Author Topic: The X-Com Files (FMP+)  (Read 64411 times)

Offline HelmetHair

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Re: New megaproject, working name: FMP+
« Reply #30 on: October 01, 2014, 04:43:07 pm »
Nah, I was just screwing around.

It would be like slapping Command and Conquer with Wing Commander.... Just no... :)

Offline Dioxine

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Re: New megaproject, working name: FMP+
« Reply #31 on: October 01, 2014, 09:13:17 pm »
To make a working *Interceptor game (as in: a strategical game based on the same idea, without actual sitting-in-the-cockpit) the only new thing you need is code for UFOs to actively seek out & engage XCom craft. The devs have made globe (map) modifiable, and Yankes' custom .exe (OXCom Extended) has functions to modify XCom craft.

Offline HelmetHair

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Re: New megaproject, working name: FMP+
« Reply #32 on: October 01, 2014, 10:13:37 pm »
Dioxine, that is a very interesting idea!

Why am I suddenly seeing in my head some of the possibilities like having an AWACS act as bait for an interceptor squadron to take out a UFO?

Or Having to escort your Skyranger back to base because the aliens might try to shoot it down.

Hmm, you got my brain tickling.


-HH

Offline Solarius Scorch

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Re: New megaproject, working name: FMP+
« Reply #33 on: October 02, 2014, 07:51:04 pm »
I like the whole idea but is it realistic? Like, will it take 10years? Lol.

I like the idea for phase 3 being that you destroy Cydonia base but that's just an outpost... the humans realize it took all the resources Earth had just to get to Mars and without a breakthrough new technology light years beyond our current one then there is no hope but to simply try to repel each new attack that inevitably comes from the stars since we can not take the fight to them.

Well, THIS would indeed take like 10 years... Still worth it! 8)

Well, maybe not the "X-Com Interceptor" part, but having a star map or something like that, with various worlds to visit, would be beyond awesome.

Dioxine, that is a very interesting idea!

Why am I suddenly seeing in my head some of the possibilities like having an AWACS act as bait for an interceptor squadron to take out a UFO?

Or Having to escort your Skyranger back to base because the aliens might try to shoot it down.

One word: Xenonauts! :)

Offline Dioxine

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Re: New megaproject, working name: FMP+
« Reply #34 on: October 02, 2014, 09:12:45 pm »
Xenonauts indeed had UFOs intercepting you craft...

Extraterrestials had that PLUS UFOs weighing their chances against human crafts and often using their speed advantage to keep far away from your interceptors until you got bored/ran low on fuel... OR lost most of your ammo and sustained damage in another fight.

Oh yeah and then there were UFO Swarms... :)

Offline Sturm

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Re: New megaproject, working name: FMP+
« Reply #35 on: October 03, 2014, 03:18:31 am »
Men in Black (which would be extremely powerful in comparison at this stage) (...) no uniforms (formal suits FTW)..
That would make early X-Com men in black, though. Also, originally, Men in Black were supposed to be X-Cop spies but were cut out to simplify the game, so maybe MiBs could be early X-Com, not opponents.

Offline Arthanor

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Re: New megaproject, working name: FMP+
« Reply #36 on: October 03, 2014, 07:09:49 am »
Maybe XCom will be the Men In Blue instead? I think the idea of a "Detective agency" as a pre-start of XCom would be nice. You're working for the UN/NATO/Whatever, bringing together what little scaps of info you can get.

Then, as it is your efforts that made XCom happen and you are the most experienced team around, you get to lead XCom as well.

In classical UFO background, the MiB are shady people and they seem to collaborate with the aliens and coverup at least as much as protect the population. It makes sense that XCom, the entity created to uncompromisingly push back the aliens, would be at odds with them, even though that's not exactly what the creators initially thought of.

Offline new_civilian

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Re: New megaproject, working name: FMP+
« Reply #37 on: October 04, 2014, 03:06:01 pm »
Somewhat Off-topic...Recently I was thinking about the feasibility of a "Play-as-alien" mod with the default exe. The graphics would be the smallest problem, what would be really problematic is the resource/ starting weapon part.  I mean realistically they would have access to the best weapons right from the start, where to go from there?  ::) anyway...
Back to Topic: I am not sure about including the first part (fighting cultists etc) in the mod, it sounds more like a total conversion of its own. This might be simply too big in scope for one mod alone. When making the Kiryu-Kai mod i ran into a similar wall, it grew too big, too complex, i simply didn't know where to go anymore, so I abandonded the mod and released it a s a tiny cut-down bonsai mod :-)

tldr: Focus on one stage  ::)


Offline Solarius Scorch

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Re: New megaproject, working name: FMP+
« Reply #38 on: October 05, 2014, 08:54:35 pm »
That would make early X-Com men in black, though. Also, originally, Men in Black were supposed to be X-Cop spies but were cut out to simplify the game, so maybe MiBs could be early X-Com, not opponents.

Yep, that's the general idea. Still, we have Robin's MiBs already, they're semi-cannon and nice looking, so why get rid of them?

Maybe XCom will be the Men In Blue instead? I think the idea of a "Detective agency" as a pre-start of XCom would be nice. You're working for the UN/NATO/Whatever, bringing together what little scaps of info you can get.

Then, as it is your efforts that made XCom happen and you are the most experienced team around, you get to lead XCom as well.

In classical UFO background, the MiB are shady people and they seem to collaborate with the aliens and coverup at least as much as protect the population. It makes sense that XCom, the entity created to uncompromisingly push back the aliens, would be at odds with them, even though that's not exactly what the creators initially thought of.

Yeah.

Somewhat Off-topic...Recently I was thinking about the feasibility of a "Play-as-alien" mod with the default exe. The graphics would be the smallest problem, what would be really problematic is the resource/ starting weapon part.  I mean realistically they would have access to the best weapons right from the start, where to go from there?  ::)

Right, it's not a new idea, and I like it too. It's been discussed in several threads.

Back to Topic: I am not sure about including the first part (fighting cultists etc) in the mod, it sounds more like a total conversion of its own. This might be simply too big in scope for one mod alone. When making the Kiryu-Kai mod i ran into a similar wall, it grew too big, too complex, i simply didn't know where to go anymore, so I abandonded the mod and released it a s a tiny cut-down bonsai mod :-)

tldr: Focus on one stage  ::)

I am totally aware of the danger of getting too much on my plate, that's why I'm always working in small steps. I don't think this particular project is too complex though, as long as I keep the interest.

I also tend to steal as much as possible, to make it go faster. :)

Offline new_civilian

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Re: New megaproject, working name: FMP+
« Reply #39 on: October 06, 2014, 12:09:16 pm »
Which is perfectly ok imo:  :)

Btw, you could use all the existing "old" weapons (AK-47, Tommy gun etc etc) and make the game start way earlier, maybe even the 40s or 50s? Also, the Interceptors would be 50's fighters and the air defenses could be the nuclear Nike SAM's they used back then.... Oh and then the AIR-2 Genie nuclear air-2-air missile for the interceptors!! *drools and takes cold shower*  ;D

Offline Solarius Scorch

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Re: New megaproject, working name: FMP+
« Reply #40 on: October 08, 2014, 07:28:52 pm »
Btw, you could use all the existing "old" weapons (AK-47, Tommy gun etc etc) and make the game start way earlier, maybe even the 40s or 50s?

Hell no. :D That would be a way too looooong game until 1999! :]

But another mod like this, or its conversion, why not? I'd like it! Let's prolong the IIWW into space. :)

Offline new_civilian

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Re: New megaproject, working name: FMP+
« Reply #41 on: October 09, 2014, 12:31:08 pm »
That's what I fantasize about these days, too: a 50's-Xcom or a Play-As-Alien mod. But atm I struggle to get even tiny mods released, my concentration and attention span are somewhat low these days and bug-fixing seems to take away most of my time...  ;D

Offline Solarius Scorch

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Re: New megaproject, working name: FMP+
« Reply #42 on: October 16, 2014, 12:24:59 pm »
I've been thinking about the X-Com base issues lately, and after much consideration, I chose the following concept as the most streamlined and elegant:

Two-level bases.

This has actually been suggested for the normal game; namely, you have two layers of the X-Com base, and you can switch between them in the base view. In battlescape, they form a single, 4-level map.

While somewhat interesting, this feature was too superfluous to be implemented in the vanilla game, as well as presented a number of balance problems, and was therefore rightfully rejected. However, in the FMP+ project, it would fit perfectly, allowing us to have a surface level and an underground level.

Some buildings can only be built on the surface level:
  • Small Radar System
  • Large Radar System
  • Missile/Laser/Gauss/Plasma/Fusion Defences
  • Landing Pad (a hangar variant, related to some vehicles)

Some buildings can only be built on the underground level:
  • Grav Shield

Some buildings appear on both levels:
  • Access Lift
  • Hangar

And many buildings can appear on either level (though they look different of course):
  • Command Centre
  • Living Quarters
  • Laboratory
  • Workshop
  • General Stores
  • Alien Containment
  • Psi-Lab
  • Hyper-Wave Decoder

As you can see, you can pretty much ignore the underground level for much of the game if you want to, but surface facilities are way harder to defend, and possibly for other reasons (preliminary bombardment?). So it's in your best interest to get underground when you can. And this is mostly related to your progress - both in terms of research and available funds (remember, underground is expensive).

What will this system require of the code?
Well, two things:
a) Two layer base layout (both in the base view and in the battlescape).
b) Flags for facilities to indicate where they can be built.

Note that buildings that can appear anywhere are actually two different buildings, which may even have different stats (for example, a surface general store can hold more stuff). The construction menu only shows facilities that apply for the active layer.

Offline arrakis69ct

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Re: New megaproject, working name: FMP+
« Reply #43 on: October 22, 2014, 01:48:15 pm »
Mmm nice concept but i think is to hard to do the 2 levels base. I think

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Offline Solarius Scorch

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Re: New megaproject, working name: FMP+
« Reply #44 on: October 22, 2014, 03:28:40 pm »
Mmm nice concept but i think is to hard to do the 2 levels base. I think

For the player it would be quite easy, just a button for switching the layer back and forth. A bit of a hassle when compared with the vanilla game, yes, but IMO justifiable, as it serves some ends.

For the programmer, I can't say for sure, but I don't think it's overly complicated. In theory, it consists of the following parts:
1. Making the interface for the above. Rather trivial.
2. Introducing the two layers and the code to make them work. Also should be rather trivial.
3. Introducing the necessary additional flags and rules to the ruleset. They would serve two major functions:
a) Enabling allocation of the facility to a particular layer (or both).
b) Making sure that vanilla facilities work as intended. I mean, this is the FMP+ thread, but I am aware of the fact that most people will use OXXT (OpenXcom eXTended) for different purposes, with different mods. Therefore the original ruleset should work like before, so facilities with no special flags should only be buildable on the lower level.