Messages

886

Released Mods / Re: [TFTD] [Expansion] TWoTS+ Release (v.2.51)

« on: August 28, 2022, 04:58:57 pm »

The latest TWoTS on OXCE 7.7 crashed when starting the very large UFO wreck discovery (the one with tentaculats) with error "OpenXcom has crashed: Map generator encountered an error: no alien units could be placed on the map." I could not reproduce the problem after restoring from a save; the battlescape is different each time I try to get there (save scumming is disabled, but I have to do some tricks by circling around a few alien bases to get there, I wonder if this results in different random generation).

This is likely at least in part an OXCE issue, but because I can't produce a save where this could be reliably reproduced, I'm not sure if anything can be done to fix it.

[28-08-2022_16-34-26]   [FATAL] A fatal error has occurred: Map generator encountered an error: no alien units could be placed on the map.
[28-08-2022_16-34-26]   [FATAL] ./OpenXcomEx(OpenXcom::CrossPlatform::stackTrace(void*)+0x36) [0x561b87a6c0e6]
[28-08-2022_16-34-26]   [FATAL] ./OpenXcomEx(OpenXcom::CrossPlatform::crashDump(void*, std::__cxx11::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>, std::allocator<char> > const&)+0x477) [0x561b87a6cc87]
[28-08-2022_16-34-26]   [FATAL] ./OpenXcomEx(exceptionLogger()+0x75) [0x561b878735a5]
[28-08-2022_16-34-26]   [FATAL] /lib64/libstdc++.so.6(+0x9653c) [0x7ff39de2553c]
[28-08-2022_16-34-26]   [FATAL] /lib64/libstdc++.so.6(+0x96597) [0x7ff39de25597]
[28-08-2022_16-34-26]   [FATAL] /lib64/libstdc++.so.6(+0x967f8) [0x7ff39de257f8]
[28-08-2022_16-34-26]   [FATAL] ./OpenXcomEx(OpenXcom::BattlescapeGenerator::run()+0x879) [0x561b879b21e9]
[28-08-2022_16-34-26]   [FATAL] ./OpenXcomEx(OpenXcom::ConfirmLandingState::btnYesClick(OpenXcom::Action*)+0x2c2) [0x561b87b8fa22]
[28-08-2022_16-34-26]   [FATAL] ./OpenXcomEx(OpenXcom::InteractiveSurface::handle(OpenXcom::Action*, OpenXcom::State*)+0x15a) [0x561b87a90c9a]
[28-08-2022_16-34-26]   [FATAL] ./OpenXcomEx(OpenXcom::State::handle(OpenXcom::Action*)+0x73) [0x561b87b67083]
[28-08-2022_16-34-26]   [FATAL] ./OpenXcomEx(OpenXcom::Game::run()+0x347) [0x561b87a8cc27]

887

Released Mods / Re: [TFTD] [Expansion] TWoTS+ Release (v.2.51)

« on: August 22, 2022, 01:16:06 pm »

I just noticed something intuitively strange yet understandable from the engine perspective. If you capture a live Paladin of Church, i.e. wearing equivalent to plastic aqua armor, you don't get to strip him and get the armor. You will need to go to the alien containment and kill him, and they you get a damaged armor, which you can repair. I didn't check what happens if you sell a live paladin, i.e. whether you get a damaged armor then as well, or nothing.

Likely this stems from OXC(E) engine limitations related to the specific properties of armor (not items in battlescape). I wonder if it is realistic for the engine to change, but I wonder if there are ways to get around this? Is it possible for live capture to generate an intact armor (in addition to the traditional items the live alien had)?

888

OXCE Suggestions DONE / Re: [DONE] [Feedback] [Documentation] Hunter-killer

« on: August 22, 2022, 12:54:41 pm »

Two more updates:

1. HKs don't attack craft returning from a mission anymore.

Because the player cannot redirect the craft and avoid HKs and/or enemy base.

I just noticed (2022-08-16) that if your craft runs out of fuel for whatever reason and is forced to return to the base going through an alien base territory, hunter-killer will spawn and destroy the craft.

The player cannot redirect the craft at that point, but has somewhat more control so that the crafts don't run out of fuel in a location where the return route goes through dangerous territory. But it still makes me wonder if this scenario should also be an exception?

889

OpenXcom Extended (OXCE) / Re: OXCE (OpenXcom Extended) main thread

« on: August 21, 2022, 07:09:55 am »

I just noticed with OXCE 2022-08-16 that you need to have a researchable item in the base storage in order for the item to show up in research options. Having it (all of them) equipped on a craft is not sufficient to start the research on the item. I wonder if this is intentional and/or a regression? At least  OXCE from 2021-06 exhibits the same behaviour. I suppose this might have always been the case, but only comes up in mods and not vanilla; this really only comes up with research items which you can use even before researching them (e.g. laser carbines and other human tech weapons in TWoTS).

Of course, you can just start the research and leave it at zero, and then assign the items on your craft, so having the distinction does not really mean anything gamewise other than maybe confuse the player on why the research option is not showing up.

I suppose allowing you to start researching items on a craft in the base would be more sensible than trying to add new code to make this more realistic so that you can't assign, transfer or sell off all the items you are currently researching (= you must always have one of them at the research lab). The current system also allows you to keep researching (even at zero rate = forever) items which you have sold off completely, transferred to another base or have been destroyed in a base attack. This includes alien corpses, alien items, etc., which might actually have come up in the main game as well. Also supporting destruction at base attack, which might disrupt your research, would be the realistic next step but would likely require significant new code.  Another option, of course, would be to leave this as is.

890

Released Mods / Re: [TFTD] [Expansion] TWoTS+ Release (v.2.50)

« on: July 25, 2022, 09:46:46 am »

I'm not aware of such a feature... and also can't reproduce anything similar to this.

Can you provide a save and instructions?

I can't reproduce this using your save or TWoTS. However, I no longer have saves from when this was occurring. I'm fairly certain I did not imagine a transfer dialogue popping up without any options to continue the game. Now, a brief look at the code doesn't suggest how this could occur. I remember wondering if it could be somehow related to the "sell/transfer manager" feature activated after missions which might force you to transfer or sell items that don't fit in the inventory after recovery.

891

Released Mods / Re: X-Chronicles Release, v.0.99.6

« on: July 23, 2022, 01:23:52 pm »

Endless loop during detonation caused by MCDs having zero armor property.

In this case probably BOAT_FURN objects 0 and 17.

But there's a lot more invalid MCDs:
...

Seems very likely this is also the cause for the similar bug reported by me last month (the enemy being shot at was standing on the deck of the ship having zero armor properties):

Just noticed something strange. If Irungu Tikolo launches a grenade at a Footman, the game freezes just before the impact of the missile (and you can't do anything). If you shoot the footman twice using rifles, he dies all right. Previously in the mission I already killed a footman with a grenade launcher. I wonder if Nord/OXCE dev has ideas what's going on? I'm using the OXCE snap 2022-06-16. I still have debug enabled in options.cfg if it matters.

892

OXCE Wishlists / Re: [Suggestion][Rulesets] Issues that stopped me from adding features to SALT.

« on: July 20, 2022, 12:04:50 pm »

This will likely lead to problems if your commander gets wounded and you want or must do missions in the meanwhile. In most cases I suppose it could be argued that highest ranking officer on duty should go on the most important missions. There are however many scenarios where you won't want even that (for example, if your higher ranked soldiers have poor PSI strength so you want to leave them out). But I suppose this is an issue a mod author needs to consider; personally I rather see this making the gaming experience worse than better.

893

OXCE Suggestions Archive / Re: [Suggestion] Counter civilian stunning exploit

« on: July 15, 2022, 08:20:59 am »

Well yeah, the whole purpose of civilians is that they're supposed to be a liability. You're supposed to be aggressive and take risks to save them as fast as possible. Stunning isn't a "strategic option", it's an exploit and you know it. If anything, stunning civilians removes strategy from the game. Instead of having to carefully advance and position your units, and cover civilians, you simply stun them, no risk at all. Well, even if this suggestion was implemented, you'd still be able to stun civilians and drag them to a safe spot, so it wouldn't be pointless.

Anyway, it would be useful to get the opinion of the mod makers on this matter.

Another way to address this issue could be to give negative points for stunned civilians (possibly less negative than killed one). I don't know if you can do that already, but I suspect that should be possible. That should give the modders a chance to defeat the strategy. Or alternatively, make civilians susceptible to high stun, so that they could die as a result of being stunned.

894

Open Feedback / Re: Game Over

« on: June 27, 2022, 06:41:02 pm »

I'm playing a game of vanilla TFTD, and for some reason the game just ends at the monthly report for September 2040.  Is there a time limit I don't know about? 
The odd thing is I'm doing very well, never lost a funding country, destroyed the two alien artifact sites that appeared, never lost a tactical or terror mission, etc.  I have Mag Ion armor, Psi disruptors and was researching the first new sub based on alien tech but at the monthly review it just says I failed to stop the alien invasion and it's game over.  There are two alien bases that I left as the supply ships that land at them give me a steady supply of zrbite/aqua plastics, if I destroy those before the end of the month will the game continue?  Or can anyone tell me why it's just suddenly game over?

Very likely you have had two bad months (too big a negative score, the threshold depends on difficulty) back-to-back? Destroying a base will certainly make the score go positive, but you can accomplish this otherwise as well.

895

Released Mods / Re: [TFTD] [Expansion] TWoTS+ Release (v.2.51)

« on: June 27, 2022, 06:38:07 pm »

QoL = quality of life, making the game smoother to play

I think almost always you can just update the mod and continue a game started with a previous version. I think you should be comfortable with starting now.

P.S. I'm interested in hearing how you plan to deal with randomly appearing hunter-killers. After they start approaching, do you plan to always accompany your transports with multiple defenders (see the earlier posts, I just save/reloaded in these cases but I wonder what will be your ironman strategy)?

896

Released Mods / Re: X-Chronicles Release, v.0.99.6

« on: June 27, 2022, 03:05:35 pm »

Just noticed something strange. If Irungu Tikolo launches a grenade at a Footman, the game freezes just before the impact of the missile (and you can't do anything). If you shoot the footman twice using rifles, he dies all right. Previously in the mission I already killed a footman with a grenade launcher. I wonder if Nord/OXCE dev has ideas what's going on? I'm using the OXCE snap 2022-06-16. I still have debug enabled in options.cfg if it matters.

There are some warnings in the logs about some things to fix in the mod, but I don't suppose they are relevant.

[27-06-2022_14-52-46]   [INFO]   Creating transparency LUTs for PAL_BATTLESCAPE...
[27-06-2022_14-52-46]   [INFO]   After load.
[27-06-2022_14-52-46]   [INFO]   Supressed Error for 'STR_MALE_VIP': This unit has a corresponding item to recover, but still isn't recoverable. Reason: (the unit is marked with 'capturable: false'). Consider marking the unit with 'liveAlien: ""'.
[27-06-2022_14-52-46]   [INFO]   Supressed Error for 'STR_PHOENIX': This unit has a corresponding item to recover, but still isn't recoverable. Reason: (the first 'corpseBattle' item of the unit's armor is marked with 'recover: false'). Consider marking the unit with 'liveAlien: ""'.
[27-06-2022_14-52-46]   [INFO]   Loading ended.
[27-06-2022_14-52-46]   [INFO]   Data loaded successfully.
[27-06-2022_14-52-46]   [INFO]   Loading language...
[27-06-2022_14-52-46]   [INFO]   Language loaded successfully.
[27-06-2022_14-52-46]   [INFO]   OpenXcom started successfully!
[27-06-2022_14-52-46]   [INFO]   Using software scaling routine. For best results, try an OpenGL filter.
[27-06-2022_14-52-53]   [WARN]   Image Resources/TerrainPack/Geoscape/TEXTURE15.png (from lodepng) has incorrect transparent color index 255 (instead of 0).
[27-06-2022_14-52-53]   [WARN]   Image Resources/TerrainPack/Geoscape/TEXTURE36.png (from lodepng) has incorrect transparent color index 255 (instead of 0).
[27-06-2022_14-52-53]   [WARN]   Image Resources/TerrainPack/Geoscape/TEXTURE57.png (from lodepng) has incorrect transparent color index 255 (instead of 0).
[27-06-2022_14-52-53]   [INFO]   MCD BOAT_FURN object 0 has 0 armor
[27-06-2022_14-52-53]   [INFO]   MCD BOAT_FURN object 17 has 0 armor
 

897

Released Mods / Re: X-Chronicles Release, v.0.99.6

« on: June 27, 2022, 10:45:08 am »

What would more money achieve? Let the player hire more scientists?

Yes. That would accelerate getting into mid- and end-game. I have already played over two years game time, and am still in early game phase (though I suppose I could have entered mid-game already if I had rushed it). *) It could have gone a bit faster with more research and (to lesser degree) more efficient tech to capture essential and tougher live invaders. But it is of course up to the author how long a campaign he wants to create. In contrast, I loved the pacing of TWoTS, but this mod is obviously intended to run much longer.

*) Other alternatives to accelerate the game could be making the traditional weapons, X-rifles etc. more efficient - to make the missions faster as most enemies would be knocked out with 1-2 hits - and/or reducing the amount of rather useless encounters (animal terror missions, rifts, etc.) that after a couple of instances do not really progress the plot.

This feels like a mistake lol

I reported similar with TWoTS (by the same author). It was intentional that even tanks can be taken out of action temporarily by certain weapons. Of course, the message is confusing - but it is probably engine limitation and cannot be changed. I suppose it's the same here.

898

Released Mods / Re: X-Chronicles Release, v.0.99.6

« on: June 25, 2022, 11:28:40 pm »

Do you suggest to increase funding? Or maybe increase prices of invader stuff?

I'd suggest increasing sell prices of invader stuff, at least. Also, I'd suggest making various special events (beast terror missions, graveyards, rifts, etc.) yield something you can sell for some money (currently the corpses aren't worth much at all), for example shai-huluds could be disassembled to produce expensive teeth or something. At the moment, these missions are money-wise worthless, yet take some time to complete (especially if you have village mazes, tough enemies, etc.; FWIW I also got glass spider once in antarctic and the mission was unsolvable: one of them was camouflaging on an inaccessible ice island, and I had to use debug mode to get rid of it)

I'm currently in January 2022 and total council funding is at 19M (I have the whole globe covered with 6 bases). There's still 3-4M surplus every month (with about 150 scientists). Yet I'm still only 19 % through the research tree. To make the game progression faster and reduce the grinding elements somewhat, I suppose you could also increase the council funding and how fast it grows. There could also be some items engineers could manufacture and you could sell, to make use of engineers and earn money, but I understand completely if you want to avoid that kind of economy (I have felt it's rather stupid myself).

They are meant to be used not by normal humans, but by psions.

Hmm? I wonder if these are phased properly. You are able to get X-contract likely much earlier than getting psions. It seems you get on the path leading to psionic powers through researching fire mage, rune mage, etc. I have postponed researching them to delay legionaires and more difficult enemies appearing.

But for what it's worth, X sniper rifles are at least very usable with humans. Others I haven't used that much (though rifle could be useful with spare clips).

BTW, I think the first alien base (hive) appeared in October 2021 or so. I don't think there's much chance of dealing with it yet, so I have had to leave it be and grow. Also, there have been some other enemies that seem to be non-defeatible for now (for example the UFOs with stalkers and the other beasts, the other ice thingies behind ice rift).

899

Released Mods / Re: X-Chronicles Release, v.0.99.6

« on: June 24, 2022, 02:26:14 pm »

I resumed my earlier play. No legionaires anymore (yet). Some small ships are reasonably difficult, when they include a fire and/or rune mage (alienRaces.rul:STR_FEUDALS suggests about 1/10 odds for small UFO being full of mages and wizards, in most cases these are straightforward). You need reasonable RNG and/or save scumming to avoid heavy casualties. Also, just a moment ago (October 2021), a large ship landed on a terror mission. First look outside shows a rune mage and a baron facing the osprey entrance. If I understand correctly, these have started spawning after you get the !X-contract! (why this spelling, by the way?) ie. STR_INTERNATIONALIZATION. At least with that spawn location the mission appears to be impossible, so I might need to skip that (or save scum it)

I kind of agree with xcommie that there are quite a few of "boring" events, which are usually relatively easy but might take some time (graveyards, rifts, other animal encounters, a mad psion). I suppose it could be argued that it's good to have some kind of missions. But these won't really give you much money or points, so I suppose the main point is getting training for the soldiers. I guess there are less than five a month, so not a huge problem.

It is also interesting how the economy of XCHR differs from the main games. At least until now you are almost completely dependent on council funding, you don't get much from missions - except when you can sell ships' rune glyphs. This means that the game needs to run for multiple years (waiting for more money from the council to be able to expand). Likewise, at least so far manufacturing has been useless; there is not much to produce with your engineers, so to date I have only kept 1 engineer. I suppose this results in a "grindier" game based more on waiting for the time to pass by.

900

OpenXcom Extended (OXCE) / Re: OXCE (OpenXcom Extended) main thread

« on: June 15, 2022, 10:19:49 pm »

Well I tried 7.5.9 from https://lxnt.wtf/oxem/#/Extended, still crashing

You need at least 7.5.14 to get the fixes that went in in Apr 24.