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

[Hobbes]

Yeah... we all need to find workarounds with TFTD adventure mission generator being still unfinished My solution is to make a "probe" UFO with 1hp, so you need to follow it to its landing - where something is happening, hence the probe was sent there. As the happenings are far more interesting than the probe, the probe is promptly forgotten It's 1 hp so you can't make it crash-land, and destroy the illusion - if you shoot at it, it just blows up & that's it (requires that no craft weapon has power below 4).

I'm actually using this 'trick' more to get around MapView's 256 tile limit when designing maps. Since OXC has to tile limits, you can design a 'UFO' with 256 tiles then design the terrain with 256 completely different tiles. The only issue is that this can only be used for 'UFO' missions.

I'm also using the 'probe' solution for the Mercenary missions on UFO Redux - their transports can be destroyed by a single shot, so the player can quickly get rid of them or let them land to collect some goodies.

[Ridаn]

Got a terrain problem, destroying stumps circled red causes CTD with vector::_M_range_check error.

edit: Hobbes already fixed it, I think
https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,2358.msg39266.html#msg39266

edit2: nevermind, it looks like its another terrain, so it probably isnt fixed.

edit3: Hobbes got it fixed, grab a fixed version at
https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,2358.msg41227.html#msg41227


Researching Fusion Explosives brings up a Fusion Grenade popup, instead of Fusion Explosives popup.

[Dioxine]

Ah yeah. Thanks for being on constant lookout for bugs, it's really helpful (I don't have to play myself so much). The Pedia error is caused by a Pedia code quirk: if your research something, the engine doesn't look for a thing of the same name in the Pedia to link to first; it just goes top-to-bottom, looking for anything that requires the research you've just completed to be displayed. First thing it finds, it displays.

Today's work, instead of the Spartans (which need some more conceptual work, what I have is too weak) was on fleshing out the Govt faction, probably adding some more missions in the future. For now, they will be appearing in the Resource Extraction mission with a whole new range of units:

[Ridаn]

Ah yeah. Thanks for being on constant lookout for bugs, it's really helpful (I don't have to play myself so much). The Pedia error is caused by a Pedia code quirk: if your research something, the engine doesn't look for a thing of the same name in the Pedia to link to first; it just goes top-to-bottom, looking for anything that requires the research you've just completed to be displayed. First thing it finds, it displays.

Today's work, instead of the Spartans (which need some more conceptual work, what I have is too weak) was on fleshing out the Govt faction, probably adding some more missions in the future. For now, they will be appearing in the Resource Extraction mission with a whole new range of units:

Well I have a lot of fun with your mod and it is a least I can do. I also get fixes so its a win-win.

And those paperdolls look awesome. I like those more than Humongous Raider from before (its way too.. mutony? may be change a pose, especially arms?).

Mind sharing some info on Spartans? Are those some mutant alliance rebels?

[Dioxine]

Well the idea of Spartans goes like this:

Basically, they're guns for hire - who occassionally do the gun thing without being hired (when short on cash). What separates them from common bandits is their military organisation and philosophy, summed up in:

- Loyalty to their holy book, the Rules of Engagement (a distorted caricature of chivalry);
- Right to bear arms and personal liberty;
- Survival of the fittest;
- Genetic and ideological purity (survival of the Spartans themselves);
- Cookies, I mean, those of their females who aren't considered pure enough for breeding (too smart, too mouthy, too independent etc), are disallowed to say "no" to anyone (hence they sometimes fight on the frontline in the hopes of escaping this status through strength and wealth).

They despise all current forms of governance, from the Stellar Empire to the Provincial Govts to the Mutant Alliance, having a catch-all term for all of these, "Socialists".
They live in hidden forts and bunkers in the wild (the survival part!) and recruit from all walks of life, with the young recruits being put through the gruelling experience of frontline combat (and being allowed to keep up to 10% of the pay/loot). Those who survive long enough, and distinguish themselves in the eyes of the Officer Corps, are allowed to join it. This is a motivation enough for many to join the Spartans, since the Officer Corps rarely risk their necks, while keeping said 90% of wealth "for war effort".

[Ridаn]

Looks like a concept needs some more thought indeed. It sounds like Merc-Raiders mishmash.

Got some more stuff to fix, I have no idea how I didn`t notice it sooner.

[Dioxine]

Looks like a concept needs some more thought indeed. It sounds like Merc-Raiders mishmash.

Got some more stuff to fix, I have no idea how I didn`t notice it sooner.

Whoops, looks like I have to release a new edition sooner than I thought, too many glitches

[Ridаn]

I remember those guys (Dark One soldiers?) being green even in 0.86, is this WAD?

Also just heard a Cacodemon producing footsteps, can those be disabled so it does floating sounds all the time?
edit: does Cacodemon even fly? I think it should.

[Yankes]

- Cookies, I mean, those of their females who aren't considered pure enough for breeding (too smart, too mouthy, too independent etc), are disallowed to say "no" to anyone (hence they sometimes fight on the frontline in the hopes of escaping this status through strength and wealth).

Shouldn't this be other way around? If you choose stupid women you will get stupid children, genetics is merciless in that aspect.
I think much better fit would be that they consider all womens as inferior and don't give them any rights. Only way for this "too smart, too mouthy, too independent etc" to escape is battlefield where they can prove that they can have rights like man. This could fit trophy of "only who fight is worthy".

[Dioxine]

@Ridan:
Soldiers, yeah, they're green, ugly & zombielike. I like them that way, but if you think they're too ugly...

Cacodemon does hover, the game just plays footsteps if he chooses not to (as for your soldiers in flying suits). I've forced the hovering sound to be played everytime it moves now. Along with many other fixes with 0.89.3 update

@Yankes:
Yeah that's close enough and probably makes more sense worded like that. I just wanted to convey that they are two-faced about women's rights (as about many things): oficially they're VERY for brave & pure female wives and warriors; the reality is starkly different & close to what you've described. Also while they pursue the philosophy of genetic purity, their elites mostly pursue philosophy of staying in power by any means. But even they must conform to some underlying principles (like "only those who fight are worthy").

[Hobbes]

Shouldn't this be other way around? If you choose stupid women you will get stupid children, genetics is merciless in that aspect.

That's the old 'nature vs. nurture' discussion. Truth is, there are a ton of factors involved in whether someone is stupid or intelligent.

[Yankes]

That's the old 'nature vs. nurture' discussion. Truth is, there are a ton of factors involved in whether someone is stupid or intelligent.

Right, but that was argument form "pure" perspective.

[Dioxine]

Hmm... And there are the cultural differences. The Spartans as I see them would generally despise what is commonly considered "smarts", especially book smarts. For them, survival comes from righteous anger, will to fight and obedience to superiors. Innovation is frowned upon. Perhaps no culture can be stable while despising reason; but this one doesn't need to, as its nature is parasitic/predatory. They get resources from combat, and a large proportion of new arrivals from outside (as opposed from birth).
Would they lose a battle against a military force led by a wise commander? Surely. But they're, well, smart enough not to pick a fight with anyone who's really strong. They couldn't strive in the times of order, but the planet is engulfed in chaos.

[Hobbes]

Right, but that was argument form "pure" perspective.

You cruel, elitist Spartan! (argument from the 'other' perspective)

Hmm... And there are the cultural differences. The Spartans as I see them would generally despise what is commonly considered "smarts", especially book smarts. For them, survival comes from righteous anger, will to fight and obedience to superiors. Innovation is frowned upon. Perhaps no culture can be stable while despising reason; but this one doesn't need to, as its nature is parasitic/predatory. They get resources from combat, and a large proportion of new arrivals from outside (as opposed from birth).
Would they lose a battle against a military force led by a wise commander? Surely. But they're, well, smart enough not to pick a fight with anyone who's really strong. They couldn't strive in the times of order, but the planet is engulfed in chaos.

There's a really interesting contradiction there: innovation is bad and order is everything, but at the same time they thrive in chaos. This is not a criticism, but rather how human nature works. At the same time, this explains their appeal to outsiders: in times of strife, you look for guidance.

[Dioxine]

In the age of chaos, stability has a price... and the price is invariably paid in blood.

Ehh. Anyways. I'm fooling around with something. Namely, the future of pirate hideouts. What do you think... Brass, Gold, Bronze, Copper, or Silver?