[DONE][SUGGESTION] Alternate loadout system

[Alex_D]

I'll have to give it a try on my next campaign, to see how it changes my gameplay.

As per gameplay, I found myself using pretty much all 20 soldier loadout templates. There is where I save typical roles and assignments  for land, sea, space, and special mission loadouts that require specific gear set. I don't use a lot the individual soldier saved template precisely for the multiple mission scenarios.
I also use pretty much all 10 craft loadout templates, for about the same reasons.

If I were to be granted a wish, I'd ask for 10 or 20 more soldier templates (for a total of 30 to 40), with hotkeys to match for the first 20 or so. Same for crafts, 10 more for a total of 20 (or more), also with hotkeys.

[Meridian]

If I were to be granted a wish, I'd ask for 10 or 20 more soldier templates (for a total of 30 to 40), with hotkeys to match for the first 20 or so.

Wish already granted in OXCE 7.7: https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,10734.0.html

[Vakrug]

 :'( 
Something is not right with this Alternate loadout system. Or maybe this is a problem with XPiratez mod that just got updated...
In either case items gets duplicated when you save and load craft inventory (F5 / F9). Only items that are on hand behave such way.

A also witnessed problems with debriefing selling screen. There appeared items that was with me during the start of the mission. (Accidentally sold some stuff.) Maybe this was due to save from previous version. After some refreshing everything was OK after the next mission.

[Meridian]

It's a test build for feedback.
I expect issues, it's a big change.
Keep the reports coming, I'll have a look at it asap.

[Vakrug]

A also witnessed problems with debriefing selling screen. ... After some refreshing everything was OK after the next mission.

No. I got duplicated some items during the following mission. I cannot figure out the logic behind why exactly these items were duplicated and why in such weird quantity.

Sadly, have to disable this system for now.

[Meridian]

Both issues solved.

New test build: link removed, you can download official OXCE v7.8 or higher

Please test.

1/ Solution to issue 1: Loading a craft equipment with F9 is now allowed to remove even the reserved items from the craft.

2/ Solution to issue 2: Handling of wounded soldiers has been moved to much later in the Debriefing so that it doesn't affect Craft Reequip algorithm, Missing Items algorithm and Purchase Missing Items algorithm.

[Meridian]

I haven't found any more issues, and no more issues were reported either.

Considering this done and ready to use in OXCE v7.8.

[psavola]

Noticed with TFTD TWoTS. When you assign a person to an interceptor (one that cannot land on missions, so the equipment cannot be used), the pilot appears to take his gear with him.

This might be intentional, given the feature "h/ when evacuating the crew / ejecting the pilots - the soldiers are allowed to survive (depending on the modder's taste), but the items on the craft will be destroyed" (which might not make sense if this was not the case). But possibly not, as this also affects the behavior which items are/can be loaded on interceptors and thus reserved or possibly lost on crash. So the alternative loadout system is not just an interface change but also a very minor behavior change.

[Meridian]

I'll check.

[Scamps]

Thoughts on new system (beside huge thanks for hard work)!!!

Due to diversity of missions (looking at you, Dioxine), player sometimes has to change soldier equipment. This presents following problems:

- If you change equipment of a soldier assigned to craft from soldier list, you need to go to craft inventory for equipment to be stored on craft. I keep forgetting it. Is it possible to auto-update craft equipment?

- Finding required soldier on soldier list can be a pain. List is not filtered/sorted by craft and there is no way I know to go to specific soldier inventory from the list.
Solution a) Is it possible to incorporate something like my earlier path (pressing I goes to soldier in question)?
Solution b) Is it possible to show all equipment (craft+base) in craft soldier inventory screen? (and add selected equipment to craft afterwards)

[Meridian]

- If you change equipment of a soldier assigned to craft from soldier list, you need to go to craft inventory for equipment to be stored on craft. I keep forgetting it. Is it possible to auto-update craft equipment?

Proposal here: https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,10984.0.html

- Finding required soldier on soldier list can be a pain. List is not filtered/sorted by craft and there is no way I know to go to specific soldier inventory from the list.
Solution a) Is it possible to incorporate something like my earlier path (pressing I goes to soldier in question)?

Pressing a key does not have a context (the selected soldier), pressing a R/M mouse button (while being over the desired soldier) would be a better option. At least on PC.

- Finding required soldier on soldier list can be a pain. List is not filtered/sorted by craft and there is no way I know to go to specific soldier inventory from the list.
Solution b) Is it possible to show all equipment (craft+base) in craft soldier inventory screen? (and add selected equipment to craft afterwards)

Possible, yes. Feasible, probably not, hard to say.

[Vakrug]

I have read this documentation several times (https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,10452.msg149914.html#msg149914), performed some thought experiments and even tried this thing in game. My conclusion is -- IT IS UNUSABLE!

In moded game (in unmoded game you don't need an advanced inventory management system at all) basically each new mission requires from player to change crew on a craft (novice/veterans) and their inventory (above water / under water / stealth / ... ). This can be relatively easy done using saving/loading craft equipment, saving/loading soldier's named equipment (F5/F9) and even saving/loading soldier's unnamed equipment (s/l). With this alternative loadout system it is impossible, documentation explicitly says that it is incompatible with F9.

I don't even understand what this alternative loadout system tries to accomplish. Transferring soldiers form one craft to another with their inventory? This can be easily done old fashion way -- save old craft's inventory, clear old craft's inventory, move soldiers, load inventory on new craft, done! Transferring individual soldier from one craft to another? In 99% this transferred soldier would require different weapons than he is carrying now!

Can I ask at least some usage examples of this alternative loadout system?

[Meridian]

I guess it depends on playstyle?

I also cannot imagine using this feature myself, at all.
For the same reasons you mentioned, plus more.

Some players probably just prefer role-playing their soldiers and want them to carry always the same equipment... regardless of mission, terrain, time of the day, environment, regardless of what other soldiers carry, etc.
Or maybe somebody is using it in a way we can't even imagine.

But everyone is free to play as they like...

[Meridian]

By the way, on a semi-related note, on my own personal OXCE version I've implemented a way to load craft equipment without removing current equipment. Here. I'm not sure if this is interesting to anyone else. The main use-case is when you have a template saved for general additional craft gear that you want to add after you've already put your soldier on-board. (I went for the easiest implementation I could think of. Holding ctrl when clicking the template makes it add rather than replace the equipment; but maybe a 'nicer' implementation would have a toggle button on the load window.)

I tried this, but it breaks the reporting of missing items.
Any good/easy idea how to fix that?

EDIT: ok, I think I have a solution

[karadoc]

I tried this, but it breaks the reporting of missing items.
Any good/easy idea how to fix that?

EDIT: ok, I think I have a solution

Hmm. You're right. It was still reporting missing items when there isn't enough for the template on its own; so I hadn't noticed that it doesn't report the extra missing items.

I think I know what to do to fix it - but it sounds like you already did it.