to "give" the player craft or soldiers when you complete a research project; or if your monthly score is above a certain numeric score?
One of the reasons players are so profligate in UFO is because no matter what, no matter how much materiel or soldiers you lose, you can just buy more.
One of the reasons players are so profligate in UFO is because no matter what, no matter how much materiel or soldiers you lose, you can just buy more.
24
Work In Progress / Re: [SUGGESTION] Terminator series
« on: August 05, 2017, 05:28:28 pm »* The V-22 Osprey would be the main Tech-Com transport craft and it would have its real life speed/range settings. This will mean that there will be plenty of missions that Tech-Com won't be able to reach unless it has already its own base in the region. However, leaving those missions unattended will meant a lesser score penalty than in XCom.
I think there would only be two TECH-COM craft in the whole game:
V-22
and some sort of hacked together/stolen/repaired Skynet Hunter-Killer Transport which might be needed to assault the R&D facility, through a trojan horse attempt using stolen terminator data ID # to "get in the front door"?
Another thing is, what if you get two V-22's TOTAL in the entire game? As of 2027, they haven't been made for 28 years, and have been beat up for 28 years of hard abuse with virtually no depot level maintenance.
Just getting two V-22s for TECH COM's initial fitting out is a significant achievement.
25
Work In Progress / Re: [SUGGESTION] Terminator series
« on: August 05, 2017, 04:41:41 am »
In conventional XCOM, bases are very expensive/time consuming to build and then to run.
But in FUTURE WAR, the bases would have to be cheap, because this isn't XCOM, where you can keep fighting off Alien retaliation missions.
SKYNET can quickly mass forces to crush any human outpost/base it finds; since it controls the skies, etc.
Meaning that in FUTURE WAR, you would quickly learn to have multiple bases, with backups to backups, so that TECH COM can keep running after SKYNET locates a base and sends a super heavy attack after it.
But in FUTURE WAR, the bases would have to be cheap, because this isn't XCOM, where you can keep fighting off Alien retaliation missions.
SKYNET can quickly mass forces to crush any human outpost/base it finds; since it controls the skies, etc.
Meaning that in FUTURE WAR, you would quickly learn to have multiple bases, with backups to backups, so that TECH COM can keep running after SKYNET locates a base and sends a super heavy attack after it.
26
Work In Progress / Re: [SUGGESTION] Terminator series
« on: August 05, 2017, 04:35:28 am »
Manufacturing would play a MUCH greater role in this total conversion, than in Stock XCOM.
In fact, you could use the same core mechanics for this total conversion for a different TC, a sort of "bad end" XCOM sequel, where you have to win after you lost UFO: Enemy Unknown.
Instead of terror sites; you'd get "SALVAGE SITES", reported to you by various regional commands; and you'd go there, and clear out the Endos or whatever else Skynet has there, to recover stuff.
Basically, you'd have things like broken computers, etc which if you beat the salvage site, you'd get them; similar to how Elerium is handled in stock XCOM.
You would then have to use these components in your manufacturing labs to manufacture items.
Basically, if you wanted to manufacture a rifle with a holographic sight, you'd need to have "ALUMINUM ALLOYS" +"MISC CIRCUITRY" to make one.
Ammunition would be of varying difficulty to manufacture.
Making a conventional metallic cartridge would be moderately complex (bullet + case + powder + primer), while if the weapon was for example, an electromagnetic railgun that fired metallic spikes, the gun itself would be expensive (battery+circuitry) but the ammo would be cheap and easy to make (machined metal spikes).
Caseless ammunition? Fugheddabout it. You'd need to find caseless ammo in pre-war stockpiles (SKYNET would probably not use caseless, because it's major advantage -- weight reduction -- is not useful for machines). Because manufacturing caseless ammo is pretty complex.
Etc.
You get the idea.
In fact, you could use the same core mechanics for this total conversion for a different TC, a sort of "bad end" XCOM sequel, where you have to win after you lost UFO: Enemy Unknown.
Instead of terror sites; you'd get "SALVAGE SITES", reported to you by various regional commands; and you'd go there, and clear out the Endos or whatever else Skynet has there, to recover stuff.
Basically, you'd have things like broken computers, etc which if you beat the salvage site, you'd get them; similar to how Elerium is handled in stock XCOM.
You would then have to use these components in your manufacturing labs to manufacture items.
Basically, if you wanted to manufacture a rifle with a holographic sight, you'd need to have "ALUMINUM ALLOYS" +"MISC CIRCUITRY" to make one.
Ammunition would be of varying difficulty to manufacture.
Making a conventional metallic cartridge would be moderately complex (bullet + case + powder + primer), while if the weapon was for example, an electromagnetic railgun that fired metallic spikes, the gun itself would be expensive (battery+circuitry) but the ammo would be cheap and easy to make (machined metal spikes).
Caseless ammunition? Fugheddabout it. You'd need to find caseless ammo in pre-war stockpiles (SKYNET would probably not use caseless, because it's major advantage -- weight reduction -- is not useful for machines). Because manufacturing caseless ammo is pretty complex.
Etc.
You get the idea.
27
Work In Progress / Re: [SUGGESTION] Terminator series
« on: August 04, 2017, 04:39:32 am »
Heavily based off Hobbes' thoughts, plus musings on how to accomodate it in the current OpenXCOM engine.
Ideally, a Terminator game would use a Jagged Alliance 1 / Jagged Alliance 2 style system of allocating men and resources to a world map, rather than X-COM's base system; but we can't be picky. :-P
GAME DESIGN THOUGHTS
You're in charge of Technical Command (TECH-COM), a new top secret, special forces unit founded by John Connor to develop methods to combat Skynet and to carry out unorthodox missions in support of this objective.
The creation of TECH-COM was fraught with a lot of danger, as many of the quasi-independent resistance groups resisted the unification under one command pushed by John Connor; in addition to having to send manpower and resources to support this unknown TECH-COM.
So basically, like the World Council, the TECH-COM Working Committee is very skeptical of the utility of it in the fight against the robot menace.
Like XCOM, you need to produce results to survive; or else they'll shut you down and reallocate resources to the more conventional units.
The big problem comes from how to portray the fight against the Machines within the game design limitations of OpenXCOM, and trying to keep some realism within the limitations of the game.
For example; a classical "terror" site mission as put forth by Hobbes:
Camps/cells can be attacked by the machines, in which Tech-Com may chose to help the resistance fighters defending the camp (although there will be no penalty for despawning, unlike terror sites)
...
Skynet will also conduct Pacification/Reclamation missions, where there will always be civilians present
Doesn't effectively work within the strictures of plausibility -- in the time it takes TECH-COM to load up their beat up V-22 and fly across the world, SKYNET would have terminated everyone, and transported the few survivors to death camps for experimentation before termination.
Ideally, a Terminator game would use a Jagged Alliance 1 / Jagged Alliance 2 style system of allocating men and resources to a world map, rather than X-COM's base system; but we can't be picky. :-P
GAME DESIGN THOUGHTS
You're in charge of Technical Command (TECH-COM), a new top secret, special forces unit founded by John Connor to develop methods to combat Skynet and to carry out unorthodox missions in support of this objective.
The creation of TECH-COM was fraught with a lot of danger, as many of the quasi-independent resistance groups resisted the unification under one command pushed by John Connor; in addition to having to send manpower and resources to support this unknown TECH-COM.
So basically, like the World Council, the TECH-COM Working Committee is very skeptical of the utility of it in the fight against the robot menace.
Like XCOM, you need to produce results to survive; or else they'll shut you down and reallocate resources to the more conventional units.
The big problem comes from how to portray the fight against the Machines within the game design limitations of OpenXCOM, and trying to keep some realism within the limitations of the game.
For example; a classical "terror" site mission as put forth by Hobbes:
Camps/cells can be attacked by the machines, in which Tech-Com may chose to help the resistance fighters defending the camp (although there will be no penalty for despawning, unlike terror sites)
...
Skynet will also conduct Pacification/Reclamation missions, where there will always be civilians present
Doesn't effectively work within the strictures of plausibility -- in the time it takes TECH-COM to load up their beat up V-22 and fly across the world, SKYNET would have terminated everyone, and transported the few survivors to death camps for experimentation before termination.
28
Work In Progress / Re: [SUGGESTION] Terminator series
« on: August 03, 2017, 01:54:25 am »
We now have a workable V-22, plus terminator endo sprites:
https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,5614.0.html
V-22
https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,5448.msg83949.html#msg83949
Termie Endo
https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,1875.0.html
Railgun
Some thoughts that came to me for a total conversion would be that we'd have to redesign the way bases look -- to more of a "slap dash tent city in the middle of nowhere" than "deep underground base", but then again, that all depends on what time frame you want to portray in the War against the Machines.
https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,5614.0.html
V-22
https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,5448.msg83949.html#msg83949
Termie Endo
https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,1875.0.html
Railgun
Some thoughts that came to me for a total conversion would be that we'd have to redesign the way bases look -- to more of a "slap dash tent city in the middle of nowhere" than "deep underground base", but then again, that all depends on what time frame you want to portray in the War against the Machines.
29
Work In Progress / Re: Bullet Designer's V-22 as a stand-alone mod.
« on: August 01, 2017, 02:38:35 am »The OSPREY is in the store purchase list and has altered stats to keep the SKYRANGER competitive (OSPREY has greatly reduced range, is very expensive but carries more into battle).
V-22:
http://www.boeing.com/ospreynews/2011/issue_01/final_8jun2010_179638.pdf
With 24 passengers, it can deliver them out to 325 nautical miles (600 km) radius.
There are options to extend range via reducing passenger seats for more fuel tanks.
The only jet VTOL transport ever built was the Dornier Do-31:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dornier_Do_31
http://www.historynet.com/dornier-record-setting-vtol-jet-transport.htm
It cruised at 650 km/h but had a short range:
http://www.deutsches-museum.de/en/flugwerft/collections/vtol-aircraft/do-31/
Range 200 km (vertical take-off and 2700 kg payload)
2,700 kg is about 30 troops.
30
Work In Progress / Bullet Designer's V-22 as a stand-alone mod.
« on: July 29, 2017, 06:29:55 pm »
See attached for Bullet Designer's Osprey (from this thread LINK) with the ruleset reworked slightly to be workable in the stock campaign game, instead of only in the random battle generator.
You start out with an Osprey in your starting base instead of a Skyranger, and this mod also slightly modifies the Skyranger to be a very high subsonic transport (850 km/h vs 760 in the original), with much shorter range (400 fuel vs 1400 in the original).
Basically, the Osprey is about half as fast, but can go further (11,600~ km and 29.2 hours in the air versus 6,660~ km and 8.3 hours in the air) versus the Skyranger.
I originally intended for the Osprey to be a slow "loaded for bear" transport, with the full interior capacity of 20 men or 4 HWPs available, while the Skyranger would be a lightweight fast jet VTOL transport that was nearly supersonic (maybe 900~ km/h) allowing you to get places fast, but without HWPs, to all balance it out; but current bug on the map for the Osprey means HWPs can't exit the plane. Oh well.
Known Bugs Currently:
HWP's can be placed into the Osprey, but they can't exit the Osprey, due to I think a pathing error somewhere.
You start out with an Osprey in your starting base instead of a Skyranger, and this mod also slightly modifies the Skyranger to be a very high subsonic transport (850 km/h vs 760 in the original), with much shorter range (400 fuel vs 1400 in the original).
Basically, the Osprey is about half as fast, but can go further (11,600~ km and 29.2 hours in the air versus 6,660~ km and 8.3 hours in the air) versus the Skyranger.
I originally intended for the Osprey to be a slow "loaded for bear" transport, with the full interior capacity of 20 men or 4 HWPs available, while the Skyranger would be a lightweight fast jet VTOL transport that was nearly supersonic (maybe 900~ km/h) allowing you to get places fast, but without HWPs, to all balance it out; but current bug on the map for the Osprey means HWPs can't exit the plane. Oh well.
Known Bugs Currently:
HWP's can be placed into the Osprey, but they can't exit the Osprey, due to I think a pathing error somewhere.