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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Cut from this thread on demand for better convenience:
https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=2279.0