I'm having problems understanding a bit how the values on the ruleset are related/used regarding the actual missionZones/UFOTrajectories. Maybe the issue is how it is explained on the wiki (or the lack of precise explanation).
The Ruleset Reference on the wiki states this regarding UFOTrajectory:
List of waypoints for the UFO to traverse, defined as [zone, altitude, speed].
zone: Globe zone where the waypoint is located.
altitude: UFO altitude after reaching this waypoint:
0 - Ground
1 - Very Low
2 - Low
3 - High
4 - Very High
speed: UFO speed after reaching this waypoint, as a percentage (0-100%) of its maximum speed.
So, to figure it out, I've given my initial base a Hyperwave Decoder, increased its detection range to cover the entire globe and took pics as a Large Scout appeared headed towards Europe on a Terror Mission, with a P1 UFOTrajectory. This is what I saw:
For comparison I'll list the waypoints for the P1 UFOTrajectory listed on the XCom1ruleset and comment using the image above and Falko's
Worldeditor that shows the different missionZones.
- id: P1
groundTimer: 4000
waypoints:
- [5, 4, 100]
First issue is that the UFO has appeared over the Pacific while the MissionZone (MZ) 5 areas defined for Europe (use Falko's editor to check) are located in Africa. At this moment I'm guessing the game simply picks a random MZ 5 to generate the UFO, regardless of the MZ being assigned to a specific location or not, since the UFO was generated on a MZ 5 assigned to Antarctica.
- [0, 2, 76]
- [0, 2, 20]
I couldn't take a pic of the [0, 2, 76] waypoint but the 2nd is shown on image #2 above, where the UFO reaches MZ 0 over the British Isles and then slows down.
- [1, 1, 44]
- [0, 0, 20]
Image #3 and 4 - UFO accelerates to 44% maximum speed and heads for a random MZ 1, on this case located in Spain, where it lands. The MZ 0 location for the landing doesn't appear to be used, my guess is that the game lands the UFO on the location reached on the last waypoint, rather than a random location on MZ 0.
- [0, 2, 32]
- [2, 1, 65]
Image #5 and 6 - I couldn't take a pic of the [0, 2, 32] waypoint, my guess is that this waypoint is simply for the UFO to lift off before heading towards the next random waypoint, located on MZ 2, on this case on Iceland.
- [5, 0, 100]
Images #7 and 8 - UFO takes off and heads towards South Africa before disappearing. Here the actual MZs 5 assigned to Europe are used.
So, to try to conclude what I've seen:
* When the UFO is first generated, it appears over any MZ 5, regardless of being assigned or not.
* UFOs landing locations are not those on the waypoint where the 0 (Landed) value appears but on the MZ defined on the previous waypoint.
* It seems that the explanation on the wiki is wrong regarding speeds and altitudes. It refers not to their altitude/speed after reaching the waypoint, but when it starts heading towards the next waypoint. This is most evident on image #3 where the UFO is heading towards MZ 1 in Spain with a Very Low altitude and 44% speed and on image #6 where it is headed towards MZ 2 on Iceland.
* The wiki also wrongly explains "zone" on an incomplete way. It is defined as "Globe zone where the waypoint is located." The issue is that is value is used in different ways. When a UFO is initially generated, it uses the MZ 5 value on the 1st UFO trajectory, but afterwards the region where it is headed is defined by the 2nd UFOtrajectory (MZ 0).
* The last waypoint defines the exit area and the specific MZs assigned to regions are used, unlike when they are generated. But there's missing info since there's no way to define the altitude as the UFO heads away (on image #8 it appears with a Very Low altitude).
So, how to explain all of this?