[WIP] Chiko's Alternate Xcom

[Solarius Scorch]

I think so, have a look at Alloy Crafts and Gauss HWP

You'll need a new tank though, there's no way of using exchangeable ammo on a tank.

[Chiko]

I was afraid that was the case. Well, there isn't many HWPs and Craft Weapons so it won't be so bad.

Also, I've been playing with flamethrowers a bit and I noticed being on fire and incendiary explosions are not as effective as most damage types, regardless of the number you set in their damage output, which probably only affects direct hits. It would be cool if there was a way for this damage type to spawn fire on the floor without explosions. I'll shelve the flamethrowers for now but I'll keep the sprites in the folder called "Unused" i just introduced in the latest update so ppl can have them.

[Chiko]

Just updated the download link in the main page. It includes:

-Laser Rifle has been split into Laser Assault Rifle and Laser Sniper Rifle.
-Laser Sniper Rifle uses Heavy Laser Power Cells or Heavy L115 Power Cells.
-Heavy Laser now has auto shot, is less accurate but uses less TUs.
-Rocket Launcher now uses the sprite posted in the main page.

I think I will now work on a Non-Lethal Weapons research tree. You will get this one after you research the Small Launcher and Stun Bombs. First item developed in this tree should be the already added Stun Grenade. Next one could be an improved Stun Rod, Human version of the Small Launcher with bonuses, Stun Ammo for the Siege Cannon and Auto Cannon but I have no idea if it's possible since those two weapons already have 3 types of ammo. I dunno how will this affect their ufopedia entry either.

[Chiko]

Just got home so I will continue working on this new Non-Lethal Weapon tree. This is what I have in mind:

-Researching any dead alien would unlock the Non-Lethal Weapon research.
-Researching that will allow you to research Electro-Shock Rod (renamed Stun Rod) and the Alien Containment Facility.
-Upon researching either an Alien Stunner Gun (renamed Small Launcher) or a Stun Bomb will give you the Alien Abduction Weapons ufopedia entry.
-Researching a Stun Bomb will also give you knowledge of Stun Fluid, which you will be able to manufacture and use in the construction of more Stun Bombs and other Non-Lethal Weapons.
-Having knowledge of Stun Fluid will allow you to research Stun Grenades.
-Having knowledge of the Alien Stunner Gun, Alien Alloy and Stun Fluid will allow you to manufacture human version of Stunner Guns.
-Having knowledge of Electro-Shock Rod, Alien Alloy and Stun Fluid will allow you to research and develop the Stunner Rod, which will need ammo but it will do more stun damage.

Also, Stunner Guns will shot their Stun Bombs in an arched manner, just like the Siege Cannon, to make them more useful than Stun Grenades.

[Chiko]

I have most of the tech tree complete but there's one minor issue I have no idea how to fix...

I left this piece of code in all organic autopsy research:

Code: [Select]

    unlocks:
      - STR_NON_LETHAL_WEAPONS

In a particular case, when I research a Sectoid Corpse, it unlocks Non-Lethal Weapons, Floater Corpse and Reaper Corpse even though they are already available for research. Apart from that little detail, all the rest is working as intended.

[clownagent]

Just got home so I will continue working on this new Non-Lethal Weapon tree. This is what I have in mind:

-Researching any dead alien would unlock the Non-Lethal Weapon research.
-Researching that will allow you to research Electro-Shock Rod (renamed Stun Rod) and the Alien Containment Facility.
-Upon researching either an Alien Stunner Gun (renamed Small Launcher) or a Stun Bomb will give you the Alien Abduction Weapons ufopedia entry.
-Researching a Stun Bomb will also give you knowledge of Stun Fluid, which you will be able to manufacture and use in the construction of more Stun Bombs and other Non-Lethal Weapons.
-Having knowledge of Stun Fluid will allow you to research Stun Grenades.
-Having knowledge of the Alien Stunner Gun, Alien Alloy and Stun Fluid will allow you to manufacture human version of Stunner Guns.
-Having knowledge of Electro-Shock Rod, Alien Alloy and Stun Fluid will allow you to research and develop the Stunner Rod, which will need ammo but it will do more stun damage.

Also, Stunner Guns will shot their Stun Bombs in an arched manner, just like the Siege Cannon, to make them more useful than Stun Grenades.

I also thought about changing the lore of the non-lethal alien tech. I felt they should have weapons based on low temperature to freeze their victims and take them with them.
Recoloring of the stun weapons to "ice" blue is easy.
 
But your idea with purple stun fluid is funny.  There is already a mod for purple psi fluid named 'psioline'.  Maybe one could mix them to produce some purple super fluid 

[Chiko]

Hmm... I forgot about the purple stuff in the psi amp. I will probably change that into another color or use another sprite entirely. :3

[Chiko]

Just updated the mod in the main page with the list I mentioned before. The only thing I could not implement was the ammo for the Stunner Rod. I'm not sure there's such thing as a melee weapon that needs ammo.

[Falko]

melee,psi,mindprobe have no ammo
ammo counting is currently? part of projectile creation

[Chiko]

That it seems. I might suggest it later, I think it might be useful for others as well.

I think I'll move into the Fusion Weapons now. I think fusion weapons need some rebalance too, specially the Fusion Blaster.

[Chiko]

I've been thinking about more ways to make autopsies more useful and I think I will add Floater, Cyberdisc and Sectopod autopsies as requirements for UFO Construction.

Another idea could be to link Hovertank Tech with Cyberdiscs and make it so you need a Cyberdisc Corpse along with other materials to build a Hovertank, giving corpses more uses other than just research and selling.

I once suggested a "Walker Chassis" out of Sectopod research and posted this mock up pic:

I have no idea how to implement something like this since I suck at unit sprites.

About the Fusion weapons. The tech tree is gonna be similar to the one I made for plasma weapons:
-Researching any Fusion Tech (Alien Grenade, Fusion Blaster or Blaster Bomb) will give you the Alien Fusion Weapons Ufopedia Entry.
-Upon researching all Fusion Tech, a new research will appear, Fusion Weapons Adaptation.
-Researching that will allow you to manufacture human version of them, including the Craft, HWP and Facility Weapons.
-You will also be able to develop Fusion Mines and Fusion Bomb Devices, which will be a deployable explosive similar to the High Explosive.

Also, I want aliens to never stop using Pistols and Rifles... is this gonna work?

Code: [Select]

alienItemLevels:
  - [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 2]
  - [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 2]
  - [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2]
  - [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2]
  - [0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2]
  - [0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2]
  - [0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2]
  - [0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2]
  - [0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2]
  - [0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2]

[Solarius Scorch]

I've been thinking about more ways to make autopsies more useful and I think I will add Floater, Cyberdisc and Sectopod autopsies as requirements for UFO Construction.

Another idea could be to link Hovertank Tech with Cyberdiscs and make it so you need a Cyberdisc Corpse along with other materials to build a Hovertank, giving corpses more uses other than just research and selling.

It's a neat idea.

I once suggested a "Walker Chassis" out of Sectopod research

It's beautiful!

Also, I want aliens to never stop using Pistols and Rifles... is this gonna work?

Code: [Select]

alienItemLevels:
  - [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 2]
  - [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 2]
  - [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2]
  - [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2]
  - [0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2]
  - [0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2]
  - [0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2]
  - [0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2]
  - [0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2]
  - [0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2]

Yeah, sure. You can use my table if you want: https://www.openxcom.com/mod/item-levels

[Deskulpa]

"Also, I want aliens to never stop using Pistols and Rifles... is this gonna work?"
Yes, you will have 20% pistol, 30% rifle, 50% heavy.

Request Sprites Weapons:
  - Toxic grenade using smoke
  - Acid Gun
  - BlasterLauncher with stun missile
  - Plasma Flame Elerium a Incendiary weapom using elerium ammo.

Don´t know if this weapon can work, but having the sprites give more hope.

[Chiko]

Thanks guys... I now know something more than just a guess about how this table works. So the more of a number in a line, the higher the chances, got it.

-The toxic smoke grenade sounds interesting. Reminds me how smoke grenades cause stun damage. I wonder if increasing the smoke damage does actually increases its stun damage. I always wanted a smoke stun grenade.
-Acid gun sounds weird. I also totally forgot there's an acid damage in the game. Hmm...
-A Stun Missile for the Blaster Launcher could be just a recolor of the Fusion Bomb.
-About the Plasma Flame Gun. You mean like a flamethrower? Coz there's a sprite for one along with an ammo clip inside the "Unused" folder inside the mod. If not, maybe it could be like an ammo type for plasma weapons. A different colored clip which makes the Plasma weapons fire a fire colored bolt that does incendiary damage instead of the green one.

Also, Solarius Scorch. I read somewhere each line containing these numbers equals a month. Your table being a lot bigger than the vanilla one means the alien's item progression takes over 30 months to reach the latest loadout, am I right?

If so then I will make mine bigger too. I had no idea you could just add more and I definitely like that idea. :3

[skaianDestiny]

For the Walker chassis, you may want to look at this: https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=1627.0

Same idea, but uses the Sectopod sprites directly.