Hi Slaughter.
More on my game, I'm in March and just got my base assaulted (will play when I get back home):
How did it go?
- Is the game intended to be played with alien weapon self-destruction? It does leads to a harder game and makes captures more important.
Oh hell no
Actually you are the very first player I've met who uses this option at all.
Well, it's not like you can't, but I'm not taking any responsibilities.
But yeah, it can be done, at least theoretically.
You know, if I planned on being even more evil, I would give all aliens a itty-bitty elerium explosive armed on 2 turn trigger, which they drop when stunned, so that if you don't do it right, the alien self-destructs along with his things. Quite weak, just strong enough to blow gear and body. Aliens, what aliens? There are no aliens. Aliens don't exist. You're saying its aliens, but its not aliens.
Nah, running to the alien to pick up the damn mine would be too easy and just be a hassle. Trust me, I've spent a long time wondering about these things and I couldn't find a sensible justification for weapon self-destruction, as all technical measures could and eventually would be circumvented by X-Com engineers.
- It is just me or in FMP the two saddest X-COM weapons - namely, the standard issue X-COM Pistol and the Cannon - are even sadder? The Pistol looks downright useless compared to the Magnum's huge firepower and the SMG's quick snap-shots and sweet bursts. It was already pretty much a thing you gave to your grenadiers in case they could't deploy grenades, its now even more useless. Pretty much the only thing it does better than the magnum is faster, more accurate snap shots. Maybe giving it auto-shot would be the answer, but it would get into the SMG's turf.
Well, I didn't want to tweak vanilla weapons (and I didn't, except for the plasmas which now have slightly limited range, but it's unlikely that an average player would even realize it). As for Pistol vs. SMG, it seems that opinions regarding them might be divided.
Yeah, neither of them is very good. But they do have their advantages beyond the simple damage category.
- The Heavy Cannon wasn't very used in vanilla, if I remember right. I remember using it as low-powered rocket launcher, useful for shooting Cyberdisc from afar at best. It is another weapon in a sad niche - lacks the Auto-Cannon's bursts, has more precision but it is clearly inferior to the Tac Sniper Rifle, and if you need to thrown a bomb with precision somewhere the Grenade Lancher is far better.
Really? I know many players who definitely favour HC over AC for its accuracy and (to a lesser degree) damage. I'm a bit torn myself, but I'm sure HC isn't
worse than AC.
You're saying that the tactical sniper rifle is better than the HC, but can you elaborate on this? Because I can't really see how they're interchangeable.
- Gotta love the weapon variety, especially because it makes soldier roles and weapons more important. I usually send the "Close-Quarters" fighters with magnums, shotguns, SMGs and ARs to assault the UFO while my riflemen and heavy weapon specialists fight in the outdoors. The two Miniguns can be cool in close spaces too but its main use seems to be base defense. Flamethrowner is actually a bit too powerful I think, even Cyberdiscs get one-shotted by it.
Yeah, sounds more or less as intended. Though I can't see how the Flamethrower can kill a Cyberdisc with one attack.
At least on higher difficulties - are you playing on Beginner?
Anyway, I think Flamethrower is fine when you consider its drawbacks. But I'll listen.
Does every explosion deliver all the damage?
Uhh, can you explain?
- Is the combat knife even useful for something? Seems to be back-up weapon for desperate snipers or people with low TUs. Would rather carry a batton and stun aliens. Inb4 someone say the combat knife saved his operation.
Well, it's not meant to be a very good weapon, and your assessment seems correct. I use it for fun though, and sometimes - rarely - its quickness can prove useful in close quarters.
- What about adding range info to the UFOpaedia? Makes it easier to differentiate the weapons.
It'd be nice, I'll probably do it some day. But it's painful work.
- Any plans to add some enemies I saw in the mod portals? Like Mechtoids and Xcom2 "Pectoids"?
I added some, some were rejected for various quality-related issues. If something nice comes up, sure, I'd be happy to add them.
- Do aliens have a preferred enemy: Attack Dog secret rule? I swear, poor doges rarely make it past turn 2. Its like the plasma is attracted to them.
I think that's because they're mainly scouts, so they're usually seen first. And then the aliens lock onto them, even when they can't see the doge anymore.
- What hapened to the more nations mod? Used be on the mod. I liked how I had to think more about base placement rather than the old "Europe, then North America then East Asia then the rest of you wait for it or die" base placement.
I don't recall anything like it being erased from the mod. Maybe you were using some additional mod?
Anyway, adding more nations would be nice, but making new countries is kamikaze work. If anyone could contribute here, then mister, you're a better man than I.
