_Raven_'s wishlist

[mutantlord]

Raven, are you russian by any chance? If you are, check out a Hybrid Mod by Ethereal. His mod is somewhere here. Might be suitable to you.

[_Raven_]

Yes, I am Russian.

I downloaded many different hybrid mods, but I never found a mod from Ethereal. In general, my goal is simply to improve the appearance of the globe in mods such as FMP and X-Files (I love visual updates), but for this I need a new globe (created from my texture for the FMP and X-Files mods) and new globe functions (so that I can was to block the playing fields of the ocean and return it to its original, empty state, only externally as in a hybrid mod, but not physically).

So I created a texture from the best fragments, with such a texture any globe will look great. I would like all the globes to be updated for this globe and this globe also needs to be changed a little so that it looks more realistic, like in the picture "NUG-2000.jpg".
I am attaching the files in the hope that you will be interested in updating the globe and that new functions of the globe will be added someday.

PS. I myself can’t figure out how to create my own globe and what program to do it with, maybe you could share such a program and show how to work with it?

[mutantlord]

https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=5724.0

Hope this satisfy your needs.
 

[_Raven_]

One day I downloaded this mod and looked at who was adding what to their mods. Apparently an interesting mod, but I like light mods like FMP. To be honest, I have already made my choice, FMP suits me, it is easy to edit and I can easily edit its files.

I have only one problem, mods like FMP use a standard globe, it is impossible to use a hybrid globe for two reasons:
1) Third-party globes are not suitable, you need to create a new globe specifically for FMP (I don’t know how create a globe);
2) You can land in the ocean, while there is no function that can block this, turn individual regions of the globe into empty fields (fakeEmpty: true);
3) I’m not yet ready to turn FMP into a hybrid mod (it’s difficult to program everything correctly, and there are also no special functions yet that make it easier to create hybrid mods and prohibit UFO from invading TFTD).

I updated the textures of the hybrid globe (the ocean already looks good, the land also looks great by the way, you just need to change the id number on some fragments of the globe to change the texture), now from all this you can make a universal globe if the developers want it.

This globe can already be used in hybrid mods, you can give them my work if you want.

[_Raven_]

I was already thinking about stopping giving advice, but you won’t be able to do it without me.
I suggest defeating windowed mode and switching to full screen mode.

The fact is that you programmed the function of changing the size and resolution of the screen in such a way that with the original size of 6x everything is huge like on ps1 (but it’s cool that it’s in full screen) and the inscriptions on the globe are huge and the view in battle is small, but when I switch to 3x then everything is perfect (or almost perfect, even on a small phone), except for the size of the game windows.
In this resolution (1920x1080 3x) the globe looks good (many cities easily fit on the globe and, thanks to small letters, do not block the view), the battlefield is also clearly visible (the game panel is reduced and does not cover a quarter of the screen, the viewing range also increases), but the windows themselves just microscopic, that nothing is visible on the base, that in the settings on the battlefield nothing is visible in a small window (especially on small phones), it’s good that at least the window with the inventory is still on the full screen (they thought of making a separate function so that the inventory would be forced full screen size 6x even if the size of the battlefield is specified as 3x).

I suggest making a separate setting for the size of game windows:
Size Geo mode 3x
Size Battle mode 2x
Size Window mode 6x
Now not only will the soldier’s inventory be full-screen standard 6x, but all windows will be the same as in the original with the same size as the inventory (if desired, you can reduce the size of the windows or even specify the same size as the main 3x or 2x) and the game will work fully in full screen mode.

You can’t think of anything without me, this function should have been added to the game a long time ago, because it will significantly increase the comfort of the game both on computers and on phones (especially on phones, because they have small screens and it costs pay more attention to interface and window size settings).

I suggest starting to create this function now, because all the interface settings are inconvenient (that 6x is too huge, that 3x windows are too small to appear on the screen).

Here's a look at what it looks like on your phone and why you need to do it.
There are more screenshots in the file.

[_Raven_]

Skreenshots.
For some reason the zip file cannot be uploaded to the site. Well, to hell with him.

[_Raven_]

Another new revolutionary idea (or rather an old idea).
I came up with this a long time ago, but no one is able to translate this idea into reality, all even the best modders give up and cannot do it, and I decided to publish this idea here so that someone will finally do it, sometime after many centuries when there is a hero capable of adding my brilliant ideas to the game.

So the idea is to make weapon sprites not static, but dynamic. Here's what I came up with:
items:
bigSprite: 1947
bigSpriteAmmo1: 1974
bigSpriteAmmo2: 2012
extraSprites:
bigob:
1947: bigob_AK12_Zero.png
1974: bigob_AK12.png
2012: bigob_AK12_Sniper.png
When the weapon is unloaded, the first sprite is used, when loaded with clip 1 then the second sprite, and so on. Thanks to this idea, it is possible to create one weapon that will use different clips and by the appearance of the weapon it will be clear whether it is loaded or unloaded and what type of clip it is loaded with.

Another brilliant idea that will have a positive effect on the appearance of the weapon, more external information (or in the real world in the army, to find out whether the clip is inserted into the rifle or not, you take it and press some buttons, in reality, if a soldier’s clip falls out of rifle, then everyone will see it, and not just the one who will twirl this weapon in his hands for an hour, study it and eventually realize that it is unloaded). How this weapon will look in ufopedia, you can add a new function to ufopedia so that you can change the appearance of the weapon by clicking on the picture (like changing the picture of aviation in a hangar), or simply use the first sprite.

The idea is brilliant, like all other ideas, so I don't know anything, no excuses, just do it all and add it to the game. You need to give me money for these ideas, carry me in your arms for the fact that I offer them to you completely free of charge for the development of the game.

[Meridian]

https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=10144.msg141254#msg141254

[_Raven_]

Well, it was worth mentioning this function once and then it was found among the lost data, why did I forget about it and didn’t remember earlier, I should have named this function right away.

Well, what can I do? I’ll try to use your scripts for all the weapons in the game, although I don’t really like them, I prefer ready-made functions like in the example above, I just indicated the required sprite for clip and that’s it.

How many other interesting functions are hidden in scripts and only those who know how to work with game code and know what script to create know about them. Find time to turn a few interesting scripted functions into simpler functions, the more functions are converted from a scripted system to a regular one, the better for everyone, there is not enough time for everything, find more people who can add new functions to the game or turn such scripts into functions and it will be easier.

Thanks for the info.

[_Raven_]

I haven't proposed new ideas for a long time due to very difficult circumstances in my country, it's time to fix that.

Now for the good stuff. It's time to offer new ideas, pay attention to at least some of them, otherwise what's the point of offering you ideas and what are you even doing there.

Suggestions (or requirements):

1) Update the items.rul file - I made changes to the file structure and reassigned all the sounds and animations of weapon shots to clips, since all this should be assigned to bullets, especially if you need to use a 2in1 weapon such as a sawn-off rifle, so that when shooting from different clip slots (ammo 0 ammo 1), all animations and sounds are different.
Why don't you update your files as well (original and modifications like FMP):
###items:
###  - type: STR_RIFLE_CLIP
###    bulletSprite: 20
###    fireSound: 75
###    reloadSound: 325
###    hitSound: 324
###    hitAnimation: 136

2) Bullet speed - I can change the speed of the shot animation for some weapons or clips (for example, make laser bullets faster), but I cannot do this separately for one type of shot, (for example, speed up the animation only for the automatic shooting mode).
Why don't you add this feature so that the animation acceleration function can work separately for the type of shot or add something else to make the automatic shot faster and more realistic:
###items:
###    type: STR_RIFLE
###    confAuto:
###      followProjectiles: false
$$$      explosionSpeed: 50
$$$      bulletSpeed: 15

3) New cutscene format - I use the FLC format, but this format is very bulky and all cutscenes take up 2GB of memory, if this doesn’t seem like a lot of weight to you, then for me it’s a lot of weight (1 minute of animation at 30 fps is equal to 90MB).
Add a new MP4 format to the game, make sure that instead of FLI or FLC files you can assign MP4 files because i'm are already tired of using such heavy cutscenes, the MP4 format is tens of times lighter than FLC. Be human and do something with these cutscenes, teach the game to play MP4 video files in 320x200 quality.

4) New game graphics - Yes, you don’t want to leave the original in favor of improved graphics (even in the modifications no one uses the new visual upgrade or vigilo configo or xeno operations sprites, well, in vain), but I insist on a complete overhaul of the game’s graphics, unnecessary to use these huge and blurry pixels, you can use new stylish pixels, increase the size of all the sprites and re-draw them in a pixel style called pixel art.
Here are examples of modern games in the pixel art style that look both high-quality and classic, not like openxcom is classic and old.
For the love of God, find the artists already and completely update all the game sprites and picture resolution, as I’m already tired of not having enough space for pixels to beautifully draw a bigob weapon or some other indicator, it always turns out to be a blurry misunderstanding. The pixel style of the game and the old washed-out graphics are two different things, you can make a high-quality picture and still leave the pixel style, if you don’t know how, ask the indie company that created the game of the year Sea of ​​Stars on Aseprite. You are also an indie company and also work for Aseprite, so why not try to increase the size of the sprites, overcome the microscopic proportions of 32x40 and make a beautiful game.


You haven’t made global updates for a long time, find fans of the xcom genre and pixel art, invite artists, create new high-quality pixel graphics in high resolution. First, ask the authors of graphic modifications to present several new sprites in pixel art with increased sprite proportions, so that you have something to compare with and decide whether to do it or not (if I could draw, I would present you with comparisons and you yourself would see the difference in pixel quality ).
And for the love of God, finally add the new MP4 cutscene format (I used cutscenes and will continue to use them; if you don’t like them, use slides).

[_Raven_]

I propose new functions for aviation:
Add a special button to switch the fighter's equipment mode from the main 4 weapon slots to 4 more secondary slots for equipment and modifications (in battle there will only be the main 4 weapons, since modifications are not needed in battle, they are also passive skills that do not have a range like at the weapon)
###crafts:
###  - type: STR_FIRESTORM
###    weapons: 4
###    weaponTypes:
###      - 3
###      - 3
###      - 4
###      - 4
###    weaponStrings:
###      - WEAPON-1>{LASER}>{0}
###      - WEAPON-2>{LASER}>{0}
###      - WEAPON-3>{PLASMA}>{0}
###      - WEAPON-4>{PLASMA}>{0}
$$$    moddifications: 4
$$$    modTypes:
$$$      - 5
$$$      - 6
$$$      - 7
$$$      - 8
$$$    modStrings:
$$$      - MOD-1>{FUEL}>{0}
$$$      - MOD-2>{ENGINE}>{0}
$$$      - MOD-3>{TARGET}>{0}
$$$      - MOD-4>{SHIELD}>{0}
In this way, you can more deeply modify the fighter without sacrificing slots for weapons (it’s a little stupid to install modifications in one slot or replace weapons with mods, I installed the engine but can’t install the gas tank and sight, why if these modifications are installed in different parts of the fighter and should not interfere with each other or replace each other, you need separate slots for each type of modification).

I don’t have time to wait hundreds of years for you to finally pay attention to my ideas, and moreover, start implementing them into the next update of the game, for this reason I figured out how to independently add fake slots for modifiers and sew them in from the inside out:
- Create 3 types of modifiers (removable, internal, built-in set of modifiers);
- Limit the use of modifiers (only the removable type can be equipped, others are used as consumables for aircraft production);
- Create aviation duplicates (regular, improved, professional);
- When producing a regular fighter, there is a free slot for a removable modifier, when producing an improved fighter (Mod), you need to use an internal modifier and it will be built into the design of the fighter, when producing a professional fighter (Pro), a set of different modifiers is required that will be built into one modifier slot.


With aviation, I think everything is clear, I will start updating aviation as soon as I finish the previous task, creating charged and charged weapon sprites.
By the way, here’s what I want to add about your script for replacing bigob weapon sprites. It would be better if you wrote this script to the end and also added a replacement for the floorob and handob sprites, so that the weapon changes its color to the color of the cartridges not only in the bigob picture but also on other sprites too, and ideally, of course, this script should be in the game engine and used not with a tag (tag) but with a command (newBigSprite: 1408).
I also want to draw your attention to the fact that the main sprite of a weapon is considered to be the one that is unloaded, it is also present in the ufopedia section, and the one that is charged is now simply a replacement from the main unloaded one to an additional charged one. Is it possible to replace the bigob weapon sprite in ufopedia so that ufopedia uses not the main sprite (unloaded without a clip), but an additional sprite with a cartridge? Because I’m not sure if I want to constantly see unloaded weapons in Ufopedia (without a clip or black and white without energy).


Here's something else I want to say.
How do you modify a globe? What kind of programs? Maybe you can share these programs with me and I will also start updating the globe?
You haven't made one step forward in updating the globe to the new NUG quality standard, eternal excuses and reluctance to translate other people's ideas into reality.
Give me all the necessary programs and don’t be lazy to create a video instruction on how to use all the functions of the program and I myself will complete my ideal and universal globe, and also don’t be lazy to add the necessary functions to the game so that there are no problems with restoring a UFO from the bottom of the sea, so this UFO was considered destroyed, as in the original globe.


That's all I wanted to say for now. Do something already, because I don’t remember the last time OXCE-v7.12.apk was updated
I live in a war, hostages and poverty, and without electricity, and still actively updating the game, you have to admire how I manage to work in such difficult conditions in which you all would have given up and stopped working on the game, but you don’t even provide me with any help (except for links to information), shame on those who don’t help those in need!

[_Raven_]

Again, I decided to scold you a little for the weapon reloading script.
The script itself is good, but as I put it earlier, “incomplete”, this script needs to be finalized and let all 3 weapon sprites be repainted. But that’s not what I wanted to tell you, as I just found out, this script doesn’t suit me at all, it’s not what I was looking for. I don’t need the cartridges to change the sprite of the weapon, but the weapon itself to switch to another sprite in the “empty” state
###items
###  - type: STR_RIFLE
###    bigSprite: 1934
###    floorSprite: 1980
###    handSprite: 1990
$$$    bigSpriteEmpty: 2012
This way, the weapon will work as it did before (there will be no replacement of sprites in Ufopedia or from reloading with cartridges from another weapon), a new weapon sprite will replace the old one only after the clip is empty or discharged, this is what I need, but there is definitely no such function.

If you suddenly don’t understand what the problem is, I’ll tell you more clearly:
- Need to indicate a tag on the weapon and on the clip, if the alloy rifle weapon is loaded with the clip of a regular rifle, then one weapon will simply turn into another weapon;
- Need to indicate the difference between two sprites, the sprite of a loaded weapon is 100 and the sprite of an empty weapon is 150, the difference is -50 you need to indicate the cartridges, why do this when you can simply indicate the number of the desired sprite;
- It is necessary to replace the bigSprite from a regular one to an empty one, why is this done this way, probably so that in Ufopedia the weapon looks empty, but I want it to be the other way around, so that I see the weapon empty only when it runs out of ammo in battle or I unloaded it myself.


I hope you will pay attention to this and make the weapon reload function work properly. For now, I'm forced to stop working on this halfway, send the data to storage and move on to another task, updating the aircraft and creating exciting air battles with UFOs that will be challenging, realistic and breathtaking, bringing the real joy of victory from shooting down a UFO.

[_Raven_]

Now you will definitely say “We will not remake something that already works or does not affect the gameplay” or completely ignore my request, but I am very attentive to the smallest details and I want my mod to work like a Swiss watch, that’s why I am like this meticulous to detail.
I'm already sick of this:
# "Crafts : The corresponding extrasprite file id for BASEBITS.PCK is sprite+33 INTICON.PCK contains a minimized icon id=sprite the file id for the dogfight image is sprite+11"
# INTICON Minimized Id = Sprite ;
# INTICON DogFight Id = Sprite+11 ;
# BASEBITS Id = Sprite+33
#########################################
# Craft Weapons: file id for
# INTICON.PCK is sprite+5
# BASEBITS.PCK is sprite+48
Why such complex mathematical calculations? I always specify the same ids so as not to rack my brains (bigSprite: 777 floorSprite: 777), but you did the math like this. Can't you just spend one day sitting down at your computer and doing it like this:
###craftWeapons:
###  - type: STR_TAU_BEAM_UC
###    sprite: 55
# INTICON Minimized Id = Sprite 55
# INTICON DogFight Id = Sprite 56
###crafts:
###  - type: STR_TRITON
# delete ->    sprite: 62
$$$    baseSprite: 62
$$$    fightSprite: 63
# BASEBITS Id = Sprite 62
# INTICON Minimized Id = Sprite 63
# INTICON DogFight Id = Sprite 64
It’s much better to specify the BASEBITS sprite separately and the INTICON sprite separately, and Minimized will be specified exactly digit by digit, and DogFight will be one value higher than +1, so min and dog will be in a checkerboard order, in pairs for aviation and aircraft weapons, and base for aviation will be indicated as a separate, independent sprite.

One more suggestion. Add the ability to increase the size of the base sprites for aviation to 50x50 proportions, just as the indicators on the globe can be easily increased from 5x5 to 12x12
This is necessary in order to make the aviation sprites at least a little more beautiful, or simply to make cargo planes visually larger than fighters, and also not to turn the plane sideways when its proportions are 40x32, because of this you have to either make it smaller or turn it sideways, so that the proportions are 32x40
I don’t know about you, but I don’t like this, I want to create 50x50 sprites since there are no obstacles, aviation sprites even with such proportions will easily be placed in the equipment screen and in the center of the hangar sprite.

I don't see any reason to make excuses, just take the time and do it. I work on the game every day, while bombs fall on me every day, and you make the game once a month, while there is peace and quiet in your countries, even no one goes to rallies to overthrow these bloodthirsty European leaders of yours. Don't be offended by me, but you are lazy.