[COMPILATION] Final Mod Pack (FMP)

[Meridian]

Meridian, how about making a Research Tree Graphic? I found it rather helpful, to have this for my mods and i think player also will appreciate it.
You can use DIA to draw it together

I have made a diagram already, that's what I was talking about.

Anyway, I have updated the diagram to newest version (v1.5.3b) and uploaded it in a separate thread, so that it is not so easily lost/overlooked:
https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,3714.0.html

[pilot00]

Just to break my silence, I'd add that the SkyRanger and Interceptor were prototypes in dealing with a threat humanity had yet to understand and based solely on human technology.

In terms of immersion, I'd be shocked if XCOM made an upgrade craft that didn't take into account what they learned about fighting aliens, as well as the benefits of improved alien alloy. I mean, how many operatives need to get toasted going down the ramp before an XCOM engineer goes: "Hmmmm... maybe that ramp could be improved...." All XCOM improvements slowly go from earth-inspired tech to sci-fi, so in my mind the Alloy Skyranger is just a step away from what we know and towards what humanity can do with this new tech.

I'm just saying.

Well, without the mod they did now didnt they? Untill they build the lightning, and we all know how usefull that is. Still I fail to see, what an...ill placed wheel in the wing has to do with capabilities in tech? A design fail is still a design fail.

I'm no engineer, but I think alloys are sturdy enough for the wings to support the weight of the craft. I mean, it's ridiculously good. I agree it looks a bit bizarre to us though.

Yeah but attaching the landing gear on them and having the belly of the aircraft litterally scratching the surface of the landing zone? And since we are talking about a VTOL aircraft, imagine the angles the wheels will take when the wings reposition.

[Meridian]

Still I fail to see, what an...ill placed wheel in the wing has to do with capabilities in tech?

Yeah but attaching the landing gear on them and having the belly of the aircraft litterally scratching the surface of the landing zone? And since we are talking about a VTOL aircraft, imagine the angles the wheels will take when the wings reposition.

Yes, it is completely unrealistic and even ugly as heck! I think everyone agrees.

It's just an easy fix, a compromise if you will, to get rid of the greatest weakness of the Skyranger and increase playability, nothing more nothing less. If you (or anybody else) has time, you can create a completely new realistically-looking craft with the same floor plan as Skymarshall... but it's a lot of work.

[pilot00]

Yes, it is completely unrealistic and even ugly as heck! I think everyone agrees.

It's just an easy fix, a compromise if you will, to get rid of the greatest weakness of the Skyranger and increase playability, nothing more nothing less. If you (or anybody else) has time, you can create a completely new realistically-looking craft with the same floor plan as Skymarshall... but it's a lot of work.

Lets be clear about something: I NEVER asked for it to be scraped, I never said its useless and I never demanded anything in general. I just said its a silly design and I am going in with the flow of the discussion since there seems to be a contradictory opinion. Nothing is wrong with exchanging opinions.

[Meridian]

Excellent, then I guess all of us agree and we can finally stop this discussion.

[Solarius Scorch]

Excellent, then I guess all of us agree and we can finally stop this discussion.

Oooooor we can improve the design. I'd rather have someone else do it, since I just don't have the time now.

[Dioxine]

You can't really improve it - yeah you can raise the ship's belly into the air, for example, but this would kill the most important advantage of Skymarshall. I guess the only way to do it would be to design such a tileset/map that keeps all the tactical features but allows to present the unconvinced with a compelling proof of realistic and sound engineering

[hellrazor]

You can't really improve it - yeah you can raise the ship's belly into the air, for example, but this would kill the most important advantage of Skymarshall. I guess the only way to do it would be to design such a tileset/map that keeps all the tactical features but allows to present the unconvinced with a compelling proof of realistic and sound engineering

I don't see any advantage with it being stuck on the ground. Hugging your soldiers under the skyranger has a big advantage, you can focus fire on targets in nearly all directions.
Something which is really important for killing enemies as soon as you spot them. I rather deploy quickly and secure my landing zone then being stuck in whatever flying coffin i have arrived in. Preferably skipping turn 1, to reduce reaction fire.

[Dioxine]

Firing in all directions = getting yourself surrounded. Seldomly a good idea
While Skymarshall isn't ideal, it allows to concentrate fire while providing cover. Disembarking is faster, you can start real action by turn 1-2, instead of turn 3 (you can't get these soldiers any faster under the Skyranger's belly, especially since you're forced to skip turn 1). If you happen to land in such a way that either side of Skymarshall is more or less clear, you can disembark a good deal of soldiers by turn 1, and start to flank the enemies on the other side by turn 2. Such a thing is impossible with Skyranger - you're completely exposed from all directions.

[pilot00]

You can't really improve it - yeah you can raise the ship's belly into the air, for example, but this would kill the most important advantage of Skymarshall. I guess the only way to do it would be to design such a tileset/map that keeps all the tactical features but allows to present the unconvinced with a compelling proof of realistic and sound engineering

I dont believe that elevating the level and placing its wheels in the proper place would terminate its usefullness. It can use the side doors still with a rapel type lader, there is one such thing in the wharehouse terror mission (or thats how I call it dont know its real name) and it functions. The automated doors in the back (as far as I know) can still be retained, the only thing that would be lost if someone wants to make the design a bit realistic is to remove those boxes, which will reduce cover but they make no sense either way.

[Solarius Scorch]

Version 1.5.4 is online.

Not that many changes, but it's been sitting on my drive for too long, so I'm releasing it anyway:

• Some new race combinations.
• Improved Skymarshall (by Civilian).
• Russian language update (by Kammerer).
• Fixed broken Fusion Torch hit animation.

[myk002]

if someone wants to make the design a bit realistic is to remove those boxes, which will reduce cover but they make no sense either way.

ya know, those aren't boxes.  they're the tail end of the craft.  go up a level and you can see the roof connecting them.

Version 1.5.4 is online.

w00t  thx Solarius!

[pilot00]

ya know, those aren't boxes.  they're the tail end of the craft.  go up a level and you can see the roof connecting them.

I have seen that but to be honest it never occured to me that this is the case. It seems like a reverse ramp opens and connects with the seamingly magical boxes. Not that it is better if this was a 'tail'.

[new_civilian]

Just a wild idea: Why not add a moon-mission before you go to cydonia? Should be easy enough to do, just use the Area 51 tiles along with some grey ground tiles... maybe even with advanced MiB troops there?

[Solarius Scorch]

Just a wild idea: Why not add a moon-mission before you go to cydonia? Should be easy enough to do, just use the Area 51 tiles along with some grey ground tiles... maybe even with advanced MiB troops there?

It's a nice idea, though I'm not sure how it could be done. Maybe make the final mission a 3-level mission, the first one being on the Moon?