[MERGED] Soldier Diaries 1.0

[ivandogovich]

Is the Nike too easy to get??   I don't think so.  If you single handledly take care of an alien crew, I think you deserve it (stunned or killed, it doesn't matter).  Even if its a crew of one for the small scout.   You can get and IronMan and a Nike fairly easily on a small scout.

"Take them all Alive"  -- hmmm... sounds kinda cool.   "Tag them and Bag them"   With just a stun rod, certainly a challenge.  With small launcher, definitely easier.  With custom stun tools like my flashbangs, very easy. 

We have the Order of Restraint, that ranks up for accumulated captives, but doesn't account for stunning all enemies in a single mission.  Overall, I'd judge this one to be harder than the Nike Cross.  So yeah, probably worthwhile.

Cheers, Ivan

[Shoes]

I've added a number of new commendations to the mod, without any new art or UFOpaedia entries.

When a soldier kills a unit, I now track the body part hit and what side was hit. I've also adapted my flexible commendation system to make use sides and body parts. So now, you can award a medal for killing a commander by shooting him in the head from behind with a pistol. To make use of this, I've added a headshot medal, a rear shot medal, and a flank shot medal.

I've also added a healer medal. I would like to track revives too, but that's a little tricky. We'll see.

Here is a list of commendations that I think you guys have suggested. If you have more suggestions, I would like to hear them https://gist.github.com/Shoes01/3af40f402d287ae9c229

[ivandogovich]

I've added a number of new commendations to the mod, without any new art or UFOpaedia entries.
<snip>
To make use of this, I've added a headshot medal, a rear shot medal, and a flank shot medal.

I've also added a healer medal. I would like to track revives too, but that's a little tricky. We'll see.

Here is a list of commendations that I think you guys have suggested. If you have more suggestions, I would like to hear them https://gist.github.com/Shoes01/3af40f402d287ae9c229

Ack! Looks like Ivan's gonna be busy for a while. 

[ivandogovich]

Actually, I have been thinking of some completionist medals....

- Like... participating in a mission with each UFO type.
- Getting Kills/Stuns with each class of weapon : melee, pistol, rifle, heavy, launcher, grenade  (This actually may get cumberson due to having to define each weapon, and mods would not be accounted for) 
(Edit:  The usable battle types are : 1 - Firearm, 2 - Ammo, 3 - Melee, 4 - Grenade, 5 - Proximity Grenade.  Not sure if Rocket Counts as Ammo)
- Getting Kills/Stuns with each class of Damage : AP, HE, Laser, Plasma, Stun, (Optional: Melee, Smoke, Incendiary, Acid)  (Maybe any 5 of the above)

[ivandogovich]

O.K.  Good news.  Shoes has had time to work on this mod more.   New commendations have been developed, which means I'll need to work up more art work for the UFOpedia section.   

At current build, there are 33 commendations.  About 6 more have been coded.
For naming and numbering purposes, I wonder if we should also consider incorporating two of my pre-built additional commendations:

The Sapper Medal ("Given to a soldier who kills a metal foe with a high explosive pack")  https://i.imgur.com/BdsDp9M.png
and
The Metal Menace Medal ("Given to a soldier that kills the most fearsome enemy construct: The Sectopod!")  https://i.imgur.com/HEA0n0F.png

Shoes, what do you think?  Would you like to include these?  If so, they will become #34 & 35, ect with the other new ones sequential after that.

[Shoes]

I actually assumed when you PR'd your ufopaedia mod that your two commendations were already there! I would be happy to add those two commendations.

I'll try and put my ar-legacy branch up to date with my new code so that you can pull it, put your new artwork and #33 and #34, and the PR it.

[ivandogovich]

I actually assumed when you PR'd your ufopaedia mod that your two commendations were already there! I would be happy to add those two commendations.

I'll try and put my ar-legacy branch up to date with my new code so that you can pull it, put your new artwork and #33 and #34, and the PR it.

<chuckle> when I did the PR, I didn't add any of the new commendations that I made.  Mainly, because the third was non-vanilla (Cold Steel for Melee Kills).  And at the time, I didn't want to add anything that wasn't agreed on.  So, now as we are expanding the mod, I thought, I'd propose them and see.

I'll get a chance to work on these some more tonight after work, so I'll refresh my branch then.  I did so this morning too.

One other thing.... some of the logic in the new awards requires the enemies to be "STATUS_DEAD" .   Would it be possible to include stunned as an either/or proposition?  i.e. for someone to use BT_MELEE, in vanilla they need to use a stun rod... and you see it might be tricky to get a "STATUS_DEAD" 

Cheers, Ivan

[Shoes]

You're right, the using melee AND killing units is not quite feasible. I forgot to fix that before pushing to ar-legacy, so you can fix it if you think about it

[ivandogovich]

Ok.  I have a PR in for the two awards.  Also cleaned up some of the ruleset for the new awards.  Still have to make ribbons and medals for the new awards.

I'm considering creating a couple graphics called "place holder" to put in until the others are finished.  These could be phased out as I get a chance to complete them.

[Shoes]

I'm considering creating a couple graphics called "place holder" to put in until the others are finished.  These could be phased out as I get a chance to complete them.

I think that's a great idea. Normally I use the very first sprite as a place holder ;p

I appreciate the work you're doing!

[ivandogovich]

First glimpse at the newest write up. Place holder image with Mercy Cross writeup.  I'll be getting another pull together will the ruleset and graphics updates.  (Edit... these have accumulated under the previous PR, so they are ready to pull).


(Placeholder Image)

Edit:  Mercy Cross Medal completed:

[volutar]

Sorry ivandogovich I can't look on these backgrounds withoud bloody tears. This error diffusion techique doesn't work well for xcom.

Concerning medals. I think mercy is closer to first image. Second cross looks somehow more brutal.

[Shoes]

PR merged! I added a comment to it so you can read the minor edit I did.

I agree with what volutar is saying about the medal, but I do like it.. maybe Mercy Cross isn't the correct name for this commendation. Maybe "World Police" or something like that ;p

[ivandogovich]

PR merged! I added a comment to it so you can read the minor edit I did.

I agree with what volutar is saying about the medal, but I do like it.. maybe Mercy Cross isn't the correct name for this commendation. Maybe "World Police" or something like that ;p

The medal in the placeholder image is already the Military cross just shoved in so there would be something. 

Otherwise, the alien behind bars on the Mercy Cross is not appealing?   I can take it back to the drawing board.

@volutar: as far as the background diffusions go,  I worked long and hard with Dioxine to get something that looked decent.  These are the backgrounds that he provided.  His graphics skill is beyond question, so I'm happy with that.  I understand, Volutar, what you are saying, about XCOM gradients being single color and not random diffusion, but those techniques don't work well with the Black blended to Color effect.

Shoes, Here are some backgrounds that volutar is suggesting in the place of the ones that have been used so far: https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,3048.msg37324.html#msg37324
These are more of a Single color effect.   If you would prefer using something like these for the backgrounds,  I can remaster all of the previous medals.

Cheers, Ivan.

Oh yeah.  Shoes, I also had a question on your commit .  I left a comment on Git.

[Shoes]

Replied to git.

I like the alien behind bars and want to keep it for the commendation, but I want to change the commendation's name. Mercy and prisons don't really go together ;p I would almost want to say something like Hades Cross, because those alien prisoners are certainly not going to be treated with humane respect.

As for the colored back grounds, I don't really have an eye for that kind of stuff. Maybe you could give the placeholder medal one of volutar's backgrounds and see what looks best in game.

edit: I am able to now compare initial and current stats, so I can create code to award commendations based on having gotten +20 TUs or whatnot. I don't think I can make this modular in a way that will save me work. I have two choices: create a commendation for every stat (that'll add like "milestone" commendations, they're not too exciting), or add one single commendation that gets a decoration every time the sum of stats passes the threshold.

... having written it out, I am going with the latter. It will be neat, simple, and can have a unique name and representation: global improvement.