Re: [MAIN] XPiratez - N9.7.7 12-Sep-2024 Second Coming

[Dioxine]

Dioxine - Just a note - You've used the old Helmetless images in the variant folder, not the new ones I sent to you the other day.

I'll attach the correct ones here.  Just unzip and replace.

I've attached the stock version, not the best one. Please feel free to publish it as your own mod on the modsite.

[Zharkov]

Wow, I think that's my first error message since I played openxcom - I had plenty ctds, but never a proper error message. I have no idea what it is about, though...

[SIMON BAILIE]

So I don't spoil it for anyone else can you tell me about this one?

I've just noticed in my playthrough of piratez 0.9j and it's the same in piratez extended the blast radius of the chinese dragon rocket for the quad launcher = 59. Is this right as upon testing it in battlemode it obliterates most of the entire battlescape and at 600 damage not much is going to survive? Is this an error or is this a suicide type of ammo ie if I'm going down the aliens are too?

[ivandogovich]

Its working as designed, Simon.

[Dioxine]

What's with your obsession with suicide bombing? I've never thought about using this weapon for such a purpose (unless by an error), but whatever floats your boat

[new_civilian]

Can't wait to finish my current campaign, just to start a Piratez one! 

Btw, is the new exe "only" the v1.9 of the Extended Exe or is it something else? If it is the first one, can I safely update to 2.2?

[VodkaBear]

Last time I forgot to ask: what about fragmentation weapons (mean frag grenades/shells), because in real life most of game analogs not H. EAs I see, if most of grenades/mortar shells will be unable to destroy enviroment such easy as it now, it'll bring more difference between classes of weapons and they munitions (for example, mortal will be unable to broke anything, except small and weak objects) and you'll need to use weapons with ammo which has HE capability (like RPG, etc), to breach a wall. Also, frags fly further and deal more damage at "border" of normal explosion.

[Dioxine]

Last time I forgot to ask: what about fragmentation weapons (mean frag grenades/shells), because in real life most of game analogs not H. EAs I see, if most of grenades/mortar shells will be unable to destroy enviroment such easy as it now, it'll bring more difference between classes of weapons and they munitions (for example, mortal will be unable to broke anything, except small and weak objects) and you'll need to use weapons with ammo which has HE capability (like RPG, etc), to breach a wall. Also, frags fly further and deal more damage at "border" of normal explosion.

Please elaborate on how exactly you'd see that implemented. The walls are pretty hard to breach as they are, IMO. Indeed hand grenades shouldn't be able to bring down brick walls, but isn't it too much complexity? Also there are many types of brick walls with wildly varied armor values....

Btw, is the new exe "only" the v1.9 of the Extended Exe or is it something else? If it is the first one, can I safely update to 2.2?

It is unchanged but still, at your own risk. The .exe is a standalone, but it does depend on the Nightly rulesets. Should work as there were no major changes to those, but I can't give any guarantees. Also AFAIK the extended .exe included in the package is 2.1A, not 1.9 (unless I'm on drugs ).

Meanwhile, I've managed to repair the soldier names (thanks to myk002 and FudgeDragon!) and also added a "mindprobing" unit, as requested. He can be bought at the Mutant Alliance, but losing him imposes a major score hit.

Also this question is for Zharkov: I'm considering breaking up the batglad unit into a male and a female version with slightly different capabilities, since all slaves have a set gender now (male would need Slave Lasher while the female - Slave Gladiatrix).

[Meridian]

Small question:
- Why is the big font different than in vanilla? By design or by accident?
- If by design... can I revert to original font somehow? I really dislike the new one...

[FudgeDragon]

Small question:
- Why is the big font different than in vanilla? By design or by accident?
- If by design... can I revert to original font somehow? I really dislike the new one...

I don't mind it myself, and I cant comment on Dioxine's decision to include it, but...

If you open the Piratesz/Ruleset directory, theres a AmigaFont.rul. I beleive just removing that should revert the change.

[Dioxine]

Small question:
- Why is the big font different than in vanilla? By design or by accident?
- If by design... can I revert to original font somehow? I really dislike the new one...

Really not by an accident, it's an Amiga font Few things happen by accident in this mod, and even that only due to its sheer size I've used it to make Piratez more distinct from vanilla, also because I like how it looks - well it could look better, has a good shape but it is flat. Still, the original PC font is a bit too techy for this mod, I prefer something with more flair. De gustibus non disputandum, I guess. To get rid of this, simply delete AmigaFont.rul.

An ideal solution would be a sexied-up, non-flat amiga font, but that's beyond my current plans.

EDIT: I'm also expanding the lore. I think there should be some sort of Council of Earth, gathering the Traders, Academy and Church as decisive members, and Provincial Govts as second-grade general assembly members with little real power. This Council would also need a military arm - an Imperial Guard? Earth Guard? Earth Defense Force? True the 3 Factions have their own militaries but there is still space for a dedicated military force.

[VodkaBear]

Please elaborate on how exactly you'd see that implemented. The walls are pretty hard to breach as they are, IMO. Indeed hand grenades shouldn't be able to bring down brick walls, but isn't it too much complexity? Also there are many types of brick walls with wildly varied armor values....

Ok, quick how-i-see-it:
At start only HE types available to player will be something like dynomite and rpg-7 rocket. All other explosive stuff(like hand grenades, mortar shells, 40mm grenades - all frags).
How it works: small explosion( depending on size, 1-3 radius for hand grenade and 40mm, 3-4 for mortar shell and rpg-7 frag rocket (or other similar type of munitions, I dont remember all of them in piratez) + numerous frags, which quanity, fly distance and damage depends on  size too, they fly really further then other specialized HE stuff radius (like simple hand grenade have 25 radius for frags, while best HE mine or smthing have a blast radius max 10-11).
What it brings: you cant more spam explosions here and there, you should thing about being not hited by own frags, which can fly really far (for corresponding stuff), thats why you can use mortar from closed position and cannot more throw grenades in lonely window 3-4 tiles from your squad and dont care, what will be with soldiers if only one of them miss and hit wall, instead of window. It'll bring more diversity and you no more skip grenades, while one of them 25dmg and other 35. I'm not sure if it possible to code on current engine, but anyway.

[Dioxine]

Realism-wise, distinctnion betwee demolitions and frags makes sense. But from the mechanics point of view... it is possible to lower the grenade damage and increase their radius considerably while decreasing the damage dropoff per tile, but then they'd lack the oomph needed to kill a guy who just got a grenade thrown under his feet...

Meanwhile I've made a mockup pic with several Spartan types, let me know which ones look better. Spartans are supposed to be mostly unarmored, except for higher ranks.

[hellrazor]

Small question:
- Why is the big font different than in vanilla? By design or by accident?
- If by design... can I revert to original font somehow? I really dislike the new one...

Looks like the Amiga Fonts. I tried them out also and uaaah they are Eye Cancer.

[Edrick]

I'd go with the tank top scout, beret-less rifleman, heavy with ammo belt across chest and goggle-thingy official.
I'm ecstatic on finally getting mindprobey unit, but would it be possible, in the same way, to get some early-game (if really expensive, not that strong and physically very squishy) psi unit (panic + mind control). I'd really like that!