[RESOLVED] Do aliens see through more smoke than my soldiers do?

[The Reaver of Darkness]

I had thought up until now that the aliens see exactly as far through smoke as my soldiers do, and I recall at least a few times coming through smoke and spotting an alien that doesn't react, as if there is mutual surprise. But I heard someone say that aliens see further through smoke than X-Com units, which I assumed was an illusion due to the darkness of a map. But in full light level I had a snakeman see my soldier when I couldn't see the snakeman, with no obstacles to get in the way of vision.

I can't seem to get a consistent response. Does anyone know the answer for certain?

edit 24 July 2018: the answer is no, rather unequal LOS means that sometimes one unit sees another, and that other cannot see them back.

[Meridian]

In vanilla, both xcom and aliens suffer exactly the same penalties from smoke.

In oxce+, it's configurable (called heat-vision).

But in full light level I had a snakeman see my soldier when I couldn't see the snakeman, with no obstacles to get in the way of vision.

That's possible. Smoke obstruction doesn't depend only on amount of smoke... it depends for example also on distance from the smoke cloud. Scenario when one unit sees the other through smoke and the other one doesn't is perfectly plausible... if you switched positions with the said snakeman, he would not be able to see you and you would be able to see him.

[The Reaver of Darkness]

You mean units can see further into a smoke cloud than out from inside of it? If so, that would explain my data and give me cause to update my tactics.

[Meridian]

You mean units can see further into a smoke cloud than out from inside of it? If so, that would explain my data and give me cause to update my tactics.

I'm not really sure now if they can see more if the cloud is close to them or if it is far away... one or the other... best to test.
The calculation formula is iterative and I never bothered translating it into a direct formula (if it's even possible).

Just saying that the same soldier may or may not see a unit through the same smoke cloud... depending on the distance from the cloud.

[Warboy1982]

https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,3315