X-Com gameplay and setup questions

[Alfapiomega]

Hey everyone,

I come to you with a couple of questions as I am currently preparing to do my first full playthrough of X-Com Files after playing with it for some time and I want to set it right. I will be really grateful for any answers you can provide me wi5h

A) I saw in some other playthrough that you can display the information about an opponent (picture/name/status) but I can't for the love of God figure out how.

B) I saw that you can access the vehicles inventory to rearm, get more ammo etc. but it doesn't seem to work for me. I thought I needed just to access the inventory while standing on the evac space for the vehicle but that doesnt work. Do I need a submod for this?

c) The mod is incredible in its scope and size but I recognise there are a ton of extra submods that can add a lot of flavor. Would you share what setup you are using?
So far I play with latest version of OXCE and latest version of X-Com Files with alternate art, wounds that hurt you submod and medical rework. What do you use and why?

d) How hard is Brutal  OXCE compared to regular X-Com Files? I play on second highest difficulty, what would that translate to? I am asking because I saw a lot of the content is Brutal OXCE compatible only.

Thank you in advance foe answering my newbie questions!

[psavola]

A) The description is vague, but you're probably referring to the middle mouse button (MMB). You can check the enemy unit's weapons and whether it's bleeding etc. that way.
B) You need to be on the same tile as the loot pile.
C) Why make it more complicated with submods if you're a newbie? Just play the main mod at first. Though you could try Resound mod (adding more variability to gun sounds etc.) if you wish.
D) XCF is difficult compared to vanilla games in the sense that you need to learn new battlescape tactics due to special OXCE features it uses (at least if you want to play it without save scumming). BOXCE is even more difficult in this aspect and is constantly evolving. Based on your starting level you'll likely be screwed playing XCF at Genius unless you do quite a bit of save/reloads.

[Stone Lake]

A) Middle click enemy. Then middle click armor / weapon, after you research it.
B) No idea what's not working for you. Yes, you should be able to just open vehicle inventory while vehicle's "active" tile (one of the four) is on item pile. No submods needed.
C) Hyper & trajectory for faster bullets. Resound / Remusic once you get tired of hearing the Dagon theme for thousandth time.
D) It depends on settings. You can make it same as OXCE, or "unbeatable".

[Alfapiomega]

A) The description is vague, but you're probably referring to the middle mouse button (MMB). You can check the enemy unit's weapons and whether it's bleeding etc. that way.
B) You need to be on the same tile as the loot pile.
C) Why make it more complicated with submods if you're a newbie? Just play the main mod at first. Though you could try Resound mod (adding more variability to gun sounds etc.) if you wish.
D) XCF is difficult compared to vanilla games in the sense that you need to learn new battlescape tactics due to special OXCE features it uses (at least if you want to play it without save scumming). BOXCE is even more difficult in this aspect and is constantly evolving. Based on your starting level you'll likely be screwed playing XCF at Genius unless you do quite a bit of save/reloads.

ad a) Yeah I did... I would have never thought to try the middle mouse button, I don't know why it never occured to me. Thanks, it works!
ad b) I tried it again a few minutes ago and now it works. Maybe there was something wrong with my previous installation as I was playing with the mods and eventually the game wouldn't even start due to some errors with equipment so I had to reinstall.
ad c) I am a newbie with the X-Com files but I am a hardcore strategy gamer, who has many hours in X-Com itself and many other games. So I wanted to create a good setup to start with and learn, rather than relearn stuff later on as I go into another playthrough. I understand part of the charm is from the lore and extra stuff the game brings so I wanted to make my first experience as good as possible Which is why I was asking what more experienced players are using.
ad d) yeah I noticed the difficulty is quite higher than usual which is what I enjoy. I was playing and testing it on the 3/5 difficulty and that one seemed a little too easy so I bumbed it up. I like a decent challenge which forces me to work on it.

[Alfapiomega]

A) Middle click enemy. Then middle click armor / weapon, after you research it.
B) No idea what's not working for you. Yes, you should be able to just open vehicle inventory while vehicle's "active" tile (one of the four) is on item pile. No submods needed.
C) Hyper & trajectory for faster bullets. Resound / Remusic once you get tired of hearing the Dagon theme for thousandth time.
D) It depends on settings. You can make it same as OXCE, or "unbeatable".

ad a) Works! Damn, I would never have tried the middle mouse button. Thanks a lot!
ad b) After I read yours and psavola's comment I tried it again and now it works. No idea why it didn't before. Weird...
ad c) I forgot to mention the resound, I use that one as well I will check the hyper and trajectory mod. Thanks!
ad d) Is it worth to install just for access to additional submods, you think? Though based on what you mentioned, you are using just a couple so I guess the answer is no?

[Alfapiomega]

C) Hyper & trajectory for faster bullets. Resound / Remusic once you get tired of hearing the Dagon theme for thousandth time.

Just tested the hyper and trajectory. Holy hell it makes the game so much better! Thanks, this is exactly why I asked

[Stone Lake]

ad d) Is it worth to install just for access to additional submods, you think? Though based on what you mentioned, you are using just a couple so I guess the answer is no?

Most people install BOXCE to have submod for garage, 1-tile car hangar (called "Facilities expanded"). Current version also changes game progression a bit. Imo that's overkill for a minor issue. And yeah, I'm not a fan of gameplay submods in general - XCF is rather fun as it is. I run some other fork of OXCE though with some extra hotkeys and less lag issues.

[Alfapiomega]

Most people install BOXCE to have submod for garage, 1-tile car hangar (called "Facilities expanded"). Current version also changes game progression a bit. Imo that's overkill for a minor issue. And yeah, I'm not a fan of gameplay submods in general - XCF is rather fun as it is. I run some other fork of OXCE though with some extra hotkeys and less lag issues.

Looking at the Garage was exactly what made me wonder if it would make sense to install the BOXCE, as I saw there were other submods as well but I honestly thought it was an overkill in itself. I mean yeah, I get it, but you never really need that much space in the beggining so while it makes little sense to have 2x2 garage, later on I can easily understand it.

[psavola]

Hyper & trajectory seems to affect gameplay experience a bit. At least based on SL's streams (I haven't played with it myself), it seems to allow identifying where you have been shot from in situations where you don't see the shooter (e.g. in the dark), whereas without it you'd have very little idea, usually only general sense of the direction based on the hit animation (if you were quick enough to spot it). So it's not just a visual improvement, and playing with the mod personally feels a bit like cheating because you get rather precise additional information you would not normally have. But whether you think this is a factor any way or another is up to you, of course.

[Stone Lake]

without it you'd have very little idea, usually only general sense of the direction based on the hit animation (if you were quick enough to spot it)

Technically, you can just set animation to slow and see every shot, no? It's just be way more tedious.

[rkagerer]

Welcome to the game, I think you'll love it.

In terms of mods, I'm using:

• Cryptic Butchery (fixes a handful of "missing" engineering projects in the vanilla game)
• Music 1.0 (additional music tracks)
• Resound Mod (new sound effects)
• Dark[er] Geoscape (I think this might have come enabled out of the box?  I never tried without it)

If you only intend to play on desktop (not Android) I'd be tempted go BOXCE, to let you use the 1-tile garage.  You can leave the AI feature turned off, or experiment with it later in your game.

[betatester]

Am I right if I think that Cryptic Butchery is integrated in the main game now?

[Stone Lake]

Am I right if I think that Cryptic Butchery is integrated in the main game now?

No