[TOTAL CONVERSION] The Piratez Mod - 0.9.j - 9 May - Holiday Edition

[niculinux]

0.8 posted with a lot of new stuff. Enjoy.

May i humbly suggest, from the next and homefront rifle? version, to have.some.screenshots.showing newest addicrions/features/updates/improvememts? also, maybe see a new "piratez mod lets play part 3" showing all that tuff aforementioned? thanks!!

edit: i saw that laser tommy was added..so ancient tommy may be"reassigned" to black market as intermediate weapon between spraygun and homefront rifle?

[Dioxine]

1. Screens can be done, yeah, I'll keep that in mind, but I don't want too many spoilers either.
2. Let's play: there will be more once I find the time to entertain you with my horrible, horrible English Glad you've liked it!
3. Nope, Tommy will stay exclusive - premium SMG/laser weapon, available quickly if dole out some cash & pile up your research on it. Else it'd be just another gun. Same reason with plasma MP40; I wanted it to be unique. So the player can feel somewhat special if he's using it.

Oh yeah, so why not a 0.8 screen:

[niculinux]

thanks!

Befora havin my beloved lunch xD i gave at shot at 0.80 and the magic happened... 



just installed it on another laptop...maybe did something wrong? I'm sure i followed the wiki :/?

edit: tryed it along latest hobbes terrain pack 1.9.9 and if i start the game with no mod(s) activated  there are no problems at all

[Dioxine]

Dammit the uppercasing error rears its head again.

Edit piratez.rul, change Diving_Armor_helmetless.gif to Diving_Armor_Helmetless.gif

[niculinux]

Thanks, that did the trick!

New weapons: Advanced Rocket Launcher, Dart Pistol, Pipe, Heavy Flamer, Laser Tommy, Smartpistol, Precision Rifle, Humanist Magneto-Plasma Gun

actually, the are some little glitches, precision rifle it's avaiable in the black market but the ammo not, and it's missing also it's description in bootypedia...as for other  weapons don't now if are researchable or purchesable

[Dioxine]

Only the pipe should be purchaseable, all the rest are researchable/manufacturable... the precision rifle is an oversight. But it uses Hunting Rifle ammo.

[Edrick]

Couple (not-so) quick things:

- Having the Humanist Magneto-Plasma Gun, could we get (if it isn’t already there) the basic MP40 (called Humanist SMG, or something like that) as a counterpart? I mean, we have the Tommy and Laser Tommy, why not MP40 and Plasma MP40?

- Also, could we get an improved version of the Proximity Grenade? Something as simple as a beefed-up one: a Proximity Mine, or something on the lines of that. The UFOPaedia sprite of the Particle Disturbance Grenade from TFTD looks something like a mine.

- Something very minor and very personal: I liked the old Naval Gun Paedia sprite over the new one. Is there any chance to get it back?

- What about incorporating TFTD aliens in the roster? This could be done in many ways: in a “subtle” way, accompanying the existing factions, like Boomosaurus go with Traders. For example, Bio-Drones could be the Church’s version of Cyberdiscs and they could be revered as idols. The other option is incorporating them as a faction of their own: maybe the Martians begin to see the Pirate crew as a threat by, let’s say, June, and they send a signal to awaken their aquatic counterparts (the Deep Gods, Other Gods, or something), who begin appearing with their own UFOs and are out for your blood. Or perhaps, when the Martians defeated X-COM and conquered Earth, they split the local governments between those who were “already” there: humans (the Provincial Govts, who pay you protection money) and their TFTD buddies, who now rule the countries which don’t provide any money. All this would be a nice excuse to incorporate Sonic weapons, defences, craft guns, and even TFTD alien tech: maybe they use their own UFOs (straight from TFTD USOs), with their own tech: Aqua Plastics, Magnetic Navigation and Ion-Beam Accelerators, etc. Imagine all the research tree possibilities. Maybe the Avenger would require TFTD USO tech to be built. (and, if TFTD baddies make it to Piratez, could their H. P. Lovecraft vibes  get beefed up? As in Lovecraft-esque Bootypaedia entries, or in changing the alien names, for example, Tasoths being referred as Abominations or Eldritch Abominations)

-I was thinking about a Smuggler faction, not yielding much difference in your monthly report, flying weak but fast UFOs, and being easy targets on ground with various loot (money, relatively nice guns, lots of booze bottles, booty to sell... Come to think of it, why not make an object consisting on a 2x2 wooden box with booze inside, which can be either sold or passed through the workshop to get the alcohol inside? These boxes could be carried by Raiders or these Smugglers). Anyways, Raiders are similar to this, so yeah.

I hope you can consider all these ideas!

[niculinux]

I agree on the  smuggler idea, bit personally i gave that feature to raiders, so   no need to create a similar faction. For the rest i like as the game is now, the magneto plasma mp40 is an improved versionn of the old and knowledge lost mp 40

Personal hints, since precision and hunting rifles are equal i'll keep the current precision one sprite and rename to hunting rifle. Also, at a secomd and deeper glamce, i found the frag greane is a bit bigger than the actual HE. maybe possible to resize it a bit? Thanks, whayever <3

Edit: as for the stielhandgranate mod. 24 grenade this sprite may be  good start to work on: click

In the end, will the mod have a final and nultimate version? we know ot csn be on and on and on adding the impossible..if so i'd suggest also focussion on other project, community projects for imstance, havin another tc made by 3, 3 4 or evem 5 persons would be cool. If not, well i suggest not to ad too much weapons..would be very very difficult to balamce them, unless a total balancing revision will be started, very annoing!

I salute and renew my congrats with a little verse, a quotation from a movie of the '80:

we don't need another hero...we only need DIOXINEEE! ahaha ot' also themed with the mod

Edit2:i'm away from the game now..cannot remember the pie price..anyway it should be 10$, if it gonna bel planned to be replaced i'd gor for a supercool nunchaku!!!

Edit 3: to complete the humanist affair, a nice mauser c 96

[Dioxine]

Thanks for the support!

1. Smugglers - yeah, that sounds like fitting the setting, adds easy enemies (as there are enough hard ones), and gives another incentive to get a H/K (too fast for ol' Bonaventura!). I already have ideas for the crew, would need a new ship and moar loot... might be a good moment to start experimenting with the various loot placement methods (how does an idea of random loot chests sound? )

2. MP-40: like I said I'm trying to avoid cluttering the (already bloated) weapons list... I'd have virtually the same stats as the Spraygun (with possibly tad less damage, tad higher accurracy). There will be a "Mauser", not sure yet how to make it special though; in part because Smuggler's captain will need a unique firearm to complement the vest and furry bodyguard I wouldn't introduce it just for Humanists even though they're pretty schizotech.

3. Stick grenade: I'm pretty content with the current image. Bigger proximity mine: yes it is planned.

4. Naval Gun: the old image's been very, very ugly, but the old mod versions featuring it should still be available on the modsite - just replace the pic, the filename is the same as the new one.

5. TFTD aliens: yeah they were sort of planned from the start, but introducing them needs to wait a bit... anyway the general story is: the sea aliens were indeed awaken after the Earth was conquered, but the conquerors were never too fond of their so-called brethen who strayed far indeed from the ideals. Still they were brethen none the less, so were grudgingly accepted... as long as they know their place. The sea aliens in turn decided the times are Not Right and awakening of the elder gods can wait for some millenia. Still, they maintain sort of global presence, even if most of their forces are sleeping or keeping underwater. Aquatoids can be seen here and there on diplomatic and trade missions, while the deep ones and assorted rabble have invaded large parts of depopulated coastal areas. Indeed beyond the established human countries, many of the scattered tribes worship the Sea Gods, which is troubling in its incomprehensibility to the Empire. Another factor of the "wild" areas are the Sectoid tribes; many Sectoid units were deemed surplus or otherwise undesirable and left to their own devices after the Earth was remodelled. They survived somehow by sticking to old cloning devices as well as introducing human genes into their pool.

[niculinux]

Some of things forgot to write before:

I've been playing since the 0.75 and i suddenly i realized i never used SMG, even the looted ones (!!!) Because find out really useles...even spraygun is more powerful!! So if it eventually will be replac3d, hot about to use the
riskellini tazer pistol?

[...]On second thoughts, other possible addictions that may make their wai along woth the tames reaper my be a machete, but mosty a katana and ever a scimitar! Hope also that some more reaserchabke weapins will be added (not many). Ok i ran out of ammo...maybe someone has some other suggestioms regarding weapons addictions ad features in general? If so, i pass it to those

Well, other thigs on the plate:

scimitar


katana


machete


These are only sheer suggestion, as i wrote before the more weapos will be added, the more development will be painful..thugh these would be suitable for a  gamg of criminals like our piratez are, let me lastly give a hint on the scimitar: while it may be the most powerful sword in comparison with rapier and cutlass, it may take more TU to be used..seems to be quite balanced.

Edit: in response to what Edrik suggested some post ago:

- Stone - hell, why not. I was thinking myself A BIG ROCK, maybe both. Exactly with the mechanics you've described, anyway

Well...eventually its power may be 5 (the one of the actual bow) so the bow my be promoted to 15 or 20, replacing the hatred (hope not only by me xD) SMG

In the end, is fhe hammer the only two handed weapkn in the game, i'm not sure but once i tryed to equip a hand already wieldin it with a pistol, a short message appeared reading i can't because of the two handed feature...so will be implemented some more of such weapons? If yes, a nice halberd may be nice:



Edit 2: if some other "easy" faction will be added, i'd suggest the player should start with not-purchaseable weapoms (boarding gun, snubby revolver and handcannon) that may be reserchable and manufacturable fter a rather aggressive reasearch activity is started, also to make the black market weapons more worthy, hell we alwayz pay for these...maybe a fascinating hypotesis.

Let's see waht ohter players /priatz think about

[Edrick]

Yeah, I agree on using the Ryskellini Taser Pistol as an alternative to the Dart Rifle and implementing as well the Machete, Katana, Scimitar, Halberd... The  problem is giving all of them some use, instead of all being generic copies of the Cutlass.

And the SMG is really useless. Do I want to spray the battlefield with bullets? I’ll use a Spraygun. Do I want to hit something from afar with a one-handed weapon? I’ll use a Revolver. Do I want to blast something from point-blank range with a one-handed weapon? I’ll use a Sawed-Off. Do I want to hit armored enemies with the acid bullets? I’m better off using a Handcannon. I’m not saying to remove it (there have to be bad guns as well), but I’m just remarking how useless it is. Well, even more things:

- Can we get a “true” Plasma Sniper Rifle, with stats more akin to the Laser Sniper Rifle (Snuffy?) or the Sniper Gauss than to the LPG?

- Also, Scatter Laser. Laser shotgun, on the nuclear-powered, ammunition-less guns department.

- Plasma weapons don’t have a “spray all the battlefield with bullets” weapon. Firearms have HMG and Minigun, Lasers have Fatty, but plasma? Could we get something on the lines of a Plasma HMG? Either of the Plasma Blaster sprites from Solarius Scorch’s Alien Armoury Expanded mod could fit the bill.

- I fell in love with that concept of Sectoid tribes and TFTD aliens inhabiting abandoned coastal areas. I don’t know what were you thinking about, but I immediately thought of villages made of small houses or huts, with strange idols in open areas and strange paintings on the walls. These “tribal” Sectoids paint themselves with red curve patterns and their remaining UFOs (rusty Small Scouts that they could salvage or take from the aliens before being abandoned). About TFTD scum, I also imagined villages or old cities (like City terrain on Terror Sites, but more decayed), with equally strange idols (but different, remember these worship their own Sea Gods) and paintings on walls. So, on that, two questions: when will we approximately get this and how are we “supposed” to visit Sectoid or TFTD villages? Following their rusty Small Scouts to their villages, which count as (either undetectable) bases using radically different terrain? And, what about having Tribal Sectoids chanting in their rituals some strange numbers and words that, upon live interrogation, turn out to be the coordinates to Cydonia?

- Expanding on the Tribal Sectoid thing, thinking about their weaponry, I thought of implementing spears, both for mah crew and for the poor tribals. And, would it be possible to implement a spear with melee, both accuracy and strength-dependant damage AND a throwable option (like Molotovs or Stick Grenades), dealing armor-piercing non-blast damage? Because having “spears” and “throwing spears” as different weapons sounds really anticlimactic.

- The stun grenade sprite looks somewhat clunky. No offence meant, I’m just comparing the average sprite with the top-notch pixel art of the rest of the mod. Possible replacements are the sprite from Murmur’s Stun Grenade mod, the Chemical Flare Ufopaedia sprite from TFTD or, if possible, working on the sprite of the Concussion Grenade from a PC game called Risk of Rain, made by Hopoo Games.

Let’s see what other fellow captains think about this.

[Dioxine]

Thanks for all the comments (and sprites!). I won't respond point-by-point this time (although everything has been noted).

Major flashpoints:
- SMG will be improved a bit, but it is somewhat of a dead weight, I agree... one of the few weapons you immediately sell. By the time you get acid ammo, you get better weapons.

- There will be more melee weapons, as long as I am able to make every one distinct.

- Sectoids & Deep Ones: I want to make it good, hence this won't happen soon... custom tilesets are a bitch to make and they're pretty much required here, not even mentioning map-building... I do have base resources though. Another problem is spawning - Doom-style phantom ships are not exactly that good. Hmm one idea is to make 1 HP UFOs which will never crash-land - either you tail it to its destination and make ground assault, or it's blown to pieces & gone forever (leaving just a bunch of points behind).

- Throwable/melee spears: nope not possible, one or the other. The only melee damage allowed for a ranged weapon (thrown spear) is Stun which is kinda silly. So it's either pikes or javelins, but not a multi-purpose spear. And more probably the melee-only one, as the AI can competently use it (as opposed to limited-range weapons). The ranged/stun combo will be however used (a flail).

- More lasers/plasmas: yeah there will be, along the lines you've described... but not without a twist. Plasma gatling thingy will only become available as one of Weight 100+ Class weapons... as soon as an armor suit allowing to use such weapons will be made Scatter laser (combat-shotgun-like) should appear sooner. The plasma blaster sprite, yeah, guess who was the person who created it (I wouldn't do it without Chiko's previous work, credit is due here). I have no shortage of various plasma designs in my workshop, but even then , each gun means a few hours of work... For now the plasma MP-40 (and UAC Plasmagun) are the "spray" type plasma weapons.

EDIT: after some though, throwable javelin CAN be made after all... it'll require some really strange arrangement (snap = "melee" range, aimed = thrown), but it is possible. The only issue - both limited & unlimited ammo seem not right...

[Arthanor]

Actually, a javelin is made for throwing and its construction will be different from a spear. Having it with ammo 1 would just represent that a good strike with it breaks it. A bit too harsh, but makes more sense than unlimited ammo for a ranged gun (or you could do a "javelin pack" with 5 javelins, to be somewhere in the middle?

The best would be a % to break upon use, for both ranged and melee attacks.
*Get javelin -> throw into sectoid -> run to dead sectoid -> pick up javelin -> throw into other sectoid -> ...*

[Dioxine]

You're right, in the ancient military forces, there was a very clear distinction between throwing and melee spear; however, some cultures (like Zulu) were using dual-purpose spears, and this was generally the norm in less militarized, more hunting-oriented societies. With the Deep Ones (Lovecraftian-wise; TFTD wise I mean, naturally, Gill Men since TFTD Deep Ones were biorobots and they have little place here, except maybe as bodyguards for Aquatoids).

Indeed 5-sized javelin pack seems like a good compromise here. I did the same for throwing knives already.

[niculinux]

Actually, a javelin is made for throwing and its construction will be different from a spear. Having it with ammo 1 would just represent that a good strike with it breaks it. A bit too harsh, but makes more sense than unlimited ammo for a ranged gun (or you could do a "javelin pack" with 5 javelins, to be somewhere in the middle?


The best would be a % to break upon use, for both ranged and melee attacks.
*Get javelin -> throw into sectoid -> run to dead sectoid -> pick up javelin -> throw into other sectoid -> ...*

Nice feedback folks, but only 2 users? AAARRRGGHHHH XD
Seriously: I'd really prefer the one shot hypothesis above, otherwise may be created dome sort oh handed speargun, with 4-5 shots (also more mad max/fallout style) obviously istead of a magazine, to ve removed, some spear are meant to replace it, these coul be putted inside the barrel of the cylindrical-alike shape of the followin' prototype weapon:



But the i fear it would be unbalanced with crossbow, so better go the first way not to mention it may be a doubled item cinsudering the harpoon gun, unless some balancing would be made..

Moreover, id add - if SGM will be thrown out the way - a couple more of black market weapons, using ones alreay maded by others and/of taken from existing mods (see some of previous posts of mine) so lots of work to be spare, eventually

Edit: my typing skills are getting worst day by day XD

Edit 2: As fot the sectoid tribe thingh i think it would be kinda revolutionary to the game altering it...but if the majority want it, i surrender. If it won't be added, i'll keep them appearing as "special guests" in terror and base assault/defence mission,nas well play a minor role in the game. Same for the TFTD aliens, otherwise it may become a brand new game not a atotal converion. :/

Edit 3 : the MP-40 may be renamed to MPG (magneto plasma gun) firing magnetic bullets instead of plasma, a meiidle power weapon befween laser and plasma