Nice to see Open XCom has reached 1.0, congratulations to the Open XCom team, and to all the supporters ;-)
I had time to regroup some ideas and suggestions.
So, let's go...
All the images are for explanation only, and the bad english language implementation is independent of my will ;-)
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1) Where is the end of the combat area?Add a red line to show the battle area border...
...and also in the Minimap view.
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2) Sometimes it's difficult to know if a soldier is kneeled or standing.Reverse the yellow arrow over the soldier when he is kneeled (pointing to the ground when standing (default), and pointing to the top when kneeled), and add a red dot on the kneel button near the kneeled icon.
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3) Tired to click everywhere on the combat area to throw a grenade without knowing if it will work?When the soldier is ready to throw an object (ex: grenade), moving the mouse cursor over the combat area gives informations.
When the soldier can throw to the selected destination tile, a yellow 3D box is displayed and a message is displayed above the control bar: "Able to throw here!".
When the soldier cannot throw to the selected destination tile, a red 3D box is displayed and a message is displayed above the control bar: "Out of range!" (or "Unable to throw here!" depending the situation).
The 3D box and the message are updated each time the player move the mouse cursor over the tiles.
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4) Motion Scanner.The Motion Scanner is an underrated equipment. It's powerful, but a real pain to use.
The player need to draw a diagram on a piece of paper and count the tiles on the combat zone. If only...
After using the Motion Scanner, all the spotted aliens are indicated by a 3D red box at there locations on the combat area for the whole turn duration.
Spotted XCom soldiers are also indicated if they do not move meantime.
Also, allow the soldiers to use the Mind Probe on the indicated 3D red boxes.
But look at all these buttons and displays unused... ....clearly the developpers have not had enough time to fully develop the Motion Scanner.
First, to maintain consistency with the minimap color code (Aliens indicated with blue dots, Xcom soldiers indicated with yellow dots), the Motion Scanner flashing spots should be changed to flashing blue dots for the Aliens, and flashing yellow dots for XCom soldiers (current default color).
Also, during Terror missions, the Civilians flashing dots must adopt a different color to differenciate them (they are also indicated at there locations with 3D boxes the same color on the combat area).
The player can left click on a flashing dots directly on the display to have information about the alien. A red circle is displayed around the flashing blue dot selected.
The top screen to the right displays the alien name (Muton), and the bottom screen displays the Muton sprite. The player can click on the Muton sprite to have advanced information: "The Muton takes 0.6x damage from armour-piercing weaponry.", etc.
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The top left blue button allows to change the flashing dots displayed. By default all the Battlescape levels are shown, the text "ALL" is displayed over the button.
By left clicking one time the button, only the Level 0 dots are displayed (the text "0" is displayed over the button);
another left click, only the Level 1 dots are displayed (the text "1" is displayed over the button);
another left click, only the Level 2 dots are displayed (the text "2" is displayed over the button);
another left click, only the Level 3 dots are displayed (the text "3" is displayed over the button);
another left click, all the dots on all levels are displayed (the text "ALL" is displayed over the button).
At any time, right clicking one time on the button displays all the dots on all levels (the text "ALL" is displayed over the button).
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A new device can be researched after the Motion Scanner: the Remote Scanner Probe.
Remote Scanner Probe:Size: 1 high x 1 wide
Weight: 3
Activating: 50%
Throwing: 25%
Explosions Resistance: 8
Manufacturing: $24,000 for parts, 310 Engineer Hours
Sell Price: $32,100
The Remote Scanner Probe works just like the Motion Scanner, except it only have a detection system, and a data transmission system has been added.
The soldier need to activate it before to throw it to be usable. The Remote Scanner Probe is fragile, so beware when the soldiers throw their grenades (or aliens grenades, and the alien AI can also be educated to destroy them ;-) ).
Once activated, the Remote Scanner Probe automatically sends data to all the Motion Scanners used by soldiers.
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The top right green button allows to change the data displayed on the Motion Scanner screen. By default the local Motion Scanner data are shown (the one used by the soldier), the text "00" is displayed over the button.
If Remote Scanner Probes were launched, the Motion Scanner can display the transferred data.
Each Remote Scanner Probe gets automatically a number to be recognized.
The first launched Remote Scanner Probe gets the "01" number, the second launched Remote Scanner Probe gets the "02" number, etc.
By left clicking one time the button, the data from the Remote Scanner Probe 01 are displayed (the text "01" is displayed over the button);
another left click, the data from the Remote Scanner Probe 02 are displayed (the text "02" is displayed over the button);
another left click, the local Motion Scanner data are shown (the one used by the soldier), (the text "00" is displayed over the button).
At any time, right clicking one time on the button displays the local Motion Scanner data, (the text "00" is displayed over the button).
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Left clicking on the bottom left green button allows to access directly the Minimap to have a better evaluation of the situation. All aliens detected by the Motion Scanner and the Remote Scanner Probes are shown on the Minimap. Close the Minimap screen comes back to the Motion Scanner screen.
Once the Motion Scanner is closed, all the spotted aliens by the Motion Scanner and all the Remote Scanner Probes are indicated by a 3D red box at there locations on the combat area for the whole turn duration.
Spotted XCom soldiers are also indicated if they do not move meantime.
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Clicking on the bottom right red button launches the 1978 Arcade game "Space Invaders" ...just kidding ;-) ...or perhaps as an easter egg by right clicking on the button...
So, left clicking on the bottom right red button selects the first blue flashing dot (just like to directly select a dot on the screen, and a red circle is displayed around the flashing blue dot, the top screen to the right displays the alien name (ex: Muton), and the bottom screen displays the Alien sprite), another left click selects the second blue flashing dot, etc.
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***** Added 06/23/2014 - Start
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Add an option that allow the Motion Scanner to display non moving units.
"Motion Scanner also detects and displays non moving units" - "YES" - "NO" - (default "NO")
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***** Added 06/23/2014 - End
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5) You did not notice that one of your soldiers was injured and he just die?Show the number of Fatal Wounds next to the number of Health on the Control Bar. The yellow number flashes to attract the attention of player (Health "15", Fatal Wounds "2" (flashing yellow number)).
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6) Want to see what does the Medi-Kit to your soldier?Left click on the Medi-Kit screen background to show the injured soldier information on the Control Bar, the text "(injured unit)" is displayed after the soldier name to inform the player.
The injured soldier information are updated each time the Medit-Kit user click on a button (Pain Killer - Morale info, Stimulant - Energy/Stun info, Heal - Health/Fatal Wounds info).
Another click on the Medi-Kit screen background to show back the information of the Medit-Kit user.
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7) Want to see all the aliens seen by all your soldiers and have quick access to them?
For the selected soldier, 2 red flashing squares (with number 1 and 2) appears in the right of the Battlescape screen, just above the Control Bar (default).
Left clicking on one of the red flashing squares centers the Battlescape on the alien.
The 2 yellow flashing squares (with number 3 and 4) are spotted aliens seen by the other soldiers.
Left clicking on one of the yellow flashing squares centers the Battlescape on the alien without deselect the current selected soldier.
Right clicking on one of the yellow flashing squares centers the Battlescape on the alien and selects the nearest soldier to this alien with enough TUs to act.
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8 ) Want to be able to directly recrute soldiers after mission?
The number of soldiers to hire is automatically set for the right number but the player can change it.
This can also be a prompted separate window.
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9) Want to be able to directly buy missing equipments after mission?
The number of equipments to buy are automatically set for the right number but the player can change them.
This can also be a prompted separate window. Also a separate prompted window can be generated for the missing manufactured equipments.
And, the same when not enough equipments after crafts interception missions.
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10) Want to give the same order to all your interception crafts, quickly?
Press the keyboard CTRL key and left click on the button to give the same order to all your crafts.
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11) Suggestion for "Select Armor" screen.From Geoscape:
Click on BASES button
Select a base
Click on EQUIP CRAFT button
Select a craft
Click on ARMOR button
"Select Armor" screen:
Add the soldiers Rank display in this window, if not enough space on the screen, instead display symbols to inform on the soldiers Rank.
Also add the top/down arrows to change the soldiers position.
The player need these info on the screen to distribute the armors, and the convenience to position the soldiers in the craft depending on the armors.
Also, change the "Select Squad for xxxCraft" screen to have the same info and convenience (Name, Craft, Rank, top/down arrows, Armor).
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12) Soldier Inventory.During combat (equipment phase done, at least turn 1), in the soldier screen display the number of missions performed, the number of kills, and if the soldier is in psionic training. Sometimes I need to known if I can take risks with a soldier (these info can also be displayed on the soldier screen at the base).
When an item is selected display the item weight next to the name (this info can also be displayed on the soldier screen at the base).
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When an item is selected from the ground, mouse cursor over the destination slot, display the resulting weight if the player equips the soldier with the item, "34" next to "31/30" in this screen, and display the TUs left if the player equips the soldier, "42" next to "54" in this screen.
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When an item is selected from the soldier inventory to move it on the ground (or to move it to another slot in the soldier inventory), mouse cursor over the destination slot, display the TUs left if the player move the item on the ground, "40" next to "42" in this screen.
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13) Display a window to inform player when there is some free place for psionic training after a combat mission (killed soldier).
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14) When the option "Psionic training at any time" is set to "YES", display a window to inform player when a soldier get improved skill or when the soldier psionic state is known (from "Unknown" - "0/+0" to "XX" - "XX/+XX").
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15) When the option "Auto-end battle" is set to "YES", and the player has injured soldiers that can be treat with the Medi-Kit, display a window to inform player that there is no more aliens but he can treat his soldiers.
Example:
"There is no more aliens, but you can treat x injured soldier(s), would you like to treat them before quitting the combat?
(with 2 buttons in the window)
"Yes" "End the combat (or No)"
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16) Aliens with Blaster Launcher should also have a Plasma Pistol for close combat (and teach the AI to use them).
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17) Left clicking on the "Select next unit" button on the Control Bar changes selected soldier (soldier01, soldier02, soldier03, etc.).
Allow right clicking to change the selected soldier in a reverse direction (soldier10, soldier09, soldier08, etc.).
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18) In the soldier inventory screen, when an item is selected, press the keyboard shift key and click on a slot equips all the soldiers with the same item in the same slot, if the slot is free.
Also, right clicking on the soldier sprite unload all the soldier items, and press the keyboard shift key and right clicking on a soldier sprite unload all the items for all the soldiers (or/and add some buttons to the screen ;-) ).
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19) When an interceptor (Interceptor A) heading towards an UFO, and the UFO was shot down by another interceptor (Interceptor B), the Interceptor A should go back directly to his base instead to go to the UFO crash site, and then go back to his base.
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20) New XCom mission type: Rescue Mission.
When a XCom troop transport (ex: Avenger) is shot down by an UFO instead of being destroyed sometimes there is a crash site with few survivors. And XCom team have some time (some hours, to be determined) to rescue the survivors (there must be room in the transport to bring back the survivors).
Alien team can also send UFO to the XCom crash site. They gain points if they do and there is a combat mission, but this time XCom has to defend (with few soldiers and some injured soldiers before the rescue XCom team landing, with the rescue crew and crashed crew if the alien come during XCom rescue landing).
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21) New Alien mission type: Rescue Mission ;-)
When an UFO is shot down, the alien can sometime send UFO (Battleship or a new UFO type) to rescue the survivors and recover material (Weapons, Alien Alloys, Elerium-115, etc.), they gain points if they do.
If XCom send a troop transport during the alien rescue mission (the rescue UFO has landed (only for 4-5 hours, to be determined)), they have to fight the 2 crews, the crashed UFO crew and the rescue UFO crew.
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22) New Alien mission type: Ambush Mission.
Sometimes the Aliens make Ambush Missions, these are exactly the same as the other missions exept they land for more time (to attract XCom team) and there is more troops in the UFO (and some special strong troop like Muton Commando, and/or Terror Units, to be determined), thus XCom has to face much more troop during combat if they land on the site.
There is no info on the Ambush Mission with the Hyper-wave Decoder, the mission appears to be a standard mission (ex: Alien Research, Alien Supply, etc.).
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You're finally at the end of the post, thank you for the read.
