X-Chronicles Release, v.1.5

[Hadriex]

Great.

Also glad to see the rifts fix. I lost one game when I tried to stick to 1 base because no rift spawned in range for 3 months so I'm super glad to see that patch note.


I would love if the low walls could be vaulted or climber over. Both for the player and the enemies. I know someone was working on something like that, though I have no idea if it went anywhere. Looks like it made all walls climbable which is definitely not what I'd want, but it might be on the right track to making selective things climbable (or even the creation of climbing enemies or climbing armor).

Here's a link to a showcase: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVQrEJTwuAg

On the subject of fences, the chainlink fences are impervious to nearly all small, or even heavy weapons fire. Explosives still tear them down, but I've had tanks fire machine guns and every bullet bounces harmlessly off a chainlink fence. I suspect this has to do with the lowered damage and hit point values in the X-Chronicles. I'd much rather it were easier to tear holes in the fences. If possible I wish melee weapons could cut through them as well, so enemies could slash through the fence.

On a whole I'm loving the concept and enjoying seeing all the cool shit you put into this. I'll no doubt have more feedback when I complete the game.

[Vakrug]

Every X-COM player knows that completing missions with rookies is very frustrating. Well, how about completing missions with civilians with 40 TU? Search for the last hiding alien was never so frustrating before... Also, if in other mods a trained soldier had no problems breaking walls with his mighty fist, in X-Chronicle he can't break even glass doors, not even with assault rifles.

The idea of this mod is great, but realization not so much. It is too grindy. Missions are similar, too little immediate goals in geoscape. "How long do I have to perform such things?" -- player asks regularly. Who knows? There are lot of research locked behind acquiring something specific and player have no idea where to get them. Which means player can't skip missions, because, maybe it is there...

I like the fact that there is no soldier's ranks. Even in base game soldier ranks does not represent soldier's value, especially if you hired many rookies to guard secondary bases.

I played at most 1/5 of this mod (probably less) before finally decided to debug to the end. O-o-ohhh... This mod is huge and hardcore! Enemies immune to Ctrl+K and Ctrl+J is something new!
No, sorry, I don't think I will return to this mod. Too hard, not rewarding enough.

[Nord]

Thanks for feedback. I'll check glass doors. It is needed, but too time consuming.

As about other things... yes, it is somewhat grindy. But i have the central idea, around which the mod is built. And if i change story too much, this idea suffers. So, only balance tweaks i can do without lose my "core" of the mod.
But, latest changes with mission breaks (by shooting ufos) and using tech tree can decrease grind level.

[Hadriex]

three questions.

how do I do the battlemage exam? I researched it awhile ago, but while the healer exam shows up in my transformations, battlemage exam is nowhere I can find.

What is the mana operator? I see it mentioned in UFOpedia and was expecting to find it in a research. but I've researched everything available and did not find it. Am I missing something?

I've gained the ability to create spells, but for some reason only fireball and fire claw. How do I get the other level 1 sigils?

[Nord]

three questions.

how do I do the battlemage exam? I researched it awhile ago, but while the healer exam shows up in my transformations, battlemage exam is nowhere I can find.

You need a psilab and a polygon facilities.
Maybe i miss it in ufopedia, will check.

What is the mana operator? I see it mentioned in UFOpedia and was expecting to find it in a research. but I've researched everything available and did not find it. Am I missing something?

Any soldier with mana.

I've gained the ability to create spells, but for some reason only fireball and fire claw. How do I get the other level 1 sigils?

By interrogating Aliens (alien spellcasters).

[Vakrug]

Few words about story. Mostly related about "Aliens".
Initially I misrecognized aliens as slightly more scary animal races. My bad, ufopedia mentioned the distinction, but I noticed that only later.
Oh, just noticed that there is no article for "Contact: Animals". No wonder I missed the difference.
Interrogations of invaders grants information about them and their society, but nothing about their relationship with animals and aliens. I would expect something like: "Yes, Reapers and Dire rats are our pets, but we also have no idea who are Aliens."
After acquiring strong artifact, scientists learned that artifacts comes from alien organs. Why invaders haven't told about that earlier? Why invaders never speak about aliens?
Invaders' agenda: "... The invaders do not try to conquer new worlds, the reason for which the subjects we questioned describe as 'The arrival of the Master'. ..." Well, that is interesting. Can you tell something more about that "Master"? Apparently no. Subject already expired...

And now the most "funny" part.
The main threat: "... Then, in the deepest nest, what the invaders call the "Advent" will happen. ..."  So does that means that event the last goblin peasant knew that Aliens will eventually destroy Earth and nobody told us earlier??? Why???

I think game would be much engaging if the main threat would be known earlier and then player would have to consciously gather pieces of solution.

[Nord]

I think game would be much engaging if the main threat would be known earlier and then player would have to consciously gather pieces of solution.

Maybe. You have some ideas?

[Hadriex]

Thank you, that cleared up a couple things. But the sigil thing continues to be a problem. I've interrogated every spellcaster available. I have the sigils unlocked but cannot craft them.

Easier to show, here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLTXuJNowBs

[Nord]

...I've interrogated every spellcaster available. I have the sigils unlocked but cannot craft them...

No. You have researched spells, from books maybe. To craft their sigil you still must interrogate live alien spellcasters. Look into aliens in the techtree to see what they can provide to you. Like on the screenshot.
I definetly must add more explanations of this into ufopedia...

btw, another playthrough, good. More bugs to be revealed nad fixed.

[Vakrug]

Maybe. You have some ideas?

I already mentioned 2 important ideas: "aliens = bad" knowledge earlier, what to do next info all the time.

I think after researching "Invaders' spoken language" it should be possible to interrogate for "alien threat". Average marauders know only basic stuff about Earth's inevitable future, but they should know those who know more (and where to find them).

In original game you research alien corpse that gives you alien containment, then you research live soldier that tells you that you need a leader and where to find it. Then this leader tells about commander. Player always know what to do next. In X-Chronicles this is especially important, because finding yourself out of research topics is very likely.

[Hadriex]

Ah I see, I need to capture more monsters. All right then. Thank you.

[Apocca]

I am able to make battemages and mentats but I can't seem to make farseer and biomage specialist. I have several soldiers with more than 35 psi skill. What else is needed? The ufopedia only lists 35 psi skill is needed.

[Nord]

I am able to make battemages and mentats but I can't seem to make farseer and biomage specialist. I have several soldiers with more than 35 psi skill. What else is needed? The ufopedia only lists 35 psi skill is needed.

Biomage requires psi-lab, 15 mana crystals and one healer adept.
Farseer requires psi-lab, 15 mana crystals, crystal orb and mentat adept.

[Apocca]

Ah, so I need a healer and a mentat adapt. Got it. Thank you.

I like that you need to train your soldiers as requirement for certain buildings. It's a unique concept for an x-com mod.
Currently enjoying the mid game. I must admit the beginning was a bit of a grind, but it gets a bit better with weapons that have better accuracy (and soldiers with better accuracy).

Still trying to figure out the weaknesses of enemies. Sometimes they go down with a single electric blast, sometimes it takes 4 electric blasts for the the same unit. Some units are immune to certain elemental damage, etc.
So far fire looks the weakest. Electric is good against shields. Ice is also good.

Mana crystals are hard to come by, but I just got the tech to be able to manufacture more.

I like the small numbers with damages and health. And big numbers with the shields. Makes it also more unique.

Research tempo is fine, I'm used to X-pirates where research is also slower and have 'gateway' research that takes very long to complete.

[Hadriex]

How do I make medical armor? I can make warrior and crusader, but I can't seem to craft the savior/medical armor.