[OLD] Old OXCE+ discussion thread

[Solarius Scorch]

Actually, as the person who came to you first, I think "enviro" is the perfect term. You said the above-mentioned undercover missions have "nothing to do with environments", but it's not right, because this is exactly a type of environment. Environment doesn't only refer to weather, but to any set of external conditions, that's why we peak of "work environment", "software environment" etc. So I think enviroType not only isn't misleading, but is actually the most precise term I can think of.

EDIT: ninja'd by Dioxine)

As for how to organize this information, I'm torn on this. I'm more inclined to side with Dioxine here, but then I worry if I'm not preventing some modder from doing something they want. It's impossible to think of everything.

[Meridian]

Very well, as you wish.

Just saying right now that if it will be "undercover mission" (deployment), "during night" (shade) in "polar environment" (terrain), you will NOT be able to use only "undercover weapons only" (deployment), "night-capable weapons only" (shade) and "weapons working in polar environment only" (terrain). You will only be able to choose one of these conditions.

Also, when you start categorizing weapons... let's make an easy example (category 1: ranged, category 2: melee, category 3: grenades), you will NOT be able to create a mission where you can use category 1+2 weapons. You will only be able to choose 1 category. If you would like to use weapons of category 1 and 2... you will need to create another category 4 and do all the work again. If I was modding, that alone would probably totally discourage me from using the feature.

It will work perfectly fine for your custom "undercover mission", but as soon as you will try to create another custom mission, you will start having problems. With each new type, more and more problems.

[Dioxine]

Why would we even need these "categories"? Who would add "one-handed only" as an enviro type? Maybe for some arena fights or other sports but not for real combat missions. I'd rather have that on an item-per-item basis, eg. "forbiddenEnviroTypes: [3, 17, 26]", therefore removing any possibility of conflict or any problems of the kind you speak of.

[Solarius Scorch]

I'd rather have that on an item-per-item basis, eg. "forbiddenEnviroTypes: [3, 17, 26]", therefore removing any possibility of conflict or any problems of the kind you speak of.

It would be a real pain to mod, but at least it's clear and understandable and foolproof. So I'm actually supporting that idea!

[Meridian]

Why would we even need these "categories"? Who would add "one-handed only" as an enviro type?

I am not talking about enviro types since a few posts already, I don't know why you're still so attached to such unflexible concept.

As for who wants "one-handed-weapons only" type? I don't know... maybe the same people who want "undercover-weapons only" type?

[Dioxine]

Then I no longer have a clear idea what features you might mean to add - I was only talking on what could be useful for me (and hopefully others too). Sorry this is not an assault but I simply got lost, I'm too dumb

[Solarius Scorch]

In essence it's a simple thing really, allow the modder to define environments and allow items & armours to be flagged for not working in this environment. (Plus additional code for what to do with non-matching armours.)

In order to do that, you need to be able to create an enviroType:

enviroType:
  - underwater
  - outerspace
  - mars
  - stealth
  - dreamland

and also add the necessary code to the item, something like that:

forbiddenEnviroType:
  - underwater
  - outerspace
  - stealth

This means that this particular weapon can be used on Mars and in Dreamlands, but not underwater or in open space, and is not a stealthy weapon.

Of course you also need to define which terrain is what, but that's obvious.

[Meridian]

Of course you also need to define which terrain is what, but that's obvious.

Lol, everything before this sentence was obvious, but the very sentence which you say is obvious is not obvious to me at all...

So how exactly do you want to define the enviroType?
1/ Dioxine wanted it on alien deployment?
2/ You want it on terrain?
3/ I would like it on combination of several things (including terrain, shade, alien mission, alien race, alien craft, maybe alien deployment and maybe others)

Maybe this was the misunderstanding the whole time...

[Solarius Scorch]

I don't really know where it should belong... Terrain is more natural, since most of these effects are related to geographical region or space etc. And instances of "stealth environment" can also be bound to terrain, like Corporate Office.
And it would be annoying to make separate deployments for a Battleship on Earth and on Mars. It should be the same deployment. So enviros don't belong there.

[Meridian]

New version is up.

v2016-02-07
  + Added "Grand Total" to Stores UI, more info here: https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,3898.msg58997.html#msg58997
  + Added sorting to Stores UI (by all columns, asc/desc)
  + Bugfix: properly destroy fixed items when changing armor
  + Remove medikits from the inventory if consumable and empty

[Dioxine]

After seeing it in action, I change my mind. The mini-portraits look awesome! How are they generated? Basing on STR_NONE_UC armor? Also I think it'd be better to fit the rank into the name bar than on the portrait... now someone needs to draw these ranks and I have very little time to mod anything lately...

EDIT: not sure if STR_NONE_UC is always the best option for the avatar... it does look very good graphically, but what if a gal is wearing less? Would it be possible to overrule the default choice on a per-armor basis?

[Meridian]

After seeing it in action, I change my mind. The mini-portraits look awesome! How are they generated? Basing on STR_NONE_UC armor? Also I think it'd be better to fit the rank into the name bar than on the portrait... now someone needs to draw these ranks and I have very little time to mod anything lately...

EDIT: not sure if STR_NONE_UC is always the best option for the avatar... it does look very good graphically, but what if a gal is wearing less? Would it be possible to overrule the default choice on a per-armor basis?

They are generated from STR_NONE_UC, starting at position [66,42] with size of [26,23].
Sometimes if the head is too big (for example that girl with white hair), a pixel or two are cut off from the top. But better that than showing empty space for girls with microcephaly.

I took STR_NONE_UC, because Solarius said that in vanilla, most avatars would have helmets... which is not so cool.
But I am open to suggestions... originally I took it from the armor the girls were wearing, and it's not a big change at all.

EDIT: maybe a flag on armor? Like "hasHelmet: true" (default would be false) or something like that for armors with helmet? And then use the armor itself if it doesn't have helmet, and STR_NONE_UC otherwise?

[Dioxine]

Yeah fine-tuning requires some thought. Taking the avatar from the armor worn might be a good default choice... but this would need override as well, since many armors obscure the face thus completely defeating the idea of avatar picture For now, using STR_NONE_UC works just fine. Maybe just simple a global ruleset option that allows for:
1) choosing the armor all the avatars are based on;
2) choosing the XY offset (a must if this function is supposed to work not only for Piratez)
Both on per-soldier race basis once we finally upgrade to OXCE 2.9

For nao, have tiny rank pictures

[Meridian]

For nao, have tiny rank pictures

Wow, these look awesome!
I don't know how anyone can put actual detail in 7x7...
But I think I will move them before the name (only if available of course), that should look even better.

[Dioxine]

  + Added support for custom armor preview icons, more info here: https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,4208.msg58705.html#msg58705

I was intending to take a stab at this but the sprite size is wrong; it should be 11x18, not 10x18. My old files are misaligned on purpose (so they don't collide with anything). Also to have this fully functioning, HWP-like units should also have custom sprites (now they're all tanks, regardless if they're tanks, cyberdiscs, reapers or sectoids).
Also this brings me to... the vanilla equipment presentation is lacking in OXC; it was intended for 80 items limit, hence it is useless as info (the bar is always full). How about making it more useful? Maybe add optional function that counts equipment on weight basis (would not count HWPs), with a moddable number of weight units that represent each "equipment" sprite? Now musings time: possibly a weight limit on craft! (this one would count each soldier's weight = weight of their battle corpse, plus HWPs, plus all equipment, must be lower or equal the limit - or just count the weight of items for simplicity's sake). In an advanced model, it could limit the weight of loot, leading to DECISIONS (more soldiers with heavy gear? or more space for loot? What to grab, what to discard?)