Mobile bases

[Voiddweller]

In short, i am thinking about trading many bases for just one big airship, capable of traveling to any point at globe. Obviously this will need new graphic assets, as well as new base layout limits.

[Falko]

In short, i am thinking about ordering some pizza
so do you want to code this or just asking for volunteers to do this in detail explained idea?

[RSSwizard]

You mean like Starcraft or Command & Conquer (or perhaps Bioshock)?
LAWL

I guess it would be cool for modders but it would normally not fit with xcom stuff at all

[Solarius Scorch]

I think it'd actually fit the image of the organization pretty well...



I wonder if we could have a tileset for aerial stuff.

[smexyvami]

sounds more like ufo aftershock . the laputa is an alien vessel tho and the humans lerned to use it as thay go across an apolitic earth, thay still need land baces for manufacturing and advanced reserch tho

[Solarius Scorch]

sounds more like ufo aftershock . the laputa is an alien vessel tho and the humans lerned to use it as thay go across an apolitic earth, thay still need land baces for manufacturing and advanced reserch tho

Yep, although Laputa is more of an orbital than aerial base. As you said, other Laputian bases are plain old industrial buildings (really old actually).

[Voiddweller]

In short, i am thinking about ordering some pizza
so do you want to code this or just asking for volunteers to do this in detail explained idea?

Well, not sure if i can code that, but i can draw some art, and i have an idea how to make aerial ship tileset from mixed ufo defense/tftd assets. And about details...
Well the base either have several different layers to build (and defend). Basically it may be a flying sandwich from 2 or 3 bases. I guess that may be easier to do that than expanding current base-bulding space limits. And additional decks may be available after some research and spending.
Must have some new critical components, like bridge, propulsion and reactor. Need an appropriate art for that. More modules may need more reactors, and more decks - more massive and slow to accelerate base become. Enemy may not attack all base levels, just those critical components, so there will be no potentially exhausting 3+ levell missions...
Base defense modules can be used as weapons in combat. Though this can be OP even if base itself will be slow to move and accelerate. There can be only two weapons, or many modules assigned in batteries (OP again). Either way if enemy ship comes too close, base defense mission starts, so gravity shield can be very useful, as it may act normally or be an actual shield, so enemy will have to wear it down before trying to board your base.

[Solarius Scorch]

Apart from the basic idea, I think it opens an interesting possibility: a sequel game.

You are the commander of the starship Centaurus. Its five years mission: to explore the galaxy, to look for alien outposts, to intercept incoming UFOs, to learn about alien cultures and technology... And to obliterate it all!

Really, all we need is implementing a star map.

[Voiddweller]

Apart from the basic idea, I think it opens an interesting possibility: a sequel game.

You are the commander of the starship Centaurus. Its five years mission: to explore the galaxy, to look for alien outposts, to intercept incoming UFOs, to learn about alien cultures and technology... And to obliterate it all!

Really, all we need is implementing a star map.

Ha ha, that's exactly what i am thinking about expanding x-com game Though it will be a more distant goal, because it needs a lot of extra art. No, actually A LOT of extra art assets.

[Solarius Scorch]

Ha ha, that's exactly what i am thinking about expanding x-com game Though it will be a more distant goal, because it needs a lot of extra art. No, actually A LOT of extra art assets.

Yeah, but I think it's doable, as long as we have the code.

I mean, we could start small, reusing Earth tilesets for other planets (plus Mars and TFTD seabed). Then work our way up from there.

[yrizoud]

I wondered about a similar topic, with a base orbiting like the ISS - the movement pattern is interesting. But it's fast - nearly 8km/s. An XCOM interceptor launched from such base will have a lot of trouble catching up to go home (and good luck predicting the quickest path!).

[Arpia]

...Spacemarine thunderhawks instead of skyrangers and a roving battle barge for the base... plus those things are loaded with their own manufacturing and anything a planetside invasion force would need. someone please get on this o_o

[Wintercross]

I was actually recently thinking it would be cool to have an Aircraft Carrier as a mobile Xcom base.

Able to move through the oceans, carry troops and launch interceptors and have radar on board. Downside being no R&D and limited storage

[smexyvami]

...Spacemarine thunderhawks instead of skyrangers and a roving battle barge for the base... plus those things are loaded with their own manufacturing and anything a planetside invasion force would need. someone please get on this o_o

redy the deep stikes!

[NeoWorm]

I have this idea in my notes for some time:

Orbital base
- it moves along the orbital path
- everything costs at least twice as much
- radar range is higher
- only certain crafts can be docked in the hangars there
- enemy attacks are either rarer but more fierce or pretty much everyday occurence

What it will need to implement to work both technically and gameplay wise:
1.Moving the base - moving the base itself is probably quite easy, trickier would be how to navigate crafts to the base and counting the fuel needed for craft to return, because both base and craft moves. Also enemy scouting for the base would have to be tweaked. This point is probably critical and can have multiple limitations that will make this idea impossible without massive rewrites in code.

2.Building the base - there will have to be some kind of menu to choose a base type and appropriate visualization of the orbital path the base will travel. Base price should be handled differently.

3. Basescape - Some details like base region displayed will also need to be modified (instead of Central asia the will be something like Orbit number X, I have no idea how the orbital paths are categorized), tranfer prices have to be modified. Different background for base would be useful. Also some kind of base type indicator - some icon to determine if it is a underground base or orbital base.

4.Base type - a new property for buildings to limit what can be build in the orbital base. This could be extended to multiple base types like TftD underwater base if one day proper integration happens. This will aslo be needed in craft definitions. Building themselves then can have 2 variants defined in ruleset one for orbital base other for undeground base - this should take care of everything else concerning the buildings - their differences and asociated maps.

5.Base Battlescape maps - They will definitely need new tileset and instead of ground surrounding them there should be empty space. I dont know how are the connections between buildings generated, but it will probably need some care too. And definitely there should be new base entrace instead of Elevator - probably Airlock.

6.Gameplay integration - We will need building variants defined and ballanced and mainly research topics that unlocks this kind of base implemented. Which means hardcoded technology unlocks which will be checked by the game when you want to build new base. This is probably the last and most important thing about this potential mod. Without research and gameplay differencies it have no meaning and would be just worse manageable common base.