"Invasion? What invasion?" - March 1999 and not single ufo spotted

[ciqasty]

Yeah that's the ones. I did not play TFTD but now I am curious what is in there

Anyway thanks for replies, I hope I will get more UFOs again. Also it turns out I kind of locked myself out of part of research as I never captured Shambler and now both syndicate and creatures are defeated.

[Juku121]

Probably nothing new, unless you haven't seen a dual-wielding alien before.

Your failsafe for getting one of each cryptid is Dr. Alpha. I suppose you also lobbed explosives down into his hideout until nothing was coming up anymore?

[ciqasty]

Full frontal assault with best troops + tritanium ammo probably - I think nothing survived there including the doctor
Gotta admit at one point I felt kinda too strong so obliterating everything felt nice and the missing Shambler research I have spotted quite later.
The being too strong feeling kind of still persists also now unless fighting aliens or deep ones, which pose some threat (and maybe MiB, but I had only one mission with advanced units and upgraded since then, so kind of hard to say)

I think the only active mission types are:
- Aliens of course
- Zombie (forgot about the lair mission on map)
- MiB (need to catch commander or someone different than agent/medic)
- UAC (just had mission to capture UAC manager I think)
- Cult Of Apocalypse (Just located outpost, also communion is a nice training ground for rookies in power/cyber armor)
- Underwater City (failed to capture squad leader on 1st mission, I hope there will be more)
- Osiron popping out sometimes (just had hacienda but noone interesting to catch there)
- Hybrids are still spawning missions even though I can already recruit them (or just researched that) and destroyed total of 3 embassies
- Oozes
- Cyberweb lair popping sometimes (I ignore those as there is nothing interesting there)

[Solarius Scorch]

Custom arcs are one thing but as long as alien missions are still essentially interchangeable, what exactly is the problem with using 'missionWeights'? I am mainly asking because I want to understand what the considerations are here, not because I'm advocating for a change.

I don't quite get the question. I thought it was about mission table vs. scripts, missionWeights are unrelated.

If you mean to ask "why not put all missions in one script", then the answer is:
1) It's conceptually easier for me;
2) It feels kind of fake, as these missions are usually not mutually exclusive by logic;
3) Obviously, not all missions fit the model (retals for example).

[Juku121]

The mission table and 'missionWeights' are largely equivalent, aren't they?

Otherwise, fair enough. I don't know what you've got planned for the aliens, so maybe it'll all come together in the end.

But right now we have the "Invasion? What invasion?" problem. Unless the invasion is supposed to be low-key, you could multiply most alien mission chances by a factor of at least three and still end up with less than the OG invasion.

Retaliations and terror missions still need their own scripts in either case.

[Solarius Scorch]

The mission table and 'missionWeights' are largely equivalent, aren't they?

In some sense, yes? But they're different. Sorry, it's a philosophical question, please be more specific.

Otherwise, fair enough. I don't know what you've got planned for the aliens, so maybe it'll all come together in the end.

Me neither, but shhh...

But right now we have the "Invasion? What invasion?" problem. Unless the invasion is supposed to be low-key, you could multiply most alien mission chances by a factor of at least three and still end up with less than the OG invasion.

Yes, it is low-key, as explained in the game for a long time (but it comes relatively late). The obscurity is intended.

[Juku121]

In some sense, yes? But they're different. Sorry, it's a philosophical question, please be more specific.

What can you do with one that you can't do with the other, either way?

Yes, it is low-key, as explained in the game for a long time (but it comes relatively late). The obscurity is intended.

Well, we've had this discussion before, so let's leave it at that. I'll just point out that the current early game creates a giant sign pointing to 1999 as the time when something big will happen, yet in reality there might be nothing at all, and this is kinda misleading for any new player.

[Solarius Scorch]

What can you do with one that you can't do with the other, either way?

Don't you have any bigger worries?

Okay. One I understand, the other I don't. Happy now? Do I get any candy?

Well, we've had this discussion before, so let's leave it at that. I'll just point out that the current early game creates a giant sign pointing to 1999 as the time when something big will happen, yet in reality there might be nothing at all, and this is kinda misleading for any new player.

Yes. It's a mystery.

[Juku121]

I can worry about multiple things at once.

You seem a little stressed. I don't have any candy, but here's an internet cookie for you.

[Solarius Scorch]

I can worry about multiple things at once.

You seem a little stressed. I don't have any candy, but here's an internet cookie for you.

Thank you... I am on a detox now, but will keep it and eat it on Tuesday.