Grenades

[adam]

Seems to me that the aliens use grenades a lot more in this version than they did in the original. Am I imagining this?

I find it kind of annoying, but then, I always found grenades annoying. They force careful spacing, which I find boring and somewhat tedious.

[Phoenix7786]

I do believe this engine permits their programming to use them sooner. If they're pissing you off too much even your standard HWP tank can...uhh..tank the grenade just fine.

[Solarius Scorch]

I think they actually use it less than in the original game. Or at least not from that far (damn Mutons).

[pilot00]

The only thing that I found annoying both back then and now, is that both the aliens and the player can lob grenades on huge distances and behind buildings, this thing is dumb as fuck.

Spacing well, is an intergal part of the game, there are a lot other reasons to have your squad spaced up except grenades.

[jackstraw2323]

you could maybe add an additional maxRange to the rules file, that might address your particular issue.

[pilot00]

you could maybe add an additional maxRange to the rules file, that might address your particular issue.

Meh, call me an idiot but:

1) I have no idea how to do it
2) I want to play the game with the rules as intendent by the dev unless I use a mod that is.

[Arthanor]

You can make your own mod that fixes issues you find with the game. I have one that fixes things I think aren't sensible/enjoyable. Remember that most video games are released on a timeline and I would not say that the original release of XCom was exactly what the developers intended. I'm sure they would have tweaked it after playing it as much as we do.

That being said, grenades are annoying, especially the ridiculous range on them. It was especially funny when Ivan's "Up Close and Personal" LP was referred to by him as the "Major League Baseball pitchers" game. Setting a maximum range is one way we could address that, but a different throwing algorithm that scales range differently with strength might be the best answer.. Maybe something for Yankes' OXCE.

I have noticed that I get grenaded a lot more recently, since I updated to the nightly that allows early grenades + Piratez that sets them to turn 1. I don't think there was any change in the AI, maybe they prime grenades earlier now that they can, so they are ready to throw them when they see my soldiers?

[Hobbes]

I have noticed that I get grenaded a lot more recently, since I updated to the nightly that allows early grenades + Piratez that sets them to turn 1. I don't think there was any change in the AI, maybe they prime grenades earlier now that they can, so they are ready to throw them when they see my soldiers?

The AI doesn't prime grenades earlier, if it did you'd see the grenades exploding after you kill the alien that was holding them. The early grenades (and blasters or launchers) option merely allows the aliens to use those weapons right on turn 1. As an example, the other day my HWP was hit by a rocket launcher fired by a mercenary the moment it stepped down the ramp on turn 1.

[Arthanor]

Hum.. well.. the Trader Security dudes in Piratez are much more grenade happy than the aliens then. I haven't really gotten hit earlier, but it feels like it happens more.

Is there a check in the AI that is something like: "If my gun is unlikely to bypass armor, us a grenade instead"? In vanilla, plasma guns are pretty much assured to damage XCom, but the conventional weapons in Piratez struggle to hurt the gals.

[Dioxine]

"If my gun is unlikely to bypass armor, us a grenade instead"?

Don't be ridiculous, this AI is incapable of even remotely as smart behaviour, plus that'd be cheaty - how they're supposed to know what are your armor stats? From what I've seen in the code, the main things that make the AI to throw gurnades in OXC are:
1. Clustered soldiers (so-called grenade magnets are literally grenade magnets)
2. Low morale (AI is more likely to use grenades when in despair)

From my combat observations, AI is both more and less likely to throw grenades than in the original:
1. On the one hand, in hundreds of battles I've fought and dozens of let's plays I've watched, I've yet to see a 100% confirmed, sure instance of AI attacking from beyond its direct LoS in OXCom; I'm pretty sure in original, the AI DID toss grenades from beyond its direct LoS. And it certainly did fire Blaster Bombs.
2. On the other hand, the AI in the original was much less prone to suicide bombings. Well, seems that OXCom goes with the spirit of our times

[Arthanor]

Oh well.. must be just the rng making thongs look smarter than they are again. As for armor, maybe aliens have an XComPedia filled by an infiltrate?  We certainly know to take out the laser and hide the gauss when we first see mutons.

I've certainly seen suicide bombing aliens but not sniper bombers either. Most of my recent observations involve a grenade being thrown straight under a gal that's by herself and certainly able to be fired on (on front facing), which I hadn't noticed as much before. That's why I was trying to find a change.

[kharille]

Gives me a thought for a new thread, individual alien AI thread...  lets see...

[pilot00]

I've certainly seen suicide bombing aliens but not sniper bombers either

Its a rare thing but it happens. You see a granade been flinged from two screens away from someone you obviously dont see. Takes awhile to close your mouth afterwards. But theoritacally you can do it yourself. Totting the grenade like that, not closing your mouth