[COMPILATION] Final Mod Pack (FMP)

[Meridian]

The ramp isn't dangerous. It provides cover.
Having to depart from lvl 1 instead of lvl 0 has some serious advantages, you can easily deploy into all direction for example.
When i testplayed the FMP a little bit, i was honestly so offended by the Skymarshal, together with some other things, that i skipped playing it.

That's an interesting opinion.

1/ I can understand how ramp helps going (easier) into multiple direction... Skymarshall has two new doors for that... shame you cannot shoot diagonally when standing at the doorstep. Otherwise it would be perfect.

2/ However, I really fail to see how ramp provides cover (or any other advantage).
In my opinion even Skyranger (not Skymarshall) without a ramp would be a lot safer... not to mention Skymarshall's additional protection.
If anything ramp makes it harder for you to spot aliens, although they can see (and shoot at) you.
And even if you are indeed lucky enough to spot them in mutual surprise, you will usually have to take one more step (or kneel down) because of no line of fire... and the alien(s) will reaction fire.
Ramp is a death trap...

[Dioxine]

Well I think speaking of being "offended" is simply childish. Whatever Skymarshall is, it is most definitely NOT a "Hellrazor's Perfect Dropship" (if such a thing exists at all - design your own dropship before throwing such large stones, Hellrazor). No. As I understand this, Skymarshall is basically a quickly prototyped dropship that tries to adress the major problems of the Skyranger - namely, being an Omaha-Beach style flying mass grave (and limited speed and troop capacity). Skymarshall solves some issues while introducing a few new issues. Normal stuff. If it is so bad a weapon in your Commander's eyes, don't use it at all. Definitely it forces changing your approach to the landing zone problem. But it's always your decision. Maybe there should be more varied dropship designs available for those who are dissatisfied with the Skymarshall and want to push the technology further towards perfection. Whatever they consider to be perfection.

[Solarius Scorch]

I'm not really seeing the advantage to using the heavy laser over laser rifles - which are much faster - unless we're talking about sectopods or something.

You know, that's what I've thought about Heavy Lasers since the 90's. So it's... kind of the same.

So bumping its accuracy up by a bit would help make it less of the big turd its big, brown sprite tries to convey.

Maybe so. I just didn't want to change things unless absolutely sure it's necessary. I'd like to hear more opinions first.

If I was to take an educated guess then lasers have bad accuracy in vanilla X-Com because they have infinite ammo, since there's only two ways to balance out infinite ammo in xcom - either low damage or low accuracy, since missing means a little bit less with no ammo to waste.

Maybe, but I don't think it really matters. People like pointing this out, but have you ever used all your plasma clips? I don't think I have.

*reads Solarius`answer and throws in yet another improvement*

I managed to fix a default XCom "bug" in your Planes_2.MCD, that special tile from the set was a "C" shaped tile and one could see through it (partially), which caused some weird shootings going on in some weird situations :-)

Hmmm, I think I've fixed that at some point. I'll have to double-check.

And well... the icon is different, not bad, how dare you say that of my lovely icon!?  `

I'll get back to this in a second.

But AFAIK Solar hates blur filters

Shit. This! I haven't thought about this. It might look better with the blur.

However, to say I don't like the filters is a gross understatement. I wish they never existed.

Seeing how lovely all this stuff from TFTD looks like on your screenshot... can somebody explain why some stuff from TFTD taken over to FMP looks really awful?
For example:
- TFTD ufopedia articles (chtonite, reptoid, ...)
- TFTD dead/unconcious alien sprites in the inventory screen
- probably some more...

Yeah, all that, partially for technical reasons, but it also should be noted that some TFTD graphics were downright horrible.

I'd spend time improving them, but I'd rather replace them with better original sprites.

The ramp isn't dangerous. It provides cover.

It has its merits, yes; especially when you're already on level 0. But it makes you lose so many TUs that it is indeed a bit problematic.

Still, the biggest problem is that there's only one exit, and this is bad news for your soldiers.

Having to depart from lvl 1 instead of lvl 0 has some serious advantages, you can easily deploy into all direction for example.
When i testplayed the FMP a little bit, i was honestly so offended by the Skymarshal, together with some other things, that i skipped playing it.

You know what, I wasn't a huge fan of it either at first. But so many people liked it that I just ran with it and started improving on it. THen I started to really like it.

There is another map I liked, but my soldiers were adamant not to spawn in it. (Even if I reproduced the map wholly by maself from scratch.) So I jossed the idea.

[myk002]

Maybe so. I just didn't want to change things unless absolutely sure it's necessary. I'd like to hear more opinions first.

After seeing how effective flamethrowers are on sectopods, I sold all my lasers and just took a few flamethrowers on all my crafts.  As they currently stand, I consider the entire laser lineup to be fairly useless.  I'm just glad when the aliens are wielding them because it means they'll miss : )

[Meridian]

After seeing how effective flamethrowers are on sectopods, I sold all my lasers and just took a few flamethrowers on all my crafts.  As they currently stand, I consider the entire laser lineup to be fairly useless.  I'm just glad when the aliens are wielding them because it means they'll miss : )

In vanilla, laser pistol and rifle are relatively useful. Heavy laser less so, maybe there it could use a little improvement.

In FMP, "MiB-level laser weapons" are basically a starting tech. They should be crap... otherwise what would be the point of upgrading to gauss/rail/advanced laser/plasma? ;-)

[Solarius Scorch]

After seeing how effective flamethrowers are on sectopods, I sold all my lasers and just took a few flamethrowers on all my crafts.  As they currently stand, I consider the entire laser lineup to be fairly useless.  I'm just glad when the aliens are wielding them because it means they'll miss : )

This probably will change, if just a bit, when I release the Chaser race.

[pilot00]

Been playing the game with the death coffin (skyranger) and still I am against having the skymarshall the way it is.
A dangerous ramp, doesnt mean a completely illogical craft design and a random buffer just because.

And here to the guy who said keep TFTD out. See what you are missing... 

I am the same guy.

Lovely as the sprites and the job done on this as they are, I still prefer to miss them. Unless you plan on using them for a custom tailored instalation or something that has nothing to do with TFTD.

 But still leave TFTD to TFTD. I dislike continuity problems.

That's an interesting opinion.

1/ I can understand how ramp helps going (easier) into multiple direction... Skymarshall has two new doors for that... shame you cannot shoot diagonally when standing at the doorstep. Otherwise it would be perfect.

2/ However, I really fail to see how ramp provides cover (or any other advantage).
In my opinion even Skyranger (not Skymarshall) without a ramp would be a lot safer... not to mention Skymarshall's additional protection.
If anything ramp makes it harder for you to spot aliens, although they can see (and shoot at) you.
And even if you are indeed lucky enough to spot them in mutual surprise, you will usually have to take one more step (or kneel down) because of no line of fire... and the alien(s) will reaction fire.
Ramp is a death trap...

Well I think speaking of being "offended" is simply childish. Whatever Skymarshall is, it is most definitely NOT a "Hellrazor's Perfect Dropship" (if such a thing exists at all - design your own dropship before throwing such large stones, Hellrazor). No. As I understand this, Skymarshall is basically a quickly prototyped dropship that tries to adress the major problems of the Skyranger - namely, being an Omaha-Beach style flying mass grave (and limited speed and troop capacity). Skymarshall solves some issues while introducing a few new issues. Normal stuff. If it is so bad a weapon in your Commander's eyes, don't use it at all. Definitely it forces changing your approach to the landing zone problem. But it's always your decision. Maybe there should be more varied dropship designs available for those who are dissatisfied with the Skymarshall and want to push the technology further towards perfection. Whatever they consider to be perfection.

The whole point (for me at least) has nothing to do with the ramp, or weather it is good or bad. It is from an aircraft design perspective. I cannot fathom a troop tansporter to be landing on level with the ground, having its wheels attached to the wings (do I need to go over with descriptions on this?) and the very fact that it has two boxes spawning out of thin air to provide cover. The whole thing reeks artificial easy mode. In contrast we can use the Thunderstorm,  it provides you with a super alternative which you can use for sniping as well and has a huge cargo hold. Still though the design makes sense.  I am not against tools to make my life easier but the design on this was made bad just to make it a safe skyranger. Which finds me against it. If we take the time to brainstorm this we could easily find altrenatives to redesign it without losing its utility.

But all things considered its small potatoes, my problem with it in reality is that it looks artificial in a place where attention to detail was paid.

[Arthanor]

+1

I have been using a modded, upgraded skyranger, which is simply longer and has two openings on the side. I also agree that the craft as presented is ezmode artificial. Big blocks and ground level doesn't look right. Automatic doors are neat, but they make no sense for a transport designed to land in a hot zone and quickly deploy. XCom needs to clear the LZ FAST, not linger behind doors taking potshots at the aliens surrounding the whole craft. The only reason that this is a viable strategy is that XCom crafts are indestructible.

If the AI could behave properly and shoot it (I bet a heavy plasma can damage the engines, let along a blaster bomb or elerium grenade), and it was destructible, you'd see more crafts like Dioxine's piratez craft for fast aggressive deployments and fewer of these weird safe ones.

for the more advanced avenger and lightning, maybe.. They are presumably proper made alien alloy crafts with sturdy constructions (as shown by their higher HP) and don't have exposed engines. For planes, it is gaming the game.

[NuclearStudent]

The Skymarshall is indeed far better than the Skyranger. If it didn't allow any extra soldiers at all, or even reduced the number of soldiers I could bring by one, I would still choose it over the Skyranger. Even if I were allowed two fewer soldiers than normal, there are many missions I would bring a Skymarshall on. For instance, the protection and automatic doors are a massive help during terror missions.

[pilot00]

The Skymarshall is indeed far better than the Skyranger. If it didn't allow any extra soldiers at all, or even reduced the number of soldiers I could bring by one, I would still choose it over the Skyranger. Even if I were allowed two fewer soldiers than normal, there are many missions I would bring a Skymarshall on. For instance, the protection and automatic doors are a massive help during terror missions.

Nobody disputed that though The problem is that it needs to fuck my immersion in order to do it

If the AI could behave properly and shoot it (I bet a heavy plasma can damage the engines, let along a blaster bomb or elerium grenade), and it was destructible, you'd see more crafts like Dioxine's piratez craft for fast aggressive deployments and fewer of these weird safe ones.

Thats the second thing the new one did right. No craft forts for you, get out there and do your job or flee.

[Solarius Scorch]

Nobody disputed that though The problem is that it needs to fuck my immersion in order to do it

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.

[NeXaXeN]

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.

[ragdoll]

Hi all,

I've been having a blast playing Final Mod Pack for the past few days, but I'm getting hung up on a few aspects.

While starting off is pretty easy, I find I end up getting outclassed in terms of weapons very quickly, with seemingly no way to gain an advantage. I've gone almost five months with normal ballistics because I haven't been able to research anything more advanced than a Toxigun. I've gotten to Gauss research but it hasn't let me make personnel-level weapons, just craft weapons, tanks, and base defenses. Likewise, I've been able to research alien laser rifles but not their clips, which makes it impossible for me to use them or produce them. Does anyone have a link to the full tech tree for the mod? Is it in the files somewhere? I know it might be considered cheating but I'd rather I looked at the tech tree and figured out what order to research things rather than bumble around until I'm going up against Mutons with rifles and heavy cannons.

Secondly, I've been able to shoot down MiB ships fairly easily, but once they're on the ground it's a different story. Three separate occasions I've had to deal with a blaster bomb to the inside of the skyranger that's completely wiped my squad. Should I just not bother engaging the MiB until I've progressed further?

[Meridian]

You need to capture and interrogate/research a live alien engineer.
That will open Alien Laser Rifle Clip and Elerium Battery (which opens other gauss weapons).

A tech tree is available several pages earlier, it has a few bugs, but I will upload a new version soon.

You shouldn't be seeing enemies with Blaster Launcher yet in the 5th month I think... but if you do, you can either ignore them... or play more aggresive (Skymarshall has three exists, you can cover a lot of ground in the first turn, while spreading out your troops to avoid squad wipes... of course you'll lose some soldiers, but not all)... and don't forget using grenades, they are the most powerful weapon in xcom ;-)

[hellrazor]

You need to capture and interrogate/research a live alien engineer.
That will open Alien Laser Rifle Clip and Elerium Battery (which opens other gauss weapons).

A tech tree is available several pages earlier, it has a few bugs, but I will upload a new version soon.

You shouldn't be seeing enemies with Blaster Launcher yet in the 5th month I think... but if you do, you can either ignore them... or play more aggresive (Skymarshall has three exists, you can cover a lot of ground in the first turn, while spreading out your troops to avoid squad wipes... of course you'll lose some soldiers, but not all)... and don't forget using grenades, they are the most powerful weapon in xcom ;-)

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