Exalt HQ mission

[Marrik]

Wouldn't it make more sense to start on the roof?

[Juku121]

"But where's my helicopter?!", indignant players will want to know next.

It might also make more sense to be only able to use female agents in special outfits, or at least infiltration gear only, but whether that'd make the mission better...

[Solarius Scorch]

I need to make a proper terrain some day, I just don't have any good ideas.

[Juku121]

I know Solarius doesn't read me, but some food for brainstorming: some kind of villa or mansion similar to Osiron Haciendas, maybe? Perhaps even as an infiltration mission.

[Chuckebaby]

I could have sworn in EXALT HQ the roof has tiles on it (like in UFO defense bases). Similar anyway.
The HQ missions are awesome. they can be a bit long in length but very well done. Love everything about them.

[Advancement]

Only seen this mission once. Stunned Brainer(giant brain), picked him up and rushed at top to evacuate.

[Finnik]

I would split that mission in 2 stages, to make the cleaning process more straightforward. In my experience, it was lame enemies lemming away to areas I've cleaned before

[SBBurzmali]

I do wish devs would lay off that map until much later in the campaign, it's frustrating as hell before you can easily bring enough high explosives to flatten the map.

[Chuckebaby]

I would split that mission in 2 stages, to make the cleaning process more straightforward. In my experience, it was lame enemies lemming away to areas I've cleaned before

Oh yes. Station 2 or 3 units near the stairwells and let them reaction shot.
That seems to be a good strategy for this mission.

[Solarius Scorch]

I do wish devs would lay off that map until much later in the campaign, it's frustrating as hell before you can easily bring enough high explosives to flatten the map.

I can make it tougher. ^_^

OK, just kidding. I understand, but I can't just conjure up a whole new terrain from nothing. I don't even have a clear idea of what it should be.

[SBBurzmali]

I can make it tougher. ^_^

OK, just kidding. I understand, but I can't just conjure up a whole new terrain from nothing. I don't even have a clear idea of what it should be.

It's like the ever reviled ship map from TFTD, any map with multiple vertical layers with complicated connections are chores. They are rarely difficult as the AI has as much trouble navigating them as you do. Open base maps like the Cybertek one where you capture a portal are much less of a hassle without becoming the spawn camping demo that so many maps can become.

[Solarius Scorch]

It's like the ever reviled ship map from TFTD, any map with multiple vertical layers with complicated connections are chores. They are rarely difficult as the AI has as much trouble navigating them as you do. Open base maps like the Cybertek one where you capture a portal are much less of a hassle without becoming the spawn camping demo that so many maps can become.

Yeah, while sometimes they're good, one needs to be careful not to make it simply tiresome. At least it's not as crucial for important one-time missions, because they're one-time.

As for the AI pathing, a lot can be done with the terrain routes which determine how non-player units move when not engaged in combat; but it's very imprecise and an art of itself.

[SBBurzmali]

Yeah, while sometimes they're good, one needs to be careful not to make it simply tiresome. At least it's not as crucial for important one-time missions, because they're one-time.

As for the AI pathing, a lot can be done with the terrain routes which determine how non-player units move when not engaged in combat; but it's very imprecise and an art of itself.

Hey, I'm just grateful you haven't gone ham on locking enemies in little boxes like X-Piratez. Having the AI path itself through a half dozen doors per unit per turn starts to give me a headache after a few turns of a minute or two listening to the sound effect fire continuously.

[Solarius Scorch]

Hey, I'm just grateful you haven't gone ham on locking enemies in little boxes like X-Piratez. Having the AI path itself through a half dozen doors per unit per turn starts to give me a headache after a few turns of a minute or two listening to the sound effect fire continuously.

Frankly, it's the same terrain and the same routes.