Its been like 6 years since I played this, any mod recommendations?

[MrFrustrated]

So its been a while since I played this, maybe as long as 2015, I might need some troubleshooting, and any recommendations for good mods would be appreciate

I hurt my mouse hand/arm, so I'm not using the computer much, but I should be fine come December 1st. Figure I would go back to xcom come December, why not set my computer up now and do all the troubleshooting and mod selecting in the meanwhile. I'm typing this with my non dominant hand. Can't wait for Dec 1st.

I've reinstalled xcom and downloaded the most recent nightly for openxcom.

---Trouble shooting 3 mods---

I noticed in the mod tab 3 mods that I'm worried might not work. I think they're from 2015 and were installed with the 2015 version of openxcom, stayed in my computer after I deleted xcom. One is Commendation Medals, version 2.1. I know I used a version of this mod in 2015, loved it, even asked the creator to include medic medals (I give everyone a medic kit.)

In truth, I'm more worried about the other 2 mods, one is 'AlloyCrafts_F72QmxAR' which has this description, 'Version 1.0 by unknown author./ No description.' The other is 'alloy_ammo_oQHJGCIH,' and again has the description, 'Version 1.0 by unknown author./ No description.' BTW, a '/' means line break, often found in writings where they quote poetry or songs or tv-film scripts. I'm a bit of a language geek.

Since I'm really trying not to be on the computer, I've only been able to limited testing. I did start a game briefly (fighting a battle represents too much temptation, so can't troubleshoot that way), but I notice the in game ufopeadia has entries for alloy craft skyranger but not an alloy interceptor and had many medals, a couple had the caption 'No description.'

The skirmish mode does have alloy clips for pistols, rifles, and big guns.

---Mod suggestions----

I don't want mods that redesign/rebalance weapons or enemy stats. I like keeping the items and stats the same. Granted, I might use the Heavy Laser mod since the original stats made the heavy laser unappealing. I am fine with adding weapons or even new enemies. If you think something makes the graphics better or redesigns city layout, go ahead and give a recommendation. 

I watched someone play on youtube and whenever they finished a battle, they got screen showing stat gains. Do you know which mod that was?

Any suggestion is appreciated

Thanks to anyone who reads this whole thing. Take your time responds, I've got a month to wait.

[The Reaver of Darkness]

Try Final Mod Pack. It has all of your vanilla goodness plus much more. New aircraft, new weapons, new aliens, new maps, more detailed globe. But you still pretty much have the freedom to play in a vanilla manner if you want to. Another option is Area 51. It's not as vanilla, but it has all of the original items intact as far as I recall. And even X-Piratez, as complex a mod as it is, still has the original vanilla items...somewhere...if you look hard enough.

---Trouble shooting 3 mods---

I noticed in the mod tab 3 mods that I'm worried might not work. I think they're from 2015 and were installed with the 2015 version of openxcom, stayed in my computer after I deleted xcom. One is Commendation Medals, version 2.1. I know I used a version of this mod in 2015, loved it, even asked the creator to include medic medals (I give everyone a medic kit.)

In truth, I'm more worried about the other 2 mods, one is 'AlloyCrafts_F72QmxAR' which has this description, 'Version 1.0 by unknown author./ No description.' The other is 'alloy_ammo_oQHJGCIH,' and again has the description, 'Version 1.0 by unknown author./ No description.' BTW, a '/' means line break, often found in writings where they quote poetry or songs or tv-film scripts. I'm a bit of a language geek.

It sounds like your mods may be out of date with the new file structure. Try checking the new mod portal for modern versions or similar. Or if you're really determined to keep them, you can try OpenXcom 1.0 release, which just might be old enough to work. But I don't recommend it, as the old mods are hard to find, and most mods these days are not compatible with 1.0. AwesomeGuns is a 1.0 mod. That being said, I don't even know where to go to get the 1.0 release.

I watched someone play on youtube and whenever they finished a battle, they got screen showing stat gains. Do you know which mod that was?

Sounds like OpenXcom Extended (OXCE). It's a game client, not a mod. I strongly recommend that you play in OpenXcom Extended. Many if not most mods use features that are exclusive to OXCE, and even mods that don't use them run just fine in OXCE. It also gives you many more options to customize your gameplay. Seeing your soldiers' stat gains at the end of battle is one of many quality of life upgrades that it brings.

[The Martian]

As The Reaver of Darkness has suggested the Final Mod Pack may be a good bet as it incorporates many mods into it to provide additional options while keeping very close to the original X-COM: UFO Defense experience.

I think that it also already includes the three mods you are trying to troubleshoot AlloyCrafts (By The Old One), Alloy ammo (By Moriarty and Solarius Scorch) and Commendations (By Shoes & Ivan Dogovich)

Here is a list of mods included inside the Final Mod Pack:

Spoiler:

Code: [Select]

---=== LIST OF INCLUDED MODS ===---

* Combat Knife, by Warboy1982
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/combat-knife
Adds a combat knife.

* Dart Rifle, by Solarius Scorch
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/dart-rifle
Adds a ranged stun weapon.

* Elerium Mace, by Tyran_Nick
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/elerium-mace
Adds a melee stun weapon.

* Flamethrower, by Dioxine
From the Piratez mod: http://www.openxcom.com/mod/piratez
Adds a flamethrower.

* Fusion Torch, by Ran
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/fusion-torch
Adds an advanced UFO cutter.

* Gauss Weapons (and a new craft cannon), by Solarius Scorch (GFX by GrandSirThebus)
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/gauss-mod
Adds gauss weapons for soldiers, tanks and craft.

* Grenade Launcher, by Warboy1982
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/grenade-launcher
Adds a grenade launcher with several ammo types.

* HMG, by Dioxine
http://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=1922.msg18049#msg18049
Adds a heavy machine gun with high power, good accuracy and poor mobility.

* Incendiary Grenade, by Simon-v
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/custom-grenades
Adds incendiary grenades.

* LMG, by Ryskeliini
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/ryskeliinis-guns-n-gadgets-1st-pack
Adds a light machine gun - stronger but not as precise as the rifle.

* Magnum, by Ryskeliini
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/ryskeliinis-guns-n-gadgets-1st-pack
Adds a big pistol.

* Mind Missile, by Clownagent
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/mind-missile
Adds a new rocket for the launcher that uses blaster launcher mechanics.

* Minigun, by Solarius Scorch
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/minigun
Adds 3 minigun weapons and a new tank.

* Shotgun, by Warboy1982 and Dioxine (a patchwork of their mods)
(no link available)
Adds a shotgun.

* SMG, by Ryskeliini
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/ryskeliinis-guns-n-gadgets-1st-pack
Adds a sub-machine gun. Brrrrrt!

* Sniper Rifle, by toshiaki2115
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/sniper-rifle
Adds a precision rifle.

* Taser, by Ryskeliini
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/ryskeliinis-guns-n-gadgets-1st-pack
Adds a stun gun.

* Alloy ammo, by Moriarty and Solarius Scorch
(no link available)
Adds alien alloy ammunition for all firearms (and a new craft cannon).

* HWP.rul, by Harry
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/sectopod-hwp
Adds Sectopod chassis to be used by X-Com.

* Scoutdrone.rul, by Arpia
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/scout-drone
Adds a small scouting vehicle.

* First Aid Kit, by Yrizoud
http://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=1782.0
Adds a big, heavy medikit (the vanilla medikit must be researched).

* Plasma Beam Mod, by Solarius Scorch
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/plasma-beam-mod
Modifies Plasma Beam craft weapon so that it uses Elerium-115 as ammunition: each shot costs one Elerium. "Ammo" capacity was also decreased from 100 to 50 shots.

* Alien Melee Stat, by Solarius Scorch
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/alien-melee-stat
Changes Melee stats of aliens to more reasonable values.

* Alien Armoury Expanded, by Solarius Scorch
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/alien-armoury-expanded
Adds new weapons and UFOs, as well as makes the aliens retain their smaller weapons throughout the game.

* Alien Inventory Mod, by Cyrix
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/alien-inventory-mod
Adds inventory pictures for mind-controlled aliens.

* Laser Sectopod, by Louis de Funes
http://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=1958
Changes Sectopod weapon description to laser, according to the lore.

* Muton Commander, by Phaedris
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/muton-commander
Adds Muton Commanders and Muton Leaders (as in the game intro).

* Recycled Alien Collection, by Solarius Scorch and Civilian
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/recycled-alien-collection
Adds new aliens, using recoloured sprites from X-Com: Terror from the Deep.

* Stun Grenade, by Murmur
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/stun-grenade
Allows converting stun bombs to stun grenades.

* Men in Black, by Robin
http://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=2180.0
Adds a human faction to fight with.

* Gazer Alien, by Robin
http://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=2180.0
Adds a new alien race.

* Cover Alien, by Robin
http://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=2180.0
Adds a new alien race, based on the game's cover art.

* Anthropod, by Robin
http://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=2180.0
Adds a new alien race, inspired by the X-Com: Apocalypse.

* Alloy Skyranger Mod, by Civilian
http://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=2048.0
New Skyranger map (+2 capacity).

* AlloyCrafts, by The Old One
(no link available)
New variants of Interceptor and Skyranger.

* Raven, by MickTheMage
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/raven-interceptor
Adds a new fighter plane.

* Sentinel, by Warboy1982
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/sentinel
Adds a new fighter plane.

* Thunder mod created by Tyran_Nick
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/thunderstorm-interceptor
Adds a new fighter plane.

* Firestorm Restyle, by Shadow
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/firestorm-restyle
Effectively, adds a new fighter plane.

* Alien Base Cave, by Civilian
http://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=2091.msg20402#msg20402
Adds a new type of alien base.

* Alien Base Addon Terrain, by Civilian
http://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=2082.0
Adds new mapblocks to the alien base.

* Farm Addon Terrain, by Civilian
http://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=2082.0
New barns and stuff.

* Reproduction, by Warboy1982
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/alien-reproduction
Allows access to the alien reproduction research topic.

* Weapon Sound Variety, by Tarvis
http://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=2045
Adds more varied plasma sounds.

* Expanded Terror, by Luke83
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/lukes-expanded-terror-mission
Adds new city mapblocks.

* Luke's Extra UFOs, by Luke83 and TurkishSwede
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/lukes-extra-ufos
Adds new UFO maps.

* MediGas, by Roxis231
http://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=2446
Adds grenades to knock out aliens.

* Grav Armors, by Clownagent, Moriarty and Solarius Scorch
http://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=2465
Adds new flying armours, as well as mechanics for repairing damaged armours.

* Tank.rul, by Arpia
(no link available)
Adds more tank types.

* Firestorm Gfx, by Tyran_Nick
http://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=1435.0
Changes the Firestorm picture.

* Hazmat Armour, by Solarius Scorch
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/hazmat-armour
Adds a fireproof armour.

* Expanded U_Base, by Luke83
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/expanded-ubase
Adds new alien base blocks.

* Elerium Bomb, by Fatrat
http://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=2561.0
Adds new ammo type for the Small Launcher.

* Armoured Vest, by Robin (reskinned after Ryskeliini)
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/armored-vest
Adds a buyable starting armour.

* Ironfist Dropship, by Solarius Scorch
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/ironfist-dropship
Adds a new troop transporter.

* Tactical Lightning, by x60mmx
http://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=2634.0
Makes the Lightning a bit more useful.

* Improved Living Quarters, by Dioxine
http://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=2806.0
Adds bathrooms to Living Quarters and a new, large type of Living Quarters.

* Alloy Sword, by NeoWorm
http://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=2819.0
Adds a new melee weapon.

* Break 2 Elerium, by Falko
http://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=2055.0
Enables disassembling alien clips and explosives for Elerium.

* Improved HandObs Pack v.1.1, by Ivan Dogovich
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/improved-hand-objects
Adds hand objects for many vanilla items.

* Grenade Handobs, by CryptoCactus
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/grenade-handobs-blue-smoke-grenades
Adds hand objects for Alien Grenade and Proximity Grenade.

* Toxi-Suit, by trollworkout
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/chemical-thrower-toxi-suit
Adds a Toxi-Suit.

* AWACS, by redv
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/awacs-aircraft
Adds three radar aircraft.

* Plasma Melee Weapons, by pWWWa
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/plasma-melee-weapons
Adds a plasma knife and a plasma sword.

* Commendations, by Shoes & Ivan Dogovich
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/commendations-ufopedia-mod
Adds medals and decorations that are awarded to X-Com soldiers based on performance.

* Extra Battleships, by Cooper aka Jotai
http://www.openxcom.com/mod/extra-battleships
Adds new alien Battleship maps.

And various graphic assets from various talented people, most notably:
* Vulgar Monkey
* Dioxine
* Civilian
* Rockfish
* Ryskeliini
* XOps
* Quinch
* Meridian (tech tree graph)

[MrFrustrated]

Sounds like OpenXcom Extended (OXCE). It's a game client, not a mod. I strongly recommend that you play in OpenXcom Extended. Many if not most mods use features that are exclusive to OXCE, and even mods that don't use them run just fine in OXCE. It also gives you many more options to customize your gameplay. Seeing your soldiers' stat gains at the end of battle is one of many quality of life upgrades that it brings.

Thanks for the responce. I downloaded OXCE, but I can't get the commendations mod (https://openxcom.mod.io/commendations) to work with it. I can get it to work with regular openxcom.

Should I post this on another part of the forum?

Thanks for everything