In that case I prefer to have the x-pirateZ version. Reaction-triggering must work different in dos-vanilla.
Understandable desire. But I would have preferred an option to switch new/old where the developers did change game mechanics from the original.
Probably does not matter for anyone else, but I like the game as I used to know it.
BBHood217: The reaction is also working that way in vanilla when I am 1 tile away from the door, or 10 tiles. Vanilla opens fire on alien instantly when it opens the door, open xcom does never.
The OXC-alien just steps out of the door and kills my soldier.
I have both the first DOS version and the second with the improved combat sounds under test.
Sighting does not seem to matter. It is a "wild west" style. The one who draws faster shoots first.
I also think to remember I used to place soldiers in front of sectoids, face off, and my troops reaction-shot the guys before they could fire. The reaction check here seemed to be done before the alien action.
Reaction in open xcom is based on sighting. If you need a blind angle, you do not need reactions that much. If you are sighted, reactions are completely useless.
I did not play TFTD that much, but I would almost bet it was a standard tactic of mine to place 2 to 4 soldiers in front of the light cruiser alien sub doors in plain sight of anyone coming out, and they ripped apart any alien comming out, as long as their TU/reaction ratio was high enough. The blind angle was only necessary for low reaction soldiers to train them.
Sighting rules do only seem to apply to open xcom. Maybe the new "steam" version of UFO/TFTD does this the same way, but I just like the wild west shooting I know from my original.