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Author Topic: [OLD] Old OXCE+ discussion thread  (Read 720188 times)

Offline Neo23

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Re: [OXCE+] Meridian's resources and mods for (not only) X-PirateZ
« Reply #1230 on: March 25, 2017, 10:57:48 pm »
Meridian, maybe you like some new features I was thinking about and can add them to OXCE+.

1. Definable sounds for events on geoscape. Would be nice to add a sound effect on UFO detection like in the intro cutscene "Warning, warning... UFO detected!".
Play definable sounds for events which may be nice to have:
- UFO detected
- Research complete
- Production complete (workshop and facilities separate)
- Goods have arrived
- Mission event alert, like terror missions (be able to give every different mission type its own sound would be cool)

Most could be achieved through custom vars like "Event_SFX_UFO: 154" and missions get something like "BriefingAlertSound: 155" in alienDeployments.
undefined = feature deactivated/unused


2. Some menu backgrounds are still not moddable via ruleset and you need to replace original graphics files. And it always bothers me that the HWP ufopedia background can not be customised. I would really like to make proper backgrounds for every tank, my doggies and other units. Adding  "image_id: SOMEHWPBACKGROUND_CPAL.SPK" support for this kind of pedia entries (type 3) would be cool.


3. Is there a hidden option to disable the "move base facilities around" feature? I like nearly everything in OXCE and OXCE+, but this is to cheaty for me. Moving underground facilities without costs or time consumption around is not very realistic and make proper base planing redundant. I think a user option for this feature, like the tech-tree viewer got, would be good (if there isn't already one).


4. The mission briefing music play most of the time only for 2-4 seconds until you hit OK. This is a little sad, especially with custom music. Would be cool if the briefing music would continue playing until you have equip your soldiers and start the mission. As optional feature of course.
« Last Edit: March 26, 2017, 06:18:11 am by Neo23 »

Offline Dioxine

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Re: [OXCE+] Meridian's resources and mods for (not only) X-PirateZ
« Reply #1231 on: March 26, 2017, 08:31:15 pm »
I support this, all good ideas!

Offline Meridian

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Re: [OXCE+] Meridian's resources and mods for (not only) X-PirateZ
« Reply #1232 on: March 27, 2017, 03:17:28 pm »
Meridian, would you be interested in adding a feature of random X-Com base names? I don't like coming up with names that much, plus it would be kinda fun to write the generator.

The only difference, game-wise, is that at building a new base, when you are prompted for name, there would be a string already - you can delete it or just press Enter. (Of course you can also rename the base late, like always.)

OK

Meridian, maybe you like some new features I was thinking about and can add them to OXCE+.

1. Definable sounds for events on geoscape. Would be nice to add a sound effect on UFO detection like in the intro cutscene "Warning, warning... UFO detected!".
Play definable sounds for events which may be nice to have:
- UFO detected
- Research complete
- Production complete (workshop and facilities separate)
- Goods have arrived
- Mission event alert, like terror missions (be able to give every different mission type its own sound would be cool)

Most could be achieved through custom vars like "Event_SFX_UFO: 154" and missions get something like "BriefingAlertSound: 155" in alienDeployments.
undefined = feature deactivated/unused

All these already produce a popup window... why would I need more notification?
Or am I missing something?

2. Some menu backgrounds are still not moddable via ruleset and you need to replace original graphics files. And it always bothers me that the HWP ufopedia background can not be customised. I would really like to make proper backgrounds for every tank, my doggies and other units. Adding  "image_id: SOMEHWPBACKGROUND_CPAL.SPK" support for this kind of pedia entries (type 3) would be cool.

I can add a background, but it can't be in a custom palette.
Must be the same palette as the HWP itself.

3. Is there a hidden option to disable the "move base facilities around" feature? I like nearly everything in OXCE and OXCE+, but this is to cheaty for me. Moving underground facilities without costs or time consumption around is not very realistic and make proper base planing redundant. I think a user option for this feature, like the tech-tree viewer got, would be good (if there isn't already one).

The option itself is hidden already, there's no documentation for it, and no promotion either.
It serves me (and people like me), who don't consider it cheating at all to avoid having to modify the save file instead.

"Proper base planning" is nice, but I don't have time to play PirateZ more than once every X years (X>3) and having to play without it would just be a PITA.

PS: Hiring 5000 workers in a tiny outpost in not realistic, going from sticks and stones to space flight in 2 years is not realistic, bottle of rum doing better and more consistent damage than pistols is not realistic, heck each base having a predefined area to build (of exactly same size, with walls around it made from Unbreakium) is unrealistic ... what I want to say is, this feature is saving me a lot of time and nerves, it's a great QoL improvement and removes a lot of unavoidable and lengthy tedium from the (PirateZ) game. Feel free not using it tho.

4. The mission briefing music play most of the time only for 2-4 seconds until you hit OK. This is a little sad, especially with custom music. Would be cool if the briefing music would continue playing until you have equip your soldiers and start the mission. As optional feature of course.

I don't know if this can be (easily) done... but I can try.
« Last Edit: March 27, 2017, 03:20:40 pm by Meridian »

Offline ohartenstein23

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Re: [OXCE+] Meridian's resources and mods for (not only) X-PirateZ
« Reply #1233 on: March 27, 2017, 04:02:01 pm »
3. Is there a hidden option to disable the "move base facilities around" feature? I like nearly everything in OXCE and OXCE+, but this is to cheaty for me. Moving underground facilities without costs or time consumption around is not very realistic and make proper base planing redundant. I think a user option for this feature, like the tech-tree viewer got, would be good (if there isn't already one).

We had a long discussion in the Piratez discord channel about this particular feature, and it ended with a proposal for a new feature to "legitimately" make bases easier to re-arrange - let certain buildings be built over others (e.g., any 1-square building can be built over a corridor), and make it possible for removed buildings to leave one behind (you remove your barracks and get a corridor left behind).  Building over an existing building would get some time and cost knocked off to represent not having to excavate at that location or whatever, so it would be an improvement over completely bulldozing the facility and relocating it.  This is on my list of things to implement, just a couple items from the top.

Offline Neo23

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Re: [OXCE+] Meridian's resources and mods for (not only) X-PirateZ
« Reply #1234 on: March 27, 2017, 04:03:07 pm »
About 1: Just as cosmetic feature to bring more live to the geoscape and because it's cool.

About 2: I think you misunderstood me. I do not meant to show the actual HWP sprite in pedia, but just be able to change the type 3 "background". Like every craft has its own background picture. So that every HWP can have its own background too. No battlescape sprites.

About 3: I do not meant to offend you, I am sorry if it sounded like that. I only think an option would be good. It is not very well hidden because of all the shortcuts with CTRL and well... i have watched every X-Com related Video on your channel, so pirates too and others have seen this shortcut too, I am sure of it. This feature is just a matter of taste, I think. And we all have our own.

About 4: I was afraid it could be not that easy. In the original there are two executables for battlescape and geoscape, but I hope it can be done in OXC somehow. Would be really good to use briefing music properly.

Even when you do not want to implement this or it can't be done, I am very happy with OXCE+ and keep up the good work!


@ ohartenstein23: This idea sounds pretty cool and would add to base "gameplay" (I actually like micromanagement and complex functions).
« Last Edit: March 27, 2017, 04:11:04 pm by Neo23 »

Offline Meridian

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Re: [OXCE+] Meridian's resources and mods for (not only) X-PirateZ
« Reply #1235 on: March 27, 2017, 04:41:34 pm »
About 2: I think you misunderstood me. I do not meant to show the actual HWP sprite in pedia, but just be able to change the type 3 "background". Like every craft has its own background picture. So that every HWP can have its own background too. No battlescape sprites.

I'm not talking about battlescape.
Just saying that the background picture for pedia will have to have the same palette as the foreground/content picture.
E.g. the kennels background will need the same palette as the dog foreground; or jungle background the same palette as foreground parrot.

In your example you had a _CPAL suffix, so I thought you wanted a custom palette, which is not possible (when having both background and foreground).

Or did you want to use background picture only?... without a foreground picture?

About 3: I do not meant to offend you, I am sorry if it sounded like that. I only think an option would be good. It is not very well hidden because of all the shortcuts with CTRL and well... i have watched every X-Com related Video on your channel, so pirates too and others have seen this shortcut too, I am sure of it. This feature is just a matter of taste, I think. And we all have our own.

No worries, I was just explaining myself (maybe too colorfully).

Offline Neo23

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Re: [OXCE+] Meridian's resources and mods for (not only) X-PirateZ
« Reply #1236 on: March 27, 2017, 07:31:11 pm »
Yes, just the background picture. No sprites in foreground, just normal text with the stats like always. You can already add those, if wanted, to the background (like craft weapon pictures for example).

Offline Solarius Scorch

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Re: [OXCE+] Meridian's resources and mods for (not only) X-PirateZ
« Reply #1237 on: March 27, 2017, 09:04:05 pm »
All these already produce a popup window... why would I need more notification?
Or am I missing something?

I'm not sure, but I thought it was about custom sounds. Basically definable sounds for Geoscape events, which I think would be a very nice thing to have. ;)

Offline Neo23

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Re: [OXCE+] Meridian's resources and mods for (not only) X-PirateZ
« Reply #1238 on: March 27, 2017, 11:05:11 pm »
Exactly. A played sound effect on opening one of the different event popup windows. An definable alert sound basically (actually, my intention was to implement voiceovers in case this feature got realised).
I wish my english was better, so I could describe more accurately what I actually want to say. Sorry about confusions. (One of the reasons my mods are only for some friends for now, I am too bad at writing complex research texts in english.)
« Last Edit: March 27, 2017, 11:10:23 pm by Neo23 »

Offline RSSwizard

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Re: [OXCE+] Meridian's resources and mods for (not only) X-PirateZ
« Reply #1239 on: April 01, 2017, 08:51:55 pm »
Got some hit special effects, some of which im using but I thought they might be nifty for some stuff (especially high tech or exotic shotgun pellet hits). Ill add a follow up post to continue the attaches. All of these are ufo defense palette and as far as I know their animations are aligned.

* Bfg Sparks - adapted from doom64 bfg hit
* Tiny Explosion - adapted from my flak sparks (next post) with a small fireball explosion from doom64
* Arcane Fire Splash - from the vorepod/vore mod somewhere in the depths of zdoom forums.
* Warcraft 2 wizard's lightning strike hit
* Warcraft 2 incendiary explosion hit (catapult/ballista)


Offline RSSwizard

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Re: [OXCE+] Meridian's resources and mods for (not only) X-PirateZ
« Reply #1240 on: April 01, 2017, 08:59:22 pm »
sparks02 - good replacement for default bullet impact, isnt monotone like the tftd version
sparks03 - dart gun, harpoon gun impact but good for anything else that isnt as forceful as a bullet
sparks04 - blue laser impact
sparks05 - flak guns, shotguns, anything else that produces alot of sparks or suggests multiple impacts in the same spot

whiteplasma - meh, it might go well for plasma shotgun pellets or something, its big but still suggests a 1 tile size explosion. This is from the plasma gun in blake stone planet strike.

Offline RSSwizard

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Re: [OXCE+] Meridian's resources and mods for (not only) X-PirateZ
« Reply #1241 on: April 01, 2017, 09:33:28 pm »
And to cover the other UAC option, no telling whether this will fit necessarily but its worth a shot (the doom plasma rifle always seemed more electrical than splashy)

Edit: I plugged this in and it works fantastic, only thing is the standard laser/plasma splash sound effect doesnt really work well with it, but I already replaced that so I didnt notice.
« Last Edit: April 03, 2017, 05:03:26 am by RSSwizard »

Offline Kammerer

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Re: [OXCE+] Meridian's resources and mods for (not only) X-PirateZ
« Reply #1242 on: April 02, 2017, 05:31:56 pm »
Meridian, I don't know whether you're interested or whether it is even possible but I have one suggestion: can you add a scroll bar to the UFOPedia text blocks? Since XCF and X-Pirates contain very long articles describing the universe and the ongoing events this could give some more liberty to the modders and the translators while working on the texts.
« Last Edit: April 02, 2017, 05:34:40 pm by Kammerer »

Offline RSSwizard

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Re: [OXCE+] Meridian's resources and mods for (not only) X-PirateZ
« Reply #1243 on: April 03, 2017, 05:06:03 am »
Meridian, I don't know whether you're interested or whether it is even possible but I have one suggestion: can you add a scroll bar to the UFOPedia text blocks?
Seconded, this has always been a pain, though usually modders just have to cater to that length. Ive noticed some articles in piratez that do seem to abruptly end, but they're actually stretching off the screen (I run 640x400 with pixel doubling so im effectively working with the same real estate as vanilla screen space).

Offline Meridian

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Re: [OXCE+] Meridian's resources and mods for (not only) X-PirateZ
« Reply #1244 on: April 14, 2017, 06:28:06 pm »
New version is up...

2017-04-14
 - Android support!
 - Fixed next stage CTD
 - Fixed counting issue in Craft Equip
 - Fixed scrolling issue in Craft Equip

Download: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8itkFQbhj-YZ1M2MmlSdWlXS1E
« Last Edit: April 15, 2017, 04:13:21 pm by Meridian »