[OLD] Old OXCE discussion thread

[yrizoud]

I'm not convinced by the mechanism, because it mostly works against the AI which will not take it into account as well as the player.

[clownagent]

New version ready.

Changes:
Options for customizing retaliation mission after shooting down ufo.
Options for adding custom dodge chance or unit psi defence.

Right now you can easy dodge attack from behind, I was thinking about some penalty for that.
One example of this would be linear drop of you dodge when attack direction is closer to back, e.g.:

Code: [Select]

        dodge
Front:  100
        75
Side:   50
        25
Back:   0

Or less linear

Code: [Select]

        dodge
Front:  100
        100
Side:   75
        50
Back:   0

Or something completely different?

How does this "dodge mechanic" work?
Has a unit the chance to make a potential hit go missing instead?

[Yankes]

How does this "dodge mechanic" work?
Has a unit the chance to make a potential hit go missing instead?

From weapon hit chance you subtract dodge chance. Final value determine if hit was successful.
Logic is simple but probably enough for turn based strategy.

[Bloax]

A more complicated dodging system would have the unit walk a step away as the shot flies towards it, the direction of the step being the closest tile where there is no line of fire to the shooter if such exists - otherwise a random direction that is not parallel to the shot trajectory.

But that's just a little, difficult finesse.

[robin]

made some tiles for the training facility.

get them here: https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,3350.msg43786.html#msg43786

[Dioxine]

Got this result when tried your mod... face color values unchanged from before activating it (and it worked no problem before):

EDIT: Started to work when I've bumped up the spriteFaceColor number. Looks like, in Extended, you can only darken the shade, you cannot lighten it (as it was the case with my ruleset), while in normal OXCom it works both ways (darkening and lightening).

[Solarius Scorch]

Yankes, regarding soldier training on base, would it be possible to have two separate training facilities? Because I would like to have:
- Shooting Range: trains Reactions, Firing Acc, Throwing Acc
- Gym: trains TUs, Stamina, Strength, Melee
(Nothing trains Health and Bravery, you have to do battles for that.)
You can assign your soldiers to the Gym, to the Range, or the Psi Lab, but not more than one at a time.

I can imagine that the ruleset for each building has a list of stats that get upgraded monthly. And in the game, under "Soldiers" screen you get as many buttons as required with that ruleset, labelled "Psi-Lab", "Gym" and "Shooting Range". (Of course there are two separate behaviours with "Training at any time" enabled or not, so unfortunately the code would have to cover both.)

[Yankes]

Yankes, regarding soldier training on base, would it be possible to have two separate training facilities? Because I would like to have:
- Shooting Range: trains Reactions, Firing Acc, Throwing Acc
- Gym: trains TUs, Stamina, Strength, Melee
(Nothing trains Health and Bravery, you have to do battles for that.)
You can assign your soldiers to the Gym, to the Range, or the Psi Lab, but not more than one at a time.

I can imagine that the ruleset for each building has a list of stats that get upgraded monthly. And in the game, under "Soldiers" screen you get as many buttons as required with that ruleset, labelled "Psi-Lab", "Gym" and "Shooting Range". (Of course there are two separate behaviours with "Training at any time" enabled or not, so unfortunately the code would have to cover both.)

Biggest problem I have with this is UI. Right now is nearly enough place for two buttons and this would require another one. UI required by current training facilities was borderline of what I could add to my branch, because its add completely new screen. If I find way that don't require adding new screens or mess too much with UI, I could do it.


@Dioxine
I looking on this.

[Dioxine]

The only workaround of this "gym problem" I see is:

1. Change "Psi Training" button into "Training" button. It would open up the training menu with as many buttons as required by the mod (one for each facility type); same with end of the month, multiple screen popup.
2. Rely on "r-click a facility" funcionality;

And I don't know how it works for now, but if trainings are mutually exclusive (a soldier can only train at a single facility at a time), this problem would be less pronounced.

Also this is a minor question... but maybe it should be possible to define "training caps" in the soldiers entry (where maxstats etc. are located), because some people (myself included) wouldn't like soldiers to be able to get to the very peak of their ability without ever smelling gunpowder, just with enough time in training. These would be defaulted to the same numbers as statCaps if not defined.

[Yankes]

The only workaround of this "gym problem" I see is:

1. Change "Psi Training" button into "Training" button. It would open up the training menu with as many buttons as required by the mod (one for each facility type); same with end of the month, multiple screen popup.
2. Rely on "r-click a facility" funcionality;

This was one way I could do it.

And I don't know how it works for now, but if trainings are mutually exclusive (a soldier can only train at a single facility at a time), this problem would be less pronounced.

Also this is a minor question... but maybe it should be possible to define "training caps" in the soldiers entry (where maxstats etc. are located), because some people (myself included) wouldn't like soldiers to be able to get to the very peak of their ability without ever smelling gunpowder, just with enough time in training. These would be defaulted to the same numbers as statCaps if not defined.

When I would add different training facilities then custom caps (or even starting requirements) is basic feature for this.

[Solarius Scorch]

I also thought a single button with a submenu would be best, but I don't know much about the UI and was hesitating to speak up.

Good call with the max stat improvement, too. (I think psi balance would also benefit from this limitation.)

[Arthanor]

That training thing sounds great! Could there be a hospital to "train" HP up back to healthy faster too? It would be nice to be able to unlock a facility that heals soldiers faster once you have research all the alien medical tech (cloning/surgery/observation room).

- Gym: trains TUs, Stamina, Strength, Melee

If the gym trains melee, it should train reactions too. Martial arts are great for reflexes, much better than shooting targets (although I guess you can have moving/popping targets like in MiB but still).

[Solarius Scorch]

That training thing sounds great! Could there be a hospital to "train" HP up back to healthy faster too? It would be nice to be able to unlock a facility that heals soldiers faster once you have research all the alien medical tech (cloning/surgery/observation room).

Not a bad idea. I guess the "training" would be obligatory then.

If the gym trains melee, it should train reactions too. Martial arts are great for reflexes, much better than shooting targets (although I guess you can have moving/popping targets like in MiB but still).

Well I don't know, I think it depends on what you're using these Reflexes on. Basically, good shooting reactions should be worked upon on the Shooting Range (think suddenly appearing targets, this kind of stuff), while melee reflexes should be improved in the gym. This game however has only one stat for both uses, so maybe both facilities should train it?

[NuclearStudent]

If only the gym or the shooting range will improve reactions, it would be more intuitive if the shooting range improved reactions. Reactions are usually used to react while shooting and to duck when aliens shoot at you in game.

In my opinion having both improve reactions might be the best option.

[Arthanor]

Oh.. I did not realize I phrased my comment quite that way.. What I meant to say is that both facilities should do it. If a gym trains melee, then presumably it is a form of combat training which should increase reactions too. A shooting range can have a way to improve reactions as well, but it is more difficult to reproduce a combat situation.. Unless you have a paintball fight, or turn down the laser rifles to play laser tag

It is also for a balance reason. Reactions and accuracy are the two stats I value the most. Every thing else is secondary. With good reactions you survive better (shoot things when they show up and don't get shot up when showing up). With good firing accuracy you kill stuff. Training both at the firing range leaves the gym as a really secondary facility.

It might well be more productive the train reactions and firing at the range, then depend on fights to gain the TU/Str/Stam which will be easy to gain by shootings things. As opposed to training TU/Str/Stam in the gym and depend on fights to increase your firing and reactions (both hard to gain if you're not already good). Mods like Piratez which put an emphasis on melee would change that, but anything gun dominated like vanilla is dominated by reactions and firing.

On the hospital: You could have one to which you assign soldiers, with limited spots (since it would take alien tech and lots of money to supply it). Those assigned recover faster, the others recover at the vanilla rate. Really fancy hospitals with cloning tech might even allow you to bring back a soldier from the memorial!