[OLD] Old OXCE discussion thread

[Solarius Scorch]

Yes, it's possible; see for example Mushroom Beer in Piratez.

[RSSwizard]

Also is it possible to set ShotgunPellets: 1 ?

Like make it shoot a single shot but do the instant hit thing so that the camera doesnt jerk back and forth trying to follow fast shots?

I suppose it would be great if we could make a weapon forceably turn off shot-following for the camera, and it would make sense too for weapons that are sneaky and you couldnt necessarily pinpoint where they come from - and from using machineguns where you cant honestly keep track of where the shots are going.

[ohartenstein23]

Yes, it is possible to set shotgunPellets: 1, it should do just the instant hit without following the rest of the pellet-spread code.

[Meridian]

Hi Yankes,

can you please help with the following report: https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,5403.msg81586.html#msg81586

M.

[Yankes]

Small update on current status, right now I'm near finishing multiple ammo weapons (I will probably be ready before or after Easter).
Primary goal is that each attack can have separate ammo types loaded independently e.g. instead of auto shot you will have grenade launcher shoot.
Secondary goal is have attachments to weapons like laser sight or scope, this will be handle by scripts.
Another change piggyback on this feature is multishot for every attack (you could have "short burst" and "long burst" attacks).

This will be only big change in that release, adding another one will postpone release even further.

[Ethereal]

Long tried to understand where to write ...

You can do so that the alien bases can appear only after the landing of the ship, which should build it, and not at the moment of its appearance? I.e; If the ship is destroyed - the base is not built, the infiltration is disrupted and the mission of the aliens is failed.

In the original UFO it was just like that. And here we see, extremely unsuccessful, the idea of the TFTD. The Inability to prevent build bases and infiltrations is annoying, up to editing the save files.

[Meridian]

The Inability to prevent build bases and infiltrations is annoying, up to editing the save files.

Just to voice a different opinion, I think these mechanics are necessary, well-balanced and interesting... my heart and soul hurt every time I see people suggesting crippling already crippled aliens even more.

Regardless, the suggested features can be implemented, shouldn't even be too hard.
Just don't ask me to do it... I don't have the heart to do this to the poor aliens.

[Yankes]

Just to voice a different opinion, I think these mechanics are necessary, well-balanced and interesting... my heart and soul hurt every time I see people suggesting crippling already crippled aliens even more.

Regardless, the suggested features can be implemented, shouldn't even be too hard.
Just don't ask me to do it... I don't have the heart to do this to the poor aliens.

if it would be per mission toggle and balanced by modder (put "hard" part in some other place) it could be useful.
I think good way would be percent property that represent chance of canceling mission if ufo is shoot down. It would affect all missions (but different default values for each type). You could add that at some point all missions have 0 chance to stop.

[Meridian]

I think good way would be percent property that represent chance of canceling mission... snip

That's actually exactly what I already did for retaliation and infiltration.

There is a configurable percentage to stop infiltration mission (except the first pact).
And there is a configurable percentage to stop alien retaliation (except the first attack).
For alien base, it was not necessary, because it ends after first base anyway.

But cancelling a mission before it can even do anything??

As a side note, if you have tech to shoot down a Battleship... you certainly have tech to end the game... so just end the game. How many months do you have to play until they actually make a pact with all nations? Or even a half of them? A lot longer than a game should take...

Just my opinion.

[Yankes]

Then I do not see any more space to improve/tweak in that.

[Ethereal]

As a side note, if you have tech to shoot down a Battleship... you certainly have tech to end the game... so just end the game. How many months do you have to play until they actually make a pact with all nations? Or even a half of them? A lot longer than a game should take...

In its modification, I implemented 3 technological levels. Initial, intermediate and final. On the intermediate there is more than to knock down the Dreadnoughts, but the opportunity to fly into space will appear only at the final level.

But cancelling a mission before it can even do anything??

This can be achieved by increasing the power of alien ships. The same modes with power shields for large ships, that low-tech weapons, just do not make it pierce.

[Meridian]

I'm not sure what exactly are you talking about.

In the original post you're complaining about UFO and TFTD.

Now you're complaining about something else? Your own mod I presume?

If so, there are millions of ways how to fix this... the easiest is just to replace for example Infiltration mission with a mission that doesn't infiltrate... e.g. some sort of alien raid or alien patrol, or whatever you want to call it. Or you can just decrease the probability of Infiltration mission spawning to 25% of current setting and fill the remaining 75% with a similar mission without infiltration effect. You have full freedom defining any missions as you want, no need to ask for changes in existing missions (which were carefully designed the way they are).

[Ethereal]

If so, there are millions of ways how to fix this... the easiest is just to replace for example Infiltration mission with a mission that doesn't infiltrate... e.g. some sort of alien raid or alien patrol, or whatever you want to call it. Or you can just decrease the probability of Infiltration mission spawning to 25% of current setting and fill the remaining 75% with a similar mission without infiltration effect. You have full freedom defining any missions as you want, no need to ask for changes in existing missions (which were carefully designed the way they are).

Simpler - does not mean better. I already replaced the infiltration for the construction of bases... But still it's not right. Infiltration should be, but the player should be able to prevent it, like, however, and the construction of bases.

[Meridian]

Simpler - does not mean better.

Exactly!
Your solution is too simple... if I give player a way to consistently prevent infiltration, he will just prevent infiltration every time. I might just as well remove it from the game completely.

Btw. if you're not happy with RNG or with the mission's periodicity or frequency, you can use mission script to remove all randomness and have infiltration on fixed date or dates you wish (e.g. only twice early in the game on March 23rd and June 6th, and then no more).

[Ethereal]

Exactly!
Your solution is too simple... if I give player a way to consistently prevent infiltration, he will just prevent infiltration every time. I might just as well remove it from the game completely.

You do not understand the idea. And it is that at the beginning of the game the player simply has nothing to fight with large ships. There are no ships capable of catching up with the enemy, no weapons to destroy it. And with the development of technology, it becomes possible to prevent the most aggressive alien missions. That's why new ships are needed. Otherwise, what is the point in the speed of interception, if in general, to prevent a mission impossible?

Otherwise, there is no point in developing them. You can play with one base and fly on interceptors with plasma cannons until the end of the game, since Is wasted in the of Lightning and Fire Storms inexpedient, and with the invention of the Avenger, build it in a single copy and immediately fly to Cydonia.

P.S. And in general - this is nonsense. Their ship was shot down, but they came on foot and built a base or organized infiltration. Why the hell are they ships if they walk at such a speed?