Author Topic: [BETA][WIP][BUNCHOFSTUFF] Xeno Operations v0.98  (Read 234616 times)

Offline Arthanor

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Re: [BETA][WIP][BUNCHOFSTUFF] Xeno Operations Mod
« Reply #255 on: December 04, 2015, 04:19:36 pm »
I can attest to that too.  In Piratez you don't know when a crappy gun might be harvested for parts to make a cool one, or a corpse for an armor. Si ce you don't want to regret selling a gun for a couple hundreds that could have turned into an awesome tool of destruction, you keep 'em all! It's not like you can't live without the few hundreds either..

It holds to the point of player selling elerium/ufo engines even though those also are very valuable, since you can trust in finding more of those on the next ufo. Piratez also has a lot of variety, so getting the right item can be difficult. If you can rely on getting a sample of everything every mission, then it is less of an issue.

Offline XOps

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Re: [BETA][WIP][EXPANSION] Xeno Operations Mod - 0.95 Update
« Reply #256 on: December 06, 2015, 07:24:15 pm »
It's my birthday today and everyone else is getting a present.

https://www.openxcom.com/content/files/MIxQEwkv/XenoOperations0.95.zip
Just a warning. I consider this mod a mess right now. It should be beatable though. The UFOpaedia is probably the most broken thing right now. The most critical information: what aliens to capture to win the game and Codex stuff should be there.
Have fun. Or just steal the sprites for better mods. :)

niculinux

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Re: [BETA][WIP][BUNCHOFSTUFF] Xeno Operations Mod -0.95 Update
« Reply #257 on: December 06, 2015, 07:31:08 pm »
Thank you and happy birthday! <3

Edit: please, i really hope someone would make a playthrou...
« Last Edit: December 06, 2015, 07:33:56 pm by niculinux »

Offline Hobbes

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Re: [BETA][WIP][EXPANSION] Xeno Operations Mod - 0.95 Update
« Reply #258 on: December 06, 2015, 08:41:42 pm »
Just a warning. I consider this mod a mess right now. It should be beatable though. The UFOpaedia is probably the most broken thing right now. The most critical information: what aliens to capture to win the game and Codex stuff should be there.
Have fun. Or just steal the sprites for better mods. :)

Well done :)

I've already had a look under the hood (Muton Berserker... yummy to reuse :) ) here's what I noticed:

Spoiler:
* If I understood it correctly you need to recover 2 Codex pieces from those underground pyramids. However, looking at the missionScripts, those missions only appear 3 times during a gameplay at months 1, 6 and 12. However, month 1 missions only have a chance of 12% to be generated (executionOdds), so if month 1 Codex isn't generated and you fail either month 6 or 12 mission, that's game over.
* Your missionScript labels don't make much sense. When generating missions the game goes once through the script at the beginning of the month, top to bottom.
* The Codex missions are 80x80, you might get some players complaining that they last too long to find the central pyramid.
* I love the underground Pyramid terrains but I think that the overall map design might benefit from more open areas.

Offline XOps

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Re: [BETA][WIP][BUNCHOFSTUFF] Xeno Operations Mod -0.95 Update
« Reply #259 on: December 06, 2015, 09:40:05 pm »
For the special mission
Spoiler:
There are two codex missions: arctic and jungle.
First a jungle codex mission has a 12% chance of spawning each month, not just on month one. If it doesn't spawn, then an arctic codex mission has a 12% chance of spawning. That should be a roughly 24% chance for a codex mission each month (my play testing seems to suggest this, but I could be wrong). If a codex mission spawns on a month, it takes the place of a Terror mission for that month.
This means that, on average, there should be around 2 codex missions a year or so.
There are two exceptions on month 6 and 12. Both of these months have an extra codex mission spawn in case the RNG hates the player. Assuming the player flubs these, then they should eventually get another chance by way of the RNG.
I think almost everything else in the mission scripting should be vanilla.
It should work, unless the mission scripting has been updated.

As for the map size and design, it is a concern of mine. I'll wait for feedback. It is easier to get away with larger maps so long as the mission doesn't revolve around clearing out every alien, but if people complain, then it's an easy fix to scale things back.

Edit: After doing some tests, the mission is repeating as it should. I may bump up values though in increase the odds of the mission spawning.
« Last Edit: December 06, 2015, 10:10:49 pm by XOps »

Offline Hobbes

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Re: [BETA][WIP][BUNCHOFSTUFF] Xeno Operations Mod -0.95 Update
« Reply #260 on: December 08, 2015, 06:52:25 pm »
For the special mission

Oh yeah, I missed that those entries only had 'firstMonth', not 'lastMonth', my confusion.

--- posts merge ---

Been going through the latest release - impressive work with the new graphics :)

I hope you're planning to replace the legacy vanilla graphics that are still around (Power Suit, etc.) because they're really starting to look out of place when placed side by side with the rest. One particular thing I noticed is that while you haven't added almost any of the terrains in the Terrain Pack you seen to have given the Desert terrain a facelift. Are you planning to retouch the original terrains?

It's also pretty clear that why your mod and Redux don't fit together, after all the changes you made to the tech tree and others. With the graphic changes the impression I'm getting is that this is rather a reboot of the first game. It's interesting that while I would like to use the new Berserker, I will keep to the older versions of the Muton Guard, etc. rather than the new ones (which look very cool) because those fit the vanilla game better.
« Last Edit: January 25, 2016, 09:15:51 am by Solarius Scorch »

Offline Duke_Falcon

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Re: [BETA][WIP][BUNCHOFSTUFF] Xeno Operations Mod -0.95 Update
« Reply #261 on: December 08, 2015, 09:18:56 pm »
I not tried this so far since I need some nightly update for that but I noticed armoured Mutons. Are those a late game upgrade of Mutons? And you plan such improved version for the other squishy races too (Floater, Snakeman)?

niculinux

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Re: [BETA][WIP][BUNCHOFSTUFF] Xeno Operations Mod -0.95 Update
« Reply #262 on: December 08, 2015, 09:41:08 pm »
Super mod, nearly as a brand new game, like piratez! Absolutely agrre with Hobbes! I really hope some communuty member here would like to help...i' too incompetent even to conceive!!! :o

@XOps: is the mod compatible with the latest relases of openxcom extended, let's say 2.4 and/or 2.5?

Offline XOps

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Re: [BETA][WIP][BUNCHOFSTUFF] Xeno Operations Mod -0.95 Update
« Reply #263 on: December 09, 2015, 01:16:04 am »
Been going through the latest release - impressive work with the new graphics :)

I hope you're planning to replace the legacy vanilla graphics that are still around (Power Suit, etc.) because they're really starting to look out of place when placed side by side with the rest. One particular thing I noticed is that while you haven't added almost any of the terrains in the Terrain Pack you seen to have given the Desert terrain a facelift. Are you planning to retouch the original terrains?

I actually did plunder a fair share of the terrain pack, but I rather cherry picked things. There was a lot of good stuff that I didn't integrate because I am indeed planning to touch up a lot of the old tiles and maps or add my own versions down the road. A lot of the terrain work I want to do will have to wait until I get the rest of the mod a little more polished.

It's also pretty clear that why your mod and Redux don't fit together, after all the changes you made to the tech tree and others. With the graphic changes the impression I'm getting is that this is rather a reboot of the first game. It's interesting that while I would like to use the new Berserker, I will keep to the older versions of the Muton Guard, etc. rather than the new ones (which look very cool) because those fit the vanilla game better.

It's gradually turning into a reboot, though that wasn't what I was originally trying to do. This whole mess started because I wanted to make a more military looking armor set. Next thing I know, I'm redoing every UFO in the game. As the sprite quality improves, the more work I seem to make for myself. It's terrible.
I'm glad you found the Berserker useful. :) It's getting more difficult to keep the styles from clashing. Vanilla has a sort of 70s era sci fi television feel. Probably because it was mostly inspired by the UFO tv show. Xeno Ops has high tech/modern feel (minus the shaky cam and lens flare). I am still debating on what parts of the original artwork to keep and what to replace completely.

I not tried this so far since I need some nightly update for that but I noticed armoured Mutons. Are those a late game upgrade of Mutons? And you plan such improved version for the other squishy races too (Floater, Snakeman)?

Armored Mutons are indeed a late game upgrade. They have some rather angry friends with them for terror units as well. I have some good early drafts of armored floaters so I do plan to add them eventually. I don't have any plans for armored Snakemen at the moment. Doesn't mean I wont end up adding an upgraded Snakeman in the future. Do you really want an upgraded Chryssalid though?

Super mod, nearly as a brand new game, like piratez! Absolutely agrre with Hobbes! I really hope some communuty member here would like to help...i' too incompetent even to conceive!!! :o

@XOps: is the mod compatible with the latest relases of openxcom extended, let's say 2.4 and/or 2.5?

I checked today. Loading Xeno Ops in Extended crashes upon starting a new game, so it's not compatible.

Offline Hobbes

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Re: [BETA][WIP][BUNCHOFSTUFF] Xeno Operations Mod -0.95 Update
« Reply #264 on: December 09, 2015, 01:37:58 am »
It's gradually turning into a reboot, though that wasn't what I was originally trying to do. This whole mess started because I wanted to make a more military looking armor set. Next thing I know, I'm redoing every UFO in the game. As the sprite quality improves, the more work I seem to make for myself. It's terrible.

From my experience I think it is pretty normal for the end result to grown different from what was imagined. At least that was what I felt at a certain stage with Redux when I realized that changing the vanilla mechanics wasn't really an improvement at all, so I decided to drop those changes and focus only on expanding the game universe. 

Offline XOps

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Re: [BETA][WIP][BUNCHOFSTUFF] Xeno Operations Mod -0.951 Update
« Reply #265 on: December 09, 2015, 04:50:22 am »
Small update. Just a few tweaks. Also I removed another mod that had somehow got dropped into the Xeno Ops folder by accident.

Offline Yankes

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Re: [BETA][WIP][BUNCHOFSTUFF] Xeno Operations Mod -0.95 Update
« Reply #266 on: December 09, 2015, 07:29:20 pm »
I checked today. Loading Xeno Ops in Extended crashes upon starting a new game, so it's not compatible.
By default all normal mods should be compatible with Extended version. Question is what base version of game your mod require.
Right now 2.5 is one or two of months behind nightly.

Offline XOps

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Re: [BETA][WIP][BUNCHOFSTUFF] Xeno Operations Mod -0.951 Update
« Reply #267 on: December 09, 2015, 08:00:19 pm »
By default all normal mods should be compatible with Extended version. Question is what base version of game your mod require.
Right now 2.5 is one or two of months behind nightly.

I'm using the most recent nightly 2015_12_09_0050, but I suspect one couldn't go back too far before encountering problems. If Extended is one or two months behind, I'd guess the feature that is causing the crash is probably the new soldier types (assuming Extended cut off before that point). That's the most recent big change I can think of.

Offline Yankes

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Re: [BETA][WIP][BUNCHOFSTUFF] Xeno Operations Mod -0.951 Update
« Reply #268 on: December 10, 2015, 12:12:53 am »
Exactly, I didn't add this yet.

Offline Duke_Falcon

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Re: [BETA][WIP][BUNCHOFSTUFF] Xeno Operations Mod -0.951 Update
« Reply #269 on: December 11, 2015, 08:08:07 pm »
This mod is brutal and so awesomely cool that I can hardly imagine how to express it with words!
The new alien weapons and UFOs are superb I just love them at first sight. And those nasty surprises in the game mechanics... Cool!

I started it on Superhuman as "what may it have to surprise me so much?"... Well, first shocks:
Spoiler:
- 4 scientists and living quarters enabling 20 men (also labs have 20 space). What?! Giving some challenge right the beginning, that is cool. I do not remember if I met such difficulty modifiers in any other mods I played (mayhaps Piratez only).
- Spotted a small UFO, easy prey for my Avalanches! UFO shot back before Avalanche in range to even fire?! Wow, no more easy preys for beginning crafts and weapons. This is also a lovely thing and hope it will remain such (plasma cannon will not be an ultimate obliterator I hope). Now use researched craft weapons still not guaranteed to shot down small UFOs without damage.
- Alien crews. Have a terror with roaches. Roaches die from a "fart", cool, something more squishy than Sectoids and Floaters! Easy loot... Then met the four Silacoids. In the first month. Worse than Cyberdiscs. Will the game full of such surprises? Hope it will as I enjoyed playing UFO so much really really a while.

Congratulations for this mod! This is awesome and cool and made me sit and play well after midnight every days!