So commendations will need to be reworked, and I figured after speaking with Solairus that perhaps rewriting flavor text to befit many of these awards might be good. This is just flavor text, and some will be skipped unless there is an issue : feedback, ESPECIALLY from you solair, would be handy in making these work with the lore, as you know the direction of the game better than I.
I'm going to hide these in a spoiler since otherwise it will take up the whole page.
The format I will use is the following
Inspiration : [title, taken from commendations from FMP, as a reference point]
Title : [Title to be used in XCF, or if it remain the same. This is obviously up for debate, and I will defer to you solair, as I am AWFUL at picking good sounding titles]
Requirement : [what is necessary to GET the commendations. Solair, PLEASE correct me if I'm mistaken on the limits of these =x]
Text : [Text of the file, as it relates to xcom, the probable time period, tech level, terminology, and other elements that are possible in the time period of the game, and likelihood of it happening. You obviously also can change these, add quote, whatever...or throw it all out if you don't think it fits]
Mini Text : [same as text, but condensed to be viewed when browsing a soldiers medals]
>>INSPIRATION :
>>TITLE :
>>REQUIREMENT
>>TEXT :
>>MINI TEXT :
^^^ this will be the format, just to keep thins easy to read.
I will be going through every commendation in FMP (my copy, slightly outdated) to alter every single one. But don't expect me to get it all done in this first post, I will edit this with time, as this is a LOT of writing obviously.
And a few questions solair : do you want quotes with these things as well? Do you want is explicitely removed from US military terms? I'm going in a little blind into what you want, but trying anyway.
Spoiler Changed commendations:
>>INSPIRATION : TECHINT
>>TITLE : Cultist Specialist [Or replace specialist with veteran]
>>REQUIREMENT : Capturing unresearched equipment from cults, such as psiclone, equipment needed to "shut down" cults, or other elements, or capture of high profile enemies such as exalt coordinators. Perhaps 2-3 captures involved in their career would be requirement along a career to make this happen. Does not expressly require THEM taking it, so much as being involved in such missions.
>>TEXT : Investigating and finding clues is critical to our mission of assessing the paranormal threat, and fighting cultists better armed than us is a tall task to take, requiring bravery and skills to do, and still come out with necessary evidence
Agent has participated in investigation of paranormal activities within [Cult] and uncovered extremely valuable information for our activities [Cult], thus earning the honor of this commendation.
Agents whom are involved with the capture of [2-3] high ranking objectives against [cult] are given this award
>>MINI TEXT : Given to an agent involved with important [cult] investigation objectives
==================
>>INSPIRATION : Athena Citation
>>TITLE : Merit of Growth (debatable, I'm sure you are better at titles, or even keep athena citation)
REQUIREMENT : Same as AC, but excluding gym work if possible? Possibly moving the requirement from 10 points to 15, since the game is so long
>>TEXT : Not all agents came into xcom experts or hardened warriors, as we value loyalty over performance due to the nature of our objectives. And the demands of our agents is always growing, as must the agents themselves
This agent has shown dedication to improving ones own skills, growing in ability and skills, demonstrating even with overwhelming odds and limited Intel, we can still make ourselves better via dedication and hard work to face the paranormal threat
This is given to soldiers who improve themselves by 10-15 points. There are 10 levels of this award, at a maximum of improvement of 100-150 points
>>MINI TEXT : Given to an agent who dedicates themselves to improvement
==================
>>INSPIRATION : Infilade Citation
>>TITLE : Flanking expert (or just the same thing)
>>REQUIREMENT : (same, but discluding beasts for obvious reasons, and possibly segregate cultists in general from aliens considering the combat styles are very different for both)
>>TEXT : Despite facing overwhelming odds sometimes, the tactics our agents use can indeed give us the extra edge to obtain victory. Flanking is a tactic we can use in even the more dire situations to effectively defeat our enemies when otherwise overwhelmed.
This agent has displayed an aptitude for neutralizing hostiles from a flanked position before they know they are even there. Such a tactic has the benefit of evading enemy fire, and surprising the enemy.
Citation issued to agents every 3 kills from flanked position, up to 4 times.
>>MINI TEXT : Given to an agent who kills an enemy with a flanking shot
============
>>INSPIRATION : Performance Citation
>>TITLE : Same
>>REQUIREMENT : Same (perhaps segregate into 3 separate ones for "monsters", humans, and aliens, again because combat is very different.)
>>TEXT : "“Great. Now we can shoot at those bastards from every direction.” - Chesty Puller
Despite being outnumbered, an agent can come out ontop with sheer tenacity and skill.
Agents who show tenacity and ability are given this award, for showing they can thin out the enemies faster than enemies can react
This citation is given to agents who eliminate 2 targets in rapid succession, the quicker we eliminate resistance, the quicker we can investigate.
4 levels exist to this award, for agents who are capable of dispatching multiple [monsters / humans / aliens] per turn.
>>MINI TEXT : Given to an agent who kills multiple targets in a single turn.
----------------
Spoiler NEW Commendations:
>>INSPIRATION : Longevity medal / xcom service medal
>>TITLE : Era (1-4) Veteran
>>REQUIREMENT : Spend 3 months in service (or 2 months for promotion 0) in these eras of xcom, so before 1 promotion, but after another (ie, era 1 is before promotion 1, era 2 is after promotion 1, but before promotion 2, ect)
>>TEXT :
>>[promotion 0]
Our birth, as a woefully underfunded, under-equipped, and understaffed agency was certainly a bit rough. We lacked proper equipment, lacked support from the council which created us, and lacked the basic needs required to do the job, but did it anyways.
This agent spent a considerable amount of time within our agency during our first era, and is recognized as a part of significant historical importance to xcom going forward : ones here from the very start, when nothing was certain, except the risk of death, and the council not taking us serious.
Agents who spend 3-2 months in the first era of xcom before promotion 1 are given this.
>>[promotion 1]
Our first expanse, given a little wiggle room in international law and more authority to exercise force. Though still very limited, it allowed us to expand from a 2 bit agency into a substantial force able to take significantly harder objectives than before, and made the council actually listen to us.
This agent spent a considerable amount of time within our agency during the second era, and is recognized as a key role in our advancement towards a unsure objectives in an unsure future, and facing terrible odds for the sake of our investigation.
Agents who spend 3 months in the second era of xcom before promotion 2 are given this
>>[promotion 2]
Our first taste of power, the expanse of xcom into a more military like entity. We still lacked authority for many things, but we were expanding greatly into advances in our equipment and capabilities, as well as what international law would permit, while we truly began to take control of some situations around the world.
This agent spent a considerable amount of time within our agency during this third era, and is recognized as warriors who faced some of the more unknown and strange paranormal threats, and preparing for an unknown future against an unknown enemy.
Agents who spend 3 months in the third era of xcom before promotion 3 are given this
>>[promotion 3]
The council finally gave us full military authorization, and full circumvention of all international law : an expanse into great power, but with great, responsibility to earth, and seeing some of what the paranormal threat was TRULY capable of, outside the scope of what we originally may have thought.
This agent spent a considerable amount of time within our agency during this, our greatest era, and is recognized for their bravery, skill, and dedication to responding to paranormal issues the likes we have never seen, and to fighting the enemy unknown
>>MINITEXT : Given to an agent who was a veteran of xcoms (1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th) era
----------------
----------------
Spoiler Additional flavor text:
>>INSPIRATION : Backstory lore article (written by chief medical officer)
>>TITLE : Commendations
>>REQUIREMENT : Start of game
>>TEXT : Commander, from what I gather the work our agents will be extremely dangerous and taxing on morale : my husband works in metalwork and other crafts, and so I had an idea : perhaps we could have awards for our agents for good performance? It would help with morale, distinguish our agents, and give my husband practice in his art.
Cost? Oh no, don't worry : I wont charge anything you will notice on your books, but I figure this will be well worth keeping our agents motivated, especially when they are at such a risk of being horrifically killed, shot, or eaten by monsters...er...Please don't share that with the agents. We want to IMPROVE morale, not make it worse.
>>MINI TEXT : N/A (its a starting research article explaining the logic behind medals potentially so early.)
Let me know if you have anything to add solair!
I realize almost all of this is subject to change, but I wanted to at least try =)
Sorry if this isn't even particularly useful, but I figure I'd try. I've posted what few ideas I've gone over, its by no means everything, but to be honest I would appreciate criticism BEFORE I write an entire novels worth of text just to have to change all of it.
This post will be updated regularly with new data, and I will try to date what is indeed changed in a changelog going forward
I suppose others could indeed post in with this if they want, and have creative writing skills, but obviously we will defer to solair when asked, and he has the right to alter any and all text we post.
....sorry if its not much, but this is a taller task than I thought, and I figure bite sized chunks are better than trying to do them all, especially before I get feedback.
Also, solair, perhaps a github setup might work for this?
Please let me know your thoughts solair.
....Blech, feel like I could of done a better job with this post. Oh well. Its a bit rough but its something.
First posted on 7/26/2017
