[FINISHED] Let's play OpenXcom (Final Mod Pack)

[Jstank]

If meridian is the Jedi then battle bunny is the Darth Lord...

[Meridian]

@jgatkinsn: it is possible to win with just one base (even in Hawaii) without shooting down a single UFO... you can see the proof in my other LP... you need to use graphs for overview and skyrangers for patrol duty.

But it is much easier to expand your radar coverage early and cash in on the additional UFOs you'll be able to detect... one or two UFOs already pay for a basic base (access lift, hangar, general stores and large radar).

Just like in real life, also in OpenXcom it's better to invest money (safely!) instead of keeping them on your current account. I think the optimum account balance in OpenXcom is about $500'000. Anything above half a million should be invested asap.

[Meridian]

Also happy 100th post to me and also promotion (and pay raise----and yaht hopefully...)

Congratulations to the 100th post to me as well ;-) Let's celebrate the pay raise together... I pay the first round.

[DoxaLogos (JG)]

@Ivan - don't sell yourself too short.  If Meridian is a Jedi Master, you're definitely a Jedi Knight.  I'm just some padawan.  I've learned a lot from your LP's too.   Also, your presentation value is off the chart for your LP's.  I've gone back and started looking at your TFTD LP and can tell that you've taken great care to improve the quality of your LP's over time.

[ivandogovich]

@Ivan - don't sell yourself too short.  If Meridian is a Jedi Master, you're definitely a Jedi Knight.  I'm just some padawan.  I've learned a lot from your LP's too.   Also, your presentation value is off the chart for your LP's.  I've gone back and started looking at your TFTD LP and can tell that you've taken great care to improve the quality of your LP's over time.

@jgatkinsn
OMG.  I've re-watched some of the first episodes of TftD and I kinda cringe!  Yeah, I'd say that production values have probably significantly improved!   

Yeah, but tactically, I've learned so much from Meridian!  His TftD series was mind blowing for me.  (and very timely as it improved my gameplay in my own TftD series).  His OpenXcom Hawaii series is amazing too!  I just learn so much everytime I watch him.   Some other players are more entertaining than instructive.  Y'know... "zerg"-tactics just aren't really my cup of tea (I'm looking at you, BattleBunny).  Nonetheless, fun to watch.

[Arthanor]

But it is much easier to expand your radar coverage early and cash in on the additional UFOs you'll be able to detect... one or two UFOs already pay for a basic base (access lift, hangar, general stores and large radar).

I used to always build large radars, because more coverage is better, right?

But in my latest playthrough, I've started looking at small radars. If you place them in the middle of a region, chances are that a UFO will patrol within the radar range. They have a better detection chance, they cost less and, most importantly, they are ready quite a bit faster than the large ones which means they start being useful earlier.

Do you think the extra coverage is really worth it?

[Meridian]

@Arthanor: As far as I know small radar does not have better detection chances. Quite opposite, small radar has 10% every 30 minutes, large radar 20% every 30 minutes.

The rest is true, they cost less, they are finished sooner and they stack, so they are definitely a good use of your money.

As for the "middle of the region", like most of the players, I don't know exactly where the region borders are exactly, so it is hard to find the middle. Also I don't know the UFO flying patterns precisely, so I cannot judge if the UFOs will fly close by or not.

IMHO, small radars are useful... but large radars are better.

[Meridian]

@Ivan - don't sell yourself too short.  If Meridian is a Jedi Master, you're definitely a Jedi Knight.  I'm just some padawan.  I've learned a lot from your LP's too.   Also, your presentation value is off the chart for your LP's.  I've gone back and started looking at your TFTD LP and can tell that you've taken great care to improve the quality of your LP's over time.

I cannot write such nice and colourful odes as Ivan, so it sometimes looks like I am not "impressed enough". The opposite is true, I am one of Ivan's biggest fans... certainly in the top 10 ;-) He's doing it right!

[Jstank]

Well hell if you all are jedi knights and masters that leaves me beeing....

[DoxaLogos (JG)]

@Jstank - mee so sorry!

@Ivan - I have to admit the most cringe worthy of the TFTD (besides losing almost your whole team on the first mission ) LP is the sound.  Looks like you upgraded your mic, since then.

[ivandogovich]

@Ivan - I have to admit the most cringe worthy of the TFTD (besides losing almost your whole team on the first mission ) LP is the sound.  Looks like you upgraded your mic, since then.

@jgatkinsn Its mostly a post production audio engineering that has made the difference there.  I already has my Blue Snowball when I started recording the LP, but learning how to remove the background noise with Audacity and sweeten the vocal tone makes a ton of difference.

@ Meridian:  Sorry for hi-jacking your thread!

[Jstank]

The good Col. Is the Jedi Master of Thread Hijacks. A true professional!

[DoxaLogos (JG)]

 (best Ivan voice) This is not the thread you're looking for... Cheers 

[Arthanor]

@Arthanor: As far as I know small radar does not have better detection chances. Quite opposite, small radar has 10% every 30 minutes, large radar 20% every 30 minutes.

The rest is true, they cost less, they are finished sooner and they stack, so they are definitely a good use of your money.

As for the "middle of the region", like most of the players, I don't know exactly where the region borders are exactly, so it is hard to find the middle. Also I don't know the UFO flying patterns precisely, so I cannot judge if the UFOs will fly close by or not.

IMHO, small radars are useful... but large radars are better.

Oh man.. must have been from a mod I have looked at. It would make sense as a kind of balance if the small radar had a higher success rate (and/or scanned more frequently). As it is, I'll have to go back to the common wisdom that large radars are better.. Especially since they come online at the same time as the hangar is ready any ways.

[hellrazor]

I can't wait for the next episode to get released i wanna see myself in action. I hope i don't die immediatly.

Meridian one word of advice, why don't you use some tanks? The FMP should have decent collection of them and they are excellent scouts in open terrain.
Also useing the INVENTORY button in the craft equip screen let's you set the equipment for your soldiers prior to a mission, the template sticks even if you remove them from the craft.